All About Umcka

WHAT IS UMCKA?

The South African geranium root (Pelargonium sidoides), or “Umckaloabo,” has been used for hundreds of years by traditional South African tribal healers to remedy colds and respiratory infections, but was only introduced to the Western world in the 1890s by a young Englishman named Charles Stevens. The root was first brought to Europe by Stevens after he traveled to South Africa to find relief from his tuberculosis. When a Zulu healer gave Stevens the geranium root, his symptoms disappeared and he returned to Europe tuberculosis free. Stevens began importing the root from South Africa and sold in England under the name, “Stevens Consumption Cure.” He was soon shut down by the English Medical Association, but the word was out and soon doctors starting performing experiments with Umcka.

In the 1920s Swiss doctor Adrien Sechehaye acquired a supply of the root from Stevens and began conducting (and documenting) studies on his tuberculosis patients, finding impressive results. He began prescribing the remedy to his TB patients through the 1920s. But when antibiotic drugs came into favor in the 1940s, Umcka fell to the wayside until the 1970s, when the ineffectiveness of antibiotics resulting from overuse led German researchers to look for alternatives. Today, the root is available in extract form. Its use is indicated for acute and chronic infections of the respiratory tract, including the common cold, bronchitis, tonsillitis, and sinusitis.

UMKCA’S COLD-FIGHTING BENEFITS How Does It Work?

The common cold is an upper respiratory tract infection caused by a virus. Possible symptoms include nasal congestion, sneezing, runny nose, headache, and a scratchy throat. Although a cold should not last more than seven to 10 days on its own, the possibility of a secondary “super infection,” either by virus or bacteria, is cause for concern. Secondary infection occurs when symptoms start off as a cold but progress into something more severe, such as sinusitis, bronchitis, or tonsillitis. This is where Umcka’s properties really shine.

Studied in the lab, the active constituents of Umcka showed immune-strengthening and antibacterial properties. What happened when researchers performed clinical trials with humans? Great infection-fighting results. Numerous studies have proven the effectiveness of Umcka. For example, a study using 476 subjects compared Umcka to a placebo in supporting adults with acute bronchitis. Bronchitis is most often caused by a virus, not bacteria; therefore, antibiotics are ineffective against it. It is characterized by thickened mucus in the chest, coughing, inflammation of the bronchial tubes, and a whistling sound during breathing. Using Umcka significantly reduced the severity of symptoms, such as coughing, headaches, and chest pain. The amount of work missed due to the illness was also shortened by two days. Side effects, such as gastrointestinal upset, were slightly more common with Umcka than with the placebo; however, overall the few reactions (less than one percent) experienced were very mild.

Another study using 143 children, aged 6 to 10, with tonsillitis, found similar results. After four days, the symptoms experienced by those taking Umcka decreased almost four times as much as those on the placebo. Those taking Umcka had far better symptom-relief from swelling of the throat, tonsils, and lymph nodes, difficulty swallowing, fever, painful limbs, and headaches. The investigators found freedom from symptoms or marked improvements on day four in almost 90 percent of those subjects using Umcka, while only 17 percent of those taking the placebo had similar results. In fact, a quarter of the participants taking Umcka experienced an improvement after one to two days. The researchers concluded that Umcka is effective, well tolerated, and safe for the initial treatment of non-streptococcal tonsillitis.

Umcka works on several different levels when combating a cold and the possibility of more serious respiratory infections

Boosts Natural Immunity

Umcka has the ability to stimulate the production of important immune substances, such as interferon and tumor necrosis factor. Interferon’s job is to send a signal to nearby cells that a virus is in the area, and, if the cells become infected, they are ordered to self-destruct. This act prevents the virus from replicating within the cell, thus infecting the surrounding cells. Tumor necrosis factor destroys virus-infected cells and sparks other immune cells into action. The ability of Umcka to strengthen overall immunity and promote cells to become virus-resistant is very important in preventing and healing respiratory infections.

Reduces Adhesion

Umcka has been found to block the adhesion of viruses and bacteria to the mucus membranes in the body. For any virus or bacteria to cause an infection, it must latch onto a tissue inside the body; therefore, if the bug is blocked from attaching, the infection either does not manifest, or stops spreading.

Expectorant

Umcka works as natural expectorant, helping to eliminate excess mucus from the respiratory tract. This helps alleviate annoying symptoms and make a less-hospitable breeding ground for further infections.

STOP THE LOSS!

In the United States, 42 million work and school days are lost each year due to the common cold. But now we have a clinically-proven, infection-fighting herbal remedy at our fingertips to help shorten the duration of sick days. At the first sign of infection, reach for Umcka, follow the directions on the bottle, and know you are on your way to recovery!