Suck It And See (Echinacea)

Member Name: kenjohn

Product:	Echinacea
Date:	02/11/02 (632 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Seems to do what it claims.

Disadvantages: Nothing so far

~ ~ The ‘mad cabbie’ was driving a fare out to an outlying suburb of Dublin city a few months back, and somehow the conversation got around to health, and the everyday ailments that seem to affect lots of folks.
This guy was ages with myself, (young minded middle aged) and like me suffered from a bad chest (prone to chest infections) and arthritis. (In my case caused by too many days out on the golf course during all sorts of weather)
I try to take care of myself as best I can, and as a dose of flu can literally lay me up for weeks, I get the flu vaccination at the first signs of cold weather every year. (very effective) And I combat my arthritis with a combination of a daily aspirin, (also good for combating stroke and heart disease; see my op on the topic) a daily cod liver oil tablet, and a copper bracelet.
But this guy told me about an herbal remedy called Echinacea that I hadn’t even heard of before, and which he swore was practically a panacea for all his ills.
Being a somewhat cynical soul by nature, I immediately thought “Yeah, right!!”, but decided to investigate the topic a little further on the old World Wide Web when I returned home that evening.

~ ~ Echinacea is a plant (a member of the daisy family) that is found primarily on the prairies of America.
It was/is used extensively by the Native American Indians to combat and treat a whole array of illnesses and ailments, and it is first mentioned in the early 1600’s, when it was discovered on Indian campsites, although it was probably used much earlier than this.
The Indians used it to treat sore throats, toothaches, snakebites, skin problems and infections, and also common everyday illnesses like measles and mumps, and even smallpox and cancer!
They used to simply suck the roots of the plant, or apply it in a poultice form to an open wound to aid healing and fight infection. They also made it up into a type of tea drink to help figh
t ailments.
Of course, nowadays you can buy it over the counter in your local pharmacy or health store, either in simple tablet form (I use these) or as a liquid that you can make up into a hot drink.

~ ~ Echinacea has been subject to a barrage of scientific studies, trials and tests since it was first mentioned in traditional medical circles back in the 1930’s, and used by the pioneering American physician John King to treat things as diverse as infant cholera, leg ulcers, bee stings and nasal congestion.
Reports as to its efficacy (or otherwise) vary, with some studies giving it glowing testimonials, and others literally calling it a “quack” remedy, of little or no use to anyone for anything.
It is generally agreed however that Echinacea boosts the body’s immune system by increasing the white cell count, (these are the wee fellas that fight disease) and that it is a natural form of antibiotic, that fights off bacterial infections.
It has been used very successfully to both ward off common colds and flu before they even get started, and also to minimise the symptoms and speed up a person’s recovery rate if taken immediately after the onset of the illness.
It is said to give you enhanced protection against chest and respiratory tract infections, (which I suffer from) and can be used in its liquid form to combat sore throats and infections in the mouth. (gargle or mouthwash)
Other tests claim that it has a therapeutic affect on asthma, and that it can even be used to treat ailments as diverse as athlete’s foot, mastitis, kidney infections, food poisoning, and glandular fever.
And it still works just as well today as it did for the Indians in helping to heal open wounds, and horrible things like seeping boils and nasty skin infections. (Bathe the infected area frequently)
Most studies are of the opinion that it should be used on an intermittent basis, as if you take it constantly it tends t
o lose much of its effectiveness, as the body simply gets used to the repeated doses. So a fortnight on, followed by a week off, seems to be a rough guide to its use.

~ ~ A word of warning here.
It ISN’T recommended that anyone with an autoimmune disease like multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, insulin dependant diabetes, (that rules out my wee lass) lupus, inflammatory bowel disease, or tuberculosis should use the herb.
This is because in this type of disease the body’s immune system is ALREADY over-active, and tends to attack healthy as well as diseased cells and organisms, so the last thing you would want to do is to exacerbate this effect.
However, there is a contradiction here. I was a little concerned when I read that sufferers from rheumatoid arthritis shouldn’t take Echinacea, as I am a long time sufferer from this ailment in my fingers and in my wrists. But then I went on to read that a group of German researchers had actually SUCCESSFULLY treated rheumatoid arthritis with Echinacea. Seemingly, the same chemical (HA) that assists tissues in fighting off the attacks of invading organisms also helps to lubricate the joints. Arthritis breaks down HA, (don’t ask me what HA actually is!) and Echinacea supposedly stops this from happening, thus reducing the pain.


~ ~ I’ve been taking this treatment for about the last three months now.
The pain in my hands and wrists from my arthritis is now MUCH less than it was before I started the treatment, and I find that my chest and breathing is far clearer and easier than it was previously. (it would probably be even better if I were to stop smoking, ahem!)
The real test as to its overall effectiveness will come over the ensuing Winter, which is the time of year that most of us succumb to colds, flu, and nasty wee bugs.
But I now feel that with the combination of the flu vaccine, my daily dose of aspirin and cod liver oil, and now my daily E
chinacea tablet, I am far better prepared and protected than ever before.

~ ~ If you want to try this herbal remedy for yourself, then it’s readily obtainable from most chemists and health shops, in both tablet and liquid form. If you type “Echinacea” into Google (the search engine) then you will be met with a plethora of websites telling you more about the remedy, and offering to sell it to you.
I personally buy it from my local pharmacy in a pack of 40 tablets called “Echinacea Forte” (750mg per tablet, taken once daily) made by a company called ‘Bioforce’ at a cost of €11.30, so you can see that it isn’t exactly what could be described as expensive. With two weeks on the tablets, then a week off, this pack lasts me for over two months!
I’m not giving you any guarantees that Echinacea WILL provide a cure or relief from whatever it is you suffer from. All I am saying is that it seems to work very effectively for me.
As the old saying goes, why not “suck it and see”.

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A Euro is roughly 60p to 64p Sterling.

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Copyright. KenJ. October, 2002.

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