Herbal Blog

When the flu season is up and running, when people flock to the malls and the focus of infection gets concentrated in these areas, children and adults soon get the disease. The number of people with cough and asthma rise, especially during the entrance of the new year when smoke from firecrackers belch from residential areas whether in the cities or in the provinces. During this period not only firecracker accidents are up but also respiratory infections and respiratory allergies. Whether we like it or not we are exposed to these threats and cough is most common initial symptom as well as our long term problem. One of the common household remedies would be the good old LAGUNDI. Experience tells us that freshly prepared lagundi is better than the commercial preparation. A suggestion here is prepare our own lagundi drink with palatability and aroma that will be acceptable to both kids and adults. Here’s how to prepare your own lagundi drink for cough (of course you have to scout for the lagundi tree). If you had the time, you could have planted your own in a large pot. It grows to a tree with a height of about 3-4 meters when planted on the ground. For a 12 oz drink, good for two days, refrigerated, get 5 stalks of leaves, wash and boil in about 1 and 1/2 glass of water. To make it more palatable add a stalk of lemon grass and/or two large kalamsi fruits. Cut the lagundi using knife or kitchen scissors (exclude the petioles – stalk of the leaves), your calamansi fruits are just squeezed to it and you can even boil the entire cut fruit into the pot. Boil it for 5 minutes and let cool, strain and the keep in the refrigerator which should be good for about two days drink. Children can take 1 and 1/2 oz or 2 oz of lagundi drink with or without sugar 3x a day for as long as 5 days or 1 week. Adults can take 3 oz 3x a day. If calamansi is added, add sugar. Note: Do not boil on aluminum pot because the acid of calamansi will react with aluminum, use porcelain pot. If calamansi is omitted, you can take it without sugar and the flavor is just lemon water. Adding calamansi will change the color to very light or a cloudy juice, just like calamansi juice drink. If symptoms persists for more than 3 days, consult your doctor if antibiotics would be needed, effective control of cough within 3 days will likely result in lower risk of infection. The key is to lessen the phlegm production so as not to result in full blown infection -the latter will probably require antibiotics. Extra vitamin C supplementation will be necessary. Flu management needs no antibiotic, just fluids -water or juice, antipyretics (medications for fever such as paracetamol) and complete bed rest. If during a flu infection, cough becomes very productive and phlegm becomes yellow or green, chances are there is a secondary bacterial infection already.

 Lagundi (Vitex negundo Linn.)  

Tanglad (Andropogon citratus)

Setup  

Boil all in a pot for 5 mins & let it cool  

 

Strain the concoction. Lagundi drink with calamansi will have a less intense color compared without calamansi

 

 

 This drink tastes like lemonade (with sugar) and children will surely like it. This child is an asthmatic and had been on steroids, on and off. He improved on this drink.