7 Alternatives to Antibiotics for Common Infections

The widespread use of antibiotics stems from the belief that there are some very harmful bacteria against which the body cannot defend itself and that must be eliminated with a drug.

Today the perspective has changed. Not all “bad” bacteria are considered bad for everyone, as many people keep them in check with their own bacteria and defenses. AND sometimes the antibiotic not only does not cure, but causes great imbalances. This change in focus opens new avenues in the use of antimicrobials.

“Good” bacteria: the role of the microbiota

In an adult, The number of cells of microorganisms that live in your body can be ten times higher than that of own cells.

In fact, it is estimated that 2 kg of body mass correspond to the set of bacterial species and others microorganisms that inhabit the bodywhich is scientifically known as “microbiota”.

These microorganisms are not alien to humans, but essential for your physiologysuch as the brain, spleen or heart. The conservation of the functions of the microbiota is absolutely necessary to guarantee life and health.

At present, in the face of illness, instead of suppressing much of the microbial flora what is sought more and more is to balance it. This allows to apply treatments curative but can also improve the prevention.

How do antibiotics affect the microbiota?

Antibiotics, in addition to their natural origin, can be classified into different families by their effect on the bacteria or the organism.

The beta-lactaminas (penicillins and cephalosporins), for example, disrupt the bacterial wall (especially from gram-positive bacteria), are not very toxic and do not penetrate the animal cell, while macrolides block protein synthesis of the bacterial ribosome and promote liver toxicity.

Other families include the aminosidesthe tetraclines and antibiotics chemotherapy.

Most antibiotics, when produced naturally by bacteria to control other bacteria, they do it in small amounts and the same bacteria regulate them.

However, when intervening with antibiotics in large quantitiesthey produce large damage to bacterial coloniesnot only in the pathological ones, but also in the usual non-pathogenic flora.

Antibiotic resistance: a problem of excesses

Spain is one of the countries in the world with the highest consumption of antibiotics (35 daily doses per thousand inhabitants) and the second in the European Union, behind France.

in European hospitals Antibiotic resistance has become a daily problem. Hospitalized patients have a high probability of receiving inappropriate antibiotics in half of the cases.

The excess of medical and veterinary prescriptions, self-medication and the medication of animals without a veterinary prescription have favored the increase of these resistances.

When the health system makes good use of antibiotics, infections from resistant bacteria hardly occur. This is the big difference between health systems like the Swedish one, which pays attention to giving the right antibiotic, and the Spanish one, which gives it with hardly any control, especially in the veterinary or livestock sector.

It is irresponsible to ignore the community and ecological consequences of individual antimicrobial treatments. The life of the human species depends intimately on a normal bacterial flora, and our flora, its balance and its resistance depend in turn on the flora that surrounds us.

The evidence indicates that the intestinal microorganisms of animals and humans form an interrelated ecosystem, in which an action at any point can affect all the others. So, whenever pathogenic bacteria encounter continued antibiotic use, they learn, adapt and become resistant.

The resistant bacteria resulting from this practice they are not limited to remaining in the animals in which they develop. There are no “cow” or “pig” or “chicken” bacteria. When it comes to microbes, humans, along with the rest of the animal kingdom, we belong to an ecosystem giant. Resistant bacteria that grow in the intestine of a cow or pig can and do colonize our bodies.

To be able to defend bacteria naturally develop resistance to these products. In addition, the resistance of some bacteria is transmitted to its neighbors. This explains why it is important not to act only against a specific bacterium but to take into account the bacterial balance and try to protect or favor the usual flora.

How should the antibiotic be chosen?

Therefore, it must resort to antibiotics only in exceptional cases and do so as precisely as possibleidentifying the infectious process with a good diagnosis and knowing that if the prognosis is mild, it will suffice to stimulate the defenses, monitor the process and perhaps perform a culture, if feasible, in case evolution changes.

If the prognosis may be grave and culture is helpful, the infecting agent should be isolated and identified and test “in vitro”, by means of an antibiogram, which antibiotic is more effective. You can also make a aromatogramwhich helps to choose plant essences anti-infectious action.

