Echinacea – Aircrew experience of its effectiveness on Common Cold,
Being a crewmember, one is exposed to many climatic and time changes of the destinations that one flies to and sometimes these exposures vary from one extreme to the other. While on the job in the aircraft challenging cabin microenvironment with the reduction of atmospheric pressure, the crew also experience noise, vibration, and degradation of air quality. Having to rotate the working hours from day to night that affects the circadian rhythm/internal biological clock of the brain, one would have to take time in adjusting the new sleep/wake cycle. With these compounded negative environment, the body immune-systems will natural take some beatings. This makes the crew susceptible to suffer Common Cold.
In my early days as a cabin crew, my combat to this common cold or flu was to take vitamin C and garlic parsley pills or visit the nearby clinic. Each visit made me feel lousier as I felt drowsy and weak with all those medications. One day, a friend introduced me Echinacea and since then that Common Cold is not common anymore. I started recommending this magic bullet (capsule) to my other colleagues and all have been convinced of its potency in strengthening the immune-systems against common cold. While we stay healthy with this supplement, Germany’s Commission E reported that it should not be taken for more than eight weeks at a time. I have followed this recommendation and have kept colds and flu at bay.
Echinacea (pronounced eck-uh-nay-sha OR ek-in-AY-see-a) plant grows wild throughout United States. While there are nine species, only three have been well studied for the use of medicinal purposes. During the early days before the development of antibiotics, Echinacea was used as mouthwash for toothaches and drank as tea to combat common cold, coughs and sore throats. Their use and further study was stunted when anti-biotic that gives immediate effects was introduced. With the formation of Germany’s Commission E that gives recognition to this herbal potency, trained herbal health professionals are recommending Echinacea to their patients. However, Echinacea is not prescribed to those who are allergic to chrysanthemums, daisies, marigolds and sunflowers. Today, Echinacea is commonly used in Europe, USA and Asia.
