Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Wisdom Wednesday: Natural Medicine Cabinet


The average American medicine cabinet contains aspirin, Aleve, Advil, Tylenol, band aids, and all the left over prescriptions for the past 15 years. But what natural supplements should you keep on hand to treat those acute illnesses and injuries?

  • Colloidal silver is the most important supplement in my home medicine cabinet. At the first sign of a cold or flu, begin gargling and swallowing a mouthful every couple of hours. Colloidal silver has activity against all variety of infections – viral, bacterial, molds, and even parasites. There have been a couple of studies showing it to be effective in treating MRSA. It can be applied topically for ear or skin infections. Often it will relieve a sore throat immediately. However, don’t let your guard down. If you fail to continue treatment, the impending infection may roar back with a vengeance.
  • A Netti Pot – can be purchased at any drug store. They look like a teapot. You fill the pot with distilled water and Kosher salt, stick the spout in one side of your nose and tilt your head to the side, allowing the water to flow through your sinus cavities and out the other nares. You then repeat the process on the opposite side. I will admit that irrigating the sinuses is a little painful, but it is like magic for relieving sinus congestion. I like to use a little colloidal silver (10:1 water to silver) in place of the salt. Never use tap water as it may contain nematodes that can burrow from the sinus cavities into the brain and be potentially fatal. (And you still wonder why I don’t drink tap water)
  • Betafood – an organic beet supplement. It contains betalain pigments that create the rich red color. Betalain has two actions on the gallbladder. Taken over time, it gradually thins the bile. However, if chewed, the taste stimulates dilation of the bile duct within seconds. So keep this one on the shelf for heartburn, GERD, and acid reflux.
  • Andrographis Complex – This is an herbal product containing Andrographis, Echinacea, and Holy Basil. It is a very potent infection fighting combination. Take one tablet every two hours at the first sign of a cold or flu, then reduce to three per day for a few days once you feel better.
  • Antronex – This is a natural antihistamine. It contains yakriton, a liver fat extract that facilitates liver detoxification. Antronex is very effective for swelling from bug bites, hives or any allergic reaction. Take one per hour until the inflammation subsides. In children or even toddlers, reduce the dosage to two tablets per day. I recommend grinding up the tablet and putting it in apple juice for the little ones. Antronex can also be used to reduce mucous congestion after you have recovered from a cold. Again, take one per hour until you feel a dry “cotton mouth” sensation, then reduce the dosage. Once you have taken Antronex, the chemical pathways through the liver apparently become facilitated and just one or two tablets will have the effect that may take hours on the first round.
  • Arnica – This is a homeopathic remedy. It is extremely effective for acute injuries. In tablet form, look for the 30X dilution of Arnica Montana. Take 3-4 pills before and after any surgery. Many plastic surgeons use Arnica routinely to reduce swelling, bruising, and healing time. Don’t touch the pills but rather pour them into the cap and then directly into your mouth. This preserves the energy of the homeopathic preparation. You can also buy an ointment for topical application but don’t use it on open wounds.
  • Omega 3 Fatty Acids – of course, I take these daily but loading up with 4-6 pearls per day can reduce prostaglandin inflammation in place of Aleve or Advil without the side effects. It is the most common supplement I use for acute low back pain.
  • Boswellia – This is an Ayurvedic plant that reduces leukotrienes and cytokines. It is extremely effective for asthma but is also good for any inflammatory condition, including hangovers. Take 2 tablets twice per day with fat. The fat increases absorption into the lymphatic system by 500%. Again, with children, reduce the dose to one per day.

The Bottom Line:
I could go on, but these are the basics that I keep at home. Anytime you can avoid taking a drug, you spare your liver from the additional detoxification. We now know that any time anyone takes a baby aspirin; they suffer a small GI bleed. Please consider alternative natural supplementation for everyday health issues.

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