Fight Antibiotic Resistance With Natural Remedies

The frequent, and often excessive, use of prescription antibiotics has caused some bacteria to grow stronger and resist their effects in their entirety. This phenomenon is known as "antibiotic resistance" and has become one of today's major health concerns, with over 20 million people sick with resistant bacteria in the U.S. alone. Natural treatments for bacterial infections are the best solution. Not only can they successfully fight drug-resistant bacteria, but also the side effects associated with prescription antibiotics - such as digestive discomfort and allergies - are avoided. 

Wide-Spectrum Versus Specific Antibiotic Action

One of the few things that prescription antibiotics and natural antibiotics have in common is that some will have a wide range effect, covering many different types of bacteria, while others will kill only a few specific strands or species. Wide-spectrum antibiotic prescriptions are common in allopathic medicine, but sometimes this first attempt will not succeed at fighting the infection. This is where bacterial cultures come into play. A small sample of the infection - in a spit, or a swab, or a stool sample - will be placed in a nutrient-rich environment under lab conditions. The microbial fermentation process that ensues will reveal the exact bacterium that is causing the sickness, because microorganisms will multiply and eventually become visible. This is when a more specific antibiotic remedy, that targets the exact species of bacteria present in the culture, can be prescribed. What few people know is that natural antibiotics are also either wide-spectrum or specific. 

Choose The Right Natural Antibiotic For Your Condition

Penicillin is the most common wide-spectrum antibiotic prescribed, but up to 51% of bacterial infections are resistant to penicillin - not to mention that about 10% of people are allergic to it. Replacing penicillin and other drugs with natural, wide-range antibiotics like raw honey and apple cider vinegar will help you defeat antibiotic resistance. There are also some specific natural antibiotics that you can take instead of pills. For example, grape-fruit extract is great for battling foodborne infections like Escherichia coli. Echinacea works at its best against some bacteria behind the flu, like Haemophilus influenzae and Mycoplasma Pneumoniae. Sida acuta, a common flowering weed, kills specific bacterial strands such as Staphylococus aurea and Candida - which are behind many skin infections. 

Just as it happens with prescription antibiotics, if you take a wide-range natural antibiotic and your infection doesn't improve, you should try a more specific remedy. Lab tests should let you identify which kind of bacteria is behind your condition. After the bacterial culture is finished, the results will let you know which specific action natural antibiotic you should be taking.

The excessive use of prescription antibiotics is backfiring at the population, but natural remedies have always been here, helping us heal from our infections. They have less to no side effects and can overcome antibiotic resistance. Researchers and medical doctors are beginning to realize that the future of antibiotics relies not in artificial drugs, but in organic products that will always do more good than harm.

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Written By:

Jennifer Trent is a freelance writer and editor. As a former nutrition consultant, her specialist areas include health and nutrition. When not working she loves to read, travel and spend time with her young family. 

Reviewed By:

Founder Ray Spotts has a passion for all things natural and has made a life study of nature as it relates to health and well-being. Ray became a forerunner bringing products to market that are extraordinarily effective and free from potentially harmful chemicals and additives. For this reason Ray formed Trusted Health Products, a company you can trust for clean, effective, and healthy products. Ray is an organic gardener, likes fishing, hiking, and teaching and mentoring people to start new businesses. You can get his book for free, “How To Succeed In Business Based On God’s Word,” at www.rayspotts.com.