Help Stimulate Your Immune System With Disease Fighting Herbs
Help Stimulate Your Immune System With Disease Fighting Herbs
By Viola Woolcott
Not only give Antimicrobial Herbs our health a major boost, they also add colour, variety and flavour to our favourite dishes. They have the unique ability to inhibit and destroy the growth of disease causing micro-organisms.
Helping to stimulate our immune system, the Herbs support to ‘fight’ off a very wide array of potential infections, which in return takes major stress off of it.
The Antimicrobial Herbs are capable of taking on large varieties of micro organisms, such as:
>> Yeasts
>> Viruses
>> Parasites
>> Mould
>> Bacteria
>> Other living organisms
Although you may be familiar with the following Antimicrobial herbs, but their potent properties may surprise you. Add them generously to your cooking!
Cloves
Eugenol, the active compound in cloves combined with other clove components make this pungent spice highly anti-bacterial. Being also an anti-inflammatory, the compound has been studied for use in preventing:
>> Joint inflammation
>> Digestive tract cancers
>> Toxicity from environmental pollutants
Cloves are used for dental procedures like root canal therapy and temporary fillings because of their anti-bacterial properties and also as they provide a mild anaesthetic. Clove oil is also used in certain sore throat sprays and mouth washes.
Chilli Peppers
There is a substance called capsaicin in Chilli Peppers, which makes them so spicy. Capsaicin helps with pain relief and many other ailments as it also has anti-inflammatory compounds as well as containing vitamins A and C, which help to ‘fight’ off potential pathogens.
A popular belief is, that chilli peppers cause stomach ulcers. They DON’T. It is a fact that the peppers help prevent them by killing bacteria we eat.
Mustard Seed
Researchers found that the antimicrobial properties of mustard seed are so strong that it killed E. coli bacteria when powdered mustard was added to hamburger meat. Responsible for this effect is the compound allyl isothiocyanate.
It has also been reported that the seeds can’t only fight off E. coli, but also listeria, Staphylococcus aureus, as well as other foodborne pathogens.
The typically consumption of prepared mustard does not contain this healthy component.
Garlic
Allicin (compound, the one responsible for the odour) is a very powerful Antioxidant with strong antibiotic, antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties. Combined with the vitamin C in garlic, these two compounds kill harmful microbes and can be used for some medicinal purposes:
>> Stomach viruses
>> Cold and flu
>> Tuberculosis
>> Botulism
>> Candida yeast
Garlic being a potent antibiotic, it fights a wide range of pathogens and it even fights antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria successfully. It helps fighting arteriosclerosis as well as being able to lower blood pressure, insulin and triglycerides and it has been known to help prevent weight gain.
Sage
Sage is a powerful antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.
Known to kill fungi, including candida albicans, and other microbes such as salmonella. The extract is also known to kill the microbe that causes gingivitis.
It has a unique ability to prevent oxygen-based damage to cells, as it contains flavonoids, phenolic acids and oxygen-handling enzymes.
Sage may be useful in treating bronchial asthma, arteriosclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory conditions.
Rosemary
Traditionally Rosemary has been regarded as a memory enhancer and increases your learning capabilities.
It has been known to increase circulation, improve digestion and to stimulate the immune system.
Sometimes Rosemary is recommended to treat yeast overgrowth in the intestines as it has both antibacterial and antifungal properties. It also possesses the ability to inactivate toxins and then eliminate them from your liver.
Thyme
The volatile oil components of thyme are to include carvacolo, borneol, geraniol - but most importantly, thymol. They are known to fight a wide range of bacteria and fungi, including:
>> Staphylococcus aureus
>> Bacillus subtilis
>> E. Coli
>> Shigella sonnei
>> Escherichia coli
Thyme has a long history of use in natural medicine and is traditionally used in connection with chest and respiratory problems including coughs, bronchitis, and chest congestion and to support the immune system.
Filed under: Health and Diet on November 29th, 2007
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