Vogel's Echinaforce
Because not all Echinacea's are the same...
Discovering Echinaforce
While visiting a remote part of South Dakota in the 1950's, Alfred Vogel met Black Elk, a Sioux medicine man, who introduced him to the wonders of Echinacea Purpurea, a natural remedy popular with native Americans for many centuries. Their mutual respect for nature created a bond with black elk sealed with a gift of the precious Echinacea seeds.
Its a long way from the prairies of America to the foothills of the Swiss Alps but it was that Alfred Vogel tended Black Elks gift. In the wholesome soil and good fresh air of Teufen, where he had his clinic, Vogel carefully nurtured the tender seedlings in his organic herb garden. The seeds, so carefully husbanded all those decades ago, provide the firm foundation for the glorious fields of purple-headed stems which grace the Bioforce herb farm in Switzerland. Each is still carefully sown, hand weeded and gently harvested as Alfred Vogel desired.
The Science
Vogel was deeply fascinated by the action of herbs and pursued research projects throughout his career. The tradition that began with a laboratory at the back of his herbal shop continues to this day, as Bioforces research development. The respect Black Elk had for the healing power of Echinacea purpurea can, with modern technology, be shown to have a firm base in sound science.
Growing Echinacea
Seeds are collected each autumn to create the new stock of spring seedlings. These are planted out by hand in our organic fields where the Swiss climate is ideal for cultivating strong, healthy Echinacea plants. Those of you trying to grow Echinacea in the damp, chilly UK climate will be disappointed at how poorly they do compared to the towering Swiss plants.
Organic farming methods have always been used to create the healthy and vibrant plants that flower in our fields each summer. Vogel would not permit insecticides, fungicides or chemical fertilisers to be applied to any of his herbs. We follow this principle to this day, ensuring both the health of the plants and the protection of nature. By cultivating the plants it ensures that wild stocks are not diminished by wild crafting. Hard harvesting ensures that herbs are handled with care. This is usually done just after sunrise, a time when they contain the highest levels of active substances.
Within a very few hours of harvesting, the Echinacea plants find themselves at the first stage of their journey to becoming a fresh herb tincture. This transformation uses a time-honoured and painstaking processing method. Fresh herbs ensure that the active substances present are still at their peak as this avoids the need for storage, fumigation or irradiation. By using alcohol, we are able to achieve a well-balanced extract, locking in all the beneficial properties present in the freshly harvested herb.
As Nature Intended
Once the plants have been harvested, they are taken down the farm track to the factory to be made into herbal extracts. Each batch of Echinaforce is rigorously tested in our laboratories to make sure that all the constituent parts are present in the correct balance. It is the balance of these parts that is so important to the overall effect and safety of the remedy. If you add more of one substance or decide that another isn't important, you will not have the original herb designed by nature. Take nothing out: put nothing in. This is known as holistic standardisation and ensures remedies that will work effectively without fear of side effects.
Bioforce operate to good manufacturing practice standards and have the certification to prove it. Teams of technicians test each batch of each herb many times, to ensure that it is the right herb and in the right balance. modern quality control methods are employed at all points in the manufacture.
Why Echinacea Works...
In comparative tests against other species, Echinacea Purpurea has been shown to be the best at encouraging macrophage activity Echinacea Purpurea works on the bodies immune system, encouraging the T-Cells (that are in charge of recognising pathogens and eliminating them) to do their job more effectively.
Effectively is the word here. Echinacea shouldn't make the immune system work overtime or go into hyper drive and our Echinacea certainly doesn't do that, as it is a balanced extract from the herb and root of healthy, organically cultivated, freshly harvested and expertly processed plants. So the effect you will get from taking Echinacea is better balanced immune system, less likely to let you down by allowing bugs to run riot in your body. Fewer colds and fewer bouts of flu: that is what Echinacea is licensed to bring you.
Echinaforce is:
- Antiviral
- Antibacterial
- Antifungal
- Anti-Inflammatory
Safety
Why Echinaforce is safe
This is one of the best-researched herbs in modern use. Bioforce has
medicines licence for Echinaforce, which can only be gained by proving its
safety and efficacy in clinical trials and by supplying stringent safety data.
Echinaforce is safe to use long term
You can take Echinaforce for prevention illnesses, or for shortening the
life of colds or flu once you have succumbed to them. Obviously , it makes more
sense to use it as a preventative than to wait until you are ill.
Echinaforce is safe to take with Autoimmune Diseases
As it does not stimulate the immune system into hyper drive, Echinaforce is
safe to take in conditions where the immune system is over-reacting. In fact, it
can be very balancing and helpful in these conditions. The only contraindication
with Echinaforce is with immune suppressant drugs - there is clearly no point
taking herbs to improve the efficiency of your immune system whilst taking drugs
to suppress its action.
The Echinaforce Range
Echinaforce Tincture
Made from fresh organic herbs grown in the optimal climate of Switzerland.
Echinaforce is licensed for colds and flu.
Echinaforce Tincture Tablets
Echinaforce
tablets are made from our fresh organic tincture removing the need to
irradiate or fumigate, and providing a full spectrum of active
ingredients. Also licensed for colds and flu.
Echinacea Forte Tablets
Echinacea
Forte tablets are also made from our Echinaforce fresh organic. Each tablet
provides 810mg of whole fresh plant. One or Two tablets are recommended each day
depending on whether you are treating or preventing infection.
Echinacea Complex
A tincture of fresh organic Echinacea purpurea and plantago for children's
coughs and colds which are often accompanied with ear infection and snotty
noses.
Echinacea Junior
A chewable tablet with natural orange flavour for the treatment or
prevention of children's coughs and colds. Echinacea
junior is made from fresh organic tincture of Echinacea Purpurea
Echinaforce today is no different from the original Echinaforce Alfred Vogel prepared 50 years ago - except that people all over the world are now sharing the benefits of this remarkable remedy.
