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Which herb is not nourishing for your immune system?

publication date: Nov 13, 2007
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author/source: John Gallagher
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This week's herbal quiz...

 


Find out the answer next week!

Last week's answer: "All of the above are helpful for the lungs"

SPOILER ALERT! People may discuss or give away the answer below.
Try to answer first before reading comments.

Comments

John Gallagher (Carnation)
Really READ the question...;)
Melissa Holmes (Central Florida)
John, are we allowed to discuss why we chose our answer...or should we wait til you post the answer next week? I'm just itching to discuss this one!! :D
John Gallagher (Carnation)
Ummmm... Sure... a discussion here is a good idea.. I don't think people will read below here before answering... Maybe I can put a SPOILER alert or something....
Melissa Holmes (Central Florida)
Ok then, here goes. Now, I am a SUPER NEWBIE to herbalism, though I've loved plants and nature all my life. Anyway, being a SUPER NEWBIE, my answer may or may not be correct! However, when I read this question, the first thing that popped into my head was "Echinacea"!! To me, Echinacea is serious medicine. So many people are using Echinacea as an immune builder, taking the tincture all throughout the cold season. I think this is a bad idea! Echinacea is one of our most potent and wonderful herbal antibiotics. And like any antibiotic, it should not be taken in excess! Since it is such powerful medicine, I do not consider it to be a nourisher for the immune system.

So...in my not so experienced but still humble opinion: Kelp, Rose Hips, Astragulus (which I know very little about), and Linden...yum! Healthful! Nourishing! Echinacea? Potent stuff. Take it (in moderate-large doses) when you are sick...do not just continuously take it all throughout flu season to keep yourself from getting sick. If you do that, what will you use when you do get sick?

What does everyone think? Discuss! :D
Christine Martin (Hockley)
I love these quizzes! Makes my mind work, and I learn a little bit more!!

Like Melissa, I'm a super newbie to herbalism, but I'll venture to join in the discussion! I think the key to this answer is to focus (Thanks John for the hint!! :-) ) on the nourishment to the immune system versus those herbs that don't necessarily nourish it. I think Melissa is on the right track- Echinacea does assist with the immune system, but it doesn't necessarily nourish it. Echinacea is an anti-bacterial herb, therefore it will work wonders (in respective dosage) with a cold and flu, but it won't prevent them from occurring.

I didn't remember that linden flowers were great nourishers for the immune system until I started researching it again! Then I remembered hearing Susan Weed talk about them with John in one of his telephone talks with her earlier this year or last year!! (my mind just isn't what it used to be!! :-) ) I don't think I'll forget it again!!
Christine Martin (Hockley)
The italics code didn't work...or I didn't use them properly! :-)
John Gallagher (Carnation)
Make sure that the text you want to be formatted is BETWEEN the start and finish tags...
Judy Behrens (Eau Claire)
As John told me once, remedies FOR the immune system, such as ecinachia tincture. . Someone with a chronic issue such rheumtoid arthritis or autoimmune issues have to watch out for anything that BOOSTS it can be bad. I think that good nourishing soups and broths are an idea... Such as miso soup, maybe even a little astragalus roots cooked in it. It NOURISHES the immune system rather than stimulates it. As he told me, I have been reseaching the best I can to distinquish what nourishes the immune system & what boosts it. Any input would be wonderful.
Jetta Heath (Mexico)
At this point, I don't remember what I voted for. What I've found is that Astralgus strengthens and stimulates the Immune System, Echinacea stimulates the Immune System, Kelp nourishes is soothing and also stimulates the thyroid gland, Linden is calming, soothing, strengthens nerves and induces sweating, Rose Hips are high in vit C and it also has vit A,D,E, lycopene and iron (nourishing). Today I would vote for Echinacea because it's an anticeptic and it "stimulates" the immune system. :-)
Jetta Heath (Mexico)
Opps, I thought I was underlining a few select words. I didn't see the slash in the second bracket. LOL
Kip Stone (Windermere)
Thanks John, I read what you said,"really read the question" and the key word was nourishing. I like that we can discuss right now while it's in our minds. Good idea to add the "Spoiler Alert" so that we can discuss now instead of later. I think I voted correctly.