Any other recommendations besides Echenacea that can help boost the immune system?

Question

I'm always catching colds...and just wondering if there are other natural herbs that can be taken with Echenacea to boost the immune system. I understand that zinc also helps a great deal.

Answer 1

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Answer 2

I've seen some really strange answers to this question, but oddly, no one has mentioned Vitamin C. Linus Pauling, the only one ever to win TWO Nobel Prizes, advocated large doses of C to prevent the common cold and to alleviate the effects when you already have one.

Vitamin C is a powerful immune system support. 1000 mg/day is the recommmended dosage to prevent colds and common infections.
If you still feel a cold coming on, increase the dosage to 100 mg/ every 2 hours, combined with 2 Echinacea capsules. Take 1 zinc lozenge per day. Continue until bedtime, and if symptoms persist the next morning, continue for one more day. Symptoms should disappear.

Echinacea is an immune system strengthener but is only effective for short-term treatment. Don't take it daily. Two weeks at a time is the limit - but you shouldn't need it for that long if you are consistent about the C regimen.

BTW, humans and guinea pigs are the only mammals that don't produce their own Vitamin C. And there is recent evidence that larger doses of C can slow the aging process. Too much to go into here, but google "telomeres" to learn more!

Answer 3

One of the very best immune boosters is the all natural NutriFeron.

NutriFeron is a patented, clinically proven blend of immune-strengthening plant extracts. Take daily, NutriFeron strengthens immune response by boosting the body's natural interferon.

Patented blend of interferon-boosting plant extracts (500 mg) is an exclusive proprietary blend of natural plant extracts from pumpkin seeds, safflower flowers, plantago seeds, and Japanese honeysuckle flower buds which have been clinically proven to support and stimulate the natural immune response process at the cellular level.

Here's what one person said: "Previous to taking NutriFeron I had always been susceptible to colds and when I got a cold it would be at least two weeks long. Previous to knowing about NutriFeron, I had been on a lot of antibiotics, had my tonsils removed and couldn't remember the last time I wasn't sick at Christmas time. Winter/Spring of 2003 was exceptionally bad for me. I spent most of January to June with a cold. After starting NutriFeron, I can't believe how my health has improved. I was not ill the entire year. I have 2 young children so when they would catch a cold, I might feel a scratchy throat, but it never developed into anything. And then...I had my first cold in the fall of 2004. We were moving to a new community, and with the stress of moving I was out of routine and forgot to take my NutriFeron. The amazing thing is that once I felt the cold start, I went back on NutriFeron and the cold lasted only 3 to 4 days."

Hope this is useful and feel free to contact me with questions.

Answer 4

If you are always catching colds, you have a weak immune system. You don't need to boost it, you need to build it. The best immune building herbs are Astragalus and Shitake and Maitake mushrooms. If you take these for 1 year and then for 1 month of every year, you will probably never get a cold again, or anything else for that matter.

Answer 5

Zinc does help, but if you have a sensitive stomach it will give you a stomach ache. Something excellent to take when you start to feel run down like you are getting sick, take olive leaf extract. Take the liquid, not the capsules; the capsules are not strong enough. The olive leaf extract will kill infections in your body. My friend's son is involved in sports in high school, and everytime he started to get a sore throat he would take this 3 to 4 times a day and he would be better and not get sick. There are also some vitamins I have only seen in health food stores called "Wellness Pills" or "Wellness Formula." When you are sick you start out taking like 15 the first day , then gradually taper down. You can take them regularly, 1 or 2 a day, and it will boost your immune system.

Answer 6

Murray's Pill Book Guide to Natural Medicines lists 31 other herbs and vitamins useful in supporting and enhancing immunity.
See also: Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine for a complete section on Immunity.

Answer 7

Glad you asked. A weakened immune system is often caused by poor nutrition. Not that you don't eat enough, you need some nutrition supplements for that boost. Since switching to America's best vitamin/mineral combo I have had no colds and feel much better. Check my story at www.gesundheit.usana.com then email or order at SHOP@. Good luck & good health!

Answer 8

Wow, lots of answers! Herbwizard4u is great, as well as most of the others. I'm even learning stuff I didn't know. I would take all the answers and depending on your history, experiment and see what works. One note: goldenseal was recommended a few times -- it is not an immune booster -- its something you take once you get sick (like an alternative antibiotic). Anyway, keep working with it till you find the one(s) that work for you. Good luck.

Answer 9

Try Eleuthero (formerly called Siberian Ginseng), Astragalus or Reishi Mushrooms. Just so you know, Echinacea works well to mobilize the immune system, but it doesn't "build" it. It is very misunderstood and misused. It is kind of like sending the troops to the front line. Good if you are at war but not good during times of peace. So, when you are not sick, don't take Echinacea. Save it for sickness and it will work much better. Also when taking echinacea, look for Echinacea angustifolia root (not standardized) and you will be shocked at how well it works.

Answer 10

sambucol and Essiac 4-Herb Tea will make sure that never happens again! Trust me I speak from experience. I have all my family and friends on it as well. It's natures way of boosting your immune system. you can get it from herbalhealer.com

Answer 11

Zinc supposedly helps as does Vitamin C and B