I have heard of so many people getting pneumonia this year and with the rise of antibiotic resistant drugs, I felt a blog post was in order for how you can treat this condition at home. When dealing with serious illness, always seek help from a competent physician, I recommend a Functional Medical Practitioner.
Pneumonia is an infection of the lung caused by bacteria, fungus, or viruses that enter the lungs, leading to inflammation of the lung tissue. It is a general term used to describe any infection that is deep in the lungs. Those at higher risk of developing pneumonia are the elderly, those with weakened or compromised immune systems, those that are hospitalized, alcoholics, those that smoke and those suffering with other health conditions.
Symptoms: Rapid, shallow breathing, shortness of breath, chest pain, sore throat and headache, cough with mucus and possibly blood, fever, sweat, shivering attacks, fatigue and exhaustion.
Pneumonia is an infection of the lung caused by bacteria, fungus, or viruses that enter the lungs, leading to inflammation of the lung tissue. It is a general term used to describe any infection that is deep in the lungs. Those at higher risk of developing pneumonia are the elderly, those with weakened or compromised immune systems, those that are hospitalized, alcoholics, those that smoke and those suffering with other health conditions.
Symptoms: Rapid, shallow breathing, shortness of breath, chest pain, sore throat and headache, cough with mucus and possibly blood, fever, sweat, shivering attacks, fatigue and exhaustion.
First thing to do when treating any illness is to make sure only nutrient rich food goes into your body. Avoid meat, dairy, sweets and any processed or fast food. Feed your body nourishing foods such as homemade soups with bone broth, easily digestible foods, vegetables, fruits and lots of herbal tea and juices. Many times your body will send you craving signals for exactly what your body may need. Incorporate lots of fluids and get plenty of rest. Frequent warm baths may also be very healing. Keep in mind that coughing is a good thing when dealing with a respiratory infection, so do not take cough suppressants. It may be a nuisance but this is the body's way of expelling the built up mucus (and bacteria) out of the body.
- Ginger tea with raw honey and a squirt of lime - ginger is warming and drying which can help the wet condition of the lungs.
- Yarrow Bath: Yarrow baths are a go to healing remedy for whatever may ail you in our home. Yarrow just knows what to do in a body to bring about balance and healing. Make a strong batch of yarrow tea (I fill a french press 3/4 full of yarrow and then pour boiling water to the full mark and let it sit for about a half hour before pouring into a warm bath. Soak in this for at least a half hour, drinking plenty of fluids while soaking.
- Thyme Bath: I learned about the wonderful healing properties of a thyme bath when I worked for a chiropractor years ago and his go to for any respiratory illness was a thyme bath, he would sell it by the pound. When I had my own children and got to deal with croup more than my share, I relied on thyme baths to relief the congestion, open air ways and kill viruses.
- Incorporate plenty of garlic and onions in the diet. Not only do these foods have antibiotic properties that will aid the body in killing the bacteria or virus, they also helps to expel phlegm.
- Hot Chest packs. These can be made using a poultice, compress or hot pad. You can use food such as onions, garlic, ginger and or mustard (seeds or powder not the condiment), herbs or essential oils.
- Alternating hot and cold packs. If you are dealing with a stagnate condition alternating hot and cold over the area - in this case the lungs - will get the lymph and blood moving. Chest claps are another way to help break up mucus so it can be expelled.
- Castor oil massage: massage into the chest and on the back every morning and evening before bed. Castor oil applied to the skin will increase the blood supply to that area for focused attention. It also can stimulate the immune system.
- Using aromatic spices as a tea or in your foods. Those such as cloves, cinnamon, and allspice have microbial action that can help the body kill off harmful viruses and bacteria. They are also more drying so will help with the wet condition in the lungs. MyAutumn Spice Tea would be a good one to add a little raw honey to and sip on throughout the day.
