A Common Herb for Bacterial Concerns
You guys, I am NOT making this up.
What if you could give your child an herb instead of having to do another round of antibiotics?
Would you do it?
Antibiotics ABSOLUTELY have their place.
I have used them in the past and will use them in the future.
They save lives.
BUT if you could avoid the use of and potential side effects of an antibiotic, would you?
Antibiotic use:
Wipes out ALL the bacteria in the gut (not just the bad ones) leaving a very vulnerable digestive tract
Comes with uncomfortable gastrointestinal side effects like bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and stomach pains
Affects your body’s ability to respond effectively to pathogens and viruses currently and in the future.
Leads to antibiotic resistance over time - a medical dilemma we have now created.
Is actually driving UP the drug and hospital cost (isn’t this the opposite of what we are trying to do?!?)
I wrote an article about these issues in more detail, which you can read here.
The important take away here is that we now have a study that is showing us that Echinacea is actually reducing the rates of antibiotic use!
STUDY: Echinacea reduces necessity of antibiotics in children
This research shows echinacea decreases the frequency, duration, and severity of many common childhood illnesses.
When a child between age 4-12 years took 400 mg of Echinacea purpurea extract 3 times per day, for a total of 1,200 mg daily for 2 months there was a reduction in:
reported upper respiratory tract infections
fever duration and severity in symptoms, when illness occurred
less viruses detected when tested in the nasal cavity.
I also have to remind people that ANTIBIOTICS DO NOT TREAT VIRAL INFECTIONS, only bacterial infections…so when an upper respiratory infection is caused by a virus I think it goes without saying that the antibiotic is not treating a viral infection what-so-ever, thus propagating the issues I addressed above.
Kids respond amazingly well to herbs and natural remedies, including Echinacea purpurea.
Be sure you choose a reputable, high quality, organic brand (feel free to ask if you are unsure). Not all supplements are created equal!
Here to empower you with the knowledge of health,
~ Dr. Meg Holpuch, ND
