My heart is heavy as I write this. After coming off my own experiences in Asheville with Hurricane Helene, it feels like a strange sort of whiplash to know that across the country, yet another not-so-natural disaster is wreaking havoc on the beloved communities of Altadena, Pacific Palisades and beyond.
I feel deep grief for those who have lost so much, including spaces that hold memories and histories.
I also feel deep grief (and anger) for the ways in which intersecting systems of greed and oppression heighten the suffering of moments like these.
I think about the more than 900 incarcerated firefighters earning $5-10/day to put their lives at great risk on the front lines, the first responders working around the clock to prioritize the immediate needs of others, and the mutual aid activists organizing collective resources into the night.
I think about how truly maddening it is that water can be privatized such that two billionaires own 60% of California’s fresh water supply
I imagine how different things would be if pre-colonial indigenous land stewardship techniques were embraced, rather than suppressed and rejected.
With all of this on my heart and mind, as a gentle act of love and solidarity, I offer insight into the respiratory benefits of mullein leaf below. You’ll also find a simple tea recipe to help strengthen the lungs, reduce inflammation and bring ease to the nervous system.
Mullein leaf is one of the best herbs for respiratory health.
Over the past few weeks I’ve been working on two articles centered around the healing properties of this particular herb. The articles are scheduled to come out later this month, but it felt important to share this information sooner.
A Symbol of Perseverance
Like dandelion and many other traditional herbal allies, Mullein is considered to be a weed, demonstrating resilience in the way it thrives in poor compacted soils.
Often, plants like these have a lot to teach us, illustrating a great sense of renewal against all odds. I like to believe that a subtle aspect of this fortifying resilient energy transfers over into the teas and tinctures that feature these common “weeds”.
Just as mullein demonstrates the power to persevere, perhaps consuming it can inspire and elicit that in us. It is also seen as a plant of protection and, in folk herbalism, is believed ward off evil.
More About Mullein
While it is native to Europe and Asia, mullein can grow in a wide array of regions, especially those offering full sun and sandy soil.
It commonly crops up in North America and can be easily found in neglected meadows, roadside ditches, and vacant lots. It’s likely that you’ve laid eyes on this plant without realizing that many potential benefits lay dormant in its fuzzy leaves. I am often amazed by the abundance of medicinal plants and herbs growing freely in the most unassuming places.
The Ayurvedic Perspective
According to The Yoga of Herbs, Mullein exhibits sweet, bitter and astringent tastes. In Ayurveda, the taste of a particular herb or food is called rasa. Like most sweet and bitter herbs, mullein has a cooling energy, or virya. This means that a tea, tincture or tonic made from mullein leaf may help release or counter excess heat in the body.
Mullein leaves have also been historically used as a poultice on the skin in part because of that same cooling, soothing effect. The sweet taste in particular, is also said to bring a soothing (and even smoothing) quality, while the astringent taste is known to dry excess moisture and mucus. The bitter taste helps relieve stagnation and promotes flow in congested areas.
Because mullein has an affinity for the lungs, it is most commonly used to support upper respiratory challenges associated with phlegm, coughing and/or exposure to poor air quality. It is also often found in herbal smoking blends to promote lung strength and resilience.
Mullein Tea Recipe
FOR RESPIRATORY SUPPORT
Mullein — 3 parts
Nettle — 2 parts
Tulsi — 2 parts
Mullein and the Doshas
With its cooling and drying qualities, mullein decreases acute pitta dosha (the fire element within us) and kapha dosha (the earth and water elements within us). The astringent quality of mullein is especially supportive for those with excess kapha. Excess kapha may show up as coldness, dampness or stagnation in the lungs, while excess pitta can bring a hot, dry, irritated or inflamed quality. Often respiratory imbalances feature some combination of the two, which is why mullein is a star herb for acute or seasonal wellness centered around the lungs.
Additional Helpful Herbs
In the tea recipe below, I recommend pairing mullein with nettle and tulsi. Nettle is a nutritive herb with powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Tulsi is deeply nourishing to pranavaha srotas (the wind carrying channel — associated with the respiratory system).
In Ayurveda, tulsi is often used to counter colds, coughs and congestion, as well as asthma. It is also a tonic for the heart and nervous system.
In additional to mullein, nettle and tulsi, herbs like ginger, marshmallow root, licorice, cardamom and cinnamon may also be supportive during this time.
The original version of this article was written by Molly McConnell for Starwest Botanicals.
