Delicious Life Coaching

Dear Christy,

Any ideas on how to get rid of a nasty, hacking cough?

- Coughing My Head Off

Well, I’m not a doctor, and I don’t give medical advice. If you have a really bad cough that’s in your lungs and is not going away, definitely see a qualified medical professional.

If you have a simple, common cold, though, your doctor is not going to have anything that can help you - there is no cure for the common cold. It’s a simple virus that you tend to catch in the colder months because the virus thrives in cold, dry conditions.

One thing I did find and have used in the past to get rid of a cough from a common cold is Mullein.

“Wildman” Steve Brill, the nature man who’s famous for foraging for herbs and edible plants in New York City’s Central Park, says about Mullein on his website:

People use the tea as a beverage, but it’s best known as one of the safest, most effective herbal cough remedies. Mullein is an expectorant, and a tonic for the lungs, mucus membranes, and glands. An infusion is good for colds, emphysema, asthma, hay fever, and whooping cough. Strain the infusion through a cloth, or the hairs of the plant may get stuck in your throat and make you cough even more.

If you don’t have the wild herb like Steve Brill has, your local health food store should carry Mullein extract or a cough tea that contains Mullein.