Echinacea Really Works

[Miss Isness]

Yes, it does, which is why the price has more than doubled in Italy in the past couple of years. I started growing my own (found the seeds on e-bay) and this year I'm making my own echinacea herbal tincture, which is really easy. I've read that too much can cause liver damage, which is probably one of the reasons why it's not recommended for chronic problems. I'd be interested in learning more if there is someone with more details.

 

[stardust]

Counter-indications for echinacea :


VIH, lupus, multiple sclerosis, tuberculosis, allergy to the flowers of the same family.


Didn't find why...


If you have problem with your liver, you can see for "Silybum Marianum".

 

[Beau]

My experience with echinacea has been very positive. I don't get sick too often but in the winter I tend have one or two tough bouts with head and chest colds. The only cough drops I will take during that period are Ricola with echinacea. They don't taste too hot but the results are very effective and it does not just make the problems go away for a little bit and then come back, it actually works to reduce the severity of the cold. The herbal tincture sounds like it would be helpful in the same area.

 

[alwyn]

It is recommended to take echinacea in a dose 1 drop per 2 lbs. of body weight, two weeks on, two weeks off if using for a long term condition. (probably to give the liver a rest, eh?)

Also, when home tincturing echinacea, the best medicinal quality will come from 5 year old roots, spring or fall dug.(It is easier to use fall dug roots, 'cause you can see where the plant is...) You can make an adequate tincture from the whole plant, but the longer the perenial has been in the ground, the better the medicinal effect. It is said by herbalists that you know you have a good tincture when the herb 'dances on the tongue', frizzantino, I think the Italians call it.

For more information, try Wise Woman Herbal, by Susan Weed, available on line at _www.susanweed.com.

 

[PopHistorian]

Strongly recommended by my sister and cousin, I also use echinacea in the winter when I feel the head-cold symptoms. My "cure" when I feel the symptoms is to take echinacea, colloidal silver, hot shower, and most important (by far) is to change diet immediately (eat only fresh vegetation). This works amazingly well for me.

 

[Mr. Premise]

I tincture it using by soaking the roots (and maybe other parts of the plant) in vodka with ginger root and orange zest (organic so no pesticides on the peel). It actually tastes pretty good for sipping in 1/4 to 1 oz. amounts.

The flowers are stunning as well, I think. Bees like them too.

It is recommended to take echinacea in a dose 1 drop per 2 lbs. of body weight, two weeks on, two weeks off if using for a long term condition. (probably to give the liver a rest, eh?)

Also, when home tincturing echinacea, the best medicinal quality will come from 5 year old roots, spring or fall dug.(It is easier to use fall dug roots, 'cause you can see where the plant is...) You can make an adequate tincture from the whole plant, but the longer the perenial has been in the ground, the better the medicinal effect. It is said by herbalists that you know you have a good tincture when the herb 'dances on the tongue', frizzantino, I think the Italians call it.

For more information, try Wise Woman Herbal, by Susan Weed, available on line at _www.susanweed.com.

 

[Amelopsis]

For those endeavouring to grow and tincture yourselves, be sure you're purchasing the proper species of the plant:
Echinacaea angustifolia or Echinacaea purpurea. (I'm sorry I cannot recall which of the two is more potent, however both are readily used to create tinctures)
There are many varieties of the plant which are bred for their specific appearance only and these will not be as effective.

I've been using Echinaceae for over a decade now. I purchase a tincture which also contains Goldenseal. Where Echinacaea boosts one's own immune system, Goldenseal acts as an antibiotic and the combination is, in my experience, noticeably more effective than the Echinacaea alone.

{edit}from a horticultural perspective, using fall dug roots to create the tincture makes the most sense. As soon as flowers begin to fade in the late summer, trim them off to prevent the plants from putting all their energy into creating viable seeds....doing so (trimming off flower heads) will divert the plants efforts toward strengthening its' root system and is sure to improve the quality and potency of active ingredients. This will be particularly effective if it's done every year and then the roots only harvested from 5 yr old plants, as suggested by Donald.{end edit}

 

[Niall]

The only cough drops I will take during that period are Ricola with echinacea.

Careful Beau, Ricola contains aspartame!

 

[Beau]

Careful Beau, Ricola contains aspartame!

Where I was living that was the only brand of cough drops with echinacea. Now I have other options.

 

[dantem]

For those following the blood type diet, Echinacea is:

banned for O types
highly beneficial for A types
neutral for B types
highly beneficial for AB types

I don't have the full edition of D'Adamo's book,
so something can be missing here, anyway.

And maybe it's about dosage too.