Under the weather? Turn to sunflower extract (Echinacea)

Member Name: hawkida

Product:	Echinacea
Date:	10/03/01 (233 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: effective immune boost, readily available, no known side effects

Disadvantages: a little on the expensive side, unpleasant taste

Echinacea is a herbal extract from a plant that is part of the daisy and sunflower family. It has a long history of being used medicinally to fight infections which can be traced back to the Native Americans earlier than 1870 when it came into more common use.

There has not been a great deal of research surrounding echinacea, however studies have shown that it does increase the count of certain cells in the immune system.

Primarily available in the likes of health food shops and chemists, echinacea is generally thought of as a good cure or prevention for colds and flu. In some countries it is also used as a salve for treating burns and lesions.

Because of the way that the herb works (stimulating natural systems) the recommendation is that it should not be used constantly as it will eventually cause dependency. The generally advised rule is two weeks of use followed by two weeks of abstinance. There are no known hazards or ill effects of using the herb to self medicate, although it is recommended that people with auto-immune problems (over active immune systems) steer clear of it for obvious reasons.

Personally I have found great success with echinacea. Following a spell in hospital I was very susceptible to colds which lasted a long time. After repeated recommendation I gave echinacea capsules a try (bought from Holland and Barrat) and found that my likelihood of catching colds decreased significantly.

I find it difficult to remember to take pills and to keep track of the two week periods of on/off use and have adapted my use accordingly. I have reached a reasonably healthy state and don't take the capsules unless people around me are succumbing to illness or I start to feel under the weather. At this point I take them for a week or two, picking up the day's dose of a morning and keeping them with me. The general taste of echinacea is unpleasant, however in capsule form it can be taken with food and drink to mas
k the effect, and the plus side largely outweighs the minus.

Summary: