Flu Fears? Arm Yourself with Echinacea

Flu season is back in full force. Reports of crowded ERs and the possibility of flu drug shortages are making headlines, and there’s talk of this year possibly being the worst year for the flu in a decade.

For those of us looking for a safe, natural, effective way to ward off the disease we all know so well, echinacea is emerging as an all-star, with the research to show for it.

New research
It’s safe to say that many health-savvy consumers are familiar with echinacea as an immune system booster. Standardized extracts are widely available on the shelves of health food stores across Canada.

Now a string of new, groundbreaking research is causing this old favourite to gain some new popularity as a thoroughly researched, effective flu-fighter. Over the next few weeks we’ll be sharing the results of four of these recent studies with you.

The first study was published by Antiviral Research. Here, the researchers noted that when we have respiratory infections (the flu included) our bodies battle the illness and secrete proteins called pro-inflammatory cytokines. The researchers wanted to see if a standardized preparation of echinacea would counteract this process—and it did. According to the study abstract, “These results support the concept that certain Echinacea preparations can alleviate ‘cold and flu’ symptoms, and possibly other respiratory disorders, by inhibiting viral growth and the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines.”

Join the Twitter party!
If you’re curious and want to learn more about echinacea’s role in immunity and fighting the flu, join the “Beat The Flu” Twitter Party hosted by A. Vogel.  

It all takes place Tuesday, January 15, 2013 at 8 pm EST / 5 pm PST. Just log on to Twitter and use the hashtag #BeatTheFlu. Participants will also be entered to win prizes from A. Vogel.