The effectiveness of this remedy is in timing. At the very first sign of congestion or irritation in your upper or lower respiratory system, break out your herbal steam!

Did your mom teach you how to do an herbal steam?

Let’s talk about how to do an herbal steam inhalation, the benefits of an herbal steam and why your DIY sage herbal steam is one of the best secrets of your home apothecary.

What is an herbal steam?

An herbal steam is a very simple process of cooking herbs and using the steam from the pot for therapeutic benefits.

Come on into my kitchen and let’s set up a sage herbal steam and talk about what it is good for, when to use it and how an herbal steam can be used for coughs, colds and lung congestion.

Why sage?

A sage herbal steam helps my son with his spring allergies, and I use sage steams to clear out congestion from my sinuses, ears and chest.

I don’t do so well with eating dairy, so when I do say yes to that yogurt or cheese, I know it.

The next day, I have congestion in my sinuses, I feel it in my ears and can even feel a little heaviness in my chest.

Actually, the best thing for me is to say no to dairy, but when I fall off the wagon, sage steams help clear it all out, it is my go-to dairy hangover remedy!

This amazing aromatic herb has a special affinity with the upper respiratory tract.

Sage is anti-catarrhal, decongestant, anti-spasmodic, and disinfecting.

Sage herbal steams help with a runny nose, hay fever, sinusitis; anything where you’re dealing with that significant snot factor.

Sage herbal steams helps dry up excessive secretions. It loosens constriction and it decreases your overall inflammatory reaction.

It is an amazing decongestant for your head and lungs.

If you are a sage lover, you can come over here and meet my 3 sages.

It is in the Timing

The effectiveness of this remedy is in timing.

At the very first sign of congestion or irritation in your upper or lower respiratory system, break out your herbal steam! Move the gunk out!,

The truth is that congestion is a breeding ground for bacteria and makes you more susceptible to possible catching a cold or flu.

What does it mean to even stop one cold from progressing?

Maybe you’re strong enough and you don’t have to really worry about getting a cold, but humans are contagious.

You never know where a cold will end up.

Maybe you do fine, but over the course of you being contagious, maybe your neighbour stops by, she picks it up and she goes over to her daughter’s house that just had a baby or visits her 92 year-old grandma.

Certain populations are more susceptible at different times.

If you are at a susceptible time in your life, one little cold can go to your chest and wreak havoc.

This is one reason I am so passionate about people knowing about this very simple home remedy that can nip things in the bud!

Meet Your Herbal Steam Half-way

One of my first teachers, Dr. Ladd always said, if you are not feeling well, then it is time to fast from not only heavy food but also to ‘fast the senses’.

Everything in life takes energy to digest. When our body needs to go to work to fight off sickness or infection, it is helpful to take time to fast from life.

Conversations, screen images, movies, all involve using your energy to digest the experience.

There is something profoundly healing to taking time to let go of everything, rest and let your body focus on healing.

We can’t just rely on the herbal remedies to heal us, we also need to meet the remedies half- way and rest is the best medicine.

It isn’t always possible; but if you can even for a short period of time, let go and rest at the very beginning of not feeling well and you will be amazed at what your body can fight off when you give it the chance!

So, the next time you’re feeling a little run down or susceptible, set yourself up for a nice herbal steam and then rest.

It is such a rejuvenative practice and feels so nourishing and healing.