Herbs that Support Respiratory Function, and Why Even Healthy People May Want Them

November 1 2012 | Respiratory Health

November is Respiratory Month, and it's good timing as we head into cold and flu season, which is soon followed by allergy season.

This time of year can wreck havoc on our immune and respiratory system, whether it's the sinuses, bronchial tubes or the lungs. The air we breath has been heavily polluted by car exhaust, chemical byproducts, industrial emissions, dust mites, mold, mildew, and chemicals.
And even indoors we're not safe -- indoor air has been found to be up to six times as dangerous as outdoor air.
"Indoor air quality is the number one environmental health problem in the United States," according to the EPA.
The American College of Allergies reports that half of all illness today results from indoor, not outdoor, pollution. One study reports that a baby crawling over a section of an average carpet inhales the toxic equivalent of four cigarettes per day.
The respiratory system is the first line of defense to many diseases and pollutants. However, in today's day and age, people who should have perfect lungs can suffer from many maladies because they've been breathing in toxins since the day they were born. As such, if you take care of the respiratory system, you might have a better chance to ward off various ailments.
And lung cleansing may help.
There are many herbs that have been traditionally used to help the respiratory system's natural way of cleansing itself, and effectively support its function. Below are 13 of those herbs, which are all contained in Nature's Sunshine Products.' Fenugreek & Fennel Combination.
Herbs in Fenugreek & Fennel Combination
Fenugreek & Fennel Combination helps soothe irritated tissues and encourages the entire respiratory tract to gently cleanse itself. It also assists the body in neutralizing allergens by nutritional means. The ingredients include:

• Boneset aerial parts: Used by Indians in seasonal times when the body needed extra nutritional support.
• Fennel seeds: Traditionally used as a cleansing herb and is often used after eating.
• Fenugreek seeds: Contains mucilage, which causes the herbs to swell in water and provide a soothing effect.
• Horseradish root: Has a stimulating effect on the respiratory system. Eat a small amount of the herb and you'll quickly understand.
• Mullein leaves extract: Also contains mucilage, a viscous, fibrous substance that provides a soothing effect. 

Why Fenugreek & Fennel Combination?
When airborne particles, viruses or bacteria enter the respiratory system, the body turns on its cleansing mechanisms and the immune system is put into action. Inhaled irritants can challenge how the body tries to rid itself of foreign invaders on its own. The herbal formula in Fenugreek & Fennel Combination helps support that function by balancing the natural eliminative functions of the respiratory system.