(Use the information in this blog post at your own risk. Nothing presented in any form is to be construed as medical, nutritional, legal, or financial advice, or any other form of advice requiring a licensed professional. The opinions expressed here are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only.)

Have you ever had a chest cold? No, not the type with a drippy nose and slightly scratchy throat. I’m talking about the real chest colds, the ones that leave you exhausted and coughing with every breath…especially overnight.

Influenza, along with other triggers like infections and environmental allergens, can literally knock your breath away. Thankfully, there are plenty of herbal options that don’t just relieve symptoms, but also help fix the underlying causes and support healing.

5 Herbs for the Respiratory System

Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis)

A little-known member of the mint family, this plant is a valuable expectorant, meaning it encourages the removal of mucus and/or reduces coughing. This herb goes into Cat Ellis’ herbal blend for bad chest infections. You can blend hyssop with hard cloves for a flavorful remedy for painful coughs. Hyssop also encourages sweating.

Whatever your ailment, just make sure you’re using Hyssopus officinalis, not anise hyssop, which is a different plant.

Lobelia (Lobelia inflata)

This herb ranks high on the strength scale and is a powerful antispasmodic, bringing jaws out of lockjaw and calming asthma triggered by allergies. Not only does lobelia stop muscle spasms, but it is also an expectorant. Lobelia isn’t poisonous, but in large amounts it does trigger vomiting, so use small doses. If you’re very concerned, substitute cramp bark—a similar, though less-effective herb.

Mullein (Verbascum thapsus)

A common roadside weed sometimes mislabeled “goldenrod,” mullein has soft leaves that are picked the first year and used as an expectorant. Infuse mullein flowers in oil and use for ear infections and earaches. Mullein oil is actually safer than garlic oil, since garlic oil can grow botulism.

Peppermint (Mentha piperita)

Found in candy canes and breath mints, this very familiar flavoring also calms intestinal discomforts. Like several other members of the mint family, peppermint is a natural decongestant. It also relieves pain and increases sweating, both important actions during a cold.

Thyme

Another culinary herb with a medicinal twist, thyme is highly antimicrobial and excellent for the respiratory system. It is an antispasmodic, calms coughs, and works very well for herbal steams. (Thyme is a natural expectorant and encourages the removal of mucus.)

Photo Credit: Swallowtail Garden Seeds

If you’ve ever left a doctor’s office with a prescription for antibiotics, and then RIPPED IT UP before you even reached the parking lot (or you’ve taken antibiotics that you NEVER WANTED because you didn’t know what else to do), then you’ll want to check this out.

Your instincts are right. There ARE more natural ways to handle serious infections, cuts, wounds, animal bites, breaks, sprains, and more!

Want to Learn More from Herbalist Cat Ellis?

Cat presented a training session in our Summit Online Course about how to make your own herbal medicines, including different preparation methods and overviews of her favorite 20 herbs. This course provides 30+ training sessions from experts like Cat Ellis, Wardee Harmon, Rick Austin, Wranglerstar, Sharon Peterson, Noah Sanders, Michael Bunker, Scott Hunt, and many more. It's a 45+ hours of content and includes $130+ in bonuses, too!

Read the Entire Herbal Medicine Chest blog series:

Introduction

• Why Use Herbal Medicine?

Herbal Preparations

• Teas
• Tinctures/Aceta
• Salves
• Poultices

Herbs

• Herbs for the Circulatory System
• Herbs for the Respiratory System
• Herbs for Injuries and Pain
• Infection-fighting Herbs