Echinacea

[IronFist]

What's the proper dose of Echinacea? I bought one bottle that says take one 400mg pill up to 4 times per day. So that's a total of 1600mg per day.

I bough another kind that says take 3 pills (1,140mg total), 3 times per day. So that's a total of about 3600mg per day.

That's quite a difference?

I'm getting a cold or something and I'm trying to keep it off. My throat is a bit sore today and it's ****ing me off. Since I started feeling sick last night I've also been taking 1g of vitamin C every hour when I'm home (which is like 5-12pm). Yes, I realize that 1g is 1600% of the daily value.

Anyway, what's the best echincea dose size? Also, does anyone know it's half life, or how long it stays in you (are those the same thing? :confused: )

Thanks,

IronFist

[TaoBoy]

I don't know the recommended echinacea dose but I have also seen the discrepancies between different companies products. My guess is that some are excessive and they want you to buy more.

Marketing! :rolleyes:

Go to a herbalist for some good old fashioned Chinese healing.

[Ka]

Get on the liquds,lots of juices,fruit and rest.I know everyone loves echinacea but its really preventative rather then a cure all once you have the infection.
I agree with Taoboy 80% marketing

If your into it get a massage have a bath and do some Qi gong(get some O2 into ya)generally get relaxed,but don't reach for the prozac.

[joedoe]

I used to share a house with a herbalist and he reckoned that it was safew to take way more than the usual recommended dose of echinacea. He used to use the liquid tinctures but the dosage he would take if he was sick was enormous compared to the recommended dosages on the pill bottles.

As for vitamin C, there is a lot of argument over how much is OK, but from what I understand your body eliminates whatever it doesn't need, so you can take plenty of it and still be safe.

Just make sure you keep the fluid levels up.

[IronFist]

I've heard you shouldn't do qigong when you're sick?

Anyway, I'm drinking a ton of water and juice and stuff.

Has anyone heard of these two remedies?

1. Taking a shower or bath as hot as possible. Keep turning up the heat once you adjust to make it hotter. This is supposed to raise the body's temp and help kill whatever the infection is (like an artifically induced fever). Obviously you should drink a lot of water before hand to help prevent dehydration from the intense heat.

2. Shots of Vodka with hot peppers in it or something are supposed to help a sore throat. I haven't tried this, though. One of my sister's high school friends says her mom gives her a shot of tequila when she has a sore throat. It's supposed to kill the bacteria in the throat. I don't think the virus actually resides in the throat, though, does it?

IronFist

[@PLUGO]

Echinacea... is usually best before you get sick...

Astragalus (sp?) is very good for kicking your imunsystem into overdrive at the onset of illness...

I hear good things about Milkthistle & Bayberry... As well as Nettels...

My 2cents

[FatherDog]

Originally posted by IronFist

2. Shots of Vodka with hot peppers in it or something are supposed to help a sore throat. I haven't tried this, though. One of my sister's high school friends says her mom gives her a shot of tequila when she has a sore throat. It's supposed to kill the bacteria in the throat. I don't think the virus actually resides in the throat, though, does it?


That depends on what bacteria it is, actually. For instance, I've gotten sore throats once or twice that was a result of my throat being scratched by either hard foods or overuse, and the scratches getting a low grade infection. Listerine helped that a lot.

Anyway, vodka and peppers is an excellent cure. Even if it doesn't work, you won't care. :D

[David Jamieson]

if you get a cold:

with treatment it will last about 5-7 days

without treatment it will last about 5-7 days

just rest and don't burn up the energy you need to get better.

peace

[stonecrusher69]

what iron fist said about taking a hot shower.I've tried that.It seems to make me feel better.I' a big fan of Echinacea for colds and flu.I take maga ammounts for a short period.2-3 days.I think the Echinacea for me just speeds up the infection and recovery time.I've found Golden seal to very good also .Good for a sore throat.

[joedoe]

From what I was told by my herbal flatmate, echinacea pushes your immune system into overdrive. As a result, you should never take it for extended periods of time as it will kind of 'wear out' your immune system. He reckoned no more than 3 weeks on, then you should have a few weeks off it to give your body a rest.

[Ka]

Iron, my reference to the bath is in the form of relaxation,rather then purging.I would actually recommend a few drops of Lavender and marjoram and tee tree.Don't make it too hot if you have high blood pressure.Stress weakens the immune system,relaxation and assistence of blood ciculation(massage) helps recovery from most ailments.(I do know a gent who practises the daily hot then cold blast shower but this again is preventative rather then cure)

Qigong or breathing practises are excellent when sick.I think you have mainly been exposed to "hard" or ironshirt stlyes which I agree would have no real help at all.However any "cultivating" styles of Qigong or mediatation/breathing is of benefit.Wuji and basic embrace tree zhan zhuang with visualisation would be ideal.Certian practises from forms of raja yoga would also be good.

Vits: if you are using a Vit C go for a powdered one and look for a good B complex if you are feeling down and lethagic,keep up the liquids and rest.

[African Tiger]

I'm in the last stages of a very similar cold, and I have to admit, I'm a little punk ass bit.ch when I'm sick. This is what I used, and you may want to try it yourself - my cold lasted only 3 days...

2 parts (define parts anyway you chose, I guess) peppermint leaves
2 parts Echinacea (sp)
1 part Ginger (cut/sifted)
1 part cayenne pepper
1 part Elder Flower

and if anywhere near bedtime, 1 extra part Camomille.

Try this 2-3 times per day. That should at least lessen the symptoms. Good luck.

[IronFist]

Alright. I just took a shot of Vodka like an hour or so ago and my throat felt awesome for like 20-30 minutes.

I should point out, however, that my throat was NOT the scratchy, feels like you swallowed razor blades kind. It just feels kinda swollen and nasty. I don't think Vodka would feel good on a scratchy throat.

As for Echinacea, I've heard that it works by doing something to your body which causes your immune system to become overactive almost as an alergic reaction.

Ka, as for qigong, I wouldn't think of doing hard qigong when I'm sick :) I believe I was told once that it's not a good idea to do even standing embrace the tree qigong when sick. I could be confusing what I read, however.

IronFist

[WTJune]

Ironfist, thats how we austrians find out if were getting ill...


if you're a little ill, not really ill but not healthy also - go out and trink a lot of alcohol - on the day after you'll be ill or you'll be healthy.... its kind of getting a decision from your body... and it makes fun (if you like going out...)


;)

ciao

June

[IronFist]

****, I missed a night of drinking!

Wait, I have a test tomorrow at 10am. That must be why I stayed in tonight.

I should go study, eh?

IronFist

[Royal Dragon]

Yup, large doses of Echenachea (sp?), Golden Seal and Mahuang are the best for a cold. The first tow kick your immune system into over drive, and hte second boosts your energy and dries the lungs out. If I have a bad cough too, I add Slippery Elm and Cherry bark. Every winter I get this "Death Cough" that lasts for weeks and even months. The above formula kicks it out of my syustem in a few days, if not the same day.

It's all 1 to 1. A Table spoon of each herb lasts for one day roughly.

I order the hebs from a mail order supplier (Severl actually) by the pound around Sept. and make up a batch useing several ounces at a time, an keep it in an old Jack Daniels bottle. I just hit the bottle everytime I get a chest cold.

[PLCrane]

When I feel a cold or flu coming on, I take three 400mg capsules of echinacea, three times a day (total 3600mg per day), and that seems to knock it out in 24 hours or less. I never got a noticeable effect with echinacea until I started with the higher dosage.


And I do the hot shower trick, for the reason you mentioned - hi temp helps kill the bugs.