Echinacea Juice Treatment

Theres a long history of the medicinal properties of Echinacea

return to the Bodydoctor Nutrition and Fitness Archive

The Sioux Indians of North America have extremely good knowledge of the medicinal properties of Echinacea - commonly called Purple Coneflower. Besides applying this herb as a first aid for snake bites, the Indians scraped the fresh root and used it for treating blood poisoning, infectious conditions and hydrophobia. In North America, Echinacea has a long folk medicine history and inhibiting inflammation. It is also effective in the treatment of diseases due to blood impurities, for example, boils, abscesses and carbuncles. Even treatment of acne with Echinacea has been recorded.

These are two different species of echinecea that the Indians regard as sacred: Echinacea purpurea and E. angustifolia. The latter of the two varieties has a deep penetrating taproot, while purpurea's root is shallower. From a medicinal point of view both are of equal value.

Echinacea is native to the prairie of North America, west of Ohio. This common perennial plant with beautiful blooms is a popular medicinal herb on this continent, but only recently has it come to be appreciated on Europe. It only occurred there as a rare, cultivated plant until this century, when it was introduced to Dr. Alfred Vogel by Black Eagle, a tribal chief in South Dakota. Dr Vogel recognised immediately the potential healing power of the plant, and started cultivating echincea as a medicinal herb in Switzerland.

Echinacea has stimulated keen interest among modern researchers who have worked to isolate the active ingredients. What they found, other than the volatile oils and resin, were two polysaccharide components, insulin and echinasin, which, as they discovered, have the ability to reinforce the body's own defence mechanisms. Medical science began to realize that Echinacea was a very remarkable plant indeed. The two polysaccharides are primarily responsible for the immunostimulatory activities of Echinacea. These actions make it especially effective in fighting viral infections and, to an even greater extent, in stimulating the immune system for cancerous conditions.

A properly functioning immune system is vital; without a good defence mechanism we could not survive. As the immune system is weakened by our unnatural, modern way of life it is good to know that Echinacea juice as a herbal remedy can play an important role in keeping us healthy. Echinacea activates and strengthens the immune system and is therefore a tremendous aid in increasing the body's resistance to micro-organisms and all other infections - viral, fungal as well as bacterial. It also strengthens the lymphatic system, and it helps those who suffer constant attacks of colds and catarrh.

With the first signs of an oncoming illness a tablespoon of Echinacea juice is recommended. Take four to five times daily, as long as the condition persists. Echinacea, like any other herbal remedy, should be discontinued once health has been restored.