Reddit mentions: The best echinaceea herbal supplements

Hi, I commented in the general thread about what worked for me. I had a huge hair loss problem and it brought me a lot of anxiety and stress because as a 23-24 year old female who used to have really thick, healthy hair it was disheartening. My hair is thankfully back to normal but it took a while to get it back to peak health. I actually got a haircut this weekend and the hairstylist commented on how healthy and full my hair is. When I told her that I worried about my hair thinning out and hair loss she said that what the last thing I should worry about. But little did she know what had been happening the last two years (I had never gone to that salon before).

I see that you are taking a lot of vitamins, I also take vitamins and have read quite a bit about it.

You are taking vitamin B & D which is really good, but you said you are also taking a multivitamin, and hair/skin/nails vitamin and also want to take Biotin. Just so you know, biotin is a form of vitamin B. You also already take vitamin B and I don’t know if you multivitamin has vitamin B. I am also pretty sure your hair/skin/nails vitamin has biotin or some form of vitamin B. Vitamin B is great for hair, but your body can only absorb/process so much of it.

I would recommend asking your doctor if you should really be taking all of those. I personally would say drop the vitamin B (unless you are taking it because you are vegan, know you are deficient due to a blood test, or it’s a specific kind that your doctor told you you needed). Also, a lot of the times those hair/skin/nails have “filler” ingredients so I would make sure you are getting a reputable kind or skip it all together and just take plain Biotin. You can get it at Whole Foods or amazon for pretty cheap.

In the AM I take: Biotin, vitamin C, vitamin D, ashwagandha, and two of these . In the PM I take: ashwagandha, a probiotic, and magnesium.

I need to check my pill cases but I’m pretty sure that’s it. Also, I learned from a nutritionist that sometimes some vitamins “interact” and if you take them at the same they might prevent one another from being absorbed. I can’t explain it well because I’m not a professional but if you are taking a lot of vitamins that’s something to look into.

Hope this helps!

All tea is good hot to me, but that's just because I love tea in general. But some of the ones that help me relax the most are Lady Grey steeped with lavender flowers (lavender steeped Lady grey makes awesome muffins too btw), and milk and sugar added, or tieguanyin (an oolong) no additions, or genmaicha ( a green tea with toasted rice in it) no additions. The effect of stress relief with these teas isn't so much a particular compound that does anything. It's really just the warmth, the smell, and the taste. Consuming something warm cozy and tasty makes me feel good. Plus antioxidants are just good for you in general. And it's a water based drink, so the hydration is always a plus. It's incredible how much a little water can provide relief some stresses and some headaches.

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Here's a tea that helps for sore throats- this Throat Coat Lemon Echinacea tea, with a little honey added. It soothes my throat way better that cough drops and such. Some other people I've recommended it to have agreed, others find it did nothing for them. Either way if you decide to try it be warned that it tastes...not great. It's not awful either but it's not one I'd drink for the taste. It has licorice root in it and I just don't like licorice.

I hope it helps! The only foods I've noticed don't help me are sugar and other processed grains. If you're still craving something sweet I highly recommend the Atkins brand sweets! They taste amazing and many have little to no sugar! A lot of them also have a good amount of protein!

A word on gluten though, unless you have Celiacs, gluten is fine. There is no such thing as gluten sensitivity. Now you can be allergic to wheat/rye while not having issues with gluten specifically though! Simply switching to whole grain breads helped a lot for me!

One thing that might help your cramps too are herbal supplements! I'm trying this tincture out soon (it's in the mail) but have had great success using other supplements with the same herbs(though I take them more for the mood stabilizing effects). I don't like taking a bunch of pills though so I'm trying out the tincture route. A lot of the reviews specifically mention it relieving cramps! Good luck with the elimination process! Feel free to PM me if you ever need someone to talk to! :)

M cat was crashing due to loss of appetite nd extreme weight loss. I started giving her slippery elm bark and pet probiotics to help with the stomach acid and nausea. It gave her a bit more energy, she literally couldn't walk, but after her first dose I was surprised to find her at my feet in the kitchen an hour later! She only ate tiny amounts but gradually build her strength back up. I fed her anything she would eat. A few days later I gave her a couple of doses of Mirataz and it worked well. She began eating more, getting stronger, and gaining wait. I also started giving her CBD oil from holista pet, which also helps with her appetite. She has made a miraculous turnaround. I know that her disease is terminal, but I want to make sure she has the best quality of life possible. Also, I am going to start making her food with help from BalanceIT, they provide speciality formulated vitamins and recipes, so at least she will be getting high quality meat and better nutrition.

