Winter Is Here & It's Time To Steal This Functional Doc's Recipe For Natural Cough Drops

Scientifically known as Ulmus rubra but more commonly referred to as red elm, this native North American tree lives up to 200 years and can be found growing from northern Florida westward to eastern Texas and up to southeast North Dakota. The tree thrives in environments with moist soil and can clock in at up to 50 feet in height. The most distinctive feature of this tree is its "slippery"—hence the name—gummy textured inner bark that has a sweet, almost maple-like smell. This is the part of the tree that is dried and powdered for use in teas and natural supplements. Due to its medicinal abilities, slippery elm bark is the fourth most harvested product in the herbal market.

It's estimated that Native Americans started using the tree as a remedy in the 19th century—likely to help with digestion. What makes slippery elm a standout in this arena is a substance it contains known as mucilage. When mixed with water, the mucilage forms a thick gel-like consistency that coats the throat and digestive system. This makes it a perfect remedy for chronic gastrointestinal health problems such as leaky gut syndrome, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, and irritable bowel syndrome, as well as colds that cause a sore throat. Slippery elm is also abundant in bioflavonoids, starch, tannins, calcium, and vitamin E.

While slippery elm is most commonly used for these health problems, many studies have proved its ability to help a wide variety of seemingly unrelated ailments. More studies need to be done to really prove its long-term effectiveness in these areas, but many people's personal experience—mine included!—using the supplement really speaks volumes.