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A Natural way to cure the common cold
Each year, are you one of the millions of people that are bogged down with the common cold? Doctors are quick to prescribe different medications to try and alleviate your symptoms, but have you ever considered taking a more holistic approach.

Just recently has the idea of all natural medicine taken off. If you think back, how did people in 1600s overcome the common cold? They were very innovative with their gather of all natural supplements. And since modern medicine has taken over, the holistic approach is often over looked.

But now doctors are trying to regress to the age old tradition of using an all natural approach. Echinacea is a popular herb used to reduce the symptoms and duration of the common cold.

In fact, according to the American Business Journal, Americans spent upwards of $155 Million on Echinacea in 2004.

However a study was recently released finding that Echinacea has no effect on the prevention of the common cold. This three year study spent over $2.2 Million to conclude to insufficient evidence to support this claim that Echinacea was used to provide as a preventative for the common cold.

The study was met with a lot of criticism because there were some glitches in the process that they were using. Critics claimed that there was a lower dose than what is usually recommended. Herbalists and doctors often recommend a daily dose of 300mg at the first sign of a cold.

Also, this study was criticized for its concentration on only one type of Echinacea. Different types of Echinacea have different types of effect on the immune system. And when the study was conducted they only tested one kind of Echinacea and disregarded testing the others. The tested the most generic form of Echinacea, and it is not refined enough to be specific to help any type of cold.

While the media was quick to put a halt on the advocacy for Echinacea, there are still some benefits that you can get from taking the holistic approach.

Echinacea, at the proper dose has been known to help treat the common cold and may be the integral reason why people are constantly over coming the common cold.

Most people do not make it through the winter with at least one occurrence of the common cold. Try to help yourself this year, and start taking a recommended dosage of Echinacea daily to prevent the onset of a cold.

Echinacea can not only help you beat the common cold, but it can be used to treat all seasonal allergies as well. Echinacea is believed to stimulate the immune system, therefore, it can help boost your metabolism to get through a cold faster. Now, doctors prescribe you with a cure for your illness, and then on top of that they will prescribe Echinacea to help the medicine go to work faster.

There are little to no side effects when taking Echinacea. Some people who have seasonal allergies may experience some of the same symptoms to that of a person with seasonal allergies. But when it comes to taking Echinacea to help alleviate the common cold, the benefits outweigh the negatives as far as symptoms go.