5 Garden Herbs for Building Your Immune System

Jason Stuck

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thegrowers-exchange.com

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You can use these 5 garden herbs for flu season to boost immunity and alleviate aching, nagging, cold and flu symptoms. I honestly don’t want to talk about the flu. We forget about convenient medicines found in everyday herbs. You know how to boost your immune system. You’ve heard about it, and done it, before. So, what I’m about to share with you may not surprise you. However, this reminder might be the thing to get you back on track for effective and easy self-care.

These 5 garden herbs might become your new best friends if you want to supercharge your immune system and beat the aches and pains of seasons colds and flu.

SAGE

The “Thinker’s Tea” First of the Garden Herbs for Flu

Here comes some Sage advice… Drink Sage tea. Called the “Thinker’s Tea,” Sage has been shown to enhance memory. That’s why it’s first on the list. Also, Sage tea is effective for relieving your sore throat, and alleviates painful cramping in the gut. It’s pungent, bitter, and astringent. Sage is also antibacterial, and a natural antiseptic that is high in vitamin K, vitamin C, and vitamin A.

Make Sage Tea: Pour 1 cup of hot water over 1 teaspoon of dried sage or 2 teaspoons of fresh leaves. Steep for 10 minutes and strain. After my bad sage pun above, I’ll refrain from telling you which herb it’s time for next.

ROSEMARY

Rosemary tea for cold and shivery fever

Another of the common herbs for flu, Rosemary, can help with a fever during the beginning stages when you’re cold and shivering. It’s another one for the memory banks too. Similar to the Sage advice from above, Rosemary boosts memory, and contains many beneficial properties…

• anti-inflammatory

• vitamin C

• vitamin A

• renowned for fighting infection

• anti-fungal

• antibacterial

• antiseptic

Make Rosemary Tea: Pour 1 cup of hot water over 1 teaspoon of dried Rosemary or 2 teaspoons of fresh leaves. Steep for 10 minutes and strain. Also, Rosemary is another great herb for a congestion breaking herbal steam.

Make Rosemary Steam: Pour just-boiled water over a handful of leaves in a medium sized bowl. Put a towel over your head and place your face just above the bowl. Catch and breathe in the rising steam. Make the temperature as warm as you can without burning yourself. Rosemary smells amazing… and the steam delivers relief to nasal and chest congestion.

PEPPERMINT

Not just a “nice” tea, peppermint is packed with strong medicine.

Peppermint is an herbal tea favorite and for good reason. It tastes good. It’s refreshing, cooling, and soothing. Thankfully, it also helps an upset stomach, colds, flu, fever, headaches, and sinus congestion. Peppermint opens pores in the body and gives an escape route for excess heat when you have a fever.

Make Peppermint Tea: Pour 1 cup of hot water over 1 teaspoon of dried Peppermint or 2 teaspoons of fresh leaves. Steep for 10 minutes and strain. Also, Peppermint is an excellent choice for an herbal steam to break up congestion.

Make Peppermint Steam: Pour just-boiled water over a handful of leaves in a medium sized bowl. Put a towel over your head and place your face just above the bowl. Catch and breathe in the rising steam. Make the temperature as warm as you can without burning yourself.

THYME

Thyme for help with digestion, immune support, and pain relief.

Here’s another tea to ease your sore throat, especially when it comes with a thick white coating on the tongue, congested mucus in the lungs, and spasmodic coughing. Also, Thyme tea promotes pain relief from headaches, cramps, and body aches that are common territory of the flu. Moreover, it’s anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and aides respiratory ailments… Oh, and it’s a mood enhancer that fights depression. Yes, please, I’ll have some.

Make Thyme Tea: Pour 1 cup of hot water over 1 teaspoon of dried Thyme or 2 teaspoons of fresh leaves. Steep for 10 minutes and strain. Sage and Thyme are strong. They are bold and pungent. Let’s freshen things up a bit… with a longtime favorite…

PARSLEY

Your Bonus Herb

Parsley is not necessarily on the list to fight cold and flu symptoms. However, it builds health in many ways. If you are eating fresh, raw garlic to boost your immune system, you’ll want to gather some parsley. Parsley can be used medicinally as a diuretic and is overall beneficial to the urinary system. It relieves stagnant digestion, bloating, constipation, and gas while also stimulating a healthy appetite. It’s an excellent source of folate and vitamin K1, giving possible benefits to heart health. Parsley is high in antioxidants and helps reduce systemic inflammations in the body. But, eat more than the little sprig on the side of your fancy sandwich plate. I mean eat large amounts, a big handful. Now, for it’s magical quality. The reason to pair Parsley with Garlic, the real reason it’s the bonus herb on our list of garden herbs for flu season. It freshens your breath. As you munch cloves of garlic, chase it down with a handful Parsley. Everyone will thank you, or, at least they won’t completely avoid you.