Dry Lungs and Moistening Herbs
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Sean Donahue
May 30, 2010, 6:39:00 PM5/30/10
to respirat...@googlegroups.com
The lungs depend on the correct amount of moisture to function well.
Prolonged inflammation dries out the mucosa, impairing respiratory function. A dry, unproductive cough is the first and clearest sign here, often accompanied by a sore throat. Dry lips and tongue and dark, scanty urine are further indicators -- the latter suggesting that the dryness is becoming more systemic.
I'd like to address therapeutics for this kind of acute dryness before addressing therapeutics for more chronic dryness in the lungs.
The herbs that are most relevant here are overtly demulcent -- herbs that are high in polysaccharides that are sweet, bland, and form a mucilage that directly coats the effected tissue. Most of these herbs tend to be slightly cooling.
Polysaccharides extract best in water and to get the most out of demulcent herbs its best to give them plenty of time to get good and slimy -- so overnight cold water infusions are ideal. Put a handful of the herb into a jar of water, cover and leave overnight. Sip throughout the day.
My first choice in treating a dry cough tends to be Marsh Mallow root (Althaea officianalis). Marsh Mallow is also anti-inflammatory so it helps to cool the tissues while moistening them, making it an excellent choice for treating a dry cough resulting from respiratory inflammation. Its cousin, Hollyhock (Althaea rosea) is comparable in its action.
Slippery Elm (Ulmus rubra) is an excellent demulcent as well -- made popular in recent decades because of its use in a number of the formulas Rosemary Gladstar created for Traditional Medicinals (and hence readily available at any health food store and many supermarkets in that form, so a good solution for a sick client who needs to send someone to the store for her or a friend or relative living on the other end of the country who calls looking for a solution to a dry cough.) I tend to use it more in treating digestive issues, but it has a strong history of usage for respiratory conditions which Matt Wood attributes to its high calcium content which he believes may make it somewhat protective against tuberculosis.I find that most people who present with Calcium deficiencies these days are dealing with a) a magnesium deficiency, or b) mineral absorption issues related to poor gut health, or c) an excess of legumes and grains in the diet interfering with mineral absorption or, d) some combination of the above, and so increasing calcium intake by using herbs high in calcium without addressing these issues is unlikely to be an effective strategy in preventing or ameliorating tuberculosis. Wood also suggests that Slippery Elm "gives a feeling of expanded capacity in the lungs." Frankly, I've never experienced that. But then my lungs tend toward excessive moisture.
The popularity of Slippery Elm has put wild populations of the tree at risk. Its cousin, Siberian Elm (Ulmus pumila) is almost identical in its medicinal actions, and is a highly invasive "weed tree" overrunning pastures and fields in the Midwest and the Northeast. Siberian Elm bark is not widely commercially available, but if you live in one of these regions and want to make your own medicine, you should have no trouble finding a suitable Siberian Elm from which to harvest it.
Exposure to cold can also lead to increased dryness in people with Vata constitutions (though this most often presents as constriction which we will discuss later) and lingering respiratory conditions can also become cold and dry. In cold, dry lung conditions, a warming demulcent is called for. Here Cinnamon (Cinnamomum spp.) works wonderfully. And for these purposes, I find the powdered culinary variety works just fine.
In hot, dry lung conditions, the mucous often becomes thick and sticky, coating tissues. Salty herbs can help to break it up, loosening from the bronchi and lungs.
Here the premiere respiratory herb is Mullein (Verbascum thaspus.) Think of how Mullein is one of the first herbs to grow after a forest fire. It is likewise a perfect herb for "burned over" respiratory tissues.
Mullein is a great expectorant which also soothes the underlying tissues where they have become irritated. Energetically, it has a strong but gentle upward motion. But it also has relaxing to muscular tissue and hence helps to open the lungs and larynx allowing for deeper breath. And it helps to calm violent spasmodic coughs, allowing them to give way to gentler and more productive coughs.
In addition, Mullein is a great lymphatic herb, so it can help the body to clear the waste that builds up during a prolonged infection.
Tea or tincture are both effective -- though I tend to go with Mullein teas because in cases where Mullein is indicated the body generally needs more fluids.
Mullein is great for clearing the lungs of smokers -- especially those in the process of quitting. Here it can be mixed with Tobacco and smoked. Tommy Priester taught me that you can help someone wean themselves off Tobacco by giving them a mix containing Tobacco, Mullein, and various nervines like Skullcap, Lavender, and Damiana. Over a period of weeks, you can steadily reduce the percentage of Tobacco in the blend. In the process they will be smoking herbs that sooth their nerves and clear their lungs, making the process much easier.