Pneumonia Formulas
Annie's Pneumonia Blend
This blend contains a combination of herbs that will fight infection, tend to be more drying for the wet condition in the lungs, aids the elimination of mucus, reduces inflammation and relives pain and swelling. Take in small frequent doses throughout the day.
Combine the following herbs:
Healing Plants of the Rocky Mountains Immune System Formula by Darcy Williamson
This is a powerful herbal antibiotic formula. She suggests taking in small frequent doses several times throughout the day. All of these herbs are found all over the Rocky Mountain area as foraging plants.
Expectorant Cough Syrup - The Herbal Drugstore
Combine the following in a pot over medium heat:
Dr. Christopher's Immucalm
Sometimes the immune system can get in overload mode and sends so many blood cells to take care of the lung problem that too much mucus builds up too quickly. This formula helps to calm the immune response while also strengthening and stimulating the body's ability to fight off infection.
Combine equal parts:
This blend contains a combination of herbs that will fight infection, tend to be more drying for the wet condition in the lungs, aids the elimination of mucus, reduces inflammation and relives pain and swelling. Take in small frequent doses throughout the day.
Combine the following herbs:
- 1/2 part birch bark
- 1/2 part oak bark
- 1/2 part Oregon grape root
- 1 part yarrow
- 1 part elder flowers
Healing Plants of the Rocky Mountains Immune System Formula by Darcy Williamson
This is a powerful herbal antibiotic formula. She suggests taking in small frequent doses several times throughout the day. All of these herbs are found all over the Rocky Mountain area as foraging plants.
- 4 parts arrowleaf balsamroot
- 2 parts lomatium
- 2 parts gumweed
- 1 part red clover
Expectorant Cough Syrup - The Herbal Drugstore
Combine the following in a pot over medium heat:
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 teaspoons mullein leaves
- 2 teaspoons horehound
- 2 teaspoons rosemary
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ginger
- pinch of cayenne
Dr. Christopher's Immucalm
Sometimes the immune system can get in overload mode and sends so many blood cells to take care of the lung problem that too much mucus builds up too quickly. This formula helps to calm the immune response while also strengthening and stimulating the body's ability to fight off infection.
Combine equal parts:
- Marshmallow Root
- Astragalus
These are our most important allies in the modern day battle with antibiotic resistant bacteria. Because of how complex herbs are the bacteria cannot figure out the formula for breaking their resistance to these powerful bacteria fighters. Herbs are not really antibiotic because that word means "anti-life" and herbs are not anti-life, they are anti harmful bacteria. They know the difference between the beneficial bacteria in your body and the ones causing harm and those are the guys they target with the help of the immune system and beneficial bacteria. Take these frequently, as often as the body desires, alone or part of a formula.
Expectorant herbs: These will help the body to expel mucus from the lungs, most likely in the form of coughing it up. As I mentioned above, this a good thing.
- echinacea - stimulates the immune system
- goldenseal
- Oregon graperoot
- garlic - 4 cloves is equal to one dose of antibiotics
- usnea - best used in tincture form
- wormwood - strong antibiotic
- astragalus - immune builder and strengthener, take as a tonic daily
- sage
- oak bark
Expectorant herbs: These will help the body to expel mucus from the lungs, most likely in the form of coughing it up. As I mentioned above, this a good thing.
- horehound
- coltsfoot
- boneset
- elder flowers
- licorice root
- nettles
- parsely
- thyme
- yarrow
These can be massaged into the chest, back and the bottoms of the feet. I also like to apply an immune boosting blend to the spine - my favorite is Thieves (clove, lemon, cinnamon bark, eucalyptus and rosemary). You could also put these in hot water and use as a compress on the chest and diffuse them as an inhalation.
- thyme
- cinnamon
- oregano
- ravensara
- eucalyptus
- tea tree
- frankincense
- lemon
- Young Living has a wonderful blend called RC that I have had great success using for croup. Butterfly Express has a similar but no where as potent blend called Aspire.
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