9.15.2020

Herbs for Smokey Lungs

Choking on wildfire smoke? Here's some helpful herbs for smokey lungs, from my mentor 7song


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Herbs for Smoke Inhalation part 1 I cannot express how terrible I feel about the devastating western wildfires. I hope everyone is safe in body and property, though I know this is not always the case. The main primary consideration is wearing a mask to avoid breathing in small particulate matter, which is in the smoke. The current masks that most people are wearing due to Covid work well as does wearing a doubly folded bandana over one’s mouth and nose. Since this is not always possible, there are some herbs that can offer some assistance in loosening and bringing up these small smoke particles. Consider plants that are mucilaginous, that is, having a thick consistency. The reason they are helpful is that they can increase mucous production in the respiratory tree. Mucous is the main way that the body expels small particles from the bronchi. By increasing this with good moist mucous (rather than thin and sticky), it can be very helpful in moving the particulate matter up and out. There are 3 common plants for this: Licorice root (Glycyrrhiza uralensis and G. glabra), Marshmallow root (Althaea officinalis) and Slippery elm inner bark (Ulmus rubra). The best way to take these is to mix 1 teaspoon or so of the powdered root or inner bark in a glass of water (or other liquid) and drink it down. This provides a lot more of the mucilage than taking a preparation such as a tincture. The second best way is to make a strong tea of these plants. You can also take 2-3 capsules a few times a day. I suggest doing this with any of these preparations 3-4 times a day if possible depending on how much smoke you are inhaling. Licorice root as it also an antiinflammatory. Respiratory inflammation can be a consequence of breathing in smoke. Do not use this plant if you have high blood pressure (or if you hate the taste of Licorice). If you choose to use Slippery elm, please try to get it from a reliable sustainable source. Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila) can also be very mucilaginous, with the inner bark being the most ‘slippery’. And this plant is non-native and commonly planted in cities.

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