Hi'iaka's Healing Herb Garden

Echinacea Is a Great Herb for Winter

Even in Hawai‘i, your chances of getting a cold or the flu increase as winter approaches and the germs that cause them run rampant. But it’s easy to fight such ailments with Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea—pronounced “eh-kin-AY-sha”).

Also known as purple coneflower, Echinacea is the number 1-selling herbal supplement on the American health scene. It’s a pretty wildflower, native to the North American plains and prairies. Native Americans and Europeans have long used it to boost the immune system, prevent colds and flu, and fight infections such as bronchitis. Scientific research on Echinacea has been so conclusive that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved an Echinacea extract for over-the-counter sales. (Weissbuch and Weissbuch, 1987)

What makes it work?

Echinacea works with the body's own defense mechanisms. According to Brian Weissbuch, L.Ac., it contains polysaccharides called Echinacins, which bind to cells and prevent pathogens from invading. By protecting cells and preventing their breakdown, it “counters the spread of pathogens and reduces inflammation.”

Echinacin also improves immune function by “increasing the chemical recognition of an invading pathogen... the speed at which the immune cells migrate to the site of infection and destroy the invader is markedly increased.”

How to use it

If you catch the beginning stages of a sore throat, a cold, the flu, or an upper respiratory infection, Echinacea can help to nip it in the bud. Even if you don’t start taking it right away, when you do begin, it can be effective in shortening the duration of your illness.

It’s easy to purchase and take Echinacea in capsule form. If you buy dried Echinacea, freshness is important. Dried roots and powdered herbs in capsules can be old, minimizing their effectiveness. Check its freshness by tasting a piece: does it have a tingly, buzzy effect on your tongue and does it cause you to salivate? If it does, the herb is potent and has the “kick” needed for an effective treatment.

It’s easy to make your own tincture, but it takes about one month for it to “brew.” I always keep a jar of it in my cupboard, just as I keep aspirin… for those times when it’s needed.

Tinctures are simply a “steeped” mixture of herb in alcohol (you can make an alcohol-free tincture with vegetable glycerin or apple cider vinegar).

Yummy Echinacea tincture

Buy good quality dried Echinacea root, then place 2 oz. in a quart jar and add the following:

1 handful grated ginger root
3-4 orange slices
1 handful freshly-chopped or dried peppermint

Cover with 3 times more vodka or brandy than dry ingredients. Cover the jar tightly. Shake it daily for four weeks. Next, strain the mixture through cheesecloth or a stocking and squeeze all of the liquid out. Re-bottle your completed tincture, close tightly, label and date it. Tinctures keep indefinitely at room temperature in a dark cupboard. Take 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. or 2 droppersful 2 or 3 times daily until your symptoms have been gone a few days. Mixing it with fruit juice improves the taste and gives you some needed vitamin C.

Dosages are important

A 1992 German study showed that 180 drops of an Echinacea root extract significantly reduced the severity and duration of flu-like infections, “whereas 90 drops was no more effective than a placebo” (HerbalGram #30 supplement, 1992). Consistency of your treatment plan is imperative to success with home remedies.

Although you shouldn't take Echinacea all the time, it’s wise to take it on and off during the winter to keep your immune system strong. Herbalists recommend two weeks on and two weeks off, especially if you are around sick people (teachers and bank tellers beware!).

Instant Echinacea tea

If you can’t wait a month for your tincture to steep, here’s a good tea you can make to drink immediately. The extra ingredients make it taste good, plus they have an added effect: ginger is an expectorant; fennel moistens your throat and lungs and helps to settle your stomach; the citrus is antiseptic, antibacterial, and rich in bioflavonoids. And they all taste good!

Combine 4 TB of each in a non-metal 1 quart pot:

Echinacea root
Grated ginger root
Fennel seed
Orange peel or slices

Fill the pot almost to the top with water, add herbs, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain it before you drink it. Drink 3 cups, hot, per day until your symptoms improve.

You can also use some of the “kitchen herbs,” such as lemon, garlic, and cayenne. Get lots of rest, drink hot tea and soups, and cut down on dairy products.

If you're really sick, go to a doctor or licensed practitioner. Evaluate your symptoms and ask, “Am I doing the right thing?” After you start feeling better, don't stop taking Echinacea “cold turkey.” When your symptoms improve, keep your Echinacea intake steady, and then gradually decrease your dosage over several days.

On the Web:
falconridgefarms.ca/aboutEch.htm
herbalgram.org