What is echinacea and what can it do for you?

Cold season is here, and this usually goes hand in hand with temporary fatigue, lowered defenses and greater exposure to microorganisms. If this worries you, don't worry: echinacea is here to help you out. Surely you have heard of it, but perhaps you do not know what it can do for you, so we want to explain what it is and its multiple benefits.

What is echinacea and what can it do for you? It is a herbaceous plant native to North America, from the Asteraceae family, whose receptacle is thorny (hence its name). With straight, thick, hairy stems and purple flowers, it has been used since the 19th century for the treatment of multiple conditions, in two ways:

• Topically, for the treatment of ulcers, sores, inflammation and other problems.
• As a nutritional supplement, since it acts as a stimulant for the Immune System, helping the normal functioning of the defenses against infectious and viral diseases, such as the common cold. Specifically, the alcamides and polysaccharides contained in the Echinacea Purpurea extract act as immunomodulators on T lymphocytes, a type of defensive cell that fights against microorganisms that replicate within cells, such as viruses. Thanks to this action, echinacea helps prevent diseases or reduce their intensity and duration. It also helps reduce inflammation of the throat and upper respiratory tract.

Indications

It is recommended to take echinacea a few weeks before undergoing temperature contrasts or prolonged stress, to feel stronger and prevent conditions. It is ideal to start taking it when you notice the first symptoms of a cold/flu, to help stop it or prevent it.

New Echinacea with Magnesium!

We have created the new Echinacea with Magnesium supplement by Ana Maria Lajusticia, which combines the benefits of echinacea, which helps the immune system, with the vitality that magnesium gives you. Thus, it is ideal to help your immune system to be at its maximum when you need it most, it provides a plus of vitality so that now you can handle everything!

In the following cases, it is necessary to consult a doctor before taking it: tuberculosis, immune system diseases, collagenosis, multiple sclerosis, AIDS and other immune diseases. There are also not enough studies on its use during pregnancy, lactation or in young children, so it would not be indicated in these situations.

And don't forget that a healthy lifestyle -with quality sleep, regular physical activity and a balanced diet- is the key to effective defenses against stress and external agents.