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CONTENTS
The Common Cold The Resurgence of Herbs What is Echinacea? Health Benefits of Echinacea Precautions Additional Nutrients to Keep Cold at Bay How to Fight a Cold Naturally 3 4 5 6 8
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What is Echinacea?
Echinacea is the scientific name for the purple coneflower indigenous to eastern and central United States and southern Canada. Its common name comes from the purplish pink ray-like petals that surround a centre cone. Echinacea has 2-5 feet long stems covered with dark green leaves.
Types of Echinacea
There are nine different species of Echinacea, though only Echinacea angustifolia, Echinacea pallida, and Echinacea purpurea are popularly used for medical purposes. Echinacea is harvested for its roots, flowerheads, seeds, or juice of the whole plant and can then be made into capsules, extracts, tinctures and tea. Native Americans used it to treat everything from colds to other ailments. Echinacea entered formal medicine in 1895, becoming the best-selling American medicinal plant prescribed by physicians into the 1920s. It was later replaced by antibiotics. Traditionally, herbalists considered it a blood purifier and an aid to fighting infections.
Echinacea increases the non-specific activity of the immune system. In other words, unlike a vaccine which is active only against a specific disease, Echinacea stimulates the overall activity of the cells responsible for fighting all kinds of infection. Unlike antibiotics, which are directly lethal to bacteria, Echinacea makes our own immune cells more efficient in attacking bacteria, viruses and abnormal cells. Echinacea facilitates wound healing, lessens symptom and speeds recovery from viruses. Anti-inflammatory effects make it useful externally against inflammatory skin conditions including psoriasis and eczema. It may also increase resistance to candida, bronchitis, herpes, and other infectious conditions.
Precautions
Like most drugs and herbs, there can be side effects after consuming Echinacea. Minor side effects can include an upset stomach, nausea and dizziness. Serious side effects can include allergic reactions such as rash, swelling and difficulty in breathing. If you have a history of allergy to daisies, ragweed, marigolds, chrysanthemums or related plants, you may be more at risk of having an allergic reaction to Echinacea. Caution needs to be exercised for asthma patients as studies have shown that Echinacea can precipitate asthma attacks. You should not take Echinacea in any form, for more than two consecutive weeks. If you are regularly taking other medicines, check with your doctor before taking Echinacea. You should also tell your doctor if you drink beverages that contain caffeine or alcohol, if you smoke or if you use illegal drugs. These substances may affect the way Echinacea works. Echinacea may not be helpful if you have any of the following conditions __ an autoimmune disorder (such as lupus), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, Echinacea is not recommended.
Zinc
Zinc is generally known to boost your bodys natural defense system.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants such as beta carotene, vitamins C and E are all implicated in the immune response via a wide variety of mechanisms including cytokine production.
1) Take time off. Getting adequate rest will help you get over your cold faster.
2) Drink more water than you usually do. Eight glasses a day is standard when youre healthy, so try to drink more than that.
3) Substitute herbal tea or 4) Let your a dictate ho juice for water to meet you eat. If your liquid intake. hungry at eating som thats easy like a ban may have impact on immune s limit swee
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appetite ow much f youre not all, try mething y to digest, ana. Sugar a negative n your system, so ets.
5) Eat chicken soup if it makes you feel better. It cant rid your body of the virus, but its easy to digest and may soothe your throat.
Health is Wealth
You can pump all kinds of drugs and herbs into your body to ward off ailments and diseases but ultimately, there is nothing like a balanced lifestyle for optimal health. Try to be healthy physically, spiritually, intellectually and emotionally. You have to take control and make time for yourself. No one else is going to do it for you. Its better late than never so start now!
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Note: The contents of this booklet are for informative purposes only and are not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your physician with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health.
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