Plant Allies: Focus on Echinacea
Note: I am not a medical professional. The information below is for educational purposes only.
Have you ever smelled an echinacea plant in full bloom? It’s one of the sweetest most intoxicating summer smells. Pollinating insects swarm echinacea plants as if they were an all you can eat for free buffet. I’ve never seen so many different types of wild bees as I see on the echinacea flowers we have in the big garden. From green and blue to bumble bees and honey bees wasps and butterflies, humming birds and so many more.
Echinacea is one of my favorite plant allies for innate immune support. I find when taken before a cold comes, helps to boost immune function due to it’s antiviral properties (slowing down virus replication) and I often don’t come down with a full blown cold. I must note though that there are no studies showing echinacea’s efficacy during an acute cold. Once your immune system is actually fighting something, there are other herbs to turn to help support your body.
Though immune support is one of the current popular uses of Echinacea, it was not the original use for this incredible plant. It’s main claim to fame is alterative (or blood purifier) and lymphatic (helps clear stagnant lypmh nodes). You might be wondering what the heck does blood purifying mean? Well think about when you have an infection with swelling or other skin infection that leads to a boil. Echinacea really shines when it comes to helping clear infections (dead broken apart cells) from the blood. It stimulates phagocytosis (the body’s clean up crew system).
The more they study echinacea the more incredible it seems to be. One of the original uses was for snake bites, spider bites and insect stings. It can inhibit the tissue destroying enzyme hyaluronidase. Obviously if you get bit by a rattle snake go to the hospital! But maybe if you find you’ve woken up with a spider bite, try washing it with an echinacea wash tincture.
Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea, E. angustafolia)
Family: Asteraceae
Usable Part: Leaves, flowers, roots
Energetics: Cooling and drying
Properties: Alterative, lymphatic, antiviral, anti-venimous
Usage: Clearing lymphatic stagnation, reducing inflammation from an infection, boosting immune function, aids in damaged tissue repair.
What is your experience with echinacea? Have you ever grown it? Used it medicinally? Leave a comment below.
