We have been given us many natural wonders to treat the common ailments that this fallen world often bestows upon us. Here is your quick guide to the world of natural antibiotics. These natural solutions can help you avoid the side effects from conventional prescription antibiotics, as well as a trip to the doctor’s office!
Goldenseal
Goldenseal is another herb that is often found in herbal antibiotic formulas. It has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. It is often used by herbalists to treat sinus infections, vaginal infections, ear infections and sore throats. It can be taken internally and used as a gargle or vaginal wash. The Clayton College Herb Guide warns, however, that it should not be taken during pregnancy, as it may stimulate uterine contractions. It also lowers blood sugar levels and should not be taken by hypoglycemics.
Myrrh
Myrrh has been used by herbalists for centuries and is even mentioned in the Bible. It is antiseptic, antibiotic and antiviral. It can be taken internally, used as a gargle or used as a wash for wounds. The Herb Guide recommends myrrh for bad breath, bronchitis, mouth sores and sore throats. It is a healing agent and helps increase white blood cell counts. Although, it warns not to use myrrh for more than 2 weeks as it is harsh on the kidneys.
APPLE CIDER VINEGAR–The Old time Cure-All
It’s great for salads, as a disinfectant, and as a window cleaner. But did you know that it is also great for your health?
Apple cider vinegar (“ACV”) – organic, raw, and with the mother. Its many health benefits and touted healing properties are astounding.
Apple Cider Vinegar, that wonderful old-timers home remedy, cures more ailments than any other folk remedy — we’re convinced! From the extensive feedback we’ve received over the past 8 years, the reported cures from drinking Apple Cider Vinegar are numerous. They include cures for allergies (including pet, food and environmental), sinus infections, acne, high cholesterol, flu, chronic fatigue, candida, acid reflux, sore throats, contact dermatitis, arthritis, and gout. Apple Cider Vinegar also breaks down fat and is widely used to lose weight. It has also been reported that a daily dose of apple cider vinegar in water has high blood pressure under control in two weeks!
It provides vitamins A, B6, C and E, which the body needs to fight off infection and disease (see Resources). It also contains high levels of calcium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus and potassium minerals. A deficiency of any of these minerals hinders a child’s healthy growth and development. Pectin, a dietary fiber, is another essential nutrient that can be obtained from apple cider vinegar.
For an adult, drink 1-2 tablespoons diluted in 4-6 ounces of water or juice (must be diluted or it can burn) 3 times a day. For children, prepare 1 tablespoon in 6 ounces of juice 3 times a day.
In addition to being used orally, apple cider vinegar can be used for vaginitis, urinary tract/bladder infections, and other female problems that would normally cause the use of antibiotics. Add 3 cups of pure apple cider vinegar to bath water and soak in the tub for twenty minutes.
A gargle formulated from a 40/60 solution of apple cider vinegar and water is a centuries-old folk remedy for oral thrush. For younger children, a cotton swab saturated in the solution is used to apply it to the tongue and inner cheeks.
Read more: http://greentidings.blogspot.com/2010/03/your-pantry-cure-all-apple-cider.html
GARLIC–THE EAR INFECTION ANTIBIOTIC
Garlic is the most potent natural antibiotic. Eating at least one clove of raw garlic each day can prevent a multitude of infections. It contains allicin which is similar to penicillin. As powerful antibiotics lose their punch against “superbugs” such as vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), scientists are searching for new antimicrobial agents from natural sources. Allicin, the major component of garlic, is one such agent, and it was recently shown to be potent against VRE and MRSA in two studies
Garlic juice or oil has been used in traditional folk medicine to relieve pain associated with ear infections. Garlic was often mixed with other herbal oils like mullein and used as ear drops to help to treat otitis media, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
One particular study wanted to determine if garlic ear drops were as effective as prescription ear drops and antibiotic treatment on ear infections. The study discovered that ear drops were associated with greater pain relief after three days of treatment, irrespective of antibiotic treatment.
A 2001 double-blind study published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine found that garlic drops helped to relieve pain from acute ear infection, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Reported in the journal Pediatrics in 2003, the second study had similar results in children.
You can eitherstop by your local natural health store (just stop there instead of the pharmacy!) and purchase garlic ear drops or make your own at home for a fraction of the cost!
Rose Water
After rose petals are distilled for their precious oil, what remains is rose water. Like garlic, it is one of the oldest antibiotics. It is also part of the oldest cosmetics. Rose water, combined with beeswax, is more commonly known as “cold cream.” Today synthetic materials are used, but the best is made from the real ingredients.
