Health Notes -- Herb Lesson

I'm going to start a "sub" section under the title "Health Notes" -- it will be called "Herb Lesson." That way if you are interested in a certain herb that I have mentioned, you can hopefully find it a bit easier. Periodically, I am going to try to explain the uses of some popular herbs. I am praying about getting a certification as an "herbalist" -- it would give me a little credibility, huh? Meanwhile, I am studying herb books and watching some really neat DVDs on how to identify herbs and utilize them. An "herb hunt" may be in our future one of these "school" days!

I'm going to start with Echinacea. This one has been called the "King of Herbs" especially now during this cold and flu season.
If you notice the look of this beautiful purple flower, you might just find it growing in the woods behind your house. It can actually get up to six feet tall! It is native to the prairies of North America, but very easy to grow in your garden. If you live in the "city" you can grow it in an earth box or buy it dried from www.bulkherbstore.com.

If you find some echinacea growing and you want to use it, the entire plant is usable. The roots are the most powerful part of the plant, but the flower and stem are full of healing properties as well.

Echinacea has unbelievable antibiotic, antiviral, and immune boosting properties. It boosts the T-cells in your body, which make up your immune system and has been proven in recent studies to shorten the duration of the common cold. This powerhouse can be used anytime the body needs to fight off an infection.

**Note - I have read some studies that recommend not using echinacea to treat flu strains like Avian, H1N1, etc... The reasoning behind the study was that in severe cases it can boost the T cells too much and create a "cytokine" storm. Cytokines are white blood cells that boost up to help your body fight infection. This particular study recommends stopping echinacea during the actual fever part of the flu and using immune sustaining things like garlic, then resuming use of echinacea when the fever is gone to rebuild the immune system. I am not a doctor and I don't have a strong opinion on that. I know from my studies that echinacea has been used to treat the flu for hundreds of years.**

There are many ways to use echinacea. You can purchase it in capsule form at any health food store. It can be used in a tea (this is our favorite way). It soothes a sore throat and begins to work immediately as an anibiotic. You can also make this herb into a tincture (see my post on how to make tinctures). These can be taken in lower doses on a daily basis during the flu season to prevent illness. Finally, a salve containing echinacea can be used to treat bug bites, cuts, scrapes, and even staph infection. Our favorite salve is Eden Salve, also from www.bulkherbstore.com. We use this on everything! I have used it to heal severe eczema, spider bites, and numerous cuts and scrapes. It works!