It’s a splendid but rainy day to discover the many health benefits of echinacea.
Echinacea is a flowering plant with 10 species. We’ll talk about all of them in general in today’s article. These echinacea species are also called coneflowers.
Here is a list of the health benefits of echinacea.
1. Echinacea May Help Deal With Anxiety
Compounds found in echinacea like alkamides, caffeic acid, and rosmarinic acid are said to have anti-anxiety effects.
You can read more about this from this published research (The effect of Echinacea preparations in three laboratory tests of anxiety).
In a different study (The anxiolytic potential and psychotropic side effects of an echinacea preparation in laboratory animals and healthy volunteers), researchers observed that Echinacea Angustifolia extracts helped reduce anxious feelings on both mice and human subjects.
2. Has Mild Laxative Effects
If you’re suffering from constipation, echinacea may be a natural way to help you with this.
According to medical herbalism, this herb can provide relief from constipation and even has a calming effect.
You can drink a cup of echinacea tea to treat your constipation. You can drink a couple of more cups if it’s a chronic condition and you’re having a hard time with it.
3. Echinacea Contains High Amounts Of Antioxidants
Echinacea contains cichoric acid, flavonoids, and rosmarinic acid which are antioxidants that may help your body against oxidative stress.
Oxidative stress to your organs may lead to different kinds of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease.
To add more to how impressive the antioxidant activity with echinacea, it also contains compounds called alkamides.
This certain compound is said to boost further antioxidant activity in your body.
4. May Help Relieve Some Respiratory Problems
Echinacea may help you deal with upper respiratory issues like acute sinusitis, asthma, flu, common cold, and coughs.
This is most likely because of its anti-inflammatory qualities as well as its ability to boost your immune system.
Another natural way of improving your respiratory health is by consuming elderberries.
You can check my article on the health benefits of elderberry here.
5. Echinacea Has Anti-inflammatory Properties
Echinacea has been found to have anti-inflammatory properties that can deal with chronic inflammations which can lead to several health problems.
In this study (Chicoric acid supplementation prevents systemic inflammation), certain compounds from this herb help reduce inflammatory markers and even memory-loss caused by inflammation.
There’s another study conducted for 30 days on adults with osteoarthritis.
Researchers noticed a significant reduction of chronic pain, inflammation, and swelling after they were supplemented with echinacea extracts.
6. Enhances Healing Of Wounds
The antibacterial properties of echinacea help prevent infections in your wound.
Furthermore, this herb can stimulate the formation of new skin cells.
Both of these effects contribute to faster wound healing.
7. Echinacea Helps Boost Your Immune System
Echinacea is known for improving your body’s immune system.
Studies like “Immunomodulation with echinacea” and “Enhancement of innate and adaptive immune functions by multiple Echinacea species” will tell you that this herb helps fight infections and viruses.
This can make you feel better and recover from your illness faster.
To add more, echinacea can stimulate the production of your white blood cells. White blood cells are like your body’s soldiers that fight substances that enter your body that can cause diseases or illnesses.
8. May Help Detoxify Your Body
Echinacea is said to have both mild diuretic and laxative effects.
This helps stimulate your body from removing toxins and wastes out.
9. Echinacea May Help Keep Your Skin Beautiful And Healthy
The antibacterial properties and anti-inflammatory properties of echinacea are great for treating or preventing acne.
The antioxidants found on this herb are useful in delaying the signs of aging in your skin like wrinkles.
Echinacea also helps improve skin hydration and eczema symptoms.
10. May Help In The Care Of Your Hair
Echinacea is used by many to improve the health of their hair.
They claim that its vitamins and minerals can treat alopecia or patchy hair loss and dandruff.
11. Echinacea May Help Reduce Blood Sugar Levels
Several studies can tell you that echinacea may help you in managing your sugar levels.
In “Antidiabetic Properties of Echinacea purpurea Flower Extract,” Echinacea purpurea extract was observed to suppress enzymes that digest carbohydrates.
This can reduce the sugar absorption to your blood.
There are also test-tube studies that tell you that the extracts from this herb may increase your cell’s sensitivity to insulin’s effects. This effect is similar to drugs used for diabetes.
However, more studies should be tested if it has significant effects on humans. It’s still promising and a positive sign especially for people suffering from diabetes.
12. Is A Good Pain Reliever
For years, the Great Plains Indians used Echinacea purpurea as a pain reliever.
It’s said that it can help reduce pain from headaches, sore throats, stomach aches, and toothaches.
Depending on what part of your body is painful, you can either drink an herbal tea made from echinacea or apply a paste from dried echinacea topically.
Conclusion
These are some of the amazing health benefits of echinacea.
The anti-inflammatory properties of echinacea are the most helpful to me at the moment. So this is my pick as the best health benefit of echinacea on the list.
What’s the health benefit that you can get from echinacea that you need right now?
Like all the other articles in my blog, you should always seek advice first with your doctor or medical professional if it’s safe for you to consume echinacea.
And don’t forget to share this article with your friends and relatives.
Thank you!