As we read at the end of last month’s article, Hippocrates, the father of medicine, said, “Let food be thy medicine, let medicine be thy food.” Long before the modern discovery of penicillin, certain foods and herbs helped guard against infection and disease on a daily basis. They naturally cleanse your blood without harmful side effects or prevent upsetting the delicate balance of good bacteria in your body.
Different foods, herbs, and supplements perform different functions in the fight against bacterial infections. Some products boost the immune system, decreasing one’s risk of developing an infection. Other products have natural antibiotic properties which can be used to treat infections. Some minor infections can be successfully treated with natural substances, without the need for antibiotics. However, a serious infection can spread and overwhelm the body’s ability to fight it; then the use of antibiotics may be necessary to save a life.
IMMUNE BOOSTERS
The following foods and herbs are natural immune boosters, which help to prevent and treat infections. These foods and herbs have been shown to boost the immune system because using them not only reduces the amount of infections, but also improves the healing of infections. Very little is known on how these foods and herbs actually impact the individual components of the immune system.
GARLIC
Raw garlic when crushed or chewed contains a compound called allicin, which has similar properties to penicillin. This member of the onion family is antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-parasitic, anti-fungal, and antioxidant. For thousands of years, it has been used internally and externally to treat mild illness to serious diseases. Everything from inflammation, to colds, to serious infections, is minimized and/or obliterated with the addition of garlic. For those who do not enjoy the taste, there are supplements as well. Garlic is not only potent, it contains a host of vitamins, nutrients, and minerals that are beneficial to total body wellness.
HONEY
Ancient Romans used honey on the battlefield to treat wounds and prevent infection. Civilizations all over the world continue to consider honey one of the best natural antibiotics, antimicrobials, anti-inflammatories, and antiseptics known to man after thousands of years. An enzyme found in honey releases hydrogen peroxide. This process helps your body fight infection and prevents the growth of bacteria. Soothing to the digestive system, honey removes toxins from the blood and helps your liver operate more efficiently. Raw, organic honey is the best option since most pasteurization methods kill the antioxidant effects.
CABBAGE
There are sulfur compounds found in cabbage—a member of the cruciferous family that includes broccoli and kale—that have been shown effective as cancer fighters. What many people don’t realize is how much vitamin C is found in cabbage. One cup provides 75% of what you need every day. Naturally antibacterial, eating shredded raw cabbage in your salad or drinking fresh cabbage juice (with honey added to sweeten) is an excellent way to improve digestion and prevent disease.
GRAPEFRUIT SEED EXTRACT (GSE)
Grapefruit seed extract (GSE) is effective against more than 800 forms of viruses and bacteria, more than a hundred strains of fungus, and many parasites. It is especially beneficial in treating candida (yeast) infections. High in many antioxidants, GSE boosts immunity, alkalizes the body naturally, and aids in digestion by improving your beneficial gut flora. Supplements containing GSE can be found in many natural health stores.
COCONUT OIL/WATER
Coconut oil has naturally occurring anti-fungal and anti-microbial properties and is packed with antioxidants you cannot find anywhere else in nature. Use it to boost your immune system, balance thyroid, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels, and even improve brain function. It is safe to use internally and externally. Coconut oil is one of the most versatile and unique foods. In fact, in countries where expensive intravenous fluids are not available, doctors will infuse coconut water directly into a patient’s vein to combat dehydration as it contains the same salt concentration as blood.
ECHINACEA
With similar effects to garlic, Echinacea is well tolerated and able to stimulate the immune system by naturally boosting infection fighters in your blood stream. Native to North America, Echinacea has been used for centuries in tribal medicine to treat pain and sickness. Unlike garlic, this antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral solution is generally used at the first signs of illness and should not be taken for more than ten days. It is available in liquid and capsule form.
LEMONS
Warm lemon water serves as the perfect “good morning drink” as it aids the digestive system and makes the process of eliminating waste products from the body easier. It prevents the problem of constipation and diarrhea, by ensuring smooth bowel functions. Lemons contain pectin fiber which is very beneficial for colon health and also serves as a powerful antibacterial. They help maintain your immune system and thus, protecting you from most types of infections. It also plays the role of a blood purifier and it helps cure the common cold.
