After being sick from a cold or flu, it is the cough that is the last to go away. Ofttimes, we cannot solve this problem with the medicine prescribed to us.
Folk medicine comes to the rescue at such a time - there are many herbs which you can count on to alleviate that irritating cough.
Flavorful basil can help - put 2 tsp of basil in 4/5 cup (200 mL) of water and put everything on the stove to come to a boil. After it does, turn off the stove and let the mixture cool. Then filter and drink all of it in a day.
Another way to soothe coughing is to make a syrup of figs and milk. You will need 2 tsp of dried figs, that you've finely chopped in advance.
Put them in 1 cup of milk and pour all of this in a pot. Boil the figs in the milk and then strain. Drink the mixture in a single day, best in 2 separate servings.
Elecampane is also effective against cough - boil 1 tablespoon of the root of the herb in 2 cups (500 mL) water. After 10 min, remove from the stove and strain. Drink 1 tablespoon 4 times a day.
One of the most effective herbs is hart's-tongue fern - only the leaves of the herb are used. The concoctions made from hart's-tongue fern aid against bronchitis, tracheitis, chronic nephritis, spleen diseases, cystopyelitis and other problems.
Put 1 tablespoon of the herb in 2 cups hot water and let the hart's-tongue fern soak for 20 min. Then strain the mixture and drink a cup of it before meals, at least 3 times a day.
You can also make a remedy from several types of herbs - you will need 3 1/3 tbsp (50 g) of each of the following: common centaury, linden blossoms, coltsfoot and hart's-tongue fern.
Put 2 tbsp of the mix in 2 cups water that is already boiling. Add 1 tsp of flax to the water as well. Let the concoction boil for 10 min. and then strain it.
If you have a dry cough, you can make a remedy from hart's-tongue fern, elder blossoms, marshmallow and coltsfoot blossoms. Put equal amounts of these herbs in a glass container.
Next, take 1 tablespoon of the mix and brew it in 1 1/5 cups (300 mL) of water. Drink 2/5 cup (100 mL) 3 times a day.
