How can our lungs benefit from the healing ingredients of the forest? We take a closer look at lungwort, cowslip, and wild thyme.
Our lungs are constantly supplying us with oxygen. An adult takes around 15 breaths per minute, 21,600 per day, 7,884,000 per year. So it's a no-brainer to take good care of the organs responsible for this vital oxygen supply.
But what exactly can we do to boost our lung health? One way of preventing problems and supporting our lungs are herbal remedies, made of plants from the forest, such as lungwort, cowslip, rosehip, wild thyme, or linden blossom. (Of course, they by no means replace medical advice when you are unwell.)
"The forests are home to an exceptional variety of plants. They have long been used to make remedies that can serve as a natural pharmacy."
This medicinal plant grows in the midst of deciduous and mixed beech forests. Its petals are able to change colour like a chameleon, from red-purple to blue-violet. And its name says it all: "The name lungwort alone suggests beneficial effects for the lung", says expert, Dr. Angelika Riffel.
It's true: the dried herb can have an expectorant and cough-relieving effect when taken in teas or lungwort wine.
Everyone knows its brother, the common thyme, but wild thyme is a relatively unknown herb. And yet, wild thyme has a lot to offer: its aromatic and spicy essential oil can ease symptoms of a cough or cold and hoarseness.
How do you identify it? "You will often come across low-growing mats of wild thyme when walking through the woods in summer, its sweet, lemony fragrance enticing every bee that flies by", says Dr. Riffel.
It is the "primula veris", the first flower to blossom in spring. "Key of heaven" is a further common name for this incredible plant, whose natural antibiotic effect can be used to treat bronchitis, coughs and weak nerves.
The deep yellow spring flower should not, however, simply be picked from anywhere, as it belongs to the endangered plants in some regions. So if in doubt, refrain from picking the cowslip and just enjoy looking at it.
Linden blossom is a true classic amongst the natural remedies. As a tea, it relieves coughs, strengthens the immune system, and calms the nerves. The strengthening blossom is a particularly popular choice when the days get shorter and the weather gets colder.
"The linden used to be mankind’s most important tree and it features in many folk songs, myths, and old tales, such as the medieval German work of the Nibelungenlied The Song of the Nibelungs), in which the linden leaf plays a special role", says pharmacist Dr. Angelika Riffel.
Who can knock the forever praised lemon off the top of the vitamin C leader board without batting an eyelid? The rosehip. Because the red fruits of the rose plant contain eight times as much vitamin C than the yellow citrus fruit.
So it’s no wonder that rosehip is eagerly processed into teas, juices, and jams, which strengthen our immune system and are said to prevent colds. And when you experience its delicately fruity sweet taste, this vitamin bomb will have won you over.
Mix the dried medicinal plants (available in pharmacies) in equal parts. Pour hot water over one teaspoon of the tea mixture and leave for five to ten minutes. Strain and sweeten with honey. Enjoy.
From east to west, Austria has a total of six national parks and 47 nature parks that offer shelter for trees and plants, preserving the country's natural heritage and diverse flora. In order to be able to admire this biodiversity for a long time to come, plants should not be picked from protected areas and great care should be taken to preserve the natural resources.
Spending time in the forest has a soothing, refreshing effect on our bodies and minds. But how does it work, exactly?
Austria's strictly protected national parks and biosphere reserves offer visitors the chance to discover nature in its original, untouched state first-hand.
