Question:
I've heard different ideas on how to take echinacea. I read in one place that you take it for 2 weeks on and 1 week off, somewhere else I read a month on a month off. What's the best way to take it? I always forget how long I've been taking it and sometimes I even have to mark it on the calendar. I've got tonsilitice right now, dr says viral, but I've been taking echinacea lately anyway. Just wondering if there's a general school of thought on this one? ;)
Hi Beth,
I did an introductory course in herbalism and our fully qualified herbalist said: It's most effective taking a good dose at the start of infection. You can take 5ml of tincture (in a little water) every day as a preventive dose, but at the onset of infection, take 15ml a day until the infection goes. He extolled the virtues of tincture. A good one should make your tongue go numb, and then taste a bit salty. That's the start of the process that gets missed if you take it in tablet form.
Obviously I recommend that you speak to a qualified herbalist like mine. Ours has his own clinic but also works for Neals Yard. You can find your nearest one here: If you ring them there should be someone you can talk to.
Hope this helps,
Hi,
Not sure if you were aware but Echinacea repeatedly fails to show any benefits in clinical trials:
I am a huge fan of herbal medicine on the whole, but it does worry me that thousands repeatedly dose up on potentially toxic medicines which show no beneficial effect!
I've always found Berocca wonderful for the onset of colds though
Sarahx
i always use echinecea when i get a cold and have repeatadly found the cold to last only a fraction that it would usually, as long as the herb is of good quality echinecea is definaetly worth a try, during a cold i take 6 capsules a day until i feel symptoms are gone then 3 capsules after to ensure it doesnt come back
Answers:
Hi Beth,
I did an introductory course in herbalism and our fully qualified herbalist said: It's most effective taking a good dose at the start of infection. You can take 5ml of tincture (in a little water) every day as a preventive dose, but at the onset of infection, take 15ml a day until the infection goes. He extolled the virtues of tincture. A good one should make your tongue go numb, and then taste a bit salty. That's the start of the process that gets missed if you take it in tablet form.
Obviously I recommend that you speak to a qualified herbalist like mine. Ours has his own clinic but also works for Neals Yard. You can find your nearest one here: If you ring them there should be someone you can talk to.
Hope this helps,
Answers:
Hi,
Not sure if you were aware but Echinacea repeatedly fails to show any benefits in clinical trials:
I am a huge fan of herbal medicine on the whole, but it does worry me that thousands repeatedly dose up on potentially toxic medicines which show no beneficial effect!
I've always found Berocca wonderful for the onset of colds though
Sarahx
Answers:
i always use echinecea when i get a cold and have repeatadly found the cold to last only a fraction that it would usually, as long as the herb is of good quality echinecea is definaetly worth a try, during a cold i take 6 capsules a day until i feel symptoms are gone then 3 capsules after to ensure it doesnt come back
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