If you want to know what Jamaican herb is good for coughing, you have come to the right place! Hear from a mother who has experienced how well Jamaican herbs can work for respiratory infections.

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What Jamaican Herb is Good for Coughing?

Three Jamaican herbs good for coughing are Leaf-of-Life, Cold Bush and Guinea Hen. They have proven to be effective in relieving coughing and stuffiness in my three children even when modern pharmaceuticals didn’t help.

Are Jamaican Herbs Good for Bronchial Health?

It has long been attested that Jamaica has herbs (also called “bushes”) that can help with overall health, and in this case, with respiratory health.

Though we may not all have been raised in a home where these bush teas were the order of the day, we all know of someone whose grandma or mother knows a thing or two about traditional home remedies.

Unfortunately, not many Jamaicans seem to be convinced of how well cold bush herbs work. They approach the idea of what Jamaican herb is good for coughing with some measure of skepticism. The reality is that many of us are used to relying solely on modern medicines and pharmaceuticals.

I’m not here to bash modern medicine, but I am here to share some personal experiences that have convinced me that there is something to using Jamaican herbs for cold, at least.

What Herbs are used to Treat a Cold?

My experience with using Jamaican cold bush herbs began when my three children went through a distressingly long bout of sicknesses.

My husband and I had done what we thought was necessary and normal – buy cold medicine for them.

Still their condition persisted, and I remember particularly when their coughing was unresponsive to the cough medicine. I gave them several doses of cough medicine, but the coughing still disrupted even their sleep 😣.

Eventually, and thankfully, my husband suddenly recalled that a lady sold “cold bush” in the Falmouth market.

Out of raw desperation for a change, he bought the mysterious package.

After buying this bush medicine, he boiled them, and we gave the resulting tea to the children.

Besides the sweet, minty smell that pervaded the house, one other very important benefit had resulted from the tea: our children slept through the night without coughing. 

It was a welcome relief, and I took note of it.

I needed to know those bushes!

Leaf-of-Life is a Jamaican Herb for Respiratory Infection

The first component of the bundle I had recognised was the Leaf-of-Life.

Here’s what Leaf-of-Life looks like:

Leaf-of-Life is a plant that I knew to be edible, because as children we would break off the leaf and nibble pieces of it. It has a tangy, and sometimes mildly bitter taste, but when boiled and sweetened with a little sugar, even my children enjoy it!

Besides boosting immunity and relieving respiratory problems, other benefits of Leaf-of-Life include preventing kidney stones and wound healing.

You might want to consider growing your own Leaf-of-Life or at least stocking up on the dried leaves for tea.

Cold Bush is another Jamaican Herb for Respiratory Infection

It wasn’t until some days later that my husband discovered what the other component in his market package was. He told me it was called “cold bush”, but I’m sure other Jamaicans can give several additional names for this plant.

This is what it looks like: 

Guinea Hen is a Good Jamaican Herb for Respiratory Infection

After that incident with the bad coughing, we had another experience of a cold/flu passing through our house. When we couldn’t get our hands on the Leaf-of-Life and cold bush combo, my husband got some Guinea Hen, boiled it, and the children had it.

I was stunned when my oldest daughter who normally snores slept that night with no snoring! Once again, I was paying attention!

Here’s what the boiled Guinea Hen looks like:

Guinea Hen plant after boiling

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other Jamaican Herbs Good for Coughing

Of course, the three herbs I have used with excellent results are not the full list of medicinal Jamaican plants. Other Jamaican plants good for overall health are Quako bush, Moringa, Soursop Leaf, Lime leaf tea, Ginger, Turmeric and many more! Most of these Jamaican herbs have multiple benefits and are not just for helping to relieve coughing.

Jamaican Cold Bushes are Part of a Good Health Routine

Since those two incidents, I have been reading more about herbs, and my husband and I decided to return to these traditional Jamaican herbs for cold and flu, among other conditions. I now try to have a daily morning tea routine for myself and the children. 

Bear in mind, though, that herbs for cold and flu are only part of the story – good health is the resultant of several other factors like:

• adequate exercise
• rest
• a clean home
• wise eating and drinking choices.

What Jamaican medicinal plants do you know about? Do you use any in your family? Let me know in the comments!

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