HERBAL ANTIBIOTICS
Natural Herbal Remedies for Everyday Ailments
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- Richard Bray
DISCLAIMER
The information presented in this book is meant for educational purposes and does not replace professional medical advice from a health care practitioner. This text is not meant to diagnose or treat diseases. Some herbs may cause adverse reactions; being included in this text does not mean they are safe for all to consume. The author and publisher of this book do not accept liability or responsibility for the use of plants in treating health or medical issues. A person should always consult a health care practitioner before taking supplements and should disclose any currently being taken.
This is by no means a comprehensive guide to all potential medicinal plants. It is a compilation of current research and recommended usages and does not cover all possibilities or concerns. There is a lot more research to be done, specifically around the best ways to ingest herbal medicine and appropriate amounts. If the specific information you are looking for is not contained in this book, it likely means that there is not enough research yet or not enough evidence to support use.
This is still an area of immense study, and all the answers are not available as of yet.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
I f youre reading this, then chances are youre interested in knowing how herbal medicine can help boost your health and wellbeing. This is exactly what this book aims to do. But before we get started, its important to keep a few things in mind.
Firstly, herbal medicine, though very effective, is not based on the same methods and research as most conventional Western medicine. This means it cannot be administered in the same way. There are dosages to follow for specific ailments, and these will be outlined in the following chapters, but for many herbal remedies, dosages depend on your personal needs. Many of the ingredients well cover below are food items. Some can be found in your pantry while others are more exotic, but they all have one thing in common; they can be included in your diet for a more holistic form of healing. Because of this, for some herbs in this book, specific dosages will be mentioned, while the dosages of other, milder herbal remedies can be judged by your own taste and needs. However, of course it must be said that if you have any concerns or need further guidance, always contact your physician for advice.
This book can be used in several ways. From a general point of view, it provides insight into the large variety of herbal remedies that are available to boost your wellbeing. Herbal medicine is a holistic method of healing. Therefore many remedies are seen as tonics that support ones wellbeing as a whole, through the promotion of a healthy immune system.
However, this book also details herbal remedies one by one, teaching you about the multiple (and often tasty) ways each herb can be prepared and taken. This is ideal if you are eager to learn about the history, uses, and preparation methods of each herb.
Lastly, if you are looking to quickly dip into the book to reference a remedy for a specific ailment, you can do that too. At the back of the book is a handy, easy to read A-Z guide of ailments and their corresponding remedy. Ideal if you need quick instructions to help you get your health back on track.
So with that said, let us begin our journey into herbal antibiotics, and find out what they can do for you.
CHAPTER 1
THE BASICS
A s many people know, antibiotics have helped people recover from serious illnesses for decades. Since the 1940s, prescription antibiotics such as penicillin have been a mainstay in our medical arsenal helping us get rid of ailments caused by bacteria such as respiratory tract infections, pneumonia, ear and throat infections, just to name a few.
However, modern antibiotics arent always effective for everyone. And some of you might discover that drugs such as penicillin can cause an allergic reaction or unfavorable side effects.
For example, recent research undertaken by the NHS in the UK concluded that 1 in 10 people suffer from digestional stress from antibiotics such as pain, vomiting or diarrhoea. Meanwhile, the NHS estimates that around 1 in 15 people are allergic to them altogether.
Furthermore, the over-prescription of antibiotics for certain ailments, coupled with genetic changes over time, has meant that many people have become resistant to the positive effects of antibiotics. This is called antimicrobial resistance and according to the World Health Organization, is fast becoming a serious threat to peoples health.
So what does this mean? Firstly, it means that for some people, popularly prescribed antibiotics may not be an option because they simply wont work any more. Secondly, it means that due to side effects, allergies or resistance, people are searching for healthy and effective alternatives in order to treat their ailments.
This means many of the natural, herbal remedies that were left forgotten, have resurfaced to treat illnesses that modern antibiotics cant.
If youre not familiar with herbal medicine, it can easily be described as the use of fresh or dried plants to treat ailments. This can be done through using various parts of a plant such as the flower, root, bark, berries or leaves. Each of these parts has its own different use, and they all have different chemical make-ups which require them to be extracted and prepared in different ways.
Well go into more detail about the various methods of extraction and preparation in later chapters, but lets have a quick look now at the various types of herbal medicines that are available.
Water Based Herbal Medicine
1. Syrups These are often the most popular and easiest form of herbal medicine to ingest as the herbs are mixed into a sweet, easy to swallow liquid. These have a similar consistency to cough syrups.
2. Lotions These arent too dissimilar to the usual lotions that we use on our skin. The only difference is that these contain active ingredients derived from herbs that can benefit our skin in a medicinal way.
3. Poultices You may have heard your grandmother talk about these. Usually thought of as being an old fashioned way to treat skin conditions, they have had a resurgence in recent years for their efficacy and ease of use. A poultice is a moist bundle of herbs that is held in place over an area that needs to be healed. Usually it is secured with a soft piece of cloth such as a length of muslin.
4. Compresses Similarly, compresses are also used for healing specific areas. However, unlike poultices, they do not contain herbs, but are rather made up of cloths soaked in infusions and decoctions. These are then placed upon the area which requires treatment.
5. Decoctions They may sound complicated, but these are actually very simple to make. Decoctions are simply a liquid remedy that has been prepared by boiling herbs on a stove.
6. Infusions In a similar fashion, infusions are also created by placing herbs in hot water. However, instead of boiling them, they are steeped, somewhat like a tea.
