don't take Echinacea

Hi Kev,

Well I must say, it's nice to hear someone has a neurologist who is open minded. Perhaps I should move in to your place Only kidding.

Yeah, I know about the Echinacea, but very interesting about what he said about fingolimod. Thanks for the post.

Cheers,
Jodi.

I tend to only take what logically could help, I mainly take Vitamin D because I am not out in the sun as much as I used to be and a blood test said I was on the low side so I was deficient, I occasionally take vitamin B because I find it does seem like I get a bit of an energy boost from it, so mainly take it if I need to do something more strenuous like mow the lawn etc.

I haven't had a cold for well I don't know how long, it's been a long time though, I think I have probably had the very occasional virusy unexplainable kinda things but that is quite rare, but I haven't had a full on flu, runny nose sore achey joints kind of cold.

I don't see the point in taking heaps of supplements of any kind, but I do make sure I eat my veggies, I love all veggies, I laugh when people say they "hate" things, eg. brussel sprouts, broccoli, some people I know have only ever heard of peas or beans oh and maybe the odd carrot or corn from a can. I definitely do at times not eat as well as I should but I always have my greens and eat all the veggies most people dislike, I don't need to cover the veggies in cheese or white sauce or gravy, I try to steam them only although sometimes need to boil them in water just cos it's easier sometimes. Oh yes I love margarine on veggies not necessarily bucket loads but enough to taste it at least, I use Nuttelex pulse I think it's called, meant to help lower cholesterol, I use very little salt, although I do use salt on chips (ya sort of have to lol).

So it's got me buggered why people love to take every supplement under the sun, not because they need it but mostly because they have read somewhere that they should take it, not from medical advice, not even on the advice of a naturopath, they just read it somewhere, like seriously, just something you heard or read, no blood test, no medical or scientific evidence at all.

So no I have never gone to a shelf full of herbs and supplements and started reading what they are "supposed" to fix, I would prefer to try and eat the right foods that we need you know what humans ate before we had "supplements", only using supplements when a GP or naturopath (possibly) diagnosed me as being deficient in some mineral vitamin or herb, they are called supplements because you are meant to eat well lol, not live on tablets of any kind, you aren't a bloody astronaut lol.

Eat ya greens people and ya yellows and reds and whatever other colour you can find, food generally won't hurt you, rarely would anyone ever OD on just eating lots of something that was very good for you, as long as you eat all kinds of foods.

I used to despise tomatoes, when I got older (20s) I decided to try them again, but I tried a hydroponic tomato, they were plump juicy tasty and it was the first time in my life I ate a tomato like an apple, the thought of doing that previously sent chills up my spine, now I love tomatoes I always have them, so if you think you don't like one of the very healthy veggies why not give it another go, you may be surprised, you may just like it today, maybe you can save some money or start a small veggie patch, then you could even get some heirloom veggies that actually have taste.

I find it easy to believe I don't need to take Echinacea lol.

Oh by the way I do drink way to much milk we can only try to adjust our diet slowly, baby steps is the way to go!

;o)

Do ask KEv, there is plenty of evidence saying that eccky is an immune stimulant - many just extrapolate from that evidence that it would effect MS. I would like to know of a clinical trial with eccky and MS, because like lots of herbal remedies there is no point in big drug companies funding them. Cynical beast that I am

Helen.

Hi Kevin & Helen,

Maybe the issue with Echinacea is the fact that it stimulates the immune system. Think about it, drugs people are given for MS are usually to suppress the immune system or modify it, not stimulate it. The whole issue with MS is that our immune system is out of whack, overactive and attacking itself, so it would make logical sense that taking something that stimuates it further may cause issues.

I can tell you from personal experience that in 1998 when Echinancea was first coming about in liquid form that I was taking it every day. A naturopath had advised me that I needed this to build my immune system. Now, at that stage I hadn't been diagnosed but my symptoms were more persistent. I was getting worse and western medicine couldn't work out what was wrong so I sought out help via alternative.

I took the Echinancea for quite some time but actually got worse. I gave it a break for maybe 6 months or so (can't quite remember exact times as long ago) but know I started it again in 99 (the years I'm sure of). Once again it had a negative effect me on. So I have never taken it since.

I did read somewhere recently about this very subject and MS. I'm not 100% sure but there may have been something in Jelenik's recent book?? So I'll paw through that and have a read. If I locate the information I will post it.

As for Darin's post, he is spot on as in one should eat a healthy well-balanced diet. We do get majority of things that we need from a good diet. But one thing I must partially disagree with is that we don't get all the things we need because of changes in farming practice over the decades. Lots of vegies lack the minerals they once had etc; So growing ones own or buying organic can help here, and if one grows their own they'll notice a HUGE difference in taste too!!