Natural Antibiotic Alternative #4—Echinacea
Echinacea has a particular scent that instantly
opens up your airways. That’s how you know it is
effective for colds, sinus infections, strep-throat
and other respiratory issues.
The purple coneflower is pretty to grow in your
garden and can be made into a tea, extract,
juice, powder, or cream for treating a number of
infections.
“There have been more than 300 scientific
investigations on the immune-enhancing effects
of Echinacea—one of the most popular herbs
in the treatment of the common cold”
(The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, p 437).
Paired with goldenseal, Echinacea helps knock out strep throat. It has also been used to treat a range of problems “from skin wounds to dizziness” (Mayo Clinic Book of Alternative Medicine,
p 53).
The Herbal Drugstore lists treating Lyme Disease and vaginal infections among its uses.
Natural Antibiotic Alternative #5—Aloe Vera
Natural antibiotic alternative aloe vera
Perhaps you’ve already experienced the
skin-soothing wonder of aloe vera gel.
But beyond its ability to soothe damaged skin,
aloe vera has been shown effective in the
treatment of gum disease, hypertension,
angioedema (rapid swelling from trauma or
allergies), asthma, Crohn’s Disease and ulcerative
colitis, diabetes, peptic ulcer, and other skin issues,
such as psoriasis, Seborrheic Dermatitis, plaques
from the shingles virus, and cuts and scrapes.
It’s ability to “inhibit the production of reactive
oxygen metabolites and inflammatory mediators
by human colon epithelial cells” makes it effective
in treating the symptoms of Crohn’s Disease—a particularly uncomfortable and often untreatable disease (The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, p 467).
It can also help relieve asthma symptoms in sufferers who are not dependent on corticosteroids.
(See The New American Herbal and The Herbal Drugstore for more about the antibiotic properties of aloe vera.)