Please note: These are not my own recipes- they are ones I have collected from various sources. If you see something here that you should have credit for, please contact me.
DISCLAIMER: If you are on any pharmaceutical medications or have a serious medical condition, are pregnant or nursing, consult your health care provider before ingesting anything that you do not normally ingest, including herbs and over the counter medications. Dosages given are for *adults*. Unless specific dosage is labeled "for Children", *do not give to Children*. When you choose to self medicate, *you* are responsible for what you put in your body. If you show any symptom after ingesting an herb or any other substance that you do not normally ingest, stop taking the herb, etc., immediately. The symptom may or may not have something to do with the herb, etc., but you can always try again later, after the symptom has disappeared, to test if it was the herb, etc. I take no responsibility for your misuse of any of the recipes below- use at your own risk.
Mixture for Congestion
1 TBS of honey (or maple syrup)
1 TBS of vodka or rum or brandy or whiskey (experiment!)
1 cup of hot -not boiling- water
6 drops tea tree essential oil
3 drops lemon essential oil
Stir the essential oils in the alcohol, add the honey and stir well. Then add the hot water slowly and mix continuously. Drink and enjoy.
Three Aromatherapy Remedies
1. To loosen mucus and ease congestion:
5 tsp/25 ml carrier oil
4 drops lavender essential oil
3 drops thyme essential oil
3 drops ginger or hyssop essential oil
Rub the chest, throat and back with this mixture.
2. To soothe a dry cough
Bowl of steaming water
3 drops sandalwood essential oil
3 drops frankincense essential oil
3 drops benzoin essential oil
Cover your head with a towel and inhale deeply for 10 minutes.
3. To ease congestion
Bowl of steaming water
3 drops tea tree essential oil
3 drops lavender essential oil
2 drops thyme essential oil
2 drops peppermint or eucalyptus essential oil
Cover your head with a towel and inhale deeply for 10 minutes
Cough Syrups
Cherry Horehound Syrup
2 ounces honey, 2 ounces water. Boil and skim. Add 1 ounce vodka, 1 ounce syrup of wild cherry bark, 1/2 ounce of horehound syrup, 1/2 ounce of rhubarb syrup, 1/2 ounce of wild ginger syrup. Shake well before each use. Take one teaspoon as needed or every hour.
Garlic Honey Cough and Cold Syrup
Peel garlic cloves, put into a jar. cover with honey. Set in warm place for 2 weeks or more until the garlic turns opaque. Take 1 teaspoonful as needed. Dilute with a little water or lemon juice for children.
Onion Cough and Cold Syrup
Slice an onion, cover it with honey, let stand overnight. Strain, take a teaspoonful 4-5 times daily as needed.
Teas
Anise Tea for Coughs
Using Anise as a cough remedy is now supported by science. It has been a traditional treatment for coughs, bronchitis and asthma. The herb contains creosol and alpha-pinene that loosen bronchial secretions and make them easier to cough up. Gently crush 1 teaspoon of anise seeds per cup of boiling water. Steep for 10-20 minutes and strain. Drink up to 3 cups per day. As a tincture, take 1/2 to 1 teaspoon up to 3 times a day. for children and the elderly begin with low-strength preparations and increase in strength if necessary.
Cough Combo
Equal parts of Coltsfoot, Mullein and Licorice. Combine all herbs and use 1-2 tsp. per cup of boiling water. Steep for 10 minutes.
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus loosens the phlegm in the chest, making it easier to cough up. Studies show Eucalyptus kills influenza, a virus that causes the most serious form of flu. It kills some bacteria so may help prevent bacterial bronchitis, a common complication of colds and flu. Use 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried crushed leaves per cup of boiling water. Steep 10 minutes. Drink up to 2 cup per day. Not for children under 2.
Horehound
Horehound is commonly used as a cure for childrens cough, cold and croup. This herb has expectorant properties that loosen phlegm from the chest. Use 1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried herb to 1 cup of boiling water. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, drink 3 times a day.
Whooping Cough
1 part White Horehound, 2 parts Mouse Ear, 1 part Sundew, 1 part Coltsfoot, 1 part Thyme. Mix all ingredients together. Use 1-2 teaspoon to 1 cup of boiling water. Steep 10 minutes.
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