Natural remedies for that pesky cough.

Written By Amber Barone

A cough is a symptom and for chronic coughing it needs to be further evaluated to suss out the cause, GERD, Asthma, Allergies, Food Sensitivities… can all be contributors that require further assessment from a trained medical professional. This article will be geared toward an acute or new onset cough, usually associated with a cold or flu.

Coughing can be therapeutic, really it’s a protective function that our bodies do quite naturally when trying to eliminate a foreign substance or excess mucus from the lungs and upper airways. So before you reach for the cough syrup consider giving your body a chance to work it out. Drinking more water/tea is a great starting point because this thins the mucous so that the gunk with pathogens can make it’s way up and out much easier. I like to think of those phlegm balls as a neatly packaged export system of the nasties including bacteria and viruses that aren’t serving me well. Yay, up and out, well done body!

Reasons to avoid OTC cough syrups ~

Did you know that over the counter cough medicines are laden with NASTY ingredients in them? Things like artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners including high fructose corn syrup are enough to detour a savvy shopper but the list goes on from there. On top of that there is literally, no good evidence to support that they actually help or speed the recovery process. Instead of loading yourself or your children up with questionable ingredients that have been associated with things like cancer, autism, diabetes… why not try a more natural approach to quell that cough.

Better Natural Alternatives~

1) Honey and ginger mixed with hot water and fresh squeezed lemon juice -For kids 2 years and older and adults this had been tried and true reliever of coughing which naturally improves sleep to expedite healing time. Both Honey and Ginger are also expectorants meaning they help thin and loosen mucous from your airways.

2) Marshmallow and Slippery Elm root/leaves- Contains mucilage which soothes the throat and creates a protective barrier

3) Peppermint steam- Place 5-10 drops peppermint essential oil in large bot bring to a rolling boil and drape your head over pot with a towel to lock in the steam and breath in the vapors deeply to open the airways

4) Neti pot- sinuses can harbor bacteria and viruses that drain into the throat so keeping those clean and clear is good preventatively as well as for an acute situation.

5) Gargle with warm water, sea salt (1-2 T per 8 oz) and for an extra kick add 4-5 drops Tea Tree essential oil- the salt helps draw water out of the tissues and simultaneously creates a barrier so bacteria and viruses can’t get in. Tea tree is a known antimicrobial that aides with inflammation and killing pathogens.

Cleaning up our medicine cabinet to include these herbs and essential oils can be a good first line defense for those coughs, colds and flu’s that we tend to experience more of in the winter months.

References:

De Sutter AI, Eriksson L, van Driel ML. Oral antihistamine-decongestant-analgesic combinations for the common cold. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2022 Jan 21;1(1):CD004976. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD004976.pub4. PMID: 35060618; PMCID: PMC8780136.

Tran BB, Ditto AM. Cough: A Practical and Multifaceted Approach to Diagnosis and Management. Med Clin North Am. 2020 Jan;104(1):45-59. doi: 10.1016/j.mcna.2019.08.011. Epub 2019 Oct 28. PMID: 31757237.

Puodziūniene G, Janulis V, Milasius A, Budnikas V. Kosuli slopinanciu vaistazoliu misiniu sukūrimas [Development of cough-relieving herbal teas]. Medicina (Kaunas). 2005;41(6):500-5. Lithuanian. PMID: 15998989.

Almeida-da-Silva CLC, Sivakumar N, Asadi H, Chang-Chien A, Qoronfleh MW, Ojcius DM, Essa MM. Effects of Frankincense Compounds on Infection, Inflammation, and Oral Health. Molecules. 2022 Jun 29;27(13):4174. doi: 10.3390/molecules27134174. PMID: 35807419; PMCID: PMC9268443.

Oh KE, Song AR, Sok SR. Effects of Aroma Gargling, Cold Water Gargling, and Wet Gauze Application on Thirst, Halitosis, and Sore Throat of Patients After Spine Surgery. Holist Nurs Pract. 2017 Jul/Aug;31(4):253-259. doi: 10.1097/HNP.0000000000000219. PMID: 28609410.

Amber Barone

Amber is a Holistic RN and Functional Medicine Practitioner who supports whole body integrative health and uses primarily diet changes, whole foods, herbs along with lifestyle tools and supplements to help clients restore balance and align with their highest sense of well being.

Amber started her nursing career in the clinic setting where she built a solid understanding of disease progression and contributing factors along with pathophysiology, biochemistry, psychological and trauma aspects. From there she became a travel nurse, working in various settings including cardiac rehab, med surg, psych, long term care, ICU’s and ER’s. These ever changing environments satisfied her ferocious appetite to learn and grow through challenging and inspiring case loads in diverse settings. It was through all of this that she realized her true passion and where she could serve at her highest capacity was working with patients on how to prevent and reverse chronic disease.

As a functional medicine, holistic RN Amber strives to bring in the best evidence based tools and resources from both conventional and alternative schools of thought. She is dedicated to continuing her learning to stay up to speed with the latest research and trends and has built her practice around educating and empowering patients to be proactive with their health.

Most patients come to Amber through a referral network of practitioners in various medical and alternative settings including MD’s, FNP’s, Acupuncturists, Dentists, Chiropractors, Massage Therapists and Yoga Teachers… who wish to support their patients in this way but don’t have the time, education or resources to do this effectively.

The functional medicine addition to client care seems to be the missing piece of a true wellness model. It becomes a collaborative movement too, working together to promote wellness in our respective communities. It expedites healing through deep understanding and promotes life long transformation. Win! Win!

Functional medicine is a deep dive into root cause correlations contributing to one’s current state, it views each patient as unique and in so doing, more fully supports patients on their road to wellness by nourishing unique pathways effecting body systems, organs and glands. Much like regenerative farming and soil health, our bodies are designed to be resilient they just need the right inputs and tools to mitigate cumulative stress, toxins and burdens of our time. Feeling empowered with your health starts here.

EDUCATION / TRAINING

BS Nursing Montana State University-Registered Nurse

BA Psychology and Sociology University of Montana

Equine Veterinarian Technician-Penn Foster

Clinicians Mastermind Circle a one-year Functional Medicine Intensive

Functional Nutrition Alliance 10-month Full Body Systems Immersion

Yoga Motion 240 hour RYS teacher training

http://www.bar1wellness.com
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