These are tue links to the Slippery Elm Bark and Probiotics I used:

Wholistic Pet Organics Feline Digest-All Plus Supplement, 4 oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005EO5I5E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_tUxCCbRAVJK0Y

Slippery Elm Powder, 4 Oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0049VEB38/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_hVxCCbBEZ1ZZN

Seconding the suggestion for 4-aco-dmt.

I've microdosed 4-aco-dmt for one year (off and on) and it works GREAT. Dosage is 100% controllable and consistent, physically feels clean, without side-effects. Being able to dose very accurately is an important part of microdosing -- adjusting up or down makes it easier to find the "sweet spot".

Here's what you need:

-- 60mg 4-aco-dmt or more

-- a scale accurate to 0.001g (should be $30 on Amazon)

-- a bottle of Propylene Glycol (an edible non-toxic liquid used in cough syrups and candies, less than $10 on Amazon)

-- a small (30ml) amber glass bottle with dropper (I reused a store-bought herbal tincture bottle from Herb Pharm -- looks totally innocuous when traveling -- something like this:https://www.amazon.com/Herb-Pharm-Certified-Organic-Echinacea-x/dp/B00028NR2I)

-- optional, but highly recommended: Amazon sells droppers that have milliliter markings on them. This way you can set dosages very accurately (www.amazon.com/Measured-Marked-Dropper-Boston-Bottles/dp/B01604GLRU/ref=sr_1_11)

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Here's how to do it:

-- make sure your bottle is empty, clean and dry. Fill your bottle with propylene glycol -- not all the way to the very top, leave the neck empty -- this should be very close to 30ml.

-- CAREFULLY weigh out 60 milligrams of 4-aco-dmt: place cigarette paper or some similar smooth untextured piece of paper. "Tare" the scale (put the paper on scale before turning it on, so that it reads zero when fully on). Use a toothpick or the tip of a knife to scoop exactly 60 milligrams onto paper. Be careful, precision matters.

-- CAREFULLY put 4-aco-dmt into bottle. Add marked dropper, close, and shake repeatedly. The 4-aco-dmt doesn't dissolve right away, it may take two days or so to dissolve fully. Leave it out and shake it a few times a day, until you don't see any solids in the liquid. (The liquid is active right away, but for consistency's sake, best to wait until fully dissolved.)

-- Store bottle in fridge, if possible. Shake before use! Best is to open bottle, drain stopper into bottle, re-close, then shake, then measure dosage.

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Now you have a bottle of tincture with 2 milligrams of 4-aco-dmt in every milliliter. In the fridge, it should stay potent for 6 months or more.

You should start your mom on 0.5ml (half-dropper) every 4th day (that's 1mg 4-aco-dmt / dose). Adjust her dose up or down as needed. I microdose in the range 0.5mg (one-quarter dropper) up to 2mg (one full dropper), but usually 1mg (half-dropper) -- that's just what works for me.

Hi, yes of course! So, he gave me his special supplier stuff, but I looked at the labels, and this is roughly the same (and cheaper):

Adrenal complex - I took something like this 2x a day.

http://www.amazon.com/Jarrow-Formulas-Adrenal-Optimizer-Count/dp/B0015ZW6QA

Dandelion extract - I used this 2x daily, starting on day 15 of my cycle (ovulation). This really helped to relieve the mood swings that came with my late cycle. He said it would help me "conjugate my hormones". Whatever you say, doc!

http://www.amazon.com/Natures-Answer-Alcohol-Free-Dandelion-1-Fluid/dp/B000I4DH08/ref=sr_1_1

Progesterone cream - he said this would help support my low progesterone. I'll be honest - it did nothing for me.

http://www.amazon.com/Foods-Progesterone-Cream-Lavender-Ounces/dp/B0019LTGTA/ref=sr_1_6

Adrenal complex + dandelion extract worked for me. I don't know if it's right for you, but maybe it will give you some idea do what to try!

Before he gave me any of this, I did a saliva hormone test. It was pretty gross spitting into little vials every day, but he said it gave him a good look at my cortisol levels.

Please keep us updated!

ABSOLUTELY. I've struggled with acne since my pre-teens, and have tried every treatment under the sun. Accutane, retin-a, laser treatments, all sorts of creams and techniques, and nothing has worked to truly eradicate my acne. However, a few months ago I wondered the same thing as you, and did some research on probiotics that could help regulate my gut and hopefully tackle my acne once and for all.

