Herbal Antibiotics

Herbal antibiotics work like antibiotics so it’s basically the same thing but with fewer side effects. Consumption of antibiotics, regardless of herbal or non-herbal, will eradicate all kind of microorganisms which call your body home, the good ones as well as the bad ones. Thus, use them only when NECESSARY. Do not include this concoction into your daily supplement plan and if you have a need to boost up your immune system, it is better to use Flaxseed oil and/or some omega-3,6,9 blend to strengthen your immune system. Constant usage of probiotics will help in regulating your immune system as well.

The reason I compiled this ‘antibiotic’ is to treat my aching tooth. It stings a little bit when I push it with my tongue. Then it hit me, having seen a ‘recipe’ for herbal antibiotic elsewhere, I concocted my own version of 'Herbal Antibiotics'. Scanning through the list of herbs in the said recipe, I couldn’t agree with some of the ingredients and the herbs used in the concoction are tend to be obscure.

However, I have come to a compromise in which I enlisted some easy to find herbs which possess quite a virtue on its own. Listed below is the herbs I used for my remedy and the quantity in ratio form. However, do remember that I have toothache at that time so I throw in some analgesic (anodyne). These anodynes will be noted but do read on before excluding them from your list. Their job there is not just for killing pain; in fact it is included as a synergistic whole.

Herbal Antibiotic

1 part Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)

1 part Lavender (Lavandula vera)     (Anodyne – relatively weak)

1 part Chamomile (Anthemis nobilis)     (Anodyne)

½ part Clove (Eugenia caryophyllata)

1 part Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)

1. Put all the ingredients in a bowl, mix well, and grind the mixture into fine powder (use a blender la…)
2. Pack the powdered mixture in empty gelatinous capsule (size 0) and take a capsule every three hours with some food.

To further enhance the efficacy of this blend, you can include cinnamon into the mixture to increase the anti-microbial property. If cinnamon were to be used, 1 part of it will suffice. If you need disinfection and painkilling really badly, or for crisis management, take the capsule hourly. You shouldn’t rely on these capsules for treatment alone as chronic infection needs medical attention immediately.

Anyhow, it is worthy to note that clove is well known to cause addiction after prolonged usage. Those with gastric problems should consider not taking this drug as clove is a local irritant. It might cause irritation of the stomach and worse, instilled peptic ulcer. However, do try for just one tablet; if you can’t take it, it’s better for you not to. Seek medical help if this is the case.

Now, let me explain why those herbs are chosen…

Thyme – A very antiseptic herb. It contains Thymol, a very potent germ killer. It acts like phenol but much milder with regards to human tissue but harsher to microbes (both internally and externally).

Clove – A feeble anaesthesia, and a mild antiseptic if the herbs are used. If Clove oil is used instead, it will be a very powerful antiseptic herb and irritating as well. It assists Thyme in its germ killing mission.

Cinnamon – If you choose to include this herb, this will also further the antiseptic property of the mixture.

Chamomile – Painkiller, sedative, and stomachic. It is used to treat gastric disorder and included to combat the undesirable effect of clove. The same goes to Fennel to exclude bloating from the list of side-effects.

Lavender – Nervine, used synergistically with Chamomile to provide extra relaxation (many of us tend to neglect the emotional needs of a patient. Addition of harmless will calm the patient to help recuperation). Also, Lavender is used to speed up recovery and somewhat to boost the immune system.

Talking about immune system, the herb Echinea is a very potent antiseptic and immune booster. I know very little of this drug and it is included in the previously mentioned recipe for herbal antibiotics that I have seen elsewhere. It helps to boost your immune system greatly but it can cause undesirable effect in some patient suffering from certain disease or organ receiver as it can suppress immune-suppression drugs. Undermining its effect will cause final rejection of the organ when the body immune system attacks the said received organ.

However, I know very little about this herb and because of unavailability, I did not used in it the ‘recipe’.

So you have it, a herbal antibiotic, however I warn you not to use it as you like it. Use it only when NECESSARY, it is drugs as any other drugs and the difference is they are made out of herbs and not chemical. Herbs DO contain chemical, sometimes similar to conventional medicine component (most medical chemical are plants mimics). Pregnant lady is advised against the usage of this remedy. Those who take these herbs should really check whether they have allergy towards certain herbs listed.

A beer a day keeps cancer at bay

A beer a day, keeps cancer at bay?

Sounds odd? Well, it’s a substantial claim. As we all know it, beer is brewed from hops, which is quite a beneficial plant (curing insomnia for example) and though it had underwent fermentation, it must have retain some of its valuable content. Recently, some researches were done by a group of researcher from Oregon State University which concludes that beer contains some factors which can suppress the development of breast cancer, intestinal cancer, ovarian cancer and prostate cancer. The said factors are able to suppress essential substances required for a successful tumour growth and thus hindering the development of early stage tumours. Anyhow, it’s not advisable to consume beer on a daily basis as one might get addicted. Furthermore, regular consumption of alcohols will result in liver complaints. These include liver cancer and hardening of liver tissue.

On the other hand, I recommend that one chooses hops based drink instead of beer. One good example of this is malt drink. As malt drink is basically made out of hops, it has quite same content of beer minus the alcohols. Moreover, it can provide you with more energy and traditionally recommended as an energy-booster. You can still see this kind of advertisement jingle lingering in the ads said drinks (not insulting, just commenting).

Talking about hops (Humulus lupulus), it’s time for me to introduce its properties. However, do not confuse the properties of hops with those of beers, they might have different properties altogether.


Hops

Parts Used: Flowers
Medicinal Properties: Tonic, nervine, diuretic, anodyne (analgesic), stomachic, and aromatic (what the heck is these? More will come later in the next posting, in the mean time checks them out in the net).

1. It enhances sleep and promotes appetite.


2. It helps in correcting digestive problems.


3. It is very effective in treating heart diseases, fits, neuralgia, jaundice (yellowish skin hue), nervous disorders, stomachs and liver problems.


4. Its expressed juice helps to cleanse blood and can be used to remedy calculus problems.


5. In its poultice form, in combination with Chamomile heads, it can be used to reduce swellings or inflammation and bruises.

It’s usually administered as infusion.