When it comes to respiratory herbs, there are many. This is where it is really important to know the energetics of plants as well as the tissue states and symptoms the person may be experiencing. IE - we cant just throw Mullein at every respiratory ailment and call it good.
I have seen two distinctly different respiratory issues this summer, and have experienced them myself. The first that started to emerge was one of hot, dry, irritation that stemmed from the Canadian fires and mostly was affecting people in areas like Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio - or at least those are the locations of the folks that reached out to me. I experienced this myself. (I will talk about this in another post.). Then I started to notice a different pattern emerging, specifically for folks in Maine, where it rained nearly every day since the end of May. My own lungs started to shift from itchy and hot, to a heavy, cold, damp feeling. What I could cough up and move was very thick and white - indications the tissues were now damp and cold. It took me noticing that the formulations I was using were no longer working, to really realize this. I had to reach for my albuterol several times, which left me feeling super funky and weird all over. This was more of a respiratory issue due to mold that was likely blooming with all of the dampness.
So I created a different formulation with different herbs.
I reached for elecampane, which is a very warming herb, can help to loosen up very thick and stuck mucous, which allows us to cough it up and expel it. I also reached for grindelia, also known as gum weed. And yes, as the name suggests, it is for the very thick, gummy type mucous. I also invoked the support of goldenrod, with its astringent properties to help tighten the mesh and invite some drying of the incredible dampness. I then asked for lomatium to work with me, just for a little bit. This was because there was so much dampness, that I wanted to prevent any sort of bacterial infection from setting in. Lomatium is a very warming herb and wasn't needed for long. It may not have been needed at all, but I felt more comfortable bringing it in for a few days. I continued to use lobelia when needed by drop dose.
As you will see, when I publish my other post, the respiratory herbs invoked for damp and cold conditions are very different from those invoked when conditions are hot and dry.
Always know your energetics and tissue types.
And for those interested, the formula was: 1 part elecampane. 1 part goldenrod. 2 parts grindelia. The lomatium was taken by itself, 1 dropper full 2x a day for 3 days. The lobelia is used in acetract form by drop dose (3-5 drops) when needed.