Help Me Breathe Tea

Got congestion: take some thyme to slow sip this Help Me Breathe Tea.

Help Me Breathe Tea Ingredients

• 1 tsp of dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper
• Juice of 1/4 lemon
• 1 tsp of honey
• 2 cups of barely boiled water

Help Me Breathe Tea Instructions

Steep all the herbs in the hot water for about 7 minutes.  Strain.  Add lemon and honey to taste.

Click here to learn more about herbs to help with congestion.

Some Research for Help Me Breathe Tea

Honey for Respiratory Complaints

• In a study of 105 children ages 2-18 years with nighttime cough, parents rated honey favorably in reducing the cough associated with respiratory infections.  From:  Paul, I. M., Beiler, J., McMonagle, A., Shaffer, M. L., Duda, L., & Berlin, C. M. (2007). Effect of honey, dextromethorphan, and no treatment on nocturnal cough and sleep quality for coughing children and their parents. Archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine, 161(12), 1140-1146.
• In a double blind study of 300 children ages 1-5 years, the three different types of honey tested reduced nocturnal coughing.  From:  Cohen, H. A., Rozen, J., Kristal, H., Laks, Y., Berkovitch, M., Uziel, Y., … & Efrat, H. (2012). Effect of honey on nocturnal cough and sleep quality: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. Pediatrics, 130(3), 465-471.
• The antimicrobial activity of honey is reviewed.  From:  Molan, P. C. (1997). Honey as an antimicrobial agent. In Bee products (pp. 27-37). Springer, Boston, MA.

Thyme for Coughing

• In an open trial of 62 patients, a cough syrup made from ivy leaves, thyme herb, aniseed and marshmallow root was effective. From:  Büechi, S., Vögelin, R., von Eiff, M. M., Ramos, M., & Melzer, J. (2005). Open trial to assess aspects of safety and efficacy of a combined herbal cough syrup with ivy and thyme. Complementary Medicine Research, 12(6), 328-332.
• In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, multicenter, study with 150 patients, an extract with thyme and primrose was effective and tolerable in treating acute bronchitis.  The author did a similar study with 189 patients a year later, with a similar outcome.  From:  Gruenwald, J., Graubaum, H. J., & Busch, R. (2005). Efficacy and tolerability of a fixed combination of thyme and primrose root in patients with acute bronchitis. Arzneimittelforschung, 55(11), 669-676.
• A revieow of 1,234 children ages 2-17 had reduced bronchial symptoms with age appropriate doses of a syrup containing thyme and ivy.  From: Marzian, O. (2007). Treatment of acute bronchitis in children and adolescents. Non-interventional postmarketing surveillance study confirms the benefit and safety of a syrup made of extracts from thyme and ivy leaves. MMW Fortschritte der Medizin, 149(27-28 Suppl), 69-74.
• The herbal brand Bronchipret containing thyme extract was just as effective in treating bronchial symptoms as synthetic drugs in a matched-pair comparison study of 7783 patients.  From: Ernst, E., März, R., & Sieder, C. (1997). A controlled multi-centre study of herbal versus synthetic secretolytic drugs for acute bronchitis. Phytomedicine, 4(4), 287-293.

By: Kathy Sadowski

4/11/18

This categorized compilation of research articles does not necessarily imply that there are adequate results to demonstrate safe and/or effective human use. These statements are not meant to diagnose, treat, or cure any diseases. The information at this page has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Consult a Doctor before using herbs and essential oils if you have medical conditions, are taking medications, or have questions.