Four Herbs with Antibiotic Properties

The problems with antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant bacteria have received a great deal of interest recently. The issue is that bacteria, having been subjected to antibiotics for so long, have created a resistance to the medications. The sad truth is that bacterial infections that used to yield very easily to antibiotics have become more severe, possibly even lethal.

Remarkably, however, herbs that have antibiotic properties seem to elude the bacterial “learning process” and as a result do not seem to create resistant bacteria. Antibiotic herbs can be used in the home for minor infections and as antiseptics to stop infections. Here are some of the more useful antibiotic herbal remedies.

Fresh Garlic
This smelly yet effective herb is an antibiotic giant. It’s also widely accessible and economical. You could even grow it yourself.

How Should it be Used?
Garlic is most effective when applied internally. It can be converted to ear drops and applied to combat ear infections; simmered in broth or water, it makes a therapeutic broth that performs especially well for upper respiratory infections. Fresh garlic can be minced and combined with all kinds of foods, from noodles to salad. Many natural health practitioners believe that garlic is most beneficial when used raw – as juice, minced, or crushed.

Echinacea
No doubt you’ve heard about this herb – it’s all over the place during cold and flu season, and for good reason. Echinacea is a powerful antibiotic and, in the case of colds and flu, anti-viral. It also will work as an antiseptic on cuts and also to remedy sore throats.

How Should it be Used?
Tea produced from Echinacea’s roots and aerial parts is not particularly tasty, however it can be drunk. This kind of tea can also be used as a wash for superficial cuts and scrapes. Echinacea tincture, diluted in warm water, makes a really good sore throat remedy.

Goldenseal
The golden yellow hue of Goldenseal’s roots gives it its name, and these roots are the components that are made use of medicinally. Goldenseal is effective topically and internally; nevertheless, it is such an efficient antibiotic that it can affect intestinal flora, and shouldn’t be used internally for over a couple of weeks at a time.

How Should it be Used?
Infused in boiling water and cooled, Goldenseal can be used as a rather helpful eye wash for infections in and near the eye. Such an infusion also makes a great wash for cuts and scrapes, and can also be applied to surgical wounds, particularly on household pets.

Ginger
Were you aware that ginger can work as an antibiotic? It is reputed to be effective against E. coli and Salmonella, both of which are food-borne bacteria that cause considerable illness in people. It has even been shown to treat and heal ulcers.

How Should it be Used?
Ginger may be made into a tea using the fresh root or the dried and ground root. The fresh root is relatively cheap, and a drink can be easily created by gently simmering ginger pieces in water and sipping the end result, sweetened with natural honey. You can even eat candied ginger to help treat ulcers and fight infections.

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