Antibiotics are used to kill or reduce bacterial growth. Natural antibiotics have been around for centuries and only when drug-based antibiotics came around in the 1940s did natural antibiotics take a back seat.
Drug-based antibiotics can cause considerable harm to your digestive system. The healthy bacteria in your gut, which are responsible for a strong immune system, get attacked the same way as the bad bacteria.
Most natural antibiotics don’t cause harm to your digestive system when taken properly.
Here are four natural antibiotics that have proven effective in fighting bad bacteria.
1. Garlic
This natural antibiotic is best for fighting colds, cases of flu, and ear infections. The active substance in garlic is called diallyl sulfide. One study found that diallyl sulfide can be as much as 100 times more effective than drug-based antibiotics. Unfortunately, diallyl sulfide is destroyed by cooking, so you’ll have to eat it raw. A small price to pay to protect your gut!
Crush one clove of raw garlic and consume it once a day to boost your immune system.
2. Oregano Oil
Oregano oil is one of the most powerful natural antibiotics on the planet. It can fight an impressive amount of harmful microbes, like viruses, fungi, and parasites. It also helps with allergies.
People also often use oregano oil to fight skin and sinus infections.
3. Ginger
Ginger helps fight infections, reduces digestive discomfort, and relieves nausea and inflammation. It's best taken raw, and you can increase its flavor and effectiveness by taking it together with other natural antibiotics such as honey and cinnamon.
4. Pau d’Arco
Pau d’Arco is a tree bark from the rainforests of South America. It can help with candida overgrowth, ulcers, fevers, and pain. Users can apply it externally with a tincture, or ingest it as a tablet.
It’s sometimes not recommended for children under certain circumstances so you might want to stick with the other natural antibiotics on this list for your child.