CRANBERRY JUICE
Cranberry juice can prevent E.coli infections, the most common bacteria in urinary tract infections (UTI’s), including kidney and bladder infections.
How does cranberry juice work? E.coli bacteria have little appendages that attach to the urinary tract wall. Cranberry juice makes the urinary tract “slippery”, preventing these appendages from attaching. Cranberry juice cannot detach bacteria that are already stuck onto the wall, so it will not help to treat infections that are already present. However, if you are prone to UTI’s, cranberry juice can help to prevent bacteria from taking a hold. Drinking a cup of cranberry juice daily can be enough to prevent future UTI’s.
CHARCOAL
As we learned in the August 2014 Messenger article, charcoal is beneficial in its activated form in treating many types of infections. The process of activating charcoal has the effect of increasing its surface area by a large degree, making it more porous and able to absorb poisons and toxins. Charcoal can be used both internally and externally. Any inflammation—any area that is red, painful, swollen, and hot—responds to charcoal. It can be used as a poultice if the inflammation is on the outside of the body, or given by mouth if the inflammation is in the digestive tract. By the application of moist activated charcoal compresses and poultices, bacteria and poisons are drawn through the skin and
into the charcoal. These can include infections such as pink eye, diabetic ulcers, abscesses, gangrene, cold sores, tooth abscesses. Poultices must be kept moist and warm to allow this healing process to take place. Use charcoal as a drink for diseases such as gout, tetanus, diphtheria, arthritis, and cholera. As a bath, charcoal aids in healing skin disorders and infections.
OIL OF OREGANO
Continued medical research has shown that many tried and true herbal remedies work as well today as they did hundreds of years ago. Essential oils created from herbs long determined to be beneficial to human health are rapidly becoming holistic medicine’s go-to item. Mediterranean countries are the home of many of the most powerful herbs, including oregano. Oil of oregano is considered anti-microbial, antibacterial, anti-parasitic, anti-viral, and anti-fungal. It can be used internally and externally in the treatment of wounds, respiratory problems, digestive upset, and even the common cold. Packed with antioxidants known as phenols and flavonoids, it heals but also strengthens your immune system.
VITAMIN D
Ellen White, God’s prophet, spoke of the need for pure water, pure air, sunlight and a proper diet. She advised against keeping the sick confined in dark, closed-up rooms, breathing in a poisoned atmosphere. Especially for those affected by consumption (tuberculosis) she recommended they go out in the fresh air and sunlight. For many years doctors have known that people afflicted with tuberculosis responded well to sunlight. Researchers have found that vitamin D, which is produced by the skin when exposed to sunlight, triggers an antibiotic response to the bacterium responsible for tuberculosis.
Vitamin D is can also assist in preventing colds and flu. However, in the most northern and southern areas of the world, most people become Vitamin D deficient in the winter months. The sun is at such an angle that Vitamin D absorption into the skin does not occur. Taking a supplement in the winter months will boost the immune system and prevent infections such as cold and flu which are more prevalent in the winter. Foods do not contain Vitamin D unless the vitamin has been added to the food. However, the amount of Vitamin D in food is not enough to provide adequate levels of Vitamin D at those times of the year when the sunlight does not provide Vitamin D in levels that we require. Therefore supplementation is necessary to maintain proper Vitamin D levels in the body.
ALOE VERA
Aloe vera produces at least six natural antiseptics, which are able to kill mold, bacteria, funguses, and viruses. Aloe vera gel is found in hundreds of skin products such as lotions and sunscreens. Topical aloe vera is helpful for minor burns including sunburn, skin infections, wounds, frostbite, and also for skin inflammations.
Aloe vera taken internally as a drink has been shown to have negative health effects. Studies show that high doses of oral aloe vera are dangerous. Do not take oral aloe if you have intestinal problems, heart disease, hemorrhoids, kidney problems, diabetes, or electrolyte imbalances. In the past, aloe vera taken orally has been used in laxative preparations. The part of the aloe vera plant that is effective as a laxative is called aloin, known as the latex of the plant—a bitter, yellow substance, found between the skin of the aloe vera plant and the gel inside. Aloin has been shown to cause intestinal cancers in animal studies. Therefore, in 2002, The FDA in the United States banned the use of aloe vera in all laxative products.
