Home remedies for bronchitis, such as fennel tea, mallow tea, garlic tea, watercress syrup and eucalyptus steam inhalation, contain anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and expectorant properties. These help to relieve coughs and thin-out secretions to promote their elimination.
When treating bronchitis, you are advised to opt for foods rich in zinc, vitamin A and vitamin C, such as fruits, vegetables and nuts. These contain have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that strengthen the immune system, helping to reduce the duration and prevent bronchitis attacks.
Although home remedies are effective for the treatment of acute and chronic bronchitis, they should not replace the treatment prescribed by a doctor. They should only be used to complement treatment and speed-up recovery.
1. Fennel tea
Fennel tea has expectorant and bronchodilator properties, which help to eliminate secretions. Learn more about the health benefits of fennel and how to use it.
Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon dried fennel seeds
- 1 cup of water
Directions:
Crush the fennel seeds. Pour the water into a pot and bring to a boil. Remove fro heat, add the fennel seeds, cover the pan and infuse for 5 minutes. Strain the tea and drink while still warm. Drink up to 3 cups of this tea a day for up to 2 weeks.
Cautions: This tea should not be consumed by children under 12, people with allergies to aniseed or anethole, pregnant women or breastfeeding women.
This tea is also contraindicated for people with hyperestrogenism, women with breast cancer who are taking hormone replacement therapy or people who use anticoagulant medication.]
2. Watercress syrup with pineapple
Watercress syrup with pineapple is a great home remedy for bronchitis because it contains bromelain and flavonoids. These are bioactive compounds with expectorant and decongestant action that reduce the symptoms of bronchitis.
Ingredients:
- 200 g turnip
- 1/3 cup chopped watercress
- 1/2 pineapple cut into slices
- 2 small chopped beets
- 600 ml of water
- 1/2 cup honey
Directions:
Mix all the ingredients in a blender, then bring the mixture to the boil over a low heat for 40 minutes. Allow to cool, strain, add 1/2 cup of honey and stir well. Take 1 tablespoon of this syrup 3 times a day. For children, the dose should be 1 teaspoon, 3 times a day.
Cautions: Watercress syrup with pineapple should not be used by children under 2 years old, pregnant women, nor people with allergies to honey, propolis or pollen, fructose intolerance or irritable bowel syndrome.
3. Ginger tea
Ginger tea is a good home remedy to complement the treatment of acute, asthmatic, chronic or allergic bronchitis, due to its anti-inflammatory and bactericidal properties. Check out the other health benefits of ginger and how you can incorporate it into your diet.
Ingredients:
- 2 to 3 cm of grated fresh ginger
- 1 cup of water
Directions
Place the ginger in a pot with the water and boil for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and, when it has cooled, strain and drink. You can drink up to 3 cups of this tea per day.
Cautions: This tea is contraindicated for children under 6 years old and people with gallstones, stomach irritation or high blood pressure. It should also not be consumed by those with blood circulation disorders or those taking anticoagulant medication, as it can increase the risk of bleeding.
4. Orange juice with carrots
Carrot and orange juice is an excellent home remedy for bronchitis because it contains vitamin C and vitamin A, nutrients with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that strengthen the immune system.
Ingredients:
- Juice squeezed from 1 orange;
- 2 bunches of watercress
- ½ peeled medium carrot
- 1 tablespoon of honey
- 150 ml of water
Directions:
Wash the watercress well and drain. Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. It is advisable to drink this juice 2-3 times a day, preferably between meals.
Cautions: this juice is not suitable for children under 2 years old, people with allergies to honey, propolis or pollen, those with fructose intolerance or those with irritable bowel syndrome.
5. Garlic tea
An excellent home remedy for bronchitis is garlic tea because it is rich in allicin and other antioxidant compounds. These can strengthen the immune system, fight viruses and bacteria and combat coughs, as well as facilitate the elimination of secretions. See the other garlic benefits that can contribute to your health.
