One Last Not So Tasty Food

My last not so tasty food is not one of my favorites it. It is Licorice. I'm not talking about the candy, which I don't like either. I'm talking about the herb. Licorice has a soothing effect on the mucous membranes in the throat and lungs.

Licorice has been used to treat a variety of problems from ulcers to athlete's foot. There is a caution with it, in that you should not use it on a long-term basis, but rather intermittently. No longer than 6 weeks in succession. Licorice should not be taken by pregnant women.

You can buy it as an herb and put it into teas as a sweetener.

One Last Thing About Licorice Root

While traditional Chinese medicine uses licorice to treat a wide variety of illnesses, besides the effects mentioned on 2/6/09, there is little research to support any other uses. However, we do know that licorice root contains flavonoids which are powerful antioxidants. These antioxidants boost the immune system and that certainly helps us combat infections of any type (viral, bacterial, etc.).

There is research that shows that licorice root can kill helicobacter pylori which a bacteria that is known to cause stomach ulcers. Alternative medicines use it precisely for this purpose.

Caution Regarding Licorice Root

There is one caution you should be aware of with Licorice Root, and that is that it can increase blood pressure. So if you have high blood pressure to begin with and are on blood pressure medicines, use caution when taking cough remedies that contain licorice root as your blood pressure may increase. This is why many of the over the counter cough preparations caution you about taking it if you have high blood pressure.

Additionally, there is some evidence to support disruption of potassium levels. This is usually not a problem with the normal individual, but if you are on blood pressure medications or if you take a diuretic (water pill), this could have serious implications from a cardiac standpoint for you. Use caution when taking any remedy with licorice root in it.

Licorice Root

If you have taken a cough preparation over the counter, it likely contains licorice root. This herb helps to loosen secretions and increases your ability to cough them out of the lungs. In addition, licorice root can suppress a cough so that you sleep better at night. Many cough preparation contain glycyrrhizin which is responsible for the above.

We tend to think of it as being used to flavor cough preparations, but the real effect is how it works on bronchial secretions.