Antibiotic Resistance: Why You Should Consider Natural Alternatives

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Natural Antibiotics

In the modern era, antibiotics have reached an exaggerated level of popularity. While their uses and benefic properties are numerous, over-usage led to increasingly resistant bugs, thus the need to produce and prescribe more powerful antibiotics.

The good news is nature has way more to offer than one could ever imagine. Besides the super-mold Penicillium notatum, plenty of naturally occurring antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal agents are found in herbs and foods, some of which are very common.

Natural Antibiotics

Oregano oil

Oregano Oil

Besides its specific taste to pizza, pasta, and other dishes, the essential oil derived from oregano is considered a powerful, natural alternative to antibiotics. Without any negative side effects, research studies have proven oregano’s anti-carcinogenic effects on prostate cancer cells and its ability to kill several types of bacteria, including E. coli.

Garlic

Garlic’s most powerful substance is allicin, which has antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties. As a result, this wonderful plant can fight more illnesses than modern antibiotics. It also contains germanium and potassium, two essential minerals, and a substance known as alixin that has antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antitumor effects.

Olive leaves

Olive Leaf Extract

Oleuropein is a very important compound of olive leaves. This phenolic substance has powerful antioxidant effects. Olive leaves also contain other antioxidants such as hydroxytyrosol, flavonoids, and polyphenols. Olive leaf extract has 400% more antioxidant capacity than vitamin C, and its antiviral effect is currently being researched to defeat several types of viruses, including HIV.

Thanks to the flavonoids it contains, OLE has anti-inflammatory effects, and several studies have proven that it’s efficient against viruses such as herpes, fungi like Candida albicans responsible for yeast infections, and bacteria, for example, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, that causes urinary tract infections and pneumonia.

Grapefruit Seed Extract

Made from the seeds and pulp of grapefruit, GSE (Grapefruit Seed Extract) is a highly concentrated solution with antimicrobial and antibacterial effects. GSE has been successfully used against bacteria, fungi and even viruses. It’s also a powerful antioxidant since it contains a mixture of vitamin C, flavonoids, tocopherols, citric acid, limonoids, sterols, and minerals.
It can be used orally, to fight against diarrhea-causing bacteria, salmonella, E.Coli and even some fungi such as candida. Applied externally, it can disinfect minor injuries such as cuts and scrapes, fight against fungi such as athlete’s foot and ringworm, and skin conditions caused by bacteria, like eczema and dry skin.

Propolis

Propolis

The resinous mixture collected by honey bees has various compositions depending mostly on season and location. That is why scientific research concerning the multiple benefits of propolis is often contradictory. Nevertheless, through centuries of worldwide use, propolis gained fame through its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects. Depending on its composition, Propolis can act as an antibiotic and antiviral agent.

It is currently used for many purposes, such as fighting respiratory diseases, regenerating the skin from injuries like burns and blisters, skin infections such as eczema and mycosis, treating common colds and influenza through its immunity-boosting effect, and others.

Many more plants can help the human body heal faster, strengthen its immune system, or do both simultaneously. Be sure to do some research before trying any natural remedy. In the case of children or individuals with health problems and/or under medication, a doctor’s approval is needed to avoid negative symptoms and health effects.

And most importantly, in the case of more serious illnesses, natural antibiotics should act as an adjutant to normal antibiotics.

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