Before antibiotics, there was echinacea. Echinacea was first introduced to America via the Great Plains Indian tribe in North America. They used echinacea to treat virtually any infection that you can possibly imagine.
In modern day America, however, echinacea begin to decline in popularity because antibiotics were better for treating infections that echinacea was. However, one area that it continues to be used, in supplement form , is for the common cold.
Interestingly, echinacea cannot prevent you from getting a cold. Many people believe that if they take echinacea that they can avoid catching a cold altogether. The truth is that studies have proven that echinacea cannot prevent you from getting a cold. However, it is an effective treatment for your cold and can reduce your symptoms and shorten the duration of your cold.
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Echinacea Benefits Echinacea is a member of the daisy family and the leaves, flowers and roots are used for medicinal purposes. You can find echinacea in teas, juices, pills, powders and more. Echinacea is possibly the most widely accepted natural remedy in modern medicine and even doctors... more
Echinacea is a member of the daisy family and the leaves, flowers and roots are used for medicinal purposes. You can find echinacea in teas, juices, pills, powders and more. Echinacea is possibly the most widely accepted natural remedy in modern medicine and even doctors will recommend it to their patients once it is determined that they have a cold.
Prior to antibiotics, echinacea was used to treat the flu, urinary tract infections, yeast infections, genital herpes, gum disease, migraines, general pain and more. With the onset of antibiotics, people tended to pull away from using echinacea; however, more people are trying to find ways to treat themselves naturally, which means that echinacea is being used for more ailments.
The studies on echinacea have been limited to its benefits for the common cold, probably because of the lack of use in other areas. However, there are ongoing studies to determine its use for people with immune deficiencies, although currently people with auto immune diseases are warned not to take echinacea without the permission of their doctor.
Echinacea is sold typically as a way to fight the common cold and as a booster for the immune system. Despite the fact that echinacea has been used since the early settlers came to America, (and prior to that by the native Indians), very little clinical research has been done to support many of the claims made about echinacea.
This, however, doesn’t stop most people from taking echinacea because it is basically a safe choice from anyone 2 years old and up. Plus, its reputation as being effective is spread by word of mouth. It is likely that the upswing in usage since 2008 will produce new studies as pharmaceutical companies determine whether or not they can make use of echinacea in some of their prescription products.
This will benefit you because clinical trials are the best way to determine the benefits of any products. Supplement companies don’t perform clinical trials, pharmaceutical companies do. Supplement companies make assumptions about a product based on its composition rather than clinical proof; although, they do benefit greatly from clinical trials when they are successful.
You can purchase echinacea as a tablet, powder, liquid, juice, tea, in energy bars and more. Because all parts of the plant are used for medicinal purposes, there are more ways to use the plant.
Echinacea is very affordable, starting at around $4 and selling for the most at around $50. You need to be careful, however, and be confident of your source when you purchase an echinacea product. Unfortunately, echinacea products have been removed from the shelves several times because they contained lead, arsenic and more.
While this can happen with any poorly manufactured supplement, it has happened with echinacea multiple times. You should consider only purchasing from an American company and choose a brand that has never had a product removed from the shelf because of contamination.
The good news is that echinacea is proven for use during a cold. Some scientists believe that echinacea may have benefits for:
You can wait for studies to come out regarding these issues; however, since it is safe to take with any of the conditions, you might want to simply consider trying echinacea to see if it provides you with some relief!
Echinacea has several side effects, but most people don’t experience them. There have been some reported cases of:
Allergic reaction, don’t take if you are allergic to daisy’s or any plants in that family
Although echinacea is safe for use in children 2 and up, there are no studies to determine the affect it might on of a fetus. If you are pregnant, don’t take echinacea without the approval of your doctor.
Echinacea has an affect on the immune system; if you have any immune disorders, including HIV/AIDS, you should not take echinacea. Echinacea may interact with some drugs, but it is unknown which ones. Make sure you talk to your doctor about possible drug interactions before taking echinacea. Use the supplement finder to locate an Echinacea formula now!
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| Loss Of Feeling In Tongue |
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| Sore Throat |
| Stomach Upset |
| Vomiting |
| Disagreeable Taste In Mouth |
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| Immunity |
| Cold Remedy |