I have been taking echinacea with goldenseal every day since the beginning of fall. It works great! My husband has had four terrible colds since fall, and I haven't caught any of them.
I have been hearing, however, that it is not good to continue taking echinacea over a long period of time. I was told to wait until I think I might be getting a cold and then take it for a week to 10 days.
It seems silly to me to wait until you get sick to start taking echinacea, but I don't want to damage my body. Will I do myself harm by continuing to take echinacea and goldenseal?
Echinacea seems to stimulate the immune system so you are better able to resist infections. In one study, though, repeated use of echinacea over a period of many weeks actually lowered the immune response. As a result, most herb experts suggest taking echinacea for no more than six to eight weeks in a row to avoid suppressing immunity.
There are many other approaches to avoiding and treating cold viruses. We are sending you our "Guide to Cold Remedies," which provides more detailed information on echinacea and Chinese herbs such as Kan Jang and astragalus that boost immunity. It also includes our favorite chicken soup recipe. Anyone who would like a copy, please send $2 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped, self-addressed envelope to: Graedons' People's Pharmacy, No. Q-20, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027.
You mentioned enteric-coated peppermint-oil capsules for irritable bowel syndrome a little while ago, but I can't find them anywhere. I've tried several drugstores and one health food store. One drugstore buyer with 30 years experience told me he's never heard of such a product. Help!
Nature's Way, (800) 9-NATURE, is one herbal company that distributes enteric-coated peppermint oil (Pepogest) nationally. Health food stores or drugstores should be able to order it for you.
Do glucosamine and chondroitin affect cholesterol? Since I have been taking a product containing these ingredients, my cholesterol level has risen almost 100 points.
Another reader reports: "In one year since I started taking glucosamine, my cholesterol level went from 200 to 313. Is this real or just a coincidence?"
There is no research to confirm whether this is a cause-and-effect problem, but dozens of people have shared similar stories.
In response to a question about winter dry skin, I'd like to pass along another remedy. I work with new mothers who are breast-feeding. Lansinoh, an ointment often recommended to keep nipples from drying, is also very effective in treating dry skin on hands, elbows or feet. It is inexpensive and available at many pharmacies. A little goes a long way, and it's great for treating chapped lips and minor cuts or scrapes.
Lansinoh is a purified lanolin product designed to ease cracked nipples, a common problem early in breast-feeding. It is produced by Lansinoh Laboratories Inc. and is distributed to pharmacies by Hollister, (800) 323-4060. Consumers can also buy it from the breast-feeding support organization, La Leche League International.
Lanolin is a time-honored moisturizer. Farmers use it to treat chapped udders because it is an ingredient in Bag Balm (800) 232-3610 and Udder Cream (800) 345-7339. Many people find these farm staples great for dry skin, too.
Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist. Teresa Graedon holds a doctorate in medical anthropology and is a nutrition expert. Write to them in care of King Features Syndicate, 235 E. 45th St., New York, N.Y. 10017, or e-mail them via their Web site, www.peoplespharmacy.com.
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