Let Food Be Your Medicine: 7 Antibiotics From Nature

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Many of us no longer want to jump on the antibiotic bandwagon each time we get a sore throat or infection.

These apprehensions are well-founded considering the more recent occurrences of candida and fungal infections that are thought to be caused by antibiotics, and the fact that diseases seem to be getting smarter each day. When bad bacteria are surviving through multiple Penicillin prescriptions – we’ve got to look elsewhere for answers. That’s where natural antibiotics come into play. Here’s a guide to natural antibiotics.
 
#1 NATURAL ANTIBIOTIC:
GARLIC contains almost 80 sulphur compounds. Organic sulphur is famous for its healing and infection fighting ability. Garlic also contains an extremely powerful sulfuric compound called Allicin which is released whenever garlic cells are crushed, bruised or damaged. Allicin makes garlic one of the most popular natural alternatives to pharmaceutical antibiotics. Like penicillin, garlic allicin kills: bacteria, fungus, microbes and protozoa in the digestive tract, gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, making it the world's most effective and most natural broad spectrum antibiotic. It has been proven in the laboratory to kill every bacteria known, and at the same time, unlike antibiotics, it does not harm your important friendly intestinal flora bacteria.
Reports show during World War I the British soldiers chopped it up and put it on as a battle dressing for infected wounds and today, these records show it was more effective than antibiotics. This is an amazing herb. It also kills viruses, fungi and intestinal parasites.

OLIVE LEAF EXTRACT According to researchers, olive leaf extract is one of greatest natural antibiotics on earth. In addition to its potent antibiotic power, olive leaf extract provides the extra benefit of no side effects. Olive leaf extract has been shown to be effective against E. Coli, Hepatitis A, B, and C, Chlamydia, Giardia, Lyme disease, Influenza, Meningitis, Shigella, Salmonella, Pneumonia, Shingles, and Vaginitis. Dr. Morton Walker has listed more than 100 microorganisms which olive leaf extract can kill effectively.

 
According to Privitera (1996) olive leaf extract acts by many different mechanisms. For example: 1) Olive leaf extract interferes with viral infection by preventing virus shedding, budding, or assembly at the cell membrane. 2) Olive leaf extract penetrates into infected host cells and irreversibly inhibits microbial replication. 3) Olive leaf extract neutralizes retroviruses reverse transcriptase and protease enzymes, which are critical for virus growth and infection. 4) Olive leaf extract interferes with amino acid’s production pathways necessary for viruses and bacteria to grow.

 
In addition to the antibiotic properties of olive leaf extract, researchers think that olive leaf extract also supports the immune system by stimulating the production of immune system cells called phagocytes. Phagocytes can neutralize any abnormal foreign organisms that they find.

RAW - MANUKA HONEY Before the advent of antibiotics, it was not unusual for an experienced medical professional to slather honey on a wound to prevent infection and hasten healing. Manuka is the Maori name for Leptospermum Scoparium, a native tree of New Zealand. Manuka has been used for centuries in traditional Maori folk medicine for treating fevers and colds and healing skin and stomach ailments. Known as "the Healing Honey of the Tea Tree," Manuka possesses strong curative properties derived from powerful antibacterial agents and high mineral content.

According to studies performed at The University of Waikaito, Manuka honey contains a second type of antibacterial activity in addition to hydrogen peroxide activity. This secondary activity is measured in a laboratory on a scale of 1-20 with Manuka honey testing above 10 referred to as “Active Manuka.” Amazingly, this antibacterial activity is unaffected by enzymes in the body that destroy the hydrogen peroxide components. It is also unaffected by light, heat, or time. In fact, experience has shown that some Active Manuka actually increases its level of activity over time.

When used in wound healing, Active Manuka maintains its potency even when diluted over 50 times (as will happen when used on or in the body.) It will also diffuse deeper into skin tissue than the enzymes of other honeys.
Active Manuka has proven to be a powerful antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal agent, killing bugs such as E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Helicobacter pylori. Active Manuka is highly effective against antibiotic-resistant “superbugs” and is often used when traditional methods fail to heal persistent wounds. Because of its exceptional healing powers, Active Manuka is classified as a Therapeutic Good in Australia (the equivalent to a drug registered and approved by the FDA.)

GSE - GRAPEFRUIT SEED EXTRACT For the past twenty-five years, Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE) has been used as an anti-bacterial agent, both internally and externally. To list just a few of its benefits, it is used to support the digestive system, to fight flu and colds, for sore throats, as a yeast infection fighter, to battle plague, to treat wounds, to sterilize skin and other surfaces, as a bacteria fighter, as a douche, for sterilizing water, and for an almost endless lists of other things.