Use rose water to refresh dry skin, as a tonic, flavoring for pastries, ice cream and more. Yup, organically grown roses are edible. Candied rose petals were a favorite among Victorian ladies. They can be found today, along with rose petal ice cream. Pricey, but de-licious!
One ancient use was as a wound cleanser.
Read more: Remedies that Still Work
Garlic Ear Oil Drops
Dian Dincin Buchman writes in her book, “Ancient healing secrets: practical cures from Egypt, China, India, South” that garlic oil drops have been used for centuries to treat ear infections. In fact, the Greek army of Alexander took back the Egyptian remedy of garlic oil for ear drops to Greece. Dincin Buchman writes to place 4 to 5 drops in each ear, one at a time. You can also soak the oil in a cotton ball and place inside the ear.
To make:
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Simmer garlic in olive oil over very low heat (or use double-boiler if your pan/stove won’t go very low, otherwise you will end up instead with deep-fried garlic!) for about 5 minutes. Strain and pour into a small glass bottle. Use with a dropper from an old medicine bottle or from the pharmacy. Place 2-3 drops in the infected ear 3 times/day. You may also put a small cotton ball slightly inside the ear to give the garlic more time to heal.
To provide additional pain relief, you can add mullein leaf to the garlic/oil mixture in the pan. Additionally, you may want to put drops in each ear, not just the infected one, in case the other one may be progressing towards infection.
If you’re still breastfeeding and have a baby with an ear infection, natural health experts and many chiropractors also recommend putting a few drops of breastmilk into baby’s infected ear three times daily. While this may sound strange at first, it’s incredibly easy, on-hand, and we must remember the amazing power of mother’s milk! It is also Dr. Mercola’s recommended treatment for ear aches and infections.
OREGANO OIL–THE STREP-THROAT ANTIBIOTIC
Oregano Oil is a proven natural antibiotic. Oregano contains elenoic acid, a powerful antibiotic and antiviral compound. Oil from the common herb oregano may be an effective treatment against dangerous, and sometimes drug-resistant bacteria, a Georgetown researcher has found. Two studies have shown that oregano oil—and, in particular, carvacrol, one of oregano’s chemical components—appear to reduce infection as effectively as traditional antibiotics.
It is commonly used for strep throat and has been shown to even help overcome superbugs caused by antibiotic resistance. Place 2 drops in 6 ounces of water and gargle 3 times/day. It is also commonly used to treat sinusitis. According to Dr. Mercola and his research, it also helps stave off colds and flu.
It was also discovered that a study from 2003 in which doctors tested the efficacy of prescription antibiotic treatment for strep throat. They found that “Penicillin treatment was not more beneficial than placebo in resolving symptoms of sore throat.”
(Full study can be seen here: http://www.bmj.com/content/327/7427/1324.full)
Read more : http://www.earthclinic.com/Supplements/oregano-oil.html
Olive Leaf Extract
Olive leaf, like many other natural antibiotics, is also a good antiviral, making it an excellent choice when the nature of the microbe is not completely known. Drs. O. and B. Lee at the Department of Biomedical Science at CHA University in Korea, found that olive leaf extract was potent against various microbes. Additionally, their research showed olive leaf exhibited free radical scavenging abilities. Free radicals are linked with aging and disease.
Colloidal Silver
This natural product comes about as close as possible to a broad-spectrum prescription antibiotic like penicillin but without the risks. It has been used for thousands of years for a vast amount of illnesses and ailments. American pioneers found that putting pure silver coins or silverware in their water barrels would keep it free of dangerous bacteria. Just some of the things it works well for are ear infections, colds, urinary tract infections, warts, and so much more.
In the past several decades, research has shown colloidal silver can even eradicate antibiotic-resistant microbes like MRSA , the Avian Influenza (bird flu), and Human Corona virus (SARS).
Unfortunately, it has recently got some bad attention due to the media focusing on a few people whose skin has turned a bluish-grayish tint as a result of using homemade silver in large doses.
The fact is that these people are not an accurate representation of what can happen when using colloidal silver. Many people eat carrots; I even know one guy who turned orange temporarily as a result of consuming large amounts of carrot juice as part of his cancer regimen. Does that mean that everyone who eats carrots will turn orange? Similarly, colloidal silver in its proper form used as directed is a much, much safer alternative to prescription antibiotics without any side effects.
