During seasonal changes and challenges — and when you’re exposed to environmental pollutants — your lungs can become inflamed, making it difficult to breathe deeply. Taking herbs for the lungs can help support your respiratory health when you face these issues.*
Herbs provide a natural, plant-based option to help your body maintain healthy lung and sinus function, and to support a strong respiratory system.*
In this article, our experts at Gaia Herbs discuss some of the best herbal options to keep you breathing easy.*
11 Best Herbs For Lungs & Respiratory Health
1) Schisandra
Even before we knew what free radicals were — toxins in our food and environment that can cause cellular damage — Traditional Chinese Medicine used Schisandra to combat them for hundreds of years.
Schisandra is used for a wide range of health-related issues.* It has been traditionally used for both dryness or phlegm to help maintain healthy lungs.*4
How to Take It
One of the easiest and best ways to include Schisandra herbs for lungs is by adding Gaia Herbs Mighty Lungs respiratory support herbal supplement to your wellness regime.*
With both heightened immune challenges and exposure to environmental pollution, our lungs work hard every day and play a key role in keeping us strong and well. Mighty Lungs contains a unique blend of adaptogenic herbs combined with herbs that help maintain healthy lung function to help keep you breathing easy.*
Take 1 capsule twice daily between meals.
2) Yarrow
Yarrow is native to Europe and western Asia, where it has a long tradition of use in herbal medicine.
Legend has it that the ancient Greeks used Yarrow to treat the bleeding wounds of soldiers during the Trojan War more than 3,000 years ago, but it’s also believed to support lung and respiratory health.11
How to Take It
Gaia Herbs includes Yarrow in our Sinus Comfort herbal supplement, which contains a blend of traditional herbs to help maintain sinus health and also provides immune support during seasonal transitions.*
It’s easy to take, you simply add 60 drops in a small amount of water up to 3 times daily.
3) Black Seed Oil
Black Seed Oil is made from the seeds of the Nigella sativa flower that is native to regions around the Mediterranean. It has been used for thousands of years as a way to support lung, sinus, and respiratory health.*
Ayurvedic tradition makes use of cold-pressed Black Seed Oil because the process preserves the plant’s natural chemical profile and balance, providing the full-spectrum of constituents, while at the same time providing all of the seed’s health benefits.*7
How to Take It
With lung health being more important than ever, you can provide your lungs with the support that they need with Gaia Herbs Black Seed Oil.
This powerful single herb extract helps keep the lungs working optimally and efficiently.* Available in our patented Liquid Phyto-Caps, it is easy to take at home or on the go.
This allows you to provide your lungs, sinuses, and respiratory system with the support they need to keep you breathing easy.*
Simply take 2 capsules 1 to 2 times daily between meals.
4) Plantain
Don’t confuse Plantain herbs for lungs with the fruit of the same name. Plantain fruits are a member of the banana family and are often called green bananas or cooking bananas (because they need to be cooked before you eat them).
The Plantain herb, on the other hand, has been used throughout Europe and North America to support a healthy immune response, strong lungs, and a clear respiratory system.*2
Because plantain naturally contains mucilage and has moist cooling properties, it has an inherent ability to support mucous membrane health by soothing occasional irritation.*
How to Take It
Developed by a Pediatric Naturopath, GaiaKids® Sinus Support provides sinus support to help your little ones keep breathing easy.* With this formula, your child can get the ideal combination of herbs, including Plantain, to help their body maintain a healthy mucous membrane (vital for lung function).*
Depending on your child’s age, add 5-90 drops to water or juice up to three times daily. See label for details.
5) Licorice
Licorice is one of our favorite herbs because one of its active ingredients — glycyrrhizic acid — is 50 times sweeter than sugar. Because of this, the herb has been cultivated as a flavoring for everything from food and candy to tobacco and alcohol.
Licorice is considered a tonic plant in many traditional medicinal systems and is one of the most widely used and trusted herbs among traditional botanical practitioners.
The Licorice plant has traditional uses that support lung function, respiratory strength, and a healthy mucous membrane.*3
How to Take It
To receive a healthy dose of Licorice and other herbs that support your respiratory system and help maintain bronchial health, enjoy a warm and comforting mug of Gaia Herbs Bronchial Wellness Herbal Tea.
