5 herbs to help fight respiratory infections

For people who want natural treatments, here are five herbs to combat respiratory infections.

Garlic is a go-to herb for many countries around the world and there's little wonder why. Garlic not only adds an extra oomph to meat and vegetable dishes, it also holds many medicinal properties.

Ancient Asian and American civilizations used garlic to heal the sick, prevent the spread of illness and to protect themselves from unforeseen evil. While the uses of garlic are still being studied, one use in particular seems to have found its way from those ancient times until now.

For centuries, people have been using garlic oil, raw garlic and garlic tea to combat respiratory infections like the common cold and bronchitis. Alicin, which is a compound in the garlic, works to thin out mucus, making it easier to cough up and blow out. It also has antibacterial and antifungal properties.

Another flavourful, but helpful favourite for people around the world, is ginger. It seems that every country has its own special use for ginger. You'll find it in stir-fry, curry, pies, cookies, tea and even candy. However, in Ayurveda — an ancient form of mind-body medicine practised in India — ginger is used to keep the blood circulating, thus opening the heart valves and airways. While its uses continue to be under speculation, people are no doubt finding comfort in using ginger as medicine. The National Institutes of Health say ginger is not proven to cure colds or flues, but it is useful for upper respiratory tract infections, coughs and bronchitis.

Remember that weird cola tasting, black jelly bean in your Easter candy? That flavour comes from an herb named licorice. Licorice is not a candy, although it's used to flavour it. It's actually a root with a strong, not so pleasant flavour, but it works well as a medicine in people with lung problems. In fact, Underground Health states that licorice is useful in reducing bronchial spasms and soothing the bronchial walls. This is helpful in people who have bronchitis, asthma or EIA (exercise-induced asthma).

People often think of oregano as an herb used in Italian or Mexican food, but this herb is more than just a flavour enhancer. It's a plant that contains several vitamins and minerals, essential to good health, adequate circulation and increased immune function. When used daily, it's said to prevent the onset of a common cold, but the amount for this purpose can only be ingested in supplement form.

Oregano also contains carvacrol and rosmarinic acid, which are natural antihistamines. They help to prevent symptoms of hay fever and are useful in treating minor chest infections. Although more studies are needed to solidify these findings, people continue to use this herb successfully.

This is the ingredient in most decongestant ointments and cough drops. It has a slight minty-menthol flavour and causes an immediate cold sensation when inhaled or swallowed. It also causes the airways and nasal passages to open. If you have chest congestion, eucalyptus can make breathing easier by helping to thin out the mucus trapped in your bronchial passage. It contains cineole, which is the expectorant factor that helps to clear this mucus out. According to NYU Langone Medical Centre, in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 152 people, use of cineol at a dose of 200 mg three times daily improved symptoms of the common cold.