Respiratory health is critical during cold and flu season, but this year with the COVID-19 pandemic, it is even more imperative that we know how to maintain and support our bodies and respiratory tract.

I have been working with herbs for 30 years, both in the field and in clinic. From my first introduction to medicine as a US Special Forces Medic (18D) in the Army, starting in 1989, all the way through today, herbal medicine has been my own foundation of personal healthcare. As I started working with other people (family, friends, teammates, etc.), I began to see a common thread repeating itself over and over. As I became a clinical herbalist and teacher, this common thread grew even stronger.
The common thread I am speaking of that connects herbal medicine with respiratory health is the ability of certain herbs to support the mucosa of the upper (and lower) respiratory tract, to stimulate and support the immune system and to increase vascularity and micro-circulation to areas of the body that need it.
While there are absolutely direct anti-viral effects of some herbs, those effects are difficult to measure and even more difficult to know if they work across genetic mutations that all viruses use to survive and adapt.

More likely with most of the “anti-viral” herbs we use, is that these herbs significantly support an aspect of our own immunity so that our bodies are far, far better at doing what it is they need to do to defend us from a viral (or any pathogenic) infection.

Our school specializes in botanical medicine (aka herbalism) in austere, remote and post-disaster environments. We also have an amazing clinical program (including botanical functional medicine), Advanced Medicine-Making program, Family Herbalism program (including doula certification, emergency birth and more) and even a program for students who want to grow medicinal herbs as a business. But our austere medicine program is truly what sets us apart from any other school in the world that I know of.

In that regard, we have been inundated by questions from people wanting to know how we would deal with this pandemic if there were no higher care available. This may be more of a reality than we already know, in fact (lack of higher definitive care for an overwhelming amount of infected people).
This resource page will give you some basic resources to be able to start thinking about that.
If you are looking for products relating to herbal first aid, respiratory health and much more that applies to not only our current situation but many others, then check out our store here.

If you want to know more about some of our upcoming online classes, see the links below. Otherwise, please feel free to download and check out the PDF’s and videos on this page and contact us if you have further questions.

Thanks,
Sam

Herbs to strengthen and heal the respiratory system, PDF

Top 25 Herbs to Consider for Post Disaster, PDF

Herbal First Aid Kit Contents, your ‘must–have’ list.

Your COVID-19 Herbal Go Bag Contents, what you should carry, PDF

How To Administer Herbs As A Steam Inhalation, 6:43

Understanding Nasal & Sinus Mucosa, 50:54

Asthma Case Study, Part 1, 16:09

Administering Herbs, 4:36

Pathology: Head, Ears, Eyes, Nose and Throat, available on-demand

Pathology: The Respiratory System, available on-demand

Pathology: The Immune System, available on-demand

Pathology: Infection & Inflammation, available on-demand

Formulas & Formulations, starts June 1

Herbal Management of Acute Viral Infections, starts June 15