Echinacea: Winter’s Health Ally
By Andrea Candee
Don’t leave home without
it: no, not your credit card -- your echinacea, of course!
One of the finest stimulators of
the immune system, echinacea (ehk-ih-NAY-shah) is a valued herbal
medicinal for colds and flu and their prevention. Its chemical
constituents --polysaccharides, fatty acids and glycosides --
stimulate the functions of helper T-cells, which are important
in the production of antibodies, and killer T-cells, which are
responsible for anti-viral activity.
A familiar sight in many gardens,
echinacea (also known as purple coneflower) is a hardy, daisy-like
perennial. At the first sign of cold or flu, give a half a teaspoon
of echinacea liquid extract every two hours. If caught early,
symptoms usually disappear by the third dose. If the symptoms
have progressed, echinacea will surely lessen their severity as
well as duration. As you improve, reduce the frequency to 1 teaspoon
three times a day for several days to further bolster the immune
system. (Note: These are adult doses. Please see How to Dose for
information on children's dosing.)
Head stress off at the
pass
Stress (emotional, mental, physical and environmental) is a known
immuno-depressant. Taken three times a day for up to two weeks
out of every month, echinacea provides valuable protection. If
taken every day without a rest, its efficacy seems to wane.
You can adjust dosing to best suit
your life situations. If school or daycare is the stressful environment,
give echinacea given during the week, skipping weekends. If family
life on the weekends is stressful, give echinacea Friday through
Sunday.
When someone in my home is ill,
I give them echinacea every two hours and take a dose of it myself
three times a day as protection. If your child has just returned
from a play date with a sick child, give your child a few doses
of echinacea to keep her immune system stimulated.
Although echinacea is available
in capsules, teas and tablets, I use the alcohol extract, which
is absorbed more quickly and more effectively. In an acute situation
in which the digestive process may be compromised and fast results
are needed, the alcohol extract is preferred even for children.
For sore throats, a diluted solution of the liquid extract can
be gargled.
A small, one-ounce dropper bottle
of echinacea fits nicely in the purse or pocket and is a potent
ally for getting through the winter healthfully.
© Andrea Candee
Andrea Candee is a
master herbalist, media expert, nationally known lecturer and
author of the award-winning Gentle Healing for Baby and Child
(Simon & Schuster), which received The National parenting
Center's Seal of Approval. Andrea is noted nationally for her
unique and successful approach to Lyme Disease. She lives and
maintains a consultation health practice in New York and shares
much of her knowledge at www.AndreaCandee.com.