There are no reported side effects. Grapefruit itself can work too well with some medications, causing them to supersize themselves, much more of their attributes getting into the patient's system, causing a potential overdose. The process of obtaining GSE filters out virtually all of the troublesome ingredients, making GSE safe to use with other medications.
Germs don't seem to become resistant to the extract, so it can be used long-term, either for healing a problem, or as a preventative. A study done in Brazil showed that GSE killed one hundred percent of the bacteria on post-operative skin, compared to seventy-two percent killed by alcohol, and ninety-nine percent by commercial surgical soap.

VITAMIN D A string of recent discoveries about the multiple health benefits of vitamin D has renewed interest in this multi-purpose nutrient, increased awareness of the huge numbers of people who are deficient in it, spurred research and even led to an appreciation of it as “nature’s antibiotic.” On issues ranging from the health of your immune system to prevention of heart disease and even vulnerability to influenza, vitamin D is now seen as one of the most critical nutrients for overall health. But it’s also one of those most likely to be deficient – especially during winter when production of the “sunshine vitamin” almost grinds to a halt for millions of people in the United States, Europe and other northern temperate zones.
Of particular interest are findings made recently by OSU scientists that vitamin D induces the “expression” of cathelicidin, an antimicrobial peptide gene. This explains in part how it helps serve as the first line of defense in your immune response against minor wounds, cuts, and both bacterial and viral infections. Experts believe advances in the use of cathelicidin may form the basis for new therapies.
Higher levels of a protein linked to vitamin D have been associated with reduced infections and longer survival of dialysis patients.

VITAMIN C is a water-soluble vitamin that is essential in growth, development and repair of tissues. Therefore it is a very important substance in the process of wound healing. This vitamin also helps in strengthening your immune system thereby increasing your resistance to infection. Moreover, vitamin C acts as an antioxidant, blocking some of the damaging effects of free radicals which are part of the metabolic by-products of our body as a result of exposure to harmful substances.
Dr. Robert Cathcart on the other hand who holds a clinic in Los Altos, California, has been using high doses of vitamin C for years to improve the health condition of his AIDS patients.

Vitamin C is also prescribed by many doctors for their patients with infections and wounds to strengthen resistance and promote healing and tissue repair. Instead of prescribing cold preparations and expectorant medications, some doctors would only recommend increased intake of fluids and vitamin C for patients suffering from colds and cough.

BEE PROPOLIS Antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. It has been used as ointments for healing cuts and wounds and shown to have outstanding value for a wide variety of illnesses. It is also used as a natural alternative to penicillin and other antibiotics. 

While propolis is just now enjoying a rediscovery, its usefulness can be traced back to the time of Hippocrates, who used it to heal sores and ulcers, internally and externally. Through the ages historical documents record its use. Culpepper's Complete Herbal refers to ointments of Propolis for inflammation and fever. In WWII, it was used by the Soviet Union to treat battle wounds. Propolis is an excellent natural antibiotic and immune system booster. Synthetic antibiotics carry with them side effects - propolis, a natural antibiotic, has no such side effects. Propolis has also been shown to fight bacterial strains that have become resistant to synthetic antibiotics.

What to Put on a Wound:

Raw Manuka honey
Collodial Silver
Goldenseal
Pascalite Clay
Grapefruitseed extract
Calendula

Herbs that Contain Natural Antibiotic Properties

The University of Colorado has also uncovered certain herbs which exhibit traits and qualities that mimic antibiotic actions in the human body, which include the following:

•    Allspice
•    Oregano
•    Thyme
•    Cumin
•    Cinnamon
•    Tarragon
•    Cloves
•    Bay leaf
•    Chili peppers
•    Rosemary
•    Marjoram
•    Caraway seed
•    Coriander
•    Dill
•    Basil
•    Nutmeg
•    Cardamom
•    Pepper
•    Ginger
•    Anise
•    Fennel
•    Mint sage
•    Mustard
•    Parsley
•    Basil
•    Coriander

When you Are Sick:

Drink lots of fluids.
De-stress.
Take food based vitamin C.
Eat fermented foods for the probiotics.
Sip miso soup.
Eat no sugar except for the little bits that you may get from manuka honey or fruit.
Set down an aggressive natural healing regimen and follow it. If you are going to heal   yourself at home you need to be diligent.
Have faith in the power of nature.

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