6) Mullein
The ancient Greeks recognized the value of Mullein herbs for lung health some 2,000 years ago. The dried leaves were traditionally used as a tea supporting pulmonary and respiratory function.*
How to Take It
Whether you take Mullein in a pill, steep it in hot water to make tea, or infuse it in an oil for use in a vaporizer, you’ll enjoy all the respiratory and lung benefits Mullein has to offer.*5
If you’re looking for an easy way to incorporate Mullein into your routine to support lung, respiratory, and sinus health, try Gaia Herbs Mighty Lungs.*
Our patented vegan Liquid Phyto-Caps are easy to swallow and contain an efficacious dose of herbs, including Mullein, to help your body maintain healthy lung function.*
7) Gaia-Grown Nettle
Nettle is a perennial herb that is native to Europe, Asia, Northern Africa, and North America.
While you can cultivate this herb in a garden or field, as we do on our 350-acre Certified Organic farm in Brevard, North Carolina, it is also commonly found growing in forests and alongside roads and meadows.
Nettle has a long history of traditional use in Ayurvedic medicine.* Herbalists around the world use Nettle as a way to support the body’s inflammatory response, which, in turn, can contribute to better lung, sinus, and upper respiratory health.*
Once harvested (be careful; it can cause a rash on bare skin), you can steam Nettle and eat it like spinach, or steep it in hot water and drink it as a tea.*6 Learn more about Nettle here.
Those methods, however, are labor-intensive. There’s a much easier way to add Nettle to your diet.
How to Take It
The easiest way to incorporate Nettle herbs for lungs is with your choice of Gaia Herbs Turmeric Supreme® Sinus Support or Nettle Leaf herbal supplements.
Turmeric Supreme Sinus Support contains a synergistic blend of Gaia-grown® Nettle, Feverfew, Goldenseal, Ginger, and other herbs, while our Nettle Leaf Liquid Phyto-Caps contain a potent dose of pure Gaia-grown® Nettle.
Both help support efficient lung function during seasonal transitions and when exposed to environmental pollutants.*
For Turmeric Supreme Sinus Support, take 2 to 3 capsules twice daily with meals. For Nettle Leaf, take 1 capsule two times daily between meals.
8) Oil of Oregano
Ayurvedic professionals have been using Oregano for centuries to help support a healthy immune system.*
Recent research shows that this herb contains volatile oils that work together to support your body’s natural resistance to harmful foreign substances that can lead to respiratory issues.8
Oregano contains carvacrol and rosmarinic acid, both of which are believed to be natural decongestants and antihistamines. Because of this, Oregano is thought to be able to help maintain healthy lung function.*
How to Take It
For a healthy dose of Oregano, add Gaia Herbs Oil of Oregano to your routine and enjoy antioxidant support while helping to maintain immune defenses so you can continue feeling your best.*
Take 1 capsule 2 times daily with meals. The suggested maximum time of use is 2 to 4 weeks.
9) Elecampane
At first glance, Elecampane may look like a sunflower. While it is a member of the same family, this herb offers different benefits than the common sunflower.
One of the key differences between Elecampane and the sunflower is that the former contains a chemical compound called inulin. Inulin has been shown to support healthy immune function and to help maintain healthy lungs and a strong respiratory system.*9
How to Take It
Elecampane is very astringent and bitter. Because of this, it is best taken in combination with other herbs. Some of the herbs that work best with Elecampane to support respiratory health are:*
- Schisandra
- Mullein
- Plantain
That’s why we included all four in our Mighty Lungs herbal supplement. Take as directed to support your overall lung and respiratory health.*
10) Bayberry
Native Americans use the bark of the Bayberry plant as an herbal supplement to support various structures and functions in the body.* Ayurvedic professionals value Bayberry for its high tannin count and its warming properties.
