Energetics 2 - Application

Question 1

What questions might you ask to understand how to treat a ‘cough’?

Answer 1

We treat the person not the ‘cough’ so link the result to the person not the symptom. Follow the questions:
* Is your cough productive - are you expectorating and getting stuff out, or not?
* If the answer is yes, is the mucus yellow/green/brown (which shows more immune cell activity) or clear/ white/ opaque?
* Is the cough or the mucus drier in nature? (ie its not that productive, as the mucus is dry and stuck in the tissues) - likely use mucilageous, demulcent herbs
* Is the cough or the mucus damper in nature? (tend to be more productive, or worse when they lie down?) - think more about aromatic herbs here
* Do the lungs feel tense (can you take a deep full breath - no?) and is the coughing spasmodic? as both these suggest tense, tight lungs which need relaxants and anti-spasmodics.

These cover hot/cold, dry/damp and tenseness. Laxity is not such a major indicator but there are some astringent, demulcents if needs be. Energtic states are not mutually exclusive; they can be dry or damp and spamodic, or you can have mixed dryness and dampness….aftereall you can get aromatic, moistening herbs!

Also - what about infection? A lot of respiratory herbs are antimicrobial anyway eg aromatic herbs, but good to double check and review at the end after consider the person & cough.

Question 2

What would be a good thinking process for a dry cough?

Answer 2

• If the cough is dry, you would likely think about demulcents which can add moisture.
• You would then think about dumulcents which have an affinity for the respiratory tract eg all-purpose marshmallow, violet leaf, mullein, plantain, liquorice
• Why would you use one more than the other eg mullein is also a relaxant herb, so is good for tense, dry coughs - what herb answers several of the needs?
• Cold water and teas are best to extract dumulcents, even though not much mucilage gets through to the gut. You can still use some tincures

Question 3

What woud be a good thinking process for a damp cough?

Answer 3

• I woud think about aromatics or generally drying herbs
• I would then think about herbs which are good for the respiratory system again which are also drying - eg garlic, onion, angelica, sage, thyme, elecampane, cedar, pine/conifers as they are all warming and drying
• Which one has ‘stuff’ to fit what else is going on with the person? Garlic and onion are so available; but powerful; garlic is probably slightly more drying - garlic or onion honey
• Sage, thyme etc are less hot than garlic, so may be a better choice in some cases - thyme is especially anti-microbial
• Cedar/ pine/evergreens are good for sticky mucus - sticky mucus makes you think of sap
• Elecampane is super drying - not ideal for tea, better for tinctures
• Aromatics work in teas or tinctures

Question 4

What about a tense, spasmodic cough?

Answer 4

• Think about relaxing herbs here
• New England Aster, use the flowers - really good for asthma, as also relaxing
• Lobelia tincture (tea will make you throw up as its so acrid, so best in ticture)
• Wild cherry - best in a syrup
• Wild lettuce is a respiratory relaxant too
• Black cohosh, also acrid

Question 5

How do you topically treat the lungs?

Answer 5

• You can also use steams or smokes
• Smoke is always hot and always dry, so pretty limited, no matter the herb used- so only for wet, damp mucus; it can give body to the mucus and allow you to cough it up.
• Steams are awesome - with aromatic plantss, they can be warming, drying, but can also be moistening due to the water in the steam. Good to do often and for a long time - they will help expectoration in short term but help relaxation the longer you do them.
• You can use essential oils, but they are aromatic in the first few minutes but not as reusable. Use hands of herbs if you can!