Lung Nourishing Soup

Rising temperatures and human impact are leading to an increase in wild fires across the West. Living near wild fires zones or down stream from the smoke can cause harm to the lungs and respiratory tract. It is important that we adapt our diet and lifestyle in order to combat the negative effects that the wild fire smoke and pollution are causing to our lungs. Here is a recipe for a vegetable broth that you can drink alone or add to the base of any of your favorite soups. It is filled with lung nourishing, anti inflammatory and detoxifying herbs and vegetables. Enjoy! 

Ingredients

• 5-10 cut and peeled carrots

• 1 bundle of Celery

• 1 large onion

• 4 cloves of garlic, finely cut

• 1 tsp ghee

• 7-10 cups of water

• Any additional herbs, vegetable scraps or greens that you have collected

• 2-3 cinnamon sticks

• 5 cloves whole

• 3-4 star anise pods whole

• 1-2 TBSP of grated fresh ginger

• 2 tsp of grated fresh turmeric or 1 tsp of dried turmeric

• 2 bay leaves

• other optional herbs: cumin, coriander, fennel, brown mustard seeds (1tsp of each)

Directions:

Peel and cut the onion and lightly cook in a large pot with ghee, garlic and ginger for 5 minutes. Add in the peeled and chopped carrots and cut celery. Cook for 5 minutes. Add water and additional vegetables scrapes and herbs. Bring to a boil, then cook on low simmering heat for 2-5 hours. Let the soup cool, then strain out the herbs and vegetables. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy! 

The Herbs

Cinnamon, otherwise known as Tvak in Sanskrit, is a warming herb that has been revered since ancient times. It was found in Egypt as early as 2000 BCE. Its powerful constituents support the reduction of coughs, reduces asthma, breathlessness and is an expectorant. It supports digestion through its simulating qualities, is anti parasitical, reduces vata and kapha in the body and tastes delicious. 

Clove otherwise known as Lavanga in Sanskrit, is a cooling yet pungent herb that reduces kapha and pitta in the body. Like cinnamon it has expectorant qualities that are known to reduce cough and breathlessness while stimulating digestion and supporting the clearing of toxins, ama. It is anti fungal and anti microbial, reduces fever and is aromatic. The smell of clove will fill the house when you make this soup, and the aroma already offers its healing qualities for the lungs. 

Star Anise. What most pho vegetables broths have in common are the trifecta of herbs, cinnamon, clove and star anise. No wonder I feel so much better after I eat pho in the winter especially when I am fighting off an upper respiratory virus or infection. Like clove and cinnamon, research shows that star anise fights off cold and flu symptoms, it is an anti viral immune booster, it reduces inflammation of the lungs and diminishes respiratory tract infections.

Garlic is mentioned in the early texts of Ayurveda and is known as a rasayana, a rejuvenating food. According to Vagbhat (AH U 39 113-114), garlic should be taken during the winter. It can also be used in spring when Kapha tends to be increased causing allergies and colds to flare. Garlic has anti inflammatory properties, kindles digestion, is anti parasitical, liquefies kapha and removes phlegm from the respiratory tract. It reduces vata and kapha. When taking garlic in the summer make sure to pair it with cooling foods and herbs as to not aggravate pitta.