Natural Health - The Cough and the Colon

There are so many different reasons for coughing - such as allergens, colds, flu or other infections, and in severe cases tumors in the lung or cancer.

There are also varying characteristics to coughs such as tight and dry, or loose and productive. Sometimes the types of coughs will give an indication of the problem, but unless one has good diagnostic testing the true underlying problem may be a mystery.

An area of the body that can contribute to coughing that is often overlooked, and rarely tested for complaints of coughing, is the colon.

When someone's colon is sluggish or difficult to empty, such as in constipation, or if they have a problem with candida (which is an overgrowth of yeast due to an imbalance of bacteria in the gut) then the body can often respond with a cough.

It helps to understand how this works by understanding that one of the functions of the respiratory system is elimination. When the primary eliminatory organs are not working at their optimum (ie - colon), then the other elimination organs kick in to help (ie - skin, lungs).

As a former colon therapist I can recall the many clients that I had who were receiving colon hydrotherapy and experienced great improvements in their breathing, sinus problems, and coughing.

Another helpful tip for understanding this connection is that in Chinese Medicine the Lung and Large Intestine share the same meridian. So, it is often seen in that health model, a clearing up in one of those organs when the other is balanced out.

Here are some "Simple Solutions" that you can do at home for your coughs (along with addressing your colon if you think that could be a contributing factor):

Home Made Cough Syrups (three recipes)

Recipe One

--Lemon juice or a small amount of water with drop of lemon oil

--honey

--tiny dash of cayenne

Recipe Two

--1/2 c. honey

--1 tbsp. chopped garlic

--1 tsp. horseradish (fresh prepared)

Mix well. Take 1 or 2 teaspoons as needed. If mixture is too hot,

add more honey to taste.

Recipe Three

--1 c. molasses

--2 drops ginger essential oil

--2 drops peppermint essential oil

Mix all ingredients together.

Use 1 teaspoon at a time, every 4 hours.

Dry Cough Tea

--2 drops lemon

--3 drops eucalyptus radiata

--1 tsp agave

--4 oz. hot water

Sip Slowly

(Some of these might help address your colon too!)