Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea & more)
It's Echinacea season! Perhaps one of the most beneficial plants when talking about natural health remedies is Echinacea.The powerful plant is used in alternative therapy for its anti-viral, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant biological properties on the human body. From healing the common cold to boosting your immune system, it's a powerhouse.💪🏽
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Let’s start with the basics.
Echinacea is part of the daisy family and is native to North America. While it has 10 species, 3 in particular are commonly used in herbal supplements: Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea angustifolia, and Echinacea pallida. Unlike other plants used as natural remedies, the Echinacea plant is used as a whole for its leaves, flower and roots, as each part has active elements that garner different benefits when taken.
Echinacea was widely used by the Indigenous cultures for hundreds of years prior to the arrival of colonial settlers, as a natural remedy, particularly for the common cold. However, given its active compounds, the benefits associated with the plant extend beyond prevention and treatment of colds, flu and respiratory diseases. It is categorized as an immune modulator, which means that it supports healthy immune function and acts as an immune strengthening agent. Furthermore, this popular herbal ally has anti-inflammatory properties, which means it is great remedy for conditions where pain and inflammation is heightened such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic inflammatory diseases and infections, including urinary tract infections. Tribes used it in many herbal remedies to treat bacterial infections, blood poisoning, headaches, pain, and cold symptoms. External application was used to treat wounds, burns, and insect bites, while the roots were chewed to treat toothaches and throat infections. Up until the introduction of antibiotics in the 1950s, echinacea extract was used throughout the modern world as a treatment for the common cold and flu. Finally, among these well-known benefits are the antioxidant properties, which aid in controlling blood sugar levels and contributes to healthy cell growth and repair.
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What a multi-purpose beautiful plant she is!🌸😍🌿
Echinacea is commercially available in several forms, including alcohol tinctures, water-based liquid extracts, teas, tablets, and capsules. We offer many herbal formulas that include Echinacea in many types, as this is a favourite here at The Holistica Shop!
For the most part, herbal supplements made from E. purpurea are typically your best bet for potential health and wellness benefits.
Did you know Echinacea is a main ingredient in one of our herbal tinctures?
Check out “Immunacea”! A must have in your medicine cabinet this winter season.⬇️🌿
