Immune Boosting

Echinacea – Immune Boosting

Echinacea is high on Dr. Starbuck’s list for treating viruses. This common immune booster comes in tea, capsules and tincture. Dr. Starbuck recommends the tincture because it is generally more potent and has superior bio-availability.(Test the tincture for freshness by putting a drop on your tongue-it should create a slightly numbing feel. If not, get another bottle. A good choice is Eclectic Institute’s Specific Echinacea.)

Dr. Starbuck most often prescribes Echinacea tincture to be taken by her patients at the first sign of sickness as follows:

• Place about 30 drops into an ounce of water..take every four hours away from meals. It’s a good idea to drink additional water as well.

 

More: Dr. Starbuck often uses Echinacea in combination with other herbs, too. She advises Ligusticum porteri (also named Osha root) to soothe congested tissue and stimulate circulation, again usually prescribing its tincture form. You can find “do it yourself” anti-viral herbal formulas prepared with one or several immune-strengthening herbs in natural stores such as Whole Foods Market. Dr. Starbuck likes the herbal mix Throat Mist for sore throats by Wise Women Herbals (www.wisewomanherbals.com). Take these herbs at the first sign of sickness. The sooner you catch the virus, the easier it is to fight back-as always, under the oversight of a physician trained in natural healing.

VITAMIN POWER    

Vitamin C does more than any other vitamin to boost immune function. Vitamin A is helpful in moistening mucus membranes in the upper respiratory tract.

Vitamins And Supplements

More: Too much vitamin A can be toxic. Dr. Starbuck advises her patients to get betacarotene, the water soluble, precursor molecule of vitamin A, by eating foods that are high in it rather taking vitamin A in supplement form. One way is to drink fresh carrot juice (two ounces, twice a day), or blend it with fresh orange juice for a combined A/C hit. Oranges, tangerines and, in fact, orange-colored produce of any kind (including pumpkin and sweet potatoes) is helpful. You can continue vitamin therapy for two to three weeks.

Immune Boosting