I just hate it when a good guy gets a bad rap. We have seen this recently in the local paper and in the 10:00 news. You may remember the report that Echinacea was studied and proved to be ‘no cure for the common cold.’ This does not surprise me, as the medical profession claims that there is no cure for the common cold.
I have been studying herbs for about thirteen years, and I have never read anything about Echinacea that claimed to be the cure for the common cold. Echinacea does claim to be an immune booster. I don’t think people understand what an immune booster is.
An immune booster is a substance that has the properties of cleansing the circulatory systems. Yes, you read correctly: systems (plural) Most of us know about the blood system, and that is important. There is a second circulatory system in the body, and that is the lymphatic system. This is the foundation of the immune system. This system consists of the Thymus, the Spleen, the Lymph nodes and the Lymphatic vessels. This system is the system that takes care of getting rid of the cellular wastes; destroys microbes, bacteria, germs, and other unwanted particles in the body. I lovingly refer to this system as the vacuum cleaner of the body.
Diseases, including the common cold do not appear on the scene in a vacuum. The body was designed to fend off all invaders, and the primary way the body does this is through the immune system. When a body contracts a disease, even the common cold, then the immune system has been compromised.
In the recent study, Echinacea was given to a group of people who were sick. If people are sick, then their immune system is compromised. These people were so sick that they presented with symptoms of the cold. Echinacea is not the herb that I would choose when faced with a client who had his immune system compromised. I would have chosen a stronger herb, perhaps Olive Leaf to deal with the pathogen that was causing the symptoms.
Echinacea is not a ‘warrior’ herb. It is a very gentle herb that cleanses the blood system, is an antidote for poisons, is good for abscesses, boils, and other skin conditions. No where in the historical use of herbs will we find that Echinacea is a good herb for respiratory conditions. This is why I say that Echinacea has suffered a bad rap.
Anyone can make any study say/prove anything. What is important is this question: was the study performed correctly? In this case, using Echinacea to prove curative powers against the common cold was like a baker saying his cake did not rise properly because the toilet would not flush correctly. Makes little sense, right?
A better study would have been to use a warrior herb on the common cold. Or, take a group of people with dirty blood, and see what a course of Echinacea will do.
Holistic practitioners know the properties of herbs, and are able to advise clients as to the correct herb for the particular health condition. Please avail yourself of these very knowledgeable people and regain your health,
Until next time,
Polly
