13 Natural Foods with Antibiotic Properties

Medical Antibiotics

Medical antibiotics were a huge medical breakthrough that saved countless lives. They still do and for certain kinds of infections they are invaluable. However, due to the history of over-prescribing them and prevalence of them in conventional animal farming, many people have become resistant to taking them both physically (meaning there are antibiotic resistant bugs out there or people can’t tolerate them) or mentally (people don’t want to use them unless absolutely necessary). Medical antibiotics will not only kill the good bacteria, they kill ALL the bacteria, good and bad in the body. This is an unfortunate side effect of taking them and many people will experience negative symptoms from taking them such as diarrhea and other digestive distress and yeast infections. Your body needs the good bacteria to keep those symptoms at bay and keep the digestive tract healthy.

The good news is that there are natural substances that have antibiotic and antiviral properties that many people rely on to help them heal in a more holistic way.

• Oil of Oregano: The key ingredient in oregano oil that has the antimicrobial properties is carvacrol. It’s not only antibacterial but antiviral and anti-fungal as well. It delivers a powerful three-in-one combination without the disruption of the beneficial bacteria in the gut. Oils of basil, thyme and lavender have also shown to have antibiotic properties.
• Garlic: Cultures around the world have used garlic medicinally for centuries. It not only has powerful antibiotic, antimicrobial, anti-fungal and antiviral properties it’s very high in antioxidants which help the body eliminate free radicals. Antioxidants also help to support a thriving immune system.
• Echinacea: This is another remedy that people have used since ancient times. It’s used to treat a variety of bacterial related illnesses as well as colds and flu. It’s gained popularity in recent decades and is a “go to” supplement for many people.
• Colloidal Silver: It’s been shown to be quickly fatal to microbes without causing toxicity in people. Recent research has shown it to be effective in killing antibiotic resistant microbes as well.
• Manuka Honey: This is used to kill a wide range of pathogens and bacteria topically. Studies have shown that the treated bacteria didn’t develop a resistance to it so it remains effective until the bacteria are gone.
• Onion, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and curry powder have also been shown to have mild antibiotic properties. Adding these to your diet is a great preventative measure and very good for your digestive tract.
• Pau d’Arco: This comes from a tree bark in the South American rain forest and is a powerful anti-fungal supplement. It’s particularly good at treating an overgrowth of Candida Albicans (yeast infection).
• Olive Leaf Extract: This has a strong antiviral component and has been used to treat colds, flu as well as other infections.
• Goldenseal: This is a “go-to” herb for many people when it comes to colds and flu. It has antibacterial and antiviral properties. It is most often taken internally in capsule form but can also be used topically when mixed with oil like grapeseed or castor oil.

There are a lot of choices you can make for your health that can help you limit side effects and boost your overall immunity.