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A photo of pink Echinacea flowers against a background of green plants. Echinacea is used to treat coughs, colds and fevers

Electric Echinacea

I absolutely love it when the Echinacea comes out. It’s such a happy herb with huge beautiful daisy-like flowers and the bees can’t get enough of it.

It’s a very popular well known herb and is mostly known for it’s immune boosting actions. This is largely due to the constituents in Echinacea called Alkamides, which are also responsible for the tingly (Electric) feeling on your tongue when you taste Echinacea.

I use Echinacea for lots of my patients in Anti-Viral mixes in the Autumn and Winter when they have chest infections, coughs, colds and when I want to support and boost the immune system. I also use it for abscesses, sore throats, gum disease, ulcers and in many situations where there is a positioned system. It is also used by herbalists for patients who are experiencing negative reactions after having vaccinations and it is used as a tonic for the body and adrenal glands.

It has a fascinating history. The American Indians observed long ago that rattlesnakes would eat Echinacea after being bitten by itself (that’s another story), they would then retreat and recover, which led to the discovery of the plant.

Immune boosting