Recipe Collection: Healthy Lungs Tea

Written by Kate Tietje

Years ago, we left our house because of a serious mold issue.  You can read my blog, The Day We Lost Everything, for the full story.  Since then, our health has improved quite a bit.  We’ve done a lot to help it along.

The kids are actually basically normal again — kids are so lucky to be able to bounce back so easily.  The adults, though, still aren’t 100%.  I don’t know if we ever will be again, but I hope so.

My major issue is my lungs.  Any time there’s a cold going around, it will go to my chest if I get it (and I don’t always).  I cough, sometimes for weeks.  The kids will sometimes get it and be over it in just a few days, but not me.  And my chest feels a bit painful.  I know it’s because my lungs are weak from the mold exposure.

I’ve been seeking something to help this for a while — to support healthy lung function and help me get over these colds/bronchitis (maybe?  I never have a fever) more easily, hopefully stopping it from happening in the future.

This particular combination of herbs seems to really help.

Mullein — Good for respiratory illnesses, helps clear mucus from the body, eases sore throats, and helps bronchitis.

Fenugreek — Anti-inflammatory, promotes mucus production and clearing, eliminates built-up mucus, and soothes sore throat.

Dandelion root — Anti-inflammatory, fights fungus, cleans the respiratory system and clears mucus, stimulates kidneys and liver.

While researching these herbs, I learned they are all used to balance blood sugar, lose weight, and heal damaged guts.  Dandelion root is even used against cancer — it doesn’t damage healthy cells, either.  (1,2,3)

Honestly, this could function as a general health-promoting tea, along with fresh juice (try pineapple-kale-ginger and make sure to juice the pineapple’s core).  Pineapple juice is also beneficial for coughs/mucus in the body, and the bromelain in the core is anti-cancer.

I prepared this tea one evening and drank it warm and strong.  It’s rather bitter, but it helped.  It eased the tightness in my chest, I coughed less, and I slept better.  The next morning, I coughed some to clear what had settled while I slept, but I didn’t continue to cough after that the way I had in the days before this.

This is very easy to make.  I recommend drinking it in the mornings to promote health or a few times throughout the day if you have a cold.

Healthy Lungs Tea

Ingredients:

• 6 parts mullein leaf
• 1 part fenugreek seed
• 1 part dandelion root

Directions:

Step 1: Combine all herbs in a glass jar and shake to combine.

Step 2: For tea, use 1 tablespoon or a handful (1/2 cup or so) for infusions and add to 1 – 2 cups boiling water.  Let it steep for 10 – 20 minutes.

Step 3: Strain it, sweeten it lightly with raw honey, or drink it straight.

I recommend drinking this at the first sign of a cold or as needed during a cold.  It can also be drunk daily for lung health — I plan to try this for a while.  Healthy lung tea + exercise should help!

How do you maintain healthy lungs?