Aloe vera is still commonly used in juices and supplements. However, the majority of aloe vera products for oral consumption are decolorized, or purified. Decolorization, or purification, is the process of removing the aloin latex laxative components from aloe vera raw materials during processing. This process uses an activated charcoal filtration step to ensure that aloe vera juice products are virtually free of the toxic components found in aloe vera latex. As a topical (skin) treatment, it is considered safe and effective.
OTHER HERBAL REMEDIES
Thyme, basil, rosemary, cayenne, ginger, anise and fennel, and elderberry are just a few natural herbs you should consider adding to your daily diet. Some are available in essential oils that increase their healing power.
OUR NUTRITIONAL STATUS AND THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
In order for our immune system to fight bacteria that can cause infections, it needs good, regular nourishment. Studies show that people who live in poverty and are malnourished are more susceptible to infectious diseases, heal slower from injury and infections, and have increased risk of symptoms and complications from a poorly functioning immune system.
Of all the physical barriers between your internal organs and the outside world, your gastrointestinal tract is the most important. It contains the largest amount of immune cells of your whole body, almost 60% of your entire immune system. The gastrointestinal mucosal layer has the unique role of keeping out damaging molecules and organisms, like harmful bacteria and viruses, while allowing in only the health-promoting nutrients, molecules and substances. The foods you eat can provide support for this barrier or cause damage to it. Maintaining healthy cells within the tissues contained in the barrier of the gastrointestinal tract is vital for optimal health. Nutrients which maintain the health of these cells include Vitamin A, essentially fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, and fibre.
A deficiency of high-quality protein can result in a reduction of immune cells, inability of the body to make antibodies, and other immune-related problems. The immune system can be significantly compromised with even a 25% reduction in adequate protein intake. Certain amino acids in protein especially, strengthen the immune system, these are glutamine and arginine.
Many fruits and vegetables provide antioxidants and phytonutrients that help maintain healthy tissue around the sites of infection and support healing.
Another area of research is nutrition in the elderly population. Older people tend to eat less and often have less variety in their diets. They are also more prone to developing diseases caused by a weaker immune system. Recent research suggests that this decline in immune function is related, in part, to nutrition, and that this decline may be slowed or stopped by maintaining healthy nutrition. Supplements may have a role in helping the elderly maintain a healthier immune system; however, dietary supplementation should be discussed with a physician or nutritional expert, as even small changes can have a serious impact in this age group.
There is some evidence that various micronutrient deficiencies—for example, deficiencies of zinc, selenium, iron, copper, folic acid, and vitamins A, B6, C, and E—alter immune responses in animals. Each of these micronutrients has been shown to increase certain immune cells, improving the body’s response to a potential infection.
Processed foods and foods produced with pesticides, or not grown organically, can cause problems for your immune function. Toxic metals such as cadmium, lead and mercury all suppress the immune system. Some pesticides and preservatives can negatively affect the gastrointestinal lining. Food additives can also have negative effects on the nutrient content of the food. For example, sulfites destroy Vitamin B1 in foods to which they have been added.
Ensure a well-balanced diet, with a variety of foods from each food group. Whole grains, vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, essential fats from foods such as olives, will provide the immune system with the nutrients it requires to work at its peak. If your diet is not providing you with all your nutritional needs, taking a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement will not only benefit your immune system, but will provide a whole host of other health benefits. Taking megadoses of vitamins is not necessary, and often can cause more harm than good. For example, while it is important to have sufficient zinc in your diet, too much zinc can actually inhibit the function of the immune system.
Along with other factors, our overall nutrition plays a vital part in the functioning of the immune system. Proper nutrition plus food and herbs that are considered immune boosters, will keep the immune system functioning well, and will protect and heal us from bacteria or other pathogens that can cause disease. As Hippocrates said, “Let food be thy medicine, let medicine be thy food.” Amen.