Irnldy001

So I have been battling colds and flus for the past 3 months. FIne, suffer, etc. I take a pill form of echinacea and though it seems to do nothing I take it anyway. I went to a homeopathic doctor who told me it was a waste of time as the echinacea in dried form is 'dead' and that I needed to get an echinacea tincture (live echinacia in suspension).
I went to the health food store (Ontario so I generally never have to worry about alcohol at all as it is a controlled substance). The label said to put thirty drops into a quarter cup of water, swish around and then drink
As soon as it hit my mouth I was overwhelmed with:
1)the taste of what I think lawn cuttings might taste like
2) pine needles
3) ALCOHOL

I managed to mostly spit it out and a few drops got in the back of my throat. When I went to read the label much closer (and with my reading glasses, natch) I found that the suspension was 70% alcohol. WTH???????

I have been sober since Jan8 2015. I feel so betrayed. I am NOT changing my sober date as this was not my choice and I did not get drunk - threw the whole expensive mess out. But how many things are sneaking into our remedies etc?????

Anyone else experience this???

JD

I think all tincture's will be alcohol based. I certainly don't think you need to change your sober date because of it.

ScottFromWI

Yes, the term "tincture" generally refers to an alcoholic extract of plants/herbs. But I'd also say it's simply a lesson learned, not intentional consumption. Just be a little more wary of labels down the road, right?

least

Yes, tinctures are alcohol-based. Chalk it up to a lesson learned and just read the label next time. I wouldn't change your sobriety date as it was accidental and not continued.

Anna

Yup, lots of things in health food stores have alcohol in them and they are not controlled by government, as far as I know.

Rar

I wouldn't change your sobriety date. As Scott says, "it wasn't intentional consumption." Awesome job with over a year sober.

Andante

I agree with everyone's responses so far.

Just wanted to say that I remember when that liquid echinacea stuff was all the rage about 20 years ago. Everyone at my workplace was taking it. The brand was called "Insure Herbal," I believe. It was quite the fad. You had to take it or risk being ostracized.

As far as I know, it didn't have any measurable effect on anyone's cold or flu frequency, but it sure tasted terrible.