The rise in cases of RSV, respiratory syncytial virus, has caused quite a stir in recent years, causing concern especially for parents of young children.
Is this concern warranted? Certainly.
Is RSV a new virus with little known about it? Nope.
The virus that causes RSV was “discovered” and labeled in 1956 and is one of the most common causes of childhood illness with annual outbreaks common in all age groups. I find it interesting that while COVID has seemed to hit adults more severely; RSV has tended to morph into respiratory distress more commonly in infants and children. However, with both viruses, symptoms typically appear first in the upper respiratory tract (above the trachea) with serious issues developing if it's allowed to settle into the lungs and breathing passages.
So what can we do herbal-wise, you ask? The same things we’ve done with viruses for the past years, decades, even centuries.
Elderberry - simply fabulous with viruses of all sorts - check out my website for more info and usage suggestions.
Elderflower - considered by many herbalists to be a pretty decent preventative for RSV, suggesting taking a single drop sublingually, daily as a preventative if RSV is going around, which it certainly is right now! I find it interesting that the elderflower umbel looks eerily like the bronchioles and alveoli in our lungs. Just sayin’
Spilanthes - a fabulous antiviral that has proven its worth for me and many other visitors to my medicinal herb garden. If you made a tincture of spilanthes in the past, now is the time to take 1-3 drops daily. You could also add a couple drops to your water bottle or tea occasionally. As I tell my kids, “It’s not gonna hurt you and it just might help.”
Star anise - the active ingredient in Tamiflu, a well-known prescription antiviral, is derived from shikimic acid which is extracted from star anise seed pods. Who knew!?! Well, I did and so I made a tincture from it and I occasionally add a drop or two to my water bottle or tea. It. Tastes. Wonderful. Even the grandkids ask to have it added to their water. You could easily add a seed pod to your tea or water. If you want to make a tincture for yourself, just fill a jar ¼ full with the seed pods, fill to the top with vodka, and cap tightly. Shake occasionally. Strain after 6-8 weeks. Viola - your own star anise tincture!
Tulsi and/or lemon balm and/or chamomile - for easing stress and worry as well as having some good antiviral qualities. Both are great as tea but tincture is also quite useful. One of my favorite strategies is to add a few drops of the tincture to the tulsi tea that I brew. The water of the tea and the alcohol in the tincture pull out different constituents and so by using both, I get a more complete extraction along with breathing in the steam of the tea and enjoying the calming flavor.
Pine - it is very easy to find pine trees of some sort close to home in our area. Pine needle tea is great for our respiratory system. A steam made with pine needles is quite effective, easy to do, costs nothing, and benefits everyone in the room with its diffusion into the air. Some people have found that even just chewing on some pine needles has had positive, healing benefits. Can’t get much easier than that!
That said, RSV can morph into pneumonia, bronchitis, or other severe illness in a few days time. If conditions worsen, get checked out by your healthcare provider!
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