I purchased the Gaia Source probiotic from Amazon because it has four different types of probiotics. I've been taking it once a day for the past two months, and I have not had a single breakout since. I can't stress how unprecedented this is. I've usually had at least a pimple a week, sometimes more, since I was 12 years old (I'm now 25).

I hope I'm not jinxing myself by spreading the news, haha, but honestly since I've been so frustrated by every other option out there, I want other people to know about this! Now, I've never had all the issues you've described, so I would definitely follow through on visiting a doctor who will be able to give you the best recommendations.

Good luck!

There are definitely some questionable (and contradictory) recommendations on here.

1. EmergenC doesn't do anything once you are already feeling symptoms of a cold/flu. Vitamin C isn't going to hurt you, but it's not going 'cure' or eradicate whatever you've got.
   
   
2. A lot of people are recommending sleep and lots of fluids (water). This is HUGE. I also recommend exercising. I always feel better after breaking a good sweat. Do what's right for you.
   
   
3. (ZINC) I was getting sick before a big test I had spent months studying for last fall. My mom brought me these wellness supplements from Whole Foods. They are a little expensive (I think ~$30/bottle), but man did they work. Check the dosage recommendations on the back, but I think I maxed out at taking 12 of these a day. My roommate, in pharmacy school, tells me one of the main ingredients is zinc that starts to get rid of some of your symptoms. Increasing my zinc intake did make me nauseous in the morning, but it kept me alive during a crucial week of my life. Give it a try if you're desperate.
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Source-Naturals-Bio-Aligned-Wholefood-Multivitamin/dp/B000GFSVI2/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1523287597&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=wellness+formula&psc=1&smid=A2N44LUYOJDE0S
   
   Good luck!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000GFSVI2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_GMMyCbB6D8Z2T

Wellness Formula is amazing, I highly recommend it. It’s got all the vitamins and minerals that you and others have mentioned, plus more. You can take it as a daily dose which honestly sounds like would be good for you at least during the winter, and then the back of the bottle recommends, I believe, tripling it if you start feeling another virus coming on. Maybe even amp up the dose if you are around a coworker or client you suspect to be sick, too.

I had this issue back when I used to teach in preschool so I totally know where you’re coming from, and hope this helps!!

You aren't a smoker, right?

This is the supplement I take to get my fenugreek in every day:

http://www.amazon.com/Gaia-Herbs-Lactation-Support-Phyto-Capsules/dp/B00F1J8HUA/ref=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1453244980&sr=1-1&keywords=gaia+lactation+support

Not saying that you have to buy it from Amazon, but that's a great price.

Fenugreek lends a sweeter taste to breast milk, and the marshmallow in there makes breastmilk creamier. Take 1 3 times a day, and make sure that you're getting adequate water and fresh fruit intake!

Thanks so much for your advice!! I actually looked up a bit about the echinacea after I saw your first comment and saw a few articles about how to go a week on a week or 2 off so they dont build up a tolerance to it.

I tried looking on amazon and I found this: https://www.amazon.com/Herb-Pharm-Certified-Organic-Alcohol-Free-Echinacea/dp/B0012XCT4O/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1493674931&sr=8-1&keywords=childrens%2Bliquid%2Bechinacea&th=1

Its a childrens kind thats alcohol free. Do you think that would be okay? I am going to take mine to the vet still just to make sure that hes okay and he gets the meds he needs. But it would be nice to have this stuff too in case of flare ups.

It sounds idiotic but go buy him some of this. The stuff works better than you can believe. They will help him to relax and not get so worked up. I promise, you won't be sorry.

Source Naturals Wellness Formula Bio-Aligned Vitamin Herbal Defense Complex Immune System Support & Immunity Booster

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000GFSVI2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_CoC8AbNGYD89N

I've been taking these for a few years and i swear by them. Highly rated on Amazon.

I would introduce nootropics one at a time so you know what each one does to you. I personally take them in the morning with food to avoid stomach upset.

I don't use creatine regularly because I bought a powder a while back and it has an extremely sour/bitter taste. I would try to get capsules of creatine or mix it with something really sweet.

You can definitely mix l-theanine powder into a shake and drink that. It tastes a little sweet. If you find it works for you, you may want to invest in a weighing machine and just buy the l-theanine powder in bulk. I don't know about caffeine.

I definitely felt Bacopa's effects when I took it as drops. It has a very bitter taste but I could tolerate it better than creatine. I would definitely dilute the drops or the pills from the tablets in water.

