Word of Mouth: Medicinal Tea

by Eva Strand, from the January 1999 Newsletter

Winter is here with snow and outdoor play but also with stuffy noses, sore throats and coughs. For the January taste test I decided to try some of the medicinal teas carried by the Co-op. How do they taste? Do they work on sore throats and runny noses? Does sleepy-time put you to sleep faster than counting sheep? I picked four teas from Traditional Medicinals teas made in Sebastopol, California.

Echinacea Plus is a tea with a mild, pleasant slightly minty flavor. The herbs in this tea are organically grown. I have used echinacea in the form of extracts or capsules to chase colds and flues away but echinacea tea is new to me. I like it, especially with a touch of honey and a twist of lemon. It is difficult to say how this tea works . . . one cup will probably not do the trick . . . but from earlier echinacea experiences I have no reason to doubt the immune system enhancing properties of this tea.

I was quite impressed with the decongestant properties of Gypsy Cold Care. The menthol and mint vapors from a cup of hot Gypsy Cold Care really gets up your nose and help relieve congestion and stuffiness. The flavor is rich and strong . . . menthol, peppermint, rosehip and ginger . . . but the vapors are what makes this tea work.

Throat Coat has a pleasant taste from sweet licorice root, cherry bark, fennel seed, cinnamon and orange peel. It sure coats the throat, the sweet taste stays in the back of your throat for quite a long time. My throat was not sore at the time of testing and I could not find any other sore throat to test the tea on, so unfortunately I can't say how the tea works medicinally. I should mention that slippery elm bark is the active ingredient in this tea.

The last tea I tasted was Nighty Night–a relaxing bed time tea made from passion flower, spearmint, chamomile, lemon verbena among others. I love the flavor and effects of this tea–a great addition to your pillow and warm blanket. Sleep and plenty of warm liquids are probably the most important ingredients in natural healing–at the Co-op you can buy them boxed up as Nighty Night from Traditional Medicinals.

Boosting Your Immune System

Wellness has been a big topic of discussion these days as the cold/flu season descends on the palouse, with bronchial afflictions seemingly prevailing. I have had plenty of company in front of the supplement shelves, the herbal teas, and the book section of the Co-op, seeking help in the form of soothing warm drinks and nutritional information.

Our immune system is one of the more complex systems of the human body, and its prime function is protecting the body against outside interference, and particularly against bacterial and viral infection. Immune deficiency diseases ranges from the common cold to aids. Infectious immune system diseases may also be the precursors for auto-immune reactions, diseases where the body overreacts and attacks itself.

Immunology, which is the study of the immune system, is a relatively new and extremely dynamic field of study involving human health. To help sort through all the advice we get from the research, I've consulted some of the literature that grace our bookshelves.

In the Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, authors Michael Murray and Joseph Pizzorno suggest that the three herbs most widely used by naturopaths for enhancing immune functions are Echinacea angustifolia (purple coneflower), Hydrastis canadensis (goldenseal) and Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice).

Echinacea is native to the Midwestern states and was used by Native Americans as a blood purifier, analgesic, antiseptic and snake bite remedy. It has been shown to neutralize viruses, destroy bacteria and increase the migration of white blood cells to infected areas.

Goldenseal is native to eastern North America, and was also used by the Native Americans for treating infections. The antibiotic activity of goldenseal's alkaloids are shown to be useful in treating staphylococcus, streptococcus, chlamydia, candida and other harmful organisms.

(Note: There has been some recent concern about the depletion of wild-crafted goldenseal in North America. The Co-op staff is looking into the marketing of substitutes and we are doing research for forthcoming articles on this interesting and controversial issue.)

Licorice is a perennial temperate zone herb and has been used medicinally by western and eastern cultures for thousand of years. It is reported to be especially effective in treating respiratory infections, such as bronchitis, pharyngitis and pneumonia. Licorice has been shown to inhibit the growth of several viruses including herpes simplex and shows antibiotic activity against staph, strep and candida.

Each of the above botanicals is available in several forms:

Dried root (or as tea)
Freeze-dried root
Tincture
Fluid extract
Powdered solid extract

Diane Stein, in her book, The Natural Remedy Book for Women, writes that a quality multivitamin and mineral supplement is necessary to replace some of what we've lost from denutritionalized food we are left with after refining and processing. She recommends vitamin A and B-complex as well as some other supplements for basic immune building:

Vitamin C with bioflavinoids and lots of water is a significant immune building vitamin factor

Vitamin E with selenium is an important antioxidant and free radical scavenger, which protects against pollutants

Zinc regulates the immune system

Women should consider calcium/magnesium to prevent osteoporosis and help menstrual and menopause symptoms

Boron prevents the body from losing needed minerals (this may be in your multivitamin

Antioxidants such as germanium or coenzyme Q10 to oxygenate the blood

Essential fatty acids (black currant oil, evening primrose oil, etc.)

Acidophilus

In Healing Teas, a book by Marine Nadine Antol, the teas made from the following herbs are recommended for immune-function-related problem: astragalus, bee pollen, burdock, echinacea, garlic, ginseng, goldenseal, licorice, pau d'arco, propolis and yerba mate.

The Kirschmann's Nutrition Almanac has several subheadings that address the immune system. In the chapter about colds, they blame poor nutrition, which results in a poorly functioning immune system. Their recommendation is a low-fat, high-fiber diet full of a variety of whole foods. Warm drinks are necessary to sustain losses that occur with fever and evaporation from breathing through the mouth. Yogurt will build immunity to ward off colds and eating garlic, which has antiviral and antibacterial properties, at the first sign of a sore throat may prevent the cold from developing further. They include recipes for a horseradish toddy and onion syrup tea, and also suggest a drop each of oil of tea tree and lemon in a steamer will help fight infection.

And finally, best-selling author Andrew Weil's book 8 Weeks to Optimum Health is crammed full of ideas to boost your immune system. He is a strong advocate of antioxidants 9 vitamin C and E, selenium, and mixed carotenes) and also really likes tonics made from astragalus. He has several garlic recipes and touts exercise, visualization, clean water, the arts and the natural world all as necessary components to lifelong health, including protecting our immunity.

So as you can see, there are as many remedies and techniques for building up your immune system as there are variations of the cold virus. It's up to each of us to find that balance for maintaining good health, especially in these months of shorter daylight hours and longer spans of time indoors. Here's hoping that the New Year brings you much health and happiness.

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