Echinacea is a daisy-like flower native to North America. It is also known as a coneflower with vibrant pink petals and a protruding conical orange-brown center. For centuries, Native Americans would use the echinacea flower to treat a wide range of ailments. Echinacea tea enjoyed wide popularity in the 18th and 19th centuries until the introduction of anti-biotics. Echinacea has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity as people are looking for natural alternatives to traditional medicine.
Echinacea has many health benefits including:
- Boost immunity
- Treat symptoms of the common cold and flu
- Reduce inflammation
- Soothe pain from infections
- Relieve respiratory problems
- Promote the growth of healthy cells
There are studies that show that echinacea has the power to decrease inflammation and infections such as upper respiratory tract infections and flu. For many people, echinacea has become part of their daily routine to defend against infections during cold and flu season. Echinacea has also been used to treat other infections such as urinary tract infections since it seems able to attack yeast and fungal infections. Echinacea has been shown to help those suffering from a low white blood count. When applied to the skin, echinacea can help with eczema, skin wounds, ulcer burns, sun damage and gum diseases.
Echinacea is a powerful plant with many therapeutic applications. It can be consumed as a capsule, tincture, ointment, or tea. Clair’s Teas of Joy uses echinacea in its Immune Booster. Echinacea is combined with pau d’arco bark and stinging nettle to create a soothing herbal infusion. The Immune Booster will help strengthen the immune system, ward off infections, and reduce inflammation. To learn more visit Clair’s Teas of Joy.
Reference:
- Vimalanathan S, Schoop R2, Suter A, Hudson J. (2017) Prevention of influenza virus induced bacterial superinfection by standardized Echinacea purpurea, via regulation of surface receptor expression in human bronchial epithelial cells. Virus Res. 2017 Apr 2;233:51-59.
- Oláh A, Szabó-Papp J, Soeberdt M, Knie U, Dähnhardt-Pfeiffer S, Abels C, Bíró T. (2017) Echinacea purpurea-derived alkylamides exhibit potent anti-inflammatory effects and alleviate clinical symptoms of atopic eczema. J Dermatol Sci. 2017 Oct;88(1):67-77