Butterfly Weed is a great ally in dealing with lingering respiratory conditions marked by a dry cough as well. It works to balance and regulate levels of moisture in the lungs. Jim McDonald says that it is especially effective in cases that are "dry above and wet below" and I agree -- as I interpret it, this describes a condition where there is considerable moisture trapped deep in the lungs, but there is inflammation higher up which is beginning to cause atrophy, and so the body can only muster a weak, dry cough. I would add 5-15 drops of the tincture to an infusion that includes Mullein and Marsh Mallow or Slippery Elm.
As dryness continues, tissues begin to atrophy because water and oil are the media that bring nutrition to our cells. At this point it becomes necessary to begin using herbs that help to replenish the tissues.
The herbs of the Angelica family come to mind here because they are oily, nutritive, and stimulating. (Bear in mind that all the plants of this family stimulate menstruation so they are not appropriate for use during pregnancy and should be used with great caution by those with endometriosis and similar conditions.) Of this family, my favorite by far for respiratory conditions is Osha root (Ligusticum porteri). Osha is strongly expectorant and also helps to open the airways and to strengthen the lungs themselves (hence its great benefit for those having trouble breathing at the high altitudes where it grows.) It also has some antimicrobial properties that may aid in dealing with any deep, lingering infections. It helps to carry other herbs deep into the lungs as well. Here again, I prefer to use the tea, in this case a decoction, because I want to promote moisture in the system. I'll often add Licorice Root (Glyccyrrhiza glabbra) -- demulcent which doesn't require a long infusion. Osha is somewhat endangered and very difficult to cultivate so I tend to use this remedy only in cases where other herbs are not bringing resolution. Angelica archangelica is a decent substitute in a pinch, but doesn't have the same affinity for the lungs. I've not tried Dong Quai in such cases.
As atrophy becomes more chronic, its time to begin considering some more deeply building and tonifying herbs like Astragalus, Cordyceps, Schizandra, Reishi, and Ginseng -- but we'll visit these herbs in depth in a later lesson. I tend to avoid these herbs in acute conditions, but when respiratory tissues are deeply atrophied, infection is generally no longer the primary issue.
In long term respiratory conditions of all kinds, the fascia and connective tissues around the lungs can become dry and lose their pliability, creating chronic tightness of the chest resulting in shallow breathing. Here False Solomon's Seal root (Smilacina racemosa) is of great help -- it has a strong affinity for these particular tissues, moistening them and allowing them to regain their pliability. While it is somewhat demulcent in the classic sense, it seems to work more by promoting secretions, so the tincture works fine -- 5 - 15 drops three times a day.
--
Sean Donahue, Traditional Herbalist
http://www.brighidswellherbs.com
http://greenmanramblings.blogspot.com/
"Sometimes there's nothing left to do but make love to the fear." -- Astrid Mannrique, ASFAADES (Association of the Families of the Disappeared), Popayan, Colombia
"If we eat the wild, it begins to work inside us, altering us, changing us. Soon, if we eat too much, we will no longer fit the suit that has been made for us. Our hair will begin to grow long and ragged. Our gait and how we hold our body will change. A wild light begins to gleam in our eyes. Our words start to sound strange, nonlinear, emotional. Unpractical. Poetic. Once we have tasted this wildness, we begin to hunger for a food long denied us, and the more we eat the more we will awaken." -- Stephen Harrod Buhner The Secret Teachings of Plants
Prolonged inflammation dries out the mucosa, impairing respiratory function. A dry, unproductive cough is the first and clearest sign here, often accompanied by a sore throat. Dry lips and tongue and dark, scanty urine are further indicators -- the latter suggesting that the dryness is becoming more systemic.
I'd like to address therapeutics for this kind of acute dryness before addressing therapeutics for more chronic dryness in the lungs.
The herbs that are most relevant here are overtly demulcent -- herbs that are high in polysaccharides that are sweet, bland, and form a mucilage that directly coats the effected tissue. Most of these herbs tend to be slightly cooling.
Polysaccharides extract best in water and to get the most out of demulcent herbs its best to give them plenty of time to get good and slimy -- so overnight cold water infusions are ideal. Put a handful of the herb into a jar of water, cover and leave overnight. Sip throughout the day.