The substance that is chosen should:

Being narrow spectrum: very effective against the infectious agent and little against the non-infectious ones. little toxic for macrobes and microbes.Administer without risk or discomfort.Arrive at the infectious focus on time and without altering. Act long enough without interfering with natural defenses.Be cheap.Do not alter the microbial balance of the environment.

It should also be taken into account that the antibiotic can cause imbalances for weeks or months, both in the person who receives it and in other people and in the environment (hospital, water…), so it must be accompanied by probiotics that reinforce the flora.

What is the best natural antibiotic for each infection?

In addition, this need to respect the microbial balance leads to consider treatments with more natural substances that respect the body’s own healing capacity.

These are common infections in which antibiotics are usually used and where there is a natural alternative. Before resorting to any of them, we recommend that you consult a specialist. In any case, if the infection does not improve or you notice any unwanted effects, stop the treatment and seek medical advice.

Acute sinusitis

The most widely used antibiotic is amoxicillin. As a general measure, you can take pain relievers and perform nasal washes with saline or thyme and salt infusion applied with a thickened python porroncito (burbot) and followed by thyme and mallow vapors.

Another option is add tea tree essence and grapefruit extract to the wash water.

acute otitis media

Although it resolves spontaneously in more than 80% of cases, amoxicillin is often abused and symptomatic treatment with analgesics and anti-inflammatories.

You can take chamomile instead. in infusion or tincture; echinaceafrom 1 to 5 ml of tincture three to five times a day; or eldera cup of infusion of the fresh plant two or three times a day.

For pain, you can apply some drops of olive oil with garlic, mullein, marigold flowers and St. John’s Wort.

Acute bronchitis

The most commonly used antibiotics are clarithromycin and azithromycinbut they are only indicated in severe cases, in the presence of purulent sputum or in patients with morbidity or immunocompromised.

In general it is recommended stop smoking, use water vaporizers and ensure good oral hydration. To do this, it is advisable to drink plenty of fluids (more than 2 liters a day), take garlic (two teeth a day), onion raw or boiled, lemon juice and infusions of thyme, eucalyptus, mint, echinacea or elderberry.

The inhalation of water vapor while hot liquids are slowly drunk, it facilitates nasal breathing and the drainage of secretions.

urinary infection in women

It is used above all fosfomycinbut also tinamoxicillin and nitrofurantoinof which it is often abused in recurrent infections. Before using them, an antibiogram culture should be performed.

It is recommended a diet of fresh fruit, preferably with cranberriesdrink a liter a day of bearberry decoction (1 tablespoon per liter) and thyme infusion (three times a day).

fungal vaginitis

Are used antifungals such as clotrimazole.

Before or at the same time you should deal with ovules with garlic extract, washed with sage and thyme, and lactobacilli. You can also alternate adding lemon juice and a few drops of grapefruit extract to the infusion.

Erysipelas

It’s used penicillin and erythromycin.

To replace them with a more natural treatmentfirst it is convenient to wash the affected area well with clean water, if you want hot, and then apply a infusion of calendula and thyme or an ointment based on calendula, thyme and aloe.

furunculosis

It’s used penicillin and erythromycin. The wound is well cleaned and washed with an infusion of calendula and thyme. Also clay can be applied.

Antiseptics that take care of the flora

Some natural antimicrobials They fight infections without weakening the body.

We have within our reach and almost daily the management of soap and water as a solution and drag, which is useful in urine infections, cleaning wounds…

In addition, there are foods, plants and condiments of antimicrobial properties that at the same time protect the usual flora:

Food: garlic, onions, leeks, radishes, carrots, citrus fruits (lemon, oranges), honey.seasonings and spices: paprika, saffron, cloves, cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg.Floors: thyme, rosemary, oregano, lavender, mint, pennyroyal, mint, fennel, anise, cumin, sage, tea, pine, juniper, eucalyptus, ginkgo.resins: frankincense and myrrh.Breastmilk: contains lactoferrin with bactericidal power against various microorganisms.

He naturopathic treatment of infections is based on the use of medicinal plants and the patient observation. respect the fever and recommends fasting as part of the treatment, accompanied by fresh fruit juices such as lemon and other citrus fruits, and vegetable juices, including garlic and onion.

To know more:

Petra Neumayer: Natural antibiotics. Ed. RBA-IntegralJohn Mckenna: Natural remedies to fight infections. Ed. Paidos