When you think of natural immunity boosting products Echinacea often comes to mind for a lot of people. You can find Echinacea in many forms and most are familiar with it as a supplement but drinking Echinacea tea is another way to make use of the benefits. But first lets have a look – can Echinacea help to boost your immunity?
What is Echinacea?
This perennial herb has big dark green leaves and large flowers but the interesting part of the plant is the root which many cultures especially the Indians since it is a North- American herb claims to be useful to stimulate the immune system.
Echinacea tea comes in both forms – leaves and roots and obviously differ in taste and the root tea is considered to be the stronger version. The warm water of the tea is more effective to release the properties so drinking Echinacea tea is a very effective way to use this herb. If you are not a tea lover or dislike herbal teas I would suggest you stay with the supplements.
So it seems like this is certainly not just a run-of- the-mill kinda tea but a ‘ medicinal’ tea. Now that being said, tea or other herbal and natural products should always just be complimentary and not replace healthcare from a medical practitioner.
The benefits of Echinacea
The claim is that it is a go to for the start of infections and illnesses such as colds, lymphatic swelling and other inflammatory conditions. It benefits your overall health by stimulating phagocytosis. Well, what does that mean for your immune system?
I know it is a bit of a side note but I feel that I need to explain this a bit. One of the functions of phagocytosis in your immune system is to ingest pathogens like viruses and bacteria as well as the infected cells and that way the immune system puts the brake on how quicly the infection spread and multiply. So a good strong immune system is key and during flu season and especially now with COVID19 you need as much help for your immune system as you can get.
What got my attention was the fact that it is anti- allergenic which is great for this time of the year when I normally reach for the anti-histamines. That being said there is a note of warning though – if you are allergic to ragweed, mums, marigolds, or daisies then stay clear of Echinacea altogether.
It also contains vit B, iron, calcium, selenium and silica. Echinacea is a cleanser of the lymph system, it protects cells against decay and it fight invaders.
The polyphenols in Echinacea protect the skin from oxidative damage. You can actually use the tea on your skin to prevent cellular decay. Now you have to let the tea cool down first of course. So use it as a toner by just dabbing a cotton wool into the tea and patting it on your skin. You can refrigerate the rest of the tea.
The analgesic properties of Echinacea also helps to relieving tiredness, pain, and indigestion.
The negatives
So the rule of thumb is to take it one month on and one month off. This would be if you take one cup of tea a day. If you were advised by your herbalist to take more than one cup a day then you need to take that for a week and then stop for a week.
A word of warning if you are allergic to daisies, mums, ragweed or marigolds than stay away from Echinacea and do not use it as a toner as I stated above.
It has a certain tingling feeling on the tongue when you drink this tea and then some may not like the taste either.
Echinacea can cause stomach pain, nausea and dizziness in some people.
Echinacea may interfere with certain medications, such as immuno suppressing medication, so it is important to discuss taking this herbal supplement or tea with your doctor first to discuss your medical condition prior to taking this.
Pregnant and nursing women should also avoid Echinacea.
If you suffer from asthma or allergies stay clear of Echinacea.
Dosage
Echinacea comes in various forms such as supplements, tinctures and teas.
Always use supplements as directed on the label.
So the rule of thumb is to take it one month on and one month off. This would be if you take one cup of tea a day. If you were advised by your herbalist to take more than one cup a day then you need to take that for a week and then stop for a week.
Where to buy good quality Echinacea?
Here is a few of my suggestions for your convenience.
Echinacea supplements
Echinacea tinctures
Echinacea tea
Take care of you so that you can take care of those you love
Elize