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Have
you ever noticed reluctance from your Doctor when it comes to prescribing
antibiotic medications? While not going so far to say that your Doctor should
not prescribe antibiotics, because let's face it, antibiotics are life saving
drugs, due to a growing dependency on antibiotics, many Doctor's are becoming
increasingly weary to prescribe them.
The danger is that with an overuse of antibiotics, bacterial strains are
becoming increasingly resistant to the actual antibiotics themselves. Just as
all living organisms possess natural defense mechanisms, the cells of bacterial
strains continue "adapting" to their environments. When antibiotics
repeatedly make up a component of a cell's environment, that cell essentially
learns how to better thrive under those "antibiotic" conditions. Another
downside to antibiotics is that in addition to killing off harmful bacteria,
they kill off necessary bacteria that our bodies need for its natural processes.
W side effect of such an instance is the killing off of the protective flora of
the stomach, which manifests as diarrhea.
So, the question then arises, "How and what de we replace antibiotics with,
considering the great good they can do?" If we look to Mother Nature, our first
and finest resource is the herbal world. While its true that penicillin is
naturally occurring, the difference with herbs is that a single herb can contain
many different bioactive compounds that are effective against several
microorganisms and viruses - many of which are resistant to synthetic
antibiotics. The only downside is in terms of emergency treatment. Since herbs
do not contain super doses of any one naturally occurring antibiotic, their
effects are more mild and slow. All things considered, this is actually a
positive, for we all know that good health begins with prevention.
There are several herbs with antibiotic properties that when taken at the
first signs of sickness, will have a major impact on shortening the duration of
the sickness and helping the body heal itself. The most effective herbs - the
one's you should remember - are Echinacea, Goldenseal, Sage, Peppermint, Thyme,
Calendula and Garlic (yes, garlic is a member of the herb family). Of these,
Echinacea, Goldenseal and Calendula have a direct effect on the immune system,
while warming (spice) herbs like Thyme and Basil (Cayenne is a good one too),
aid the immune system with their antioxidant properties.
Author: Ry
ARTICLES ON HERBS
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