Echinacea is one of my own favourite cold and flu remedies.
It looks like a purple daisy and originated in the USA on the central grassland areas, where the native tribes used it to treat infectious wounds, counteract snakebite venom and as a general purpose remedy.
Echinacea is now one of the World’s most extensively used herbal remedies due to its natural antibiotic and infection fighting abilities.
Echinacea has been approved by the European Medicines Agency for the short-term prevention and treatment of the common cold and in Germany (where herbs are regulated and controlled by the government) Echinacea root has been approved for the treatment of flu-like infections.
The best Echinacea supplements are made from the whole plant (the root and the aerial parts) as the volatile oils are contained in the root but the polysaccharides – that are know to stimulate and support the immune system – are found in the leaves and flower.
If you take Echinacea continually, it becomes less effective. Therefore, you should take Echinacea for no longer than 14 days before taking a break. So, during the cold & flu season, if you are healthy, you are advised to take Echinacea for 1 week in 4 as a preventative, but increase this if you feel a cold coming on.
Some people find that taking low doses of Echinacea tincture as a long-term preventative works for them. This is because, as a tincture, the dosage is far more controllable.
You can buy your Echinacea HERE…
Echinacea is not recommended for people who have:
- allergy to plants in the daisy family
- asthma
- allergic rhinitis
- multiple sclerosis
- tuberculosis
- leukemia
- HIV/AIDS
- lupus
- liver disorders
- connective tissue disorders
- collagenosis
- leicosis
- other auto-immune and severe systemic disorders