My first choice in treating a dry cough tends to be Marsh Mallow root (Althaea officianalis). Marsh Mallow is also anti-inflammatory so it helps to cool the tissues while moistening them, making it an excellent choice for treating a dry cough resulting from respiratory inflammation. Its cousin, Hollyhock (Althaea rosea) is comparable in its action.
Slippery Elm (Ulmus rubra) is an excellent demulcent as well -- made popular in recent decades because of its use in a number of the formulas Rosemary Gladstar created for Traditional Medicinals (and hence readily available at any health food store and many supermarkets in that form, so a good solution for a sick client who needs to send someone to the store for her or a friend or relative living on the other end of the country who calls looking for a solution to a dry cough.) I tend to use it more in treating digestive issues, but it has a strong history of usage for respiratory conditions which Matt Wood attributes to its high calcium content which he believes may make it somewhat protective against tuberculosis.I find that most people who present with Calcium deficiencies these days are dealing with a) a magnesium deficiency, or b) mineral absorption issues related to poor gut health, or c) an excess of legumes and grains in the diet interfering with mineral absorption or, d) some combination of the above, and so increasing calcium intake by using herbs high in calcium without addressing these issues is unlikely to be an effective strategy in preventing or ameliorating tuberculosis. Wood also suggests that Slippery Elm "gives a feeling of expanded capacity in the lungs." Frankly, I've never experienced that. But then my lungs tend toward excessive moisture.
The popularity of Slippery Elm has put wild populations of the tree at risk. Its cousin, Siberian Elm (Ulmus pumila) is almost identical in its medicinal actions, and is a highly invasive "weed tree" overrunning pastures and fields in the Midwest and the Northeast. Siberian Elm bark is not widely commercially available, but if you live in one of these regions and want to make your own medicine, you should have no trouble finding a suitable Siberian Elm from which to harvest it.
Exposure to cold can also lead to increased dryness in people with Vata constitutions (though this most often presents as constriction which we will discuss later) and lingering respiratory conditions can also become cold and dry. In cold, dry lung conditions, a warming demulcent is called for. Here Cinnamon (Cinnamomum spp.) works wonderfully. And for these purposes, I find the powdered culinary variety works just fine.
In hot, dry lung conditions, the mucous often becomes thick and sticky, coating tissues. Salty herbs can help to break it up, loosening from the bronchi and lungs.
Here the premiere respiratory herb is Mullein (Verbascum thaspus.) Think of how Mullein is one of the first herbs to grow after a forest fire. It is likewise a perfect herb for "burned over" respiratory tissues.
Mullein is a great expectorant which also soothes the underlying tissues where they have become irritated. Energetically, it has a strong but gentle upward motion. But it also has relaxing to muscular tissue and hence helps to open the lungs and larynx allowing for deeper breath. And it helps to calm violent spasmodic coughs, allowing them to give way to gentler and more productive coughs.
In addition, Mullein is a great lymphatic herb, so it can help the body to clear the waste that builds up during a prolonged infection.
Tea or tincture are both effective -- though I tend to go with Mullein teas because in cases where Mullein is indicated the body generally needs more fluids.
Mullein is great for clearing the lungs of smokers -- especially those in the process of quitting. Here it can be mixed with Tobacco and smoked. Tommy Priester taught me that you can help someone wean themselves off Tobacco by giving them a mix containing Tobacco, Mullein, and various nervines like Skullcap, Lavender, and Damiana. Over a period of weeks, you can steadily reduce the percentage of Tobacco in the blend. In the process they will be smoking herbs that sooth their nerves and clear their lungs, making the process much easier.
Butterfly Weed is a great ally in dealing with lingering respiratory conditions marked by a dry cough as well. It works to balance and regulate levels of moisture in the lungs. Jim McDonald says that it is especially effective in cases that are "dry above and wet below" and I agree -- as I interpret it, this describes a condition where there is considerable moisture trapped deep in the lungs, but there is inflammation higher up which is beginning to cause atrophy, and so the body can only muster a weak, dry cough. I would add 5-15 drops of the tincture to an infusion that includes Mullein and Marsh Mallow or Slippery Elm.
As dryness continues, tissues begin to atrophy because water and oil are the media that bring nutrition to our cells. At this point it becomes necessary to begin using herbs that help to replenish the tissues.