I wouldn't buy supplements off eBay. lol


Solaray Mullein Leaf 330mg | Herbal Support for Healthy Respiratory, Bronchial & Immune Function | Vegan | 100 ct https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0012HJI30

its an herbal supplement that's supposed to help relieve cramps. the taste/smell is horrid but i definitely feel that it helps me with some pain relief.
This is the one I get: https://www.amazon.com/Herb-Pharm-Extract-Musculoskeletal-Support/dp/B0016B7TC4#customerReviews

here's a comprehensive list of things to try

http://vaginapagina.livejournal.com/16972050.html#cutid1

I've hear good things about cramp bark and I have decent results with raspberry leaf supplements, I take vitamin e and it does make my flow lighter/less crampy

cramp bark

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0016B7TC4/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00065KDWY&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0Q3J2PKZJVDP2A7RF661

herbal teas with raspberry leaf and raspberry leaf + other stuff that helps

http://www.amazon.com/Yogi-Womans-Herbal-Supplement-16-Count/dp/B0009F3QLQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317620516&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Yogi-Womans-Raspberry-Supplement-16-Count/dp/B0009F3SFK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317620544&sr=8-1

You should look at Passionflower extract. It has been shown to be effective when coming off of opiates to reduce withdrawal symptoms, perhaps it can help in this instance as well. It also is pretty handy for anxiety in general and panic attacks.

When I came off antidepressants I went cold turkey and under my own direction....Wouldn't recommend it to my worst enemy.

Not trying to scare you, just saying how not to do it. You're doing it the right way, finding something to fill the void. I recommend working with your doctor on tapering and ending the dosage. Good luck

Some info on passionflower: http://universityhealthnews.com/daily/depression/passionflower-benefits-anti-anxiety-and-insomnia-without-the-side-effects/

The extract I use: Herb Pharm Certified Organic Passionflower Extract for Mild and Occasional Anxiety - 1 Ounce https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006O2KOO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_uL2yybRM47Q64

Spanish sage correct? Where do you recommend buying from? Amazon?

I originally was going to make a tincture myself however I found that premade tinctures were sold a better price at my local health food store. The brand I use is Herb Pharm and is a lot more concentrated then would be practical to make at home. I usually used a few drops up to a few tsp daily in smoothies and tea when I used it.

Mild rebound anxiety was an experience I and a few friends got after using daily for several months. It wasn't that bad but took a little bit of time to normalize.

http://amzn.com/B0006O2KOO - passion flower extract

Wellness Formula - Take according to directions as soon as you start to feel a cold coming on. I usually skip 3 of 4 colds completely, and the ones I don't I get minimal symptoms. It can be complimented with Echinacea & Goldenseal, Colloidal Silver, and Oregano Oil for colds that just won't go away.

Why is this stuff so great? Medications treat the symptoms only. Wellness gives your immune system what it needs to work (what you should be getting from your diet, but most Americans aren't). Your immune system ends up defeating the cold almost immediately.

I just queried Google (not really knowing what I was looking for) and used the handy "Shopping" link on the left and ended up at an Amazon vendor selling at $12.50/lb

iBuyHerb via Amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/Wormwood-Herb-Wildcrafted-Cut-Sifted/dp/B002DY1G7W/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1481956799&sr=8-3&keywords=wormwood

http://www.amazon.com/Wormwood-Herb-Wildcrafted-Cut-Sifted/dp/B002DY1G7W/ref=pd_sim_sbs_hpc_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0JT77NK821F3ZWJ5Q50F

I highly reccomend Gaia Phytoliquid caps - https://www.amazon.com/Gaia-Herbs-Basil-Liquid-Phyto-Capsules/dp/B007W8O8J2/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1473553813&sr=8-1&keywords=gaia+holy+basil

I use Gaia, specifically this one: https://www.amazon.com/Gaia-Herbs-Basil-Liquid-Phyto-Capsules/dp/B00F1J8EQ2

They have a 60-count, too.

https://www.amazon.com/Herb-Pharm-Certified-Organic-Lavender/dp/B0001TL6FS/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1498245396&sr=8-1&keywords=lavender+tincture

I think I definitely missed the train on this, but if you can, find throat spray that has licorice root in it. It tastes like death (or rotten celery, depending on who you ask), but I find it works fantastic for my throat.

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Here's an amazon link to the stuff I use:

https://www.amazon.com/Singers-Saving-Strength-Original-Herbs/dp/B0015PDL1Y