While searching online for herb remedies, I saw sage as a runny nose remedy on many web sites in every form from tinctures to elixirs to teas. I tried it last night, and it worked well. TOO well. I took about one teaspoon crushed sage mixed into a little raw honey. It dried my sinuses out until they ached and I couldn’t breathe out of my nose on one side! I considered it to be a good trade considering what I had been experiencing and using a neti pot helped considerably with the discomfort. It fixed my runny nose for several hours, well into the night. It also stopped the coughing from post-nasal drip which in turn helped my sore throat, which was a huge blessing.
This morning, I gave each of the kids a pinch and I took two pinches mixed into a tiny amount of raw honey. Neither of the kids complained about taking it like that. I suspected they’d object to the tea, so this was a great solution. It is working extremely well, with no dryness or discomfort. I imagine if your runny nose was severe, you’d need a higher dose. Most websites recommended dosing it two to three times a day. I will experiment today with how often I need to dose me and the kids to be effective without drying us out. I am especially anxious to see how well it works to stop post-nasal drip that causes my kids to cough at night. I’ve been getting up twice a night to give them Ivy Calm for multiple nights now, and if this works I will switch to this instead as it is much cheaper.
Last year before Thanksgiving, I had ordered a one-pound bag of rubbed sage from Frontier, not realizing that it would be cups and cups of sage! So now I am glad to have one more use for this herb. I’ve been using sage tincture as an ingredient in mouthwash, and I believe now that I will make an elixir of it, too.
WARNING: Sage is a drying herb. If you are nursing, it will reduce or stop your milk supply. I would avoid it entirely while nursing, especially if your supply is borderline. It is also listed as a uterine stimulant and an herb to be avoided during pregnancy. However, I have seen no warning to avoid a culinary dose of this herb during pregnancy, so please do your own homework before considering this remedy if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Shared at Nourishing Treasures and Wildcrafting Wednesday.
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