I previously wrote about Michael Tierra’s Planetary Herbs Course. He knows his stuff.

One of his students was laid low with the flu - the first time she’s been sick in 6 years. Here’s what she said:

I forgot to mention — when Michael found out I was sick he next-day-aired me three formulas, which helped a LOT. I had to laugh to receive four big bags of roots, twigs, leaves and mushroom shavings in the US post. This particular formula instantly cleared my head and lowered my fever.

Finally on Sunday I had to go out and buy some echinacea, though, because the sore throat I had had persisted for 6 days and was acting more and more like an infection. I started hitting it hard and voila — I feel human today. Pain almost all gone. Now I am starting on one of the other formulas Michael sent, which is indicated for lingering symptoms.

I hadn’t been sick in six years, but I’m kind of glad I got sick this time because I needed to be reminded that “I’m a believer” in the power of herbs!

I asked her if I could post this here, and she had more to say:

I can provide specifics on the remedies Michael sent. One thing that always helped me with colds (not bacterial infections, which I think this was) is elderflower tea — lots of it, hot, with honey. It’s one of my personal herbal allies. It is fantastic against viruses. And tastes good, too!

Michael sent me a Chinese patent remedy called Chuan Xin Lian, which is good for what TCM calls wind-heat, which involves fever and sore throat. CXL’s ingredients are anti-viral. It contains andrographis, isatis root and dandelion. The first two are the hard-hitters.

I am a huge fan of Cold-eze bubblegum, but these only help you if you use that at the very first sign of a cold. In fact this along with elderflower and echinacea taken at the first sign of any cold is why I believe I have not been sick in six years… It certainly isn’t because I get a lot of rest, because I don’t!

Of course now we know that echinacea is good for bacterial infections, not really for viruses.

There’s a nasty, nasty flu bug going around, you might want to be prepared. Elderflower isn’t a Oriental herb, but it is commonly available in health food stores. I think I’ll stock up myself.

Added
Anne told me,

just to be clear — Michael didn’t send the elder, that’s something I harvest in the summer and keep around for these sorts of occurrences.

He sent Jing Fang Bai Du San in bulk herb form, which is used in acute, beginning stages of Wind-heat flu

Chuan Xin Lian in pill form, an antiviral formula for Wind-heat symptoms

Xiao Chai Hu Tang Wan, a formula for the lingering symptoms

The reason I started hitting that echinacea was because he taught me that (contrary to popular belief) it can help knock out even advanced bacterial infections, which is what I think what I had turned into. Boy was he ever right.