The Best Home Remedy for Coughs
Thyme is a great herb for soothing coughs.
It is a go-to remedy to help with the coughing associated with colds, flus, and now Covid-19.
It’s especially important to have some safe home remedies available for coughs. One reason is that over-the-counter (OTC) cough medicines have been demonstrated to be ineffective in the treatment of coughs related to the common cold.
Everyone should be aware that no OTC cough medicine should be given to children under 2 years old. They can potentially cause dangerous or fatal side effects.
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) as a medicinal plant is the same culinary herb that you have in your kitchen for seasoning food.
You may have just thought that it was only good for seasoning soups! You had a great home remedy waiting in your kitchen cabinet this whole time.
It has a number of medicinal properties that include:
Antimicrobial effects
Immune system support
Reducing inflammation
The soothing of the respiratory tract
Thyme is anti-spasmotic.
This is how it can be soothing to the respiratory tract when coughing. It relaxes the smooth muscle in the trachea. This in turn, helps to stop coughing.
How to prepare thyme tea:
Measure a tablespoon of dried thyme or use about 3 sprigs of fresh thyme (preferred), add a mug’s worth of boiling water. Let it steep for 5 minutes and strain. Consider adding honey (omit for children under one-year-old) as this has been shown to be effective for coughs also. I also encourage adding a slice of lemon, or fresh ginger.
Drink as desired to help to manage coughs.
It’s great for an irritated, sore throat too!