The herbs of the Angelica family come to mind here because they are oily, nutritive, and stimulating. (Bear in mind that all the plants of this family stimulate menstruation so they are not appropriate for use during pregnancy and should be used with great caution by those with endometriosis and similar conditions.) Of this family, my favorite by far for respiratory conditions is Osha root (Ligusticum porteri). Osha is strongly expectorant and also helps to open the airways and to strengthen the lungs themselves (hence its great benefit for those having trouble breathing at the high altitudes where it grows.) It also has some antimicrobial properties that may aid in dealing with any deep, lingering infections. It helps to carry other herbs deep into the lungs as well. Here again, I prefer to use the tea, in this case a decoction, because I want to promote moisture in the system. I'll often add Licorice Root (Glyccyrrhiza glabbra) -- demulcent which doesn't require a long infusion. Osha is somewhat endangered and very difficult to cultivate so I tend to use this remedy only in cases where other herbs are not bringing resolution. Angelica archangelica is a decent substitute in a pinch, but doesn't have the same affinity for the lungs. I've not tried Dong Quai in such cases.
As atrophy becomes more chronic, its time to begin considering some more deeply building and tonifying herbs like Astragalus, Cordyceps, Schizandra, Reishi, and Ginseng -- but we'll visit these herbs in depth in a later lesson. I tend to avoid these herbs in acute conditions, but when respiratory tissues are deeply atrophied, infection is generally no longer the primary issue.
In long term respiratory conditions of all kinds, the fascia and connective tissues around the lungs can become dry and lose their pliability, creating chronic tightness of the chest resulting in shallow breathing. Here False Solomon's Seal root (Smilacina racemosa) is of great help -- it has a strong affinity for these particular tissues, moistening them and allowing them to regain their pliability. While it is somewhat demulcent in the classic sense, it seems to work more by promoting secretions, so the tincture works fine -- 5 - 15 drops three times a day.
--
Sean Donahue, Traditional Herbalist
http://www.brighidswellherbs.com
http://greenmanramblings.blogspot.com/
"Sometimes there's nothing left to do but make love to the fear." -- Astrid Mannrique, ASFAADES (Association of the Families of the Disappeared), Popayan, Colombia
"If we eat the wild, it begins to work inside us, altering us, changing us. Soon, if we eat too much, we will no longer fit the suit that has been made for us. Our hair will begin to grow long and ragged. Our gait and how we hold our body will change. A wild light begins to gleam in our eyes. Our words start to sound strange, nonlinear, emotional. Unpractical. Poetic. Once we have tasted this wildness, we begin to hunger for a food long denied us, and the more we eat the more we will awaken." -- Stephen Harrod Buhner The Secret Teachings of Plants
claudia Greene
May 31, 2010, 9:08:06 PM5/31/10
to Herbs for the Respiratory System
Thanks again, Sean for some interesting reading. I find the calcium-
tuberculosis connection intriguing. It keeps popping up how nutrition
affects everything--even lungs. And poor gut health affects people in
unexpected ways, as well.
I have never heard of cinnamon used as a demulcent. I think of it and
warming and drying. I guess I'm not getting my brain around what
demulcent means. Can something be drying and demulcent?
Mullein is such a cool herb. I had a lovely plant in our school
garden. It's still plugging in there, but one of the kids thought it
was a weed and dug it out. We replanted it. Wish it luck. I'm glad to
hear the leaves are so useful.
> Sean Donahue, Traditional Herbalisthttp://www.brighidswellherbs.comhttp://greenmanramblings.blogspot.com/
tuberculosis connection intriguing. It keeps popping up how nutrition
affects everything--even lungs. And poor gut health affects people in
unexpected ways, as well.
I have never heard of cinnamon used as a demulcent. I think of it and
warming and drying. I guess I'm not getting my brain around what
demulcent means. Can something be drying and demulcent?
Mullein is such a cool herb. I had a lovely plant in our school
garden. It's still plugging in there, but one of the kids thought it
was a weed and dug it out. We replanted it. Wish it luck. I'm glad to
hear the leaves are so useful.
Sean Donahue
May 31, 2010, 10:05:07 PM5/31/10
to respirat...@googlegroups.com
Because Cinnamon is warming it can occasionally have some secondary drying effect if consumed without being allowed to release its mucilage.
But put some Cinnamon in water and let it stand for a while and you will see the water become quite mucilaginous.
But put some Cinnamon in water and let it stand for a while and you will see the water become quite mucilaginous.
claudia Greene
Jun 1, 2010, 7:34:45 AM6/1/10
to respirat...@googlegroups.com
Yeah, it does. Thanks for explaining.
Claudia
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