Contents
Characteristics and benefits of expectorants
CHARACTERISTICS OF EXPECTORANTS
What are expectorants?
Expectorants are substances that help to expel secretions from the bronchi produced by diseases of the respiratory system such as bronchitis or asthma.
What the expectorants do is to make the mucus become more liquid, which makes easier to expel it.. (An expectorant is a medication or remedy to fluidify the mucus)
Expectorants in ordinary medicin
Traditional medicine uses drugs that have an antitussive, mucolytic and expectorant effect.
NATURAL EXPECTORANT REMEDIES
Anise is an expectorant plant
In natural medicine we also find a series of natural expectorants that can help expectorate. Among them we have the following:
Phytotherapy. Medicinal plants with expectorant properties
Among the main medicinal plants that are able to make us expectorate, we have the following:
- Boldo: (Peumus boldus) Boldo’s plasters are rich in cineol or eucalyptol, a substance abundant in eucalyptus that help to decongest and cough up the lungs. (Poultices or compresses).
- Marjoram: (Origanum majorana) Marjoram is a good expectorant remedy, it acts as an antitussive and natural mucolytic. (Take infusion of 5g of leaves and flower buds per 250ml of water, three times a day the same amount. In vapors)
- Fennel: (Foeniculum vulgare) In case of bronchi or cough, as well as when the chest is loaded, this plant is very suitable for its expectorant values (2 drops of essence dissolved in sugar after the main meals. For 3 days) (Infusion of one teaspoon of crushed fruit per cup for 10 minutes, a couple of cups a day)
Fennel infusions have expectorant properties
- Farfara: (Tussilago farfara)
- Daisy (Bellis perennis) (Infusion of 3 g of dried flowers in a glass of water, rest for 10 minutes, strain and serve up to 3 cups a day)
- Mallow (Malva sylvestris) – With properties similar to marshmallow but less intense. It can be considered as a substitute for this in those places that it is difficult to find it. Leaves and flowers are used especially since the roots lack the properties that they possess in marshmallow.
- Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis): It exerts bactericidal, relaxing and expectorant properties. (Macerate 100 g of dried roots in a liter of water for 24 hours, filter and add one and a half pounds of sugar. Drink a small glass of this syrup before going to sleep)
Marsmallow syrup helps you to expel secretions from the bronchi
- Plantain: (Plantago major) It is a mild expectorant and decongestant of the airways, at the same time that it has antitussive properties. (Fresh plant syrup: crush the plant, filter the liquid, mix it in equal parts with sugar, dissolve it to the Bain Marie – three spoonfuls a day.)
- Mullein (Verbascum thapsus): (Infusion with 10-30g of flowers per liter of water) Leave it to stand for 10 minutes and strain it into a strainer or filter paper, it is important to strain the infusion to remove the stamens from the flowers. Which can cause allergy- ( 2 or 3 cups daily.)
- Thyme: (Thymus vulgaris) Thyme can be used to relieve sore throat or when the chest is loaded with a very persistent cough. (Take three cups a day with the infusion of a teaspoon of dried flowers per cup)
Thyme infusion mixture to which you add the juice of a lemon and a couple of teaspoons of honey is a remedy traditionally used as an expectorant with proven relaxing and antitussive effect to eliminate cough.
Thyme infusions have expectorant properties
Diet. Foods with expectorant properties
Natural foods rich in water are suitable for softening respiratory mucus and encourage expulsion. Among the most suitable foods we have:
- Juices: They are a good way to moisturize the body and provide many vitamins and minerals. Between all them, apple juice or lemon juice are recommended.
Combining both of them, we can obtain a real remedy to combat the cough that produces the accumulation of mucus in the bronchi, especially if we sweeten them with honey. Especially indicated for patients with bronchi and for asthmatics.
- Fruits and vegetable broths: They provide vitamins, minerals and lots of liquid. Vegetable broths should usually be used by those who wish to soften breast secretions.
- Chicken broth has been used as a natural remedy for many years for expectoration.
- Water: It is convenient to drink a lot of water when you have a loaded chest.
* Related information: Natural cough syrups.
More information on bronchitis.
