NaturalSociety May 23 2014
When you get sick, what do you do? If you’re like millions of Americans, you call the doctor at the first sign of a sniffle. You may run out to the aptly named drug store to get a quick-fix. But as a student of natural health, you are likely more interested in the potential healers you can find in your own kitchen, health food store, or garden. Fortunately, there are many, and several of them can actually work as natural antibiotics.
The benefits these items have over those approved by the conventional medical industry is that they can deliver the goods without a laundry list of side effects. Here are 3 natural antibiotics that may already be in your kitchen.
1. Oregano Oil
Also called oil of oregano, this oil can do everything from aid in weight loss to help digestion. But one of its most notable benefits is found in the ability to fight infection. Carvacrol, a phenol present in the oil, works to kill bacteria and illness causing infections.
The power of oregano oil has most notably been tested in food preparation practices, where it is able to help control food-borne pathogens and bacteria. It’s also shown promise in treating infections of the digestive system and candida albicans, a yeast infection of the gut. Truly, oil of oregano uses are many.
2. Garlic
Another super-powered food source is garlic, most recognized for its anti-cancer benefits. But garlic is also able to fight simple viruses like the common cold. It does this with the use of allicin, the compound in garlic responsible for its smell as well as its benefits. As reported by Paul Fassa, one milligram of allicin is “nearly 15x as potent as penicillin”, protecting against parasites, yeast, viruses, bacteria, and even antibiotic-resistant superbug MRSA.
3. Echinacea
A powerful healing herb, Echinacea has become so accepted as a natural treatment that you can find it in many prepared teas from even the most commercial brands. One of the latest studies on the power of Echinacea found that those who took the herb for four months had a lower incidence of cold than a control group, and the average duration of their colds (when they did occur) decreased by 26 percent. Further research has indicated Echinacea has similar effects on the flu virus. Herbalists recommend taking Echinacea as a preventative method rather than a treatment, however.
I once used oil of oregano to combat the ill effects of being exposed to a black mold infestation in a ‘flea bag motel.’ I found it to be a perfect remedy for the internal ill effects of black mold. Trying to cleanup black mold in living quarters and on your personal belongings can be very intimidating. In the external environment you can destroy airborne black mold spores by spraying a fine mist of oil of oregano and tea tree oil in a spray bottle filled with water. You can also apply a vaporizer that uses an electric heating element for dispersing those two ingredients. DO NOT USE TEA TREE OIL INTERNALLY! Head any other precautions.