This unique combination supports the body’s natural defenses (which can help support your lungs and the respiratory system even during seasonal challenges).*10
How to Take It
Because of their high levels of tannin, Bayberry herbs are best taken in combination with other herbs to offset the astringent taste.*
Gaia Herbs Sinus Comfort includes Bayberry, Yarrow, Plantain, Gaia-grown® Nettle, and other herbs that provide your body with the support it needs to help maintain sinus health, and help you breathe easy all day long.*
11) Oregon Grape
Despite its name, Oregon Grape is not a grape at all. The plant gets its name from the purple fruit that develops from the dense yellow flower cluster.
Those edible fruits were often traditionally consumed in combination with Salal berries and huckleberries as a way to support healthy skin, digestion, liver function, and the immune system.*
It’s this last benefit that makes Oregon Grape an excellent way to help support lung and respiratory health. When your immune system is working at 100%, it can better fight off challenges from seasonal changes and environmental pollutants to keep your lungs clear.*1
How to Take It
To support respiratory health, add Gaia Herbs Echinacea Goldenseal Propolis Throat Spray to your daily routine.*
This herbal throat spray contains a harmonious blend of herbs including Echinacea grown on Gaia's own certified organic farm in combination with Goldenseal root, a natural source of Berberine. These herbs are all traditionally used to support throat health, making this one of our most popular products for anyone experiencing throat stress.*
Take 60 drops in a small amount of water 1 to 3 times daily.
Gaia Herbs for Lung Health
Whether you choose Schisandra, Yarrow, Plantain, or any of the other herbs for lungs on this list, you can feel confident that with Gaia Herbs, you’ll get only the highest quality herbs that Nature can provide.
We’re committed to transparency and want to assure you of the purity, potency, and integrity of our herbal supplements. That’s why we created our Meet Your Herbs® program.
With this herb traceability platform, you can learn about your product’s ingredients and take a deeper dive into each herb in your product — where it came from; how it was grown, harvested, and extracted. You can be assured that our products are safely produced without the use of pesticides and other toxins that can damage our bodies and the earth.
To purchase our Respiratory Support herbal products online, shop now at our online store. Or to find a store nearby that carries Gaia Herbs products, enter your zip code on our Where to Buy page.
REFERENCES:
1 The Health Benefits of Oregon Grape
https://www.verywellhealth.com/oregon-grape-benefits-4590368
2 The traditional uses, chemical constituents and biological activities of Plantago major L. A review
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7142308/
3 What is Licorice?
4 Schizandra
https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-376/schisandra
5 Mullein: The Herb that Fights Infections and Inflammation
https://draxe.com/nutrition/mullein/
6 Wild vascular plants gathered for consumption in the Polish countryside: a review.
https://ethnobiomed.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1746-4269-3-17
7 Phytochemistry, pharmacology, and therapeutic uses of black seed (Nigella sativa).
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28236403/
8 Chemical composition and bioactivity of different oregano (Origanum vulgare) extracts and essential oil.
9 The Health Benefits of Elecampane: An Herb Used to Help Respiratory and Digestive Issues
https://www.verywellhealth.com/elecampane-4766904
10 Oleanane Acid from Myrica cerifera.
https://cpb.pharm.or.jp/cpb/200010/c10_1427.pdf
11 Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs and Cosmetics.
Mighty Lungs®
Traditional herbs to support overall lung & respiratory health*
Black Seed Oil
Traditionally for maintaining a healthy respiratory system*
Turmeric Supreme® Sinus Support
Promotes a healthy inflammatory response in healthy individuals*
Nettle Leaf
Helps maintain upper respiratory health*
Oil of Oregano
Oregano, traditionally used to support a healthy gut*
Echinacea Goldenseal Propolis Throat Spray
Traditionally for throat health*
Featured Products
Mighty Lungs®
Traditional herbs to support overall lung & respiratory health*
Black Seed Oil
Traditionally for maintaining a healthy respiratory system*
Turmeric Supreme® Sinus Support
Promotes a healthy inflammatory response in healthy individuals*
Nettle Leaf
Helps maintain upper respiratory health*
Oil of Oregano
Oregano, traditionally used to support a healthy gut*
Echinacea Goldenseal Propolis Throat Spray
Traditionally for throat health*