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Herbalife - August 2007

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Herbalife - August 2007

Echinacea: The Return of the Unpronouncables
Diary of a Natural Health Practice Part 2 - with Graham and Anna
I was suffering from a bad dose of writer’s block, when the headlines on the television, radio and newspapers hit me: “Echinacea is good for the immune system”. I am sorry but I thought news was meant to be ‘new’! Echinacea has been used for many years in Europe to help with immune conditions, and has many hundreds of years of traditional use in its native North America. I believe that the current story was newsworthy not because the herb is beneficial (many of us could have told you that) or that a new scientific study had shown it to be beneficial (there have been numerous studies previously) but that a review was published in a particular scientific journal. At a recent seminar we were made aware that good news about herbs and supplements is no longer likely to make the newspapers, even with published data. It was suggested that this may be because editors are worried about being sued, therefore only an article from a select number of journals can be reported.

Another aspect of the reporting puzzled me: although the research had indicated that Echinacea is beneficial, the researchers could still not recommend it because the long term side effects were not known. An author was quoted saying "While echinacea is generally regarded as safe, it hasn't undergone any long-term safety evaluation…use it with caution." Echinacea has been used for hundreds of years in Europe and North America, how long does the study need to last? Obviously no modern pharmaceuticals have had the long term evaluation that traditional use provides. A plant would not get a reputation as a healing herb across a continent (and then across the world) by chance: it will only have gained this reputation over many hundreds of years because it has been used successfully by many thousands of people. Traditional medicines would not have been so highly prized if the risks out-weighed the benefits.

Now to find a herb to help cure writer’s block...

Advice on Echinacea

There are several different types of Echinacea, including Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea angustifolia and Echinacea pallida.
Both the root and the aerial parts of the plants have been used. The root is preferred for some species, the aerial parts or even both parts for others.
There is no good evidence that Echinacea should only be taken for short lengths of time. But that does not mean that indiscriminate continuous use is appropriate. As declared in the recent reports echinacea can be taken as a preventative or during the cold to reduce symptoms and duration.
Appropriate doses vary greatly, depending on the condition being treated and the individual.If you are unsure ask in your local health store, or see a herbalist.

Graham And Anna
		About the author:
		Graham Swanson and Anna Hill own and run Woodland Herbs Shop and Clinic, Glasgow's only independant herbal medicine dispensary.
		Read More >>