Echinacea: Protects Against Secondary Lung Infections Caused by Flu Virus

Currently as this is being typed there is increasing hysteria about this year’s flu season. Last week The New England Journal of Medicine reported that the flu vaccine is about 10% effective.

Doctors not only worry about the flu the symptoms, but the aftermath of the virus. Quite often the flu virus leaves the body susceptible to bacterial infections such as pneumonia, which is the leading cause of mortality after an influenza infection.
This cold and flu season, which already seems like a violent one, you can help your chances of staying healthy by taking Echinacea Purpurea. Echinacea has been used for centuries for the prevention and treatment of upper respiratory conditions. Earlier in 2017 it was discovered to help our immune response by optimizing white blood cells, improving our natural killer cells that attack viruses, and regulating the inflammatory process.

Recently a study was published that showed Echinacea helped prevent secondary bacterial lung infections commonly after a battle with the flu. The virus leaves the body more susceptible by improving the attaching ability of the bacteria to the cells and the breakdown of the physical barrier due to inflammation, which may create perfect conditions for co-infections.

Echinacea prevented or weakened the bacteria’s ability to attach to the cells. It also showed an ability to regulate the inflammatory process thus preventing the breakdown of the physical barrier. These results indicate that Echinacea has the potential to reduce the risk of secondary lung infections by preventing virus-induced bacterial attachment and through the regulation of inflammation.

It seems Echinacea is a great for immune system support, whether you take it as a preventative or treatment. It’s worth mentioning that your body needs to be able to utilize the Echinacea properly. Your immune system as great of a job that it does isn’t the one giving orders to utilize any supplement that we may take. That job goes to the nervous system. You see… it is the nervous system’s job to tell all the immune system cells where to go and what to do. Without their boss the immune system is rendered useless. Many of my patients know this and choose to be checked frequently for any structural shifts that may be harming their nervous system. By keeping their spine free of structural shifts, you keep the nervous system optimized and ready for whatever your environment may throw at you.

For more information, contact Maximum Chiropractic in Eureka today.