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Herbs to Combat Colds and Viruses
Winter and spring are both obvious times for combating colds and viruses with your horses and yourselves and there are four different categories of herbs that can be utilised to help you.
Firstly there are herbs that stimulate the immune system to help fight infection and are used to prevent colds. Echinacea and Asian ginseng are two examples in this category.
Secondly there are herbs that promote a mild fever, hence sweating (known as diaphoretics) that may be useful. Because a fever is a sign of the immune system working, it may be that diaphoretics are also immune stimulators like the first category. Elder, boneset and yarrow are three examples.
The third category includes herbs that may directly kill the viruses that cause colds, based on test tube studies. Goldenseal, myrrh and usnea are examples. Usnea has been used medicinally for a 1000 years.
Some herbs are used just to alleviate symptoms such as sore throats. These herbs tend to be high in mucilage and are soothing and anti-inflammatory or have tannins that are astringent. Marshmallow and red raspberry are two examples. Symptom-relieving herbs may have other active constituents and mechanisms of actions. As you can see in the following list, many herbs fit in more than one category, such as goldenseal (immune stimulating and antiviral).
Immune-stimulating:
Asian ginseng, astragalus, boneset, echinacea, eleuthero, goldenseal, hyssop, linden, schisandra, wild indigo.
Diaphoretic:
Boneset, elder flower, hyssop, linden, yarrow.
Symptom-relieving Astringent (soothe sore throat):
Blackberry, blueberry, red raspberry.
Mucilage (soothe sore throat):
Marshmallow, mullein.
Reduce nasal stuffiness:
Eucalyptus, peppermint.
Relieve aches and pains:
Meadowsweet.
Miscellaneous sore throat relief:
Sage, yarrow.
Echinacea is a particularly popular herb for treating colds and viruses in horses. It fights infections, reduces symptoms of colds and flu, stimulates the immune system and heals minor wounds and burns. It is said to normalise the number of white blood cells in the blood and helps them surround and destroy bacteria and viruses, It also helps flush toxins away from infected areas. Echinacea is generally considered safe, although an allergic reaction is always a possibility. Discontinue use if you experience any adverse effects.
Garlic is another very popular herb amongst horse owners and wonderful for combating illnesses. Garlic was worshipped by the ancient Egyptians, chewed by Greek Olympian athletes and thought to be essential for keeping vampires at bay!
Garlic is an antibiotic that can actually kill infecting bacteria and at the same time protect the body from the poisons that are causing the infection. It is known that the most sensitive bacterium to garlic is the deadly Bacillus anthracis which produces the poison anthrax. Even the forefather of antibiotic medicine Louis Pasteur acknowledged garlic to be as effective as penicillin.
Finally Rosehips are a must for fighting off the winter ills. They are a rich source of vitamin C as well as vitamin A, thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, vitamin K.
Rosehips make an excellent spring tonic and are very useful for general debility and illness. Used with other herbs Rosehips will help horses return to health after illness. The high vitamin C content will help to fight infection and build up the body's defences. They also contain biotin and flavanoids for optimum hoof health.
Rosehips play a major role in kidney rehabilitation and adrenal function and can be used to prevent Azoturia or "tying up". Rosehips can be fed directly in a granulated form or made into a tea by steeping in boiling water and poured over the horses feed.. The dosage for a horse in work is one litre of water with a dessertspoon of rosehips per day, fed grounds and all.
So for all the winter and spring ills that may attack you or your horses, remember nature has provided a big list of possible remedies to get you through. Visit our shopping page to see both the dried echinacea herb and a wonderful organically certified echinacea extract.
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