Echinacea purpurea aka purple coneflower. A striking plant with a beautiful flower and a wonderful friend to our immune system!

Having a natural stimulating effect on our immune system, Echinacea helps us to overcome many common day to day ailments such as coughs and colds, stress fatigue, healing cuts & scratches and preventing infections.  The pharmacology of Echinacea shows it to be a potent inhibitor of inflammatory pathways & has a boosting effect on white blood cell ability to protect us against invading organisms. Touch the hard centre cone of this beautiful flower – think of armour protecting against the baddies!  Going back in time, Echinacea has long been the natural medicine of Native Americans and is found in most of their remedies. The world has embraced this beautiful flower and as a herbal preparation is popular with Naturopaths and Herbalists around the world for its benefits in overcoming the common cold and flu virus. 

Research shows the effectiveness of Echinacea when used orally or topically to heal from infection, through assisting the immune system to modify and overcome. The whole plant can be used in preparations with different parts of the plant having slightly different benefits. It is one common rule of Natural Science that “the whole benefits more than the sum of its parts – Aristotle”  and it is in the preparation of the root, leaves or whole plant that the phytonutrients will be best expressed for health and wellbeing. Echinacea for example can be found to benefit our immune system and healing when in an herbal tonic, capsules or in an ointment.

As a good friend to have in our home medicine cabinet, Echinacea can be very helpful when used in the healing of wounds & preventing infection from bacteria. Be careful to source quality ointments and tinctures. If it doesn’t seem to be working, perhaps the amount of Echinacea in the preparation or the actual preparation isn’t appropriate to be effective.  

 In a world of allergies and sensitivities, where our home and environments are full of pollutants, chemicals and toxins, our bodies can struggle to eliminate, balance and defend. Allergies and sensitivities are our body expressing this struggle to thrive and survive.  Echinacea is a  powerful anti inflammatory useful for conditions such as respiratory reactions, arthritis and skin irritations. 

Echinacea will help the body protect itself against bacteria, viruses & abnormal cells. Research shows how wonderful this plant is as a botanical “antibiotic” with no negative side effects. High in antioxidants the free radical scavenging ability of Echinacea is well documented in research and through the anecdotal history of North Americans & Europeans who have been fans for centuries.

I couldn’t keep away from these beautiful organically grown blooms. Their colour & presence is incredible. Nature & her medicine – constantly amazing and a powerful part of  active daily life and wellbeing.