[yankeedame]

I know, I know it's a herb, but everytime I hear the word "echinacea" I imagin some kind of small, South American marsupial,with a long pointy nose, that used to be hunted for its meat but today are stuffed,made into decorative lamps and sold to tourists.

[anniegetyourgun]

LOL! Just about as worthless, I'd say. I've learned to never believe anything anyone says about what will cure ya' or what will kill ya'. I'll never forget the year my mom brought me a newspaper clipping about how bananas cause cancer. Five years later I found one that says bananas cure cancer. We had a good laugh!

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

If they gave it to folks who already had sore throats and sniffles--as the article suggests--then the cows were out of the barn, and it's no wonder they showed no benefit. It is helpful when given at the first sign of a cold, or when you know you'll be exposed to folks with active bugs. But once you're infected, your immune system is going to have to do battle. The symptoms are part of the battle.

[newgeezer]

I have friends who swear they've been much less likely to get a cold since they started a regimen of echinacea at least a couple years ago.

Maybe it's effective in prevention; maybe not. No one can deny doctors as a group have a clear conflict of interest when judging home remedies.

[MadIvan]

I've seen the same people who eat tofu and brown rice promoting echinacea. As their record on cuisine is so pitiful, how could they possibly be any better at recommending medicine? ;)

Regards, Ivan

[TopQuark]

73 students suffering from cold symptoms I have always been told that it is supposed to build up the immunie system and is preventive thus. Once you have a cold, nothing will help much.

They seem to be testing an allegation that noboady makes.

[csmusaret]

You may recognize it by its common name,"Purple Cone Flower". I take it as a tea at the first sign of a cold and it works. If I wait a day or two I'm out of luck.

[TopQuark]

You have imagination of a writer. I recon, you do not take that herb.

[Cicero]

You have to take it soon enough, or it won't work.

Besides, what this study really proves is that alfalfa alleviates cold symptoms.

[realpatriot]

"After 10 days, both were equally ill, the study said. "Compared with placebo, unrefined echinacea provided no detectable benefit or harm," researchers wrote in the study published in today's edition of the Annals of Internal Medicine. The group of Wisconsin students taking the placebo was sick for an average of 5.75 days, compared to 6.27 days for the group given echinacea.

So, in other words, after 10 days both groups were well, or "equally sick" What does that prove?

[Semaphore Heathcliffe]

..but everytime I hear the word "echinacea" I imagin some kind of small, South American marsupial,with a long pointy nose...

silly me. here I've been eating an echidna every day to ward off the common cold.

[riri]

Every couple of winters or so, I go on a proactive Vitamin C, echinecia health kick trying to ward off illnesses and I swear, everytime, I get sick within, like, two weeks!

[templar]

This confirms my experience with echinacea. It never worked for me. I don't know anyone that it has worked for. Of those who once claimed it worked, I have noticed that they quit using it over the years and suffer colds like most other people. I suspect they placebo effect and a bit of self delusion was the reason for the early claims they mad that it would work. There is one herbal extract that I have found that actually does work . It does everything echinacea, goldenseal and all the others combined are claimed to do. It works for me every time, whether I am just feeling the first faint signs of a cold or flu or whether, through negligence, I have developed a full fledged case. Works for whatever it is that causes a sudden onset of a severe sore throat as well. It usually takes no more than a few hours to feel a benefit and almost always overnight on anything, no matter how far advanced.

I might add that I haven't been to a medical doctor in over 30 years so my immune and other systems are probably much, much stronger that those who constantly bomb their systems with antibiotics and other pharmacia from an MD. I don't know if it would work for everyone, although everyone I know that has actually tried it has gotten similar results.

[shrinkermd]

I take it with Southern Comfort. The cold seems worth it.

[nothingnew]

echinacea

I thought that was an STD.

FMCDH

[Pagey]

I have a relative that swears by this echinacea nonsense and has for years. But he's a lefty and gets manicures regularly too, so what can I say except I'm not surprised.I just faxed his wife ( who doesn't buy into any of that healthy-healthy B.S. ) a copy of this article. LOL

[Cogadh na Sith]

I'll bet you echidna tea would be more effective....

[Revolting cat!]

Beer works for me, but then, cats are different!

[Revolting cat!]

Your first post says it all: anything unpronounceable or from a place you can't find on the map can't possibly work!