It's no surprise that more and more people have been looking towards herbal formulas to improve their health in recent years. Plants and people have a long history, and many societies around the world use herbs to meet their basic healthcare needs. Herbal cough syrups are no exception! Let's explore a few new natural cough syrup formulas WishGarden Herbs has recently formulated and the ingredients used.
Why Do Herbal Cough Syrups Usually Contain Honey?
Honey has been used in herbal formulas for thousands of years! Honey contains sugar, a mix of amino acids, minerals, iron, zinc, and antioxidants.
Sugar's nutritional content is due to honey bees gathering nectar from botanicals and making beautiful honeycombs in their hives. The Apis mellifera, or western honey bee, produces about a tablespoon of honey during its short life! A hive is estimated to pollinate around two million flowers and produce a pound of honey. Now that's what I call teamwork!
Modern medicine is finally catching up to what ancient Egyptians, Chinese, and Romans knew thousands of years ago when they included honey in their first aid kits. Subject to many recent clinical studies, honey has been found to support liver, cardiovascular, respiratory, and gastrointestinal issues. Holy honey! This sticky nutritional substance is as extraordinary as the pollinators who make it.
WishGarden sources our honey from a local bee farm in Berthoud, Colorado. This bee-keeping operation is woman-owned and advocates for our fuzzy pollinators in a time when sustaining biodiversity is more important than ever.
Honeycomb at Bee Squared Apiaries in Berthoud, Colorado.
Serious AM Cough Soothing Syrup
Waking up for work with an itchy throat and sore chest is the absolute worst — we've all been there. Most Americans don't have the luxury of calling in sick with the sniffles, therefore we look to our trusty plant formulas to sustain us.
Serious AM Cough Soothing Syrup is formulated with delicious honey and herbs necessary to open up the chest and soothe discomforts like wet coughs. Let's dive into the wonderful botanicals that make up this cough syrup.
Wild Cherry bark has medicinal expectorant qualities required for moving built up phlegm up and out. It may feel uncomfortable to cough up gross mucus, but it's necessary for happy, healthy lung function.
Daniel Morgan of Morgan Ginseng & Herbs in Missouri with Wild Cherry bark.
Linden and Hawthorn are well known heart helpers. Keep in mind, our lungs hug the heart, so many herbs that support cardiovascular health can also be used for respiratory health. Specifically, Hawthorne contains high amounts of bioflavonoids and may have a relaxing effect required for opening the chest up.
Marshmallow root soothes the delicate tissue inside the respiratory tract and pairs well with Wild Cherry bark's expectorant actions to move phlegm out of the chest. We don't want to over dry the bronchioles, therefore using Marshmallow's demulcent plant compounds is essential.
Last but not least, Elderberry provides loads of immune-modulating nutrients such as vitamin C.
Serious PM Cough Soothing Syrup
Sleep is the most important therapeutic when you feel under the weather, period. Listen to your body and climb into that cozy bed! I know it can be hard to sleep when struggling with multiple seasonal discomforts, but this is the time to reach for plant allies in a bottle, specifically Serious PM Cough Soothing Syrup.
We also include Wild Cherry bark in the PM syrup version for its expectorant qualities, but adding Elecampane may support optimal healthy lung support. This root contains many aromatic plant compounds necessary for a healthy microbial balance.
Mullein leaf is synergistically paired with the expectorant herbs for soothing any dryness because it contains mucilage and saponins plant compounds. Targeting mucous membranes is vital for opening airways.
Passionflower and Hops have been traditionally paired time and again in order to promote a good night's rest. Passionflower supports healthy GABA levels in your brain, which may make you feel sleepy. Hops act like a mild sedative and may calm tense bodies.
Finally, you can get round-the-clock assistance with these fabulous herbal cough syrups! Just make sure to check in with your practitioners to ensure these natural formulas are the right choice for your individual case.
While not a syrup per se, Kick-It Cough Soothing & Quieting For Kids, our natural cough suppressant for kids, is a tasty and healthy alternative to cough medicines for children.
Lauren Ann Nichols-Sheffler attended The Colorado School of Clinical Herbalism and received her certificate in medical herbalism. She is the owner of Blue Yarrow Herbs aka Herbal Vice, an herbal product company practicing bioregional herbalism by cultivating plants and sourcing locally. Lauren loves educating and advocating for plant sustainability. She is the sourcing and Purchasing manager for WishGarden Herbs.
For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, or sell any product.
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