Echinacea for Immune Support
Echinacea. Echinacea. Echinacea. It seems this herb has been on everybody’s mind over the past two years with a surge in online searches. The text accompanying these searches often has to do with one thing – immune support.
As subscribers to this natural health store, you understand that any investment in to our health pays dividends in the long run. That is why supporting the foundations of health – sleep, movement, diet, etc. – makes us less likely to develop a myriad of chronic health conditions. Preventative care is no longer a fad, it is an active choice that millions of Canadians have made. Though even with the strongest of foundations, the body needs some outside help from medicinal plants like Echinacea purpurea.
Echinacea contains a range of active compounds including caffeic acid derivatives, alkamides, volatile oils, and polysaccharides. These agents are responsible for the antiviral, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of the herb. The synergy of these actions and compounds is why this plant is a staple against a variety of pathogens including influenza, S. aureus, and H. influenzae.
Choosing an echinacea product can be confusing work, which is why clinical trials and standardization is crucial. When producing any herbal remedy, controlling that process from seed to bottle is so important. Genetics, soil conditions, moisture, seasonal weather patterns and harvest times all impact how potent the final remedy can be. A.Vogel has decades of data to consult to ensure the farms produce the same potent product year after year.
Alfred Vogel knew he had something special when he created Echinaforce®, but modern technology has enabled us to dive deep into what sets the product apart in the market. Over 60 years of clinical research has shown us that the fresh tincture is 10x more potent than those produced from dried material. There has also been a battery of trials ranging from in-vitro to the gold standard of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-control trial. We know Echinaforce has gone head-to-head with the anti-flu medication oseltamivir (Tamiflu), and Sore Throat Spray has been compared to a blend of chlorhexidine and lidocaine to treat acute sore throats. In both trials, they were as effective as the pharmaceuticals tested, minus the side effects.
In one of the most recent in-vitro studies, Echinaforce completely inhibited replication of members of the coronavirus family, including the novel SARS-CoV-2 (CoVid-19). This level of data and clinical research is why health authorities like Health Canada, SwissMedic, and the Federal Ministry of Health in Germany greenlight its use in pregnant and nursing women, vulnerable populations and children.
Remember, not all echinacea’s are created equally. Now, more than ever, choosing clinically-proven remedies like Echinaforce is one way to ensure you and your families are protected.