Ingredients:
- 1 crushed garlic clove
- 1 cup of water
Directions:
Boil the water in a pot or kettle and, after removing from heat, add the crushed garlic. Cover the pot and infuse for 5 minutes. Strain and drink 1 cup of this tea a day.
Cautions: Garlic tea should not be consumed by people with gastritis, ulcers, low blood pressure or bleeding.
6. Watercress juice
Watercress juice is a great home remedy for bronchitis, due to its expectorant, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It can help strengthen the immune system, promoting a rapid recovery.
Ingredients:
- 4 stalks of watercress;
- 3 slices of pineapple;
- 2 glasses of filtered or boiled water.
Directions:
Wash the watercress leaves well and drain. Blend all the ingredients in a blender until they form a homogeneous mixture. You can drink this watercress juice 2-3 times a day.
7. Eucalyptus tea
Eucalyptus tea contains flavonoids, triterpenes, tannins, phenolic acids due to its cinnamic acid and floroglucinol. These are bioactive compounds with anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and expectorant action that help dilute secretions and manage wet coughs caused by bronchitis. Read more about the benefits of eucalyptus tea for your health.
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon of chopped eucalyptus leaves
- 1 cup of water
Directions:
Boil the water in a pot and, after removing from heat, add the eucalyptus leaves. Cover the pot and infuse for 5 minutes. Strain and drink once cup of this tea 2-3 times a day.
Cautions: eucalyptus tea should not be consumed if you are allergic to this plant, during pregnancy or by people with gallbladder problems or liver diseases.
8. Mallow tea
Another good home remedy for acute bronchitis is mallow tea. This plant contains antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and antimicrobial properties that help calm irritation in the airways.
Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon of dried mallow flowers or leaves
- 1 cup of water
Directions:
Pour the water into a pot and boil. Once it starts to bubble, remove from heat, add the mallow flowers or leaves to the water, cover the pan and infuse for 5 minutes. Strain and drink up to 3 cups of this tea a day.
Cautions: mallow tea should not be taken during pregnancy and breastfeeding, nor should it be taken by people with high blood pressure.
9. Eucalyptus steam inhalation
Inhaling eucalyptus steam is an excellent home remedy for bronchitis because it quickly relieves nasal congestion.
Ingredients:
- 5 drops of eucalyptus essential oil
- 1 liter of boiling water
Directions:
Place the drops of eucalyptus essential oil and the boiling water in a basin. Then cover your head with a towel, being sure to also cover the basin. Hover your face over the basin and inhale the steam as deeply as possible for up to 10 minutes, repeating 2-3 times a day. When you have finished inhaling, wipe your face with a towel dipped in cold water.
Cautions: Eucalyptus inhalation should not be performed by children under 12, during pregnancy or breastfeeding, or by people with digestive problems, gall bladder problems, liver disease or allergies to eucalyptus.
In addition, some people are more sensitive to eucalyptus essential oil and, in these cases, symptoms may worsen. If this happens, discontinue immediately.
10. Guaco tea
As well as having bronchodilator substances, guaco tea is a great home remedy for bronchitis as it also has expectorant and anti-inflammatory properties that are effective in treating coughs. See the other health benefits of guaco and how it can be used.
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon (3 to 5 g) of chopped dried or fresh guaco leaves
- 1 teaspoon of honey
- 200 ml of water
Directions:
Boil the water in a pot. Remove from heat, add the guaco leaves, cover the pot and infuse for 10 minutes. Strain the tea, add the honey and stir well with a spoon. You can drink up to 3 cups of this tea a day for up to 15 days.
Cautions: This tea is not suitable for people with diabetes, cancer, tuberculosis or liver disease. It should also not be consumed by children, pregnant women or breastfeeding women.
In addition, this tea should not be used by people with allergies to honey, or those who take medication such as anticoagulants, antibiotics or anti-inflammatories.