herbal treasure chest : thyme

thyme (thymus)

how to grow:

Thyme can be grown from seeds and is a perennial that is hardy in US zones 4-9. It is necessary to keep grass away or thyme will quickly disappear.

medicinal properties

For medicinal purposes English garden thyme (thymus vulgaris) or lemon thyme (thymus citriodorus) is best.
If I have a cough I often drink a cup of thyme tea and my cough immediately gets a lot better. For a cough from a bad cold thyme tea might really be just all you need. Thyme is very good at fighting infection. Thyme is an expectorant which means that it makes coughing up mucus easier but doesn't stop the coughing. This way and through its antiseptic properties it helps the body to remove the mucus or phlegm and gets your throat, lungs or chest free from infections again. It is very strong, it is antiviral, antifungal, antimicrobial and antibiotic.

Thyme can also be used for bronchitis and whooping cough.

You can also use it externally and put it on your swollen glands, infected area, wounds or skin infections.

To prepare a tea or an infusion take 1 teaspoon of the dried herb for 1 cup of boiling water and let it steep for at least 10 minutes. Drink three times daily when you are sick. Don't drink the tea for more than 3 or 4 weeks.

lemon thyme

cautions and possible side effects:

Only drink thyme tea in normal amounts. Excessive internal use can overstimulate your thyroid gland.

references:

A Russian Herbal: Traditional Remedies for Health and Healing by Igor Vilevich Zevin, (Healing Arts Press (1997),ISBN-13: 978-0892815494)
Rosemary Gladstar's Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner's Guide: 33 Healing Herbs to Know, Grow, and Use by Rosemary Gladstar, ( Storey Publishing, LLC (April 10 2012),ISBN-13: 978-1612120058)
20,000 Secrets of Tea: The Most Effective Ways to Benefit from Nature's Healing Herbs by Victoria Zak, (Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group Inc (Dec 1 1999), ISBN-13: 978-0440235293)