BVN February 2022

Bardwell Wellbeing
A monthly musing on all things pertaining to health and wellness by Carole
Baker. Yoga teacher and Wellness advisor
Natural Antibiotics
Save the drugs for the really serious stuff and use Nature’s bounty to treat the
minor.
in the 1920s, it has become much harder for scientists to find new and effective
antimicrobial products. Each time you take a round of antibiotics, especially
when you don’t need it, you’re contributing to the spread of resistance by giving
harmful bugs the opportunity to adapt to these drugs. And in addition to any
unhelpful bacteria, you are also killing off the good bacteria in your digestive
system, which can make it even more difficult for you to fight off infections in
the future and can affect your digestion, your immune system and even your
mood.
There are plenty of foods and natural products that have antimicrobial
properties and many have been used for centuries successfully to treat many
infections. In a previous life I worked as a Sales Rep for a large Pharmaceutical
company and I sold Antibiotics to GPs.
GARLIC
Ever since Mr Hofel (of Woolpit) managed to put garlic in a pill, the popularity
of this natural remedy has become even greater. It is a broad spectrum
antibiotic and useful for coughs and colds taken in a honey mixture or made
into a poultice with honey is brilliant to dress wounds. Chemical compounds in
garlic, including allicin, have been proven to display antimicrobial activity and
work to kill pathogens that are responsible for both common and rare
infections. Garlic has been used for centuries to combat infectious diseases, and
its antibacterial effects were first described in the mid-1800s.
Garlic’s antimicrobial properties are strongest when it’s raw. Try chopping or
crushing a raw garlic clove and letting it sit for about 10 minutes before eating
it, in order to release the enzymes that are converted into allicin. Start by eating
about one clove of garlic every day to prevent bacterial infections. You can also
find raw garlic in powder, oil, extract and tablet forms if you can’t bear the
smell! Or eat Parsley or chew Peppermint afterwards!
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