For more information on the different forms of silver available and which one is best to use with no concern of causing argyria (turning blue), check out Dr. Mercola’s article here:http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/02/05/new-guidelines-released-for-safe-usage-of-colloidal-silver-supplements.aspx.
Many people wonder why this natural antibiotic, if it’s so effective, is not still used by mainstream medicine. There are two reasons: “The first reason is that true colloidal silver is a Pre-1938 drug (by over fifty years) and so the FDA has stated that it may continue to be marketed (grand fathered). The second reason is that the FDA has no jurisdiction over a pure mineral element.” http://www.quantumbalancing.com/news/cs_universal.htm
The link above has additional information on what colloidal silver is, what it’s history is, and how to use it. This link: has a colloidal silver dosage chart, as well as recommended uses: http://www.colloidalsilverhealth.co.uk/pharma.htm
If you want to know how to make some your self check out: HOW TO: The Healing Power of Colloidal Silver, and How to Make Your Own
TEA TREE OIL–The Skin Solution
Tea tree oil has strong activity against MRSA and other antibiotic-resistant strains. “There is clinical evidence that topical dermatological preparations containing tea tree oil may be more effective than conventional antibiotics in preventing transmission of CA-MRSA.” (The Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, June 30, 2008, Vol. 62, Number 4, pp. 769-772)
For bacterial infections on the skin, such as abcesses and parasitic rashes, tea tree oil can help you avoid the use of antibiotics. This natural antibiotic also has antiviral and antifungal properties.
A report in the Journal of Hospital Infection (2004;56:283–6) found that Tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) preparations may be as effective as drug therapy for the treatment of certain staph (Staphylococcus aureus) skin infections. Unlike other treatment methods, the tea tree oil treatments were well tolerated, with no adverse effects reported.
Tea tree oil is a viable alternative to antibiotic treatment for MRSA skin infections. This finding is especially important as bacterial resistance continues to increase and infections become harder to treat. As of this writing, there have been no reports of MRSA resistance to tree tea oil.
GREEN TEA–NATURAL ANTIBACTERIAL-BOOSTER
As you may remember from last week’s tip, green tea can help antibiotics be three times more effective in fighting drug-resistant bacteria, even superbugs, according to a by researchers at Alexandria University in Egypt. The results surprised the researchers, showing that in almost every case and for all types of antibiotics tested, drinking green tea at the same time as taking the medicines seemed to reduce the bacteria’s drug resistance, even in superbug strains, and increase the action of the antibiotics. In some cases, even a low concentration of green tea was effective.
Unfortunately, researchers are also discovering that in order for it to be effective, consumers have to drink about 4 to 5 cups of green day each day. Fortunately, there’s a better choice. Matcha Green Tea provides the same benefits with only a teaspoon of powder. So if you aren’t likely to drink that many cups of green tea a day, Matcha would be a great choice for numerous health benefits.
Read more: The Tea Tree Skin “Miracle” – The 7 Benefits of Tea Tree Oil
Honey– ANTIBACTERIAL
Raw honey is another GREAT natural antibiotic. Truly raw honey is the only kind that retains its healing benefits and is not often found in grocery stores (with the exception of stores like Whole Foods, Trader Joes, local health food stores, etc.). But remember–the label “organic” on honey does not mean that it is raw. It should specifically say “raw” on the label.
Read more: What’s so Special about Raw Honey?
The best way to get it is by purchasing it from a local beekeeper. Check http://localharvest.org/ to find a local source near you or visit your farmer’s market.
“As an antiseptic, honey is also a drawing agent for poisons from bites or stings or infected wounds, and has outperformed antibiotics in treatments for stomach ulcerations, gangrene, surgical wound infections, surgical incisions and the protection of skin grafts, corneas, blood vessels and bones during storage and shipment.”
But the list doesn’t stop there. For burns, sore throats, osteoporosis, and more, the healing benefits of honey are numerous and proven. A list of raw honey’s health benefits can be seen here:
Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/021506.html#ixzz1kRW8mMlp
In addition to these wonderful natural medicines, remember the value of a healthy immune system. Probiotics, vitamin C and vitamin D3, as well as a diet low in sugar and processed foods will help you avoid illnesses.
Read more: Honey as a Dressing for Wounds, Burns, and Ulcers
This information is not intended to be used in place of advice from your medical doctor.
Read more in depth here: Via: HealthyFamiliesForGod.com