...when colds and flus make their annual visit!
Medicinal herbs are a hobby of mine. My kids have gotten used to teas and tinctures when they get sick, and sometimes they even request them. Aubry is the most adventurous of all of the kids and I can always count on her to really chug down the brews that I make. To be fair, I always try to make the stuff taste good!
Right now a stomach bug is visiting, and I can't do much about that, but when colds come, there are all kinds of remedies that work. I have never been a fan of medication in it's typical form, but I love learning about herbs and their uses for sicknesses. They really do work if you use the right ones.
This recipe is one of my favorites when we get coughs and colds. This cough syrup tastes good, is less expensive than Robitussin or Dimitapp, and I fell good about using it. You can also make it into a nightime version by adding 2 teaspoons of valerian root to it.
Expectorant Cough Syrup
Use for children over one year old
4 teaspoons dried cherry bark
2 teaspoons echinacea root
1 teaspoon licorice root
1 teaspoon marshmallow root
1 teaspoon pleurisy root
8 cups water
1-1/2 to 2 cups honey
Combine herbs and water in a pot. Simmer for 10-15 minutes partially covered so that steam can escape, do not allow to boil. Continue simmering until liquid is reduced by half (this takes an hour or two). Remove from heat and strain. Return to low heat, slowly stirring in honey until a consistency of watery syrup is reached. Remove from heat. The syrup will thicken as it cools.
Keep stored in refrigerator.
Dosage--4 times per day:
under 20 pounds 1/2 tsp.
20-40 pounds 1 tsp.
40-75 pounds 1 to 1-1/2 tsp.
over 75 pounds 2 tsp.
The syrup is thinner than store-bought syrup, but the kids (and adults) will like the taste. When a dose doesn't quite do the trick, I generally give more to my kids. This is not like over the counter meds where you will have bad side affects if you take too much. For my husband and I, we take 4 tsp. per dose.
***Email me if you have questions!
I buy my herbs at our local health food store. They sell one-ounce packages of loose herbs and I keep lots of hand for those times when we need them.
Is anyone else interested in herbs? I could post more often about this if anyone is interested!
