Ayurveda, Elecampane and the Lungs (and a Bonus Herb: Bamboo)

 Summer time at our Medicinal Herb Garden is a marvelous thing!

This burst of vibrant yellow in our garden is elecampane, one of the best tonic herbs for the lungs. It reduces excess kapha dosha in the lungs, while strengthening the lung tissue and absorbing fluid. This makes it a fabulous expectorant and cough reliever. Not only that, but it also calms the digestive system, mind and the female reproductive system. 

 

There’s a bonus in this picture; notice the bamboo stalk on the right? Bamboo, called vamsa rochana, is also marvelous for the lungs! The leaves and milky inner bark are cooling and moistening. Along with other herbs, it’s used in cold and cough medicines. And it also has wonderful benefits for the heart, nervous system and blood!

 

Want to learn more? Our herb garden is always open for visitors. And if you’re lucky, you may be able to get a tour from our resident herbalist, Brenda Igler…