Bronchitis occurs when mucous membranes of the bronchial tubes become inflamed and mucous blocks the lungs’ airflow. Infection as well as external irritants such as sulfur dioxide, smoke, and airborne pollutants can cause bronchitis. A cold or flu can develop into bronchitis too. Here’s how to breathe easier.
GOOD TO GROW!
The culinary herb thyme is antiseptic and bronchodilating. Grow it in your flower box and then use it as a condiment to flavor soups and dressings.
HERBS THAT HELP BRONCHITIS
Herbs such as anise, fennel seed, licorice root, marshmallow root, pleurisy root, slippery elm bark, and wild cherry bark relax bronchial spasms by soothing inflammation. Natural food stores carry teas, capsules, syrups, and tinctures that include these botanicals. They can be taken every 2 or 3 hours during respiratory distress.
Fenugreek, ginger, hyssop, juniper berries, osha root, and thyme break up mucus congestion, curb infection, and expectorate mucous so you can breathe better and cough less. They are also available in tea, capsule, syrup, and tincture form. A dose can be taken every 2 or 3 hours during respiratory distress.
BEST FOODS FOR BRONCHITIS
When you have bronchitis, include three to five servings of these foods daily:
• Garlic and onions, which help break up congestion and open the airways
• Salmon, which contains anti-inflammatory oils
• Chlorophyll-rich green leafy vegetables, which help the body better utilize oxygen
• Yellow and orange vegetables high in beta-carotene including potatoes, winter squash, apricots, and persimmons, which help the lungs resist infection
WHEN TO SEE YOUR M.D.
If home remedies are not helping, seek medical attention, especially if symptoms worsen and you feel there is nothing else you can do at home. If this is a first attack or you are coughing up yellow, brown, or bloody phlegm, seek proper medical attention immediately.
This Natural Remedies For Bronchitis article is taken from :
The Country Almanac of Home Remedies - Brigitte Mars
