Coughs
*See also COLDS/FLU
Foods to Eat More Of:
Foods to Avoid or Minimize:
Essential Oils:
*If additional information or precautions are available, the links below will direct you that information. If not, you will be directed to Amazon for purchasing options.
Natural/Herbal:
*If additional information or precautions are available, the links below will direct you that information. If not, you will be directed to Amazon for purchasing options.
Yoga Therapy:
Supplements & Homeopathic:
Recipes - Food Medicine:
*Note: Not all recipes are nutritionally perfect, but the options below are a great way to start incorporating beneficial foods into your diet in delicious ways. Always try to buy organic, and feel free to make substitutions to accommodate gluten-free, vegan, etc diets. Recipes naturally Vegan and Gluten-Free are marked as such (V=Vegan; GF=Gluten-Free).
Smoothies/Beverages:
Sides:
Foods to Eat More Of:
- Fruits: Figs, pineapple
- Vegetables: Leeks, onions
- Garlic, ginger, cilantro, thyme, honey, red seaweed/algae (laver and carrageen), maitake mushrooms
Foods to Avoid or Minimize:
- Dairy Products
Essential Oils:
*If additional information or precautions are available, the links below will direct you that information. If not, you will be directed to Amazon for purchasing options.
- Chest rub: 5 drop fennel, 5 drops hyssop, 10 drops each of eucalyptus and thyme - dilute in 2 oz of carrier oil (sunflower or almond) and massage into chest 2-3 times daily. Can also use this solution as steam inhalant (Boil a full pot of water, remove from heat until no longer boiling. Add the oils. Hold your face about a foot away and put a towel over your head & shoulders. Inhale for up to 30 minutes, 2-4 times daily).
- Rosalina (2-3 drops under tongue, hold 15-20 seconds then swallow).
- A drop of peppermint oil placed on back of tongue.
- A eucalyptus oil steam inhalation: Boil a full pot of water, remove from heat until no longer boiling. Add a few drops of eucalyptus oil. Hold your face about a foot away and put a towel over your head & shoulders. Inhale for up to 30 minutes, 2-4 times daily.
Natural/Herbal:
*If additional information or precautions are available, the links below will direct you that information. If not, you will be directed to Amazon for purchasing options.
- Anise, basil, bergamot, black cohosh, chickweed, cilantro/coriander, clove, eucalyptus, fennel, ginger (fresh has shown to be more effective in some cases), horehound, hyssop, lemon balm, licorice, marjoram, marshmallow root, pepper, peppermint, plantain, red clover, slippery elm, St. John's Wort, thyme, valerian, yellow dock (try any of the above in tea or lozenge form).
- Cough Types:
- For cough with a hoarse voice, mix 1/4 teaspoon black pepper into 1 teaspoon of ghee/clarified butter and take on a full stomach (3 times daily).
- For a cough without a hoarse voice, mix 1/4 teaspoon black pepper into 1 teaspoon of honey and take on a full stomach (3 times daily).
- For a lung infection: thyme
- Dry, tickling coughs: wild lettuce, licorice, marshmallow, hyssop
- Productive coughs: elecampane, Raspberry vinegar (add crushed raspberries to improve flavor)
- Acupressure on the chest can help. Take your middle fingers and hold them in front of your eyes (both right and left) - this is just for spacing reasons. Then lower them to the depressions right below your collarbone. Press this area firmly for a few minutes and the cough may subside (can also try circular rubbing motions).
- Mix 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon cloves, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard and enough lard to make a paste. Make a poultice and apply to to chest or throat. Leave on overnight.
- Add several teaspoons ground ginger into bath water.
- Syrup/Tea/Remedy Recipes:
- Hot lemon tea: Juice of 1/2 a lemon, 1 cup hot water, sweeten with honey.
- Add 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar to 1 cup hot water and drink often (can sweeten with honey to improve taste).
- Thinly slice 1 lemon, add 1 cup flax seeds and 1 quart water. Simmer slowly for 4 hours but don't boil. Strain while it's hot and add 2 oz honey. Add water to make a pint (if necessary). Give 1 Tablespoon of this syrup 4 times daily.
- Herbal Cough Remedy: 1 teaspoon slippery elm, 2 teaspoon marshmallow, 1 teaspoon hyssop, 45 drops echinacea tincture, 45 drops licorice tincture. Mix all and steep in hot water for 20 minutes; add honey to taste.
- Layer slices of onion, turnip or leek with honey or sugar and leave overnight (covered). Suggested doses range from 1/2 teaspoon every 30 minutes to 1 teaspoon every 3-4 hours.
- Mix 2 Tablespoons honey, 2 Tablespoons vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon ginger and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper. Add 4 Tablespoons hot water. Sip often.
- Add 1 ounce of brandy, 1 Tbsp butter and 2-3 cloves to any of the teas mentioned above. Have a cup before bed.
Yoga Therapy:
- Yoga Breathing Exercises to Prevent Cough (2.5 minutes - ehowhealth)
- Yoga For When You Are SICK (20 minutes - Yoga With Adriene)
- Yoga For Colds (10 minutes - Christina D'Arrigo Yoga - ChriskaYoga)
Supplements & Homeopathic:
- Vitamin A: 50,000 IU twice daily until symptoms improve; if needed beyond 7 days, reduce dose to 25,000 IU daily (pregnant women should not exceed 5,000 IU daily).
- Vitamin C: 2,000 mg 3 times daily until symptoms improve; if needed beyond 5 days, reduce dose to 1,000 mg 3 times daily (reduce if it causes diarrhea). A different source says up to 500 mg daily but combine with a zinc supplement.
- Echinacea: 200 mg 3-5 times daily.
- Garlic: 400-600 mg 4 times daily with food (should provide 4,000 mcg allicin potential).
- Goldenseal: 125 mg extract 5 times daily for 5 days (don't use if pregnant or with high blood pressure).
- Homeopathic Chestal
- Dry raspy cough that is made worse by talking or drinking: Spongia tosta 30C (1-2 times daily)
- Gagging spasmodic cough that is made worse by eating or drinking: Drosera 30C (1-2 times daily)
- Coughs due to a tickle in the throat that is made worse when lying down: Rumex 30C (1-2 times daily)
Recipes - Food Medicine:
*Note: Not all recipes are nutritionally perfect, but the options below are a great way to start incorporating beneficial foods into your diet in delicious ways. Always try to buy organic, and feel free to make substitutions to accommodate gluten-free, vegan, etc diets. Recipes naturally Vegan and Gluten-Free are marked as such (V=Vegan; GF=Gluten-Free).
Smoothies/Beverages:
- Blueberry Pineapple Smoothie (V, GF)
- Detox Smoothie (V, GF)
- Mango Pineapple Smoothie (V, GF)
- Pineapple Kale Smoothie (V, GF)
- Pineapple Mint Smoothie (V, GF)
- Sunrise Smoothie (V, GF)
- Tropical Smoothie (V, GF)
- Yogi Tea (V, GF)
- Adult Ramen (V, GF)
- Broth (Veggie/Chicken/Beef) - (V, GF)
- Chicken Marsala - use Maitake mushrooms
- Garlic Soup (V, GF)
- Japanese Onion Soup (V, GF) - use Maitake mushrooms
- Mujaddara (V, GF)
- Pasta Della California (V)
- Shrimp with Homemade Red Sauce (GF)
- Spiced Lentil Soup (V, GF)
- Turkey Mushroom Saute (GF) - use Maitake mushrooms
Sides: