Many people are looking for a natural alternative to antibiotics. The overuse of antibiotic drugs has caused an increased growth in "superbugs", which are difficult to treat. My philosophy is that if you use more natural methods to take care of the "little stuff", then maybe when you truly need the intervention of antibiotic drugs, they will work for you. The other concern of using antibiotic drugs is that they destroy the beneficial bacteria in your intestines, causing a lot of problems. Most natural alternatives do no harm to these good bacteria...keeping the intestines and immune system strong. There are some fantastic natural antibiotics available...thy these:
Garlic: The fragrant element of garlic, called "alicin", contains its antibiotic properties. Sorry, but fresh, smelly garlic is the best! Heat destroys some of the medicinal qualities of garlic. So cooking with garlic is still good for you, but fresh garlic is best for medicine. It has been said that one clove of garlic is equal to one dose of penicillin. You will want to take a clove of garlic every four hours, for several days, to truly see the medicinal benefits. I like to chop the garlic fine and put it in a spoonful of honey..."A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down", sings Mary Poppins. Garlic is also available in capsules, not quite as effective as fresh, but easier to take and still worthwhile medicinally.
Echinacea: The angustofolia variety, or white coneflower, is the one with the antibiotic properties of echinacoside. Notice the ending on echinacoside...like homicide...it actively goes after the bacteria to kill it! There is a huge difference in the quality of echinacea on the market. Generally, "you get what you pay for"; so if the price is too cheap - expect the quality to be low also. Also, be sure to purchase echinacea root, not herb, for the highest medicinal benefits. Echinacea is very nice in a tea, or available in tincture or capsule form. It works to stimulate the immune system to fight off sickness or infection. It works best not to take echinacea all the time, but only for short time periods as needed, giving the body a rest break. A suggested schedule might be to take it for two weeks and then rest one week. It works best if you begin taking echinacea at the first sign of symptoms, or when you have been exposed to "something" that is going around.
Goldenseal: It has anitseptic, antibiotic, alterative, and tonic properties. Goldenseal root is usually expensive, so I tend to use it when I need to "pull out the big guns" in fighting something. It has a special affinity to healing the mucous membranes, preventing infections of the skin, and as a tonic for intestinal assimilation. Goldenseal may tend to lower the blood sugar, so hypoglycemics should be careful in using this herb. The herb has a bitter taste, so I like it best in capsule form. It is often used in combination with echinacea. The most active ingredient of goldenseal is hydrazine, which accounts for its chemical effectiveness. Another constituent, berberine which gives its root the wonderful yellow color, is effective against a variety of microbes. Goldenseal grows wild in the woods of Ohio, but could be endangered by over harvesting. Support the organic herb farmers by purchasing goldenseal that they have cultivated.
We have many effective herbs available to kill harmful bacteria and prevent infection. I keep these three herbs in my cupboard all of the time...ready for use. If you need to purchase these for your cupboard, come by the store, or go to my website at: http://www.healthylife-solutions.com
Lisa Purdy is not a physician, and all recommendations are not to be considered diagnosis or prescription. Any information given is for educational purposes only. You are responsible for your own health choices.
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