Kellie Green.comOnline health & Wellbeing magazine

Are you questioning the need to take antibiotics for every minor complaint, but are not sure of the alternatives? Read on.
People used to die from infections that a course of antibiotics would have cured, and still do in third world countries today. Antibiotics were hailed as a miracle cure when they were discovered for this very reason, and as a nurse I have seen them work wonders on many occasions. However as a herbalist I also know that there is a price to be paid when you take them. It is the intention of this article to explain what that price is and what you can do about it in order to enjoy the best of both worlds and the best of health. 
I am personally opposed to the use of antibiotics for every little thing, but they most definitely have their place, especially when other treatments aren’t working as strongly or as quickly as they need to. That said, it makes good sense to limit antibiotic use for several reasons. The first is the ever worsening problem of antibiotic resistance, something which is of increasing concern in medical circles. 
RESISTANCE

Antibiotic resistance is when a bacteria mutates so as to become unaffected by an antibiotic that previously would have killed it. This has been a big problem in hospitals for decades and new (stronger) antibiotics need to be developed constantly in order to keep ahead of the cleverness of the bacteria. These stronger antibiotics also often have stronger side effects. Using natural alternatives to pharmaceutical antibiotics will help slow this trend. 
If you do need to take doctor prescribed antibiotics, commit to it fully. Make sure you complete the entire course, even if you feel completely recovered and still have some pills to take. Antibiotics work by vastly and rapidly reducing the number of bacteria  infecting you. A few days into treatment you can feel pretty much better, but still have a reasonably high count of the bacteria (which have been weakened but not killed by the antibiotics you have been taking). If you stop before the course is complete you allow these bacteria to recover, and when they do they will be resistant to the antibiotic and so will their offspring. You also run the risk of the infection flaring up again and needing another lot of (perhaps stronger) antibiotics to get on top of it.
ALLERGIES

If you overuse an antibiotic there is a small possibility that you become allergic to that antibiotic, preventing you from using it in the future. Make no mistake, antibiotics are very effective at treating infections, especially big ones. No-one ever wants to think they may have a serious accident or health crisis, but if you ever do it is best to have as many treatment options open as possible and that includes a wide range of antibiotics. 
THRUSH

The other major issue with taking antibiotics is that they don’t discriminate between good bacteria and bad bacteria – they kill the lot. So if you are taking antibiotics by mouth they will kill all the good bacteria in your bowel. You need these good bacteria to properly digest your food (and so get the goodness out of it) and help kill off the germs that cause food poisoning. They also help keep yeast, fungus and parasite populations under control. If you take antibiotics you need to replace them – with one bottle of good quality acidophilus + bifidus at the recommended dosage for every course of antibiotics. Otherwise you run the risk of getting thrush and / or Candida. 
Yoghurt contains acidophilus and bifidus, but not in the very high amounts available in supplements. You would need loads of it for many months to undo the damage of just a single course of antibiotics. By all means yoghurt is brilliant to support your population of good bowel bacteria, but use it as a maintenance food rather than a cure for thrush or Candida. 
Green Essence www.medicinalherbsfowomen.com/product/ABFE-24 for two weeks is also useful for helping to rebalance your bowel flora after antibiotics.
For some mysterious reason, natural remedies know good bowel flora from bad and only target harmful bacteria; one of the wonders of using nature’s pharmacy. Thrush and irritable bowel syndrome never occur following herbal antibiotic treatment; in fact herbs are very effective for treating both these complaints. 
NATURAL IMMUNITY

Your own immune system becomes strong by being used – just like muscles do. Fighting things off on your own or with the assistance of herbs helps to strengthen your immune system and build up your natural immunity to things. 
HERBAL ANTISEPTICS

Topical antiseptics include Lavender Essential Oil (always use diluted) and Calendula www.medicinalherbsforwomen.com/product/OINT02  
HERBAL ANTIBIOTICS

It takes three years to train a herbalist. Herbs have strong actions in the body and, like pharmaceutical drugs, need to be prescribed by people who know how they work, what to give, when to give it, how much to give and for how long. In short, it is not a good idea to self diagnose or self prescribe. 
If you would like to use herbal antibiotics instead of pharmaceutical antibiotics, book a consultation with a qualified herbalist, who will know the best herbs for your situation and whether they have a good chance of working or if it is at the point where you need to take drugs.
There are very effective herbs for systemic infections. These include herbs that can boost your own natural immune response, and for staphylococcal, streptococcal, fungal and viral infections. 
There are also herbs, available only to professional herbalists, that support specific areas in the body. Herbs are available to treat infections in all the organs including the lungs, reproductive organs, kidneys, bladder, liver and bowel, but the strongest (most effective) are not sold over the counter. 
Herbal remedies are certainly an option in most cases and it is worth seeing a professional herbalist to make you up an individual remedy. This often costs less than you would expect, usually about the same as a trip to the health food shop (where you may or may not get what you need after self-prescribing or on the advice of a shop assistant who may or may not be qualified). It is also comparable to the combined cost of a trip to the doctor and chemist.
Antibiotics definitely have their place, but ideally should be reserved for really big infections requiring drastic measures. Every day infections, even fairly severe ones, can be and are successfully treated with herbs without the unpleasant side effects of pharmaceutical antibiotics. Herbs, properly taken, will completely remove the infection and restore the affected area to full health and enhance natural immunity for the future.

Please note that the information contained in this article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to replace the advice of a qualified health professional. Under no circumstances should you self diagnose or self treat – if you are unwell, it is important that you seek assistance from a doctor or qualified herbalist.”
Linn Wiggins. R.N. Dip Herb Med.

Editors notes: I personally use Linn’s herbs and advice, she knows what she is talking about. This is especially good for all those in fear of the dreaded swine flu. Prevention is the best cure and if your immunity is high you are less suseptable to these kind of outbreaks.

There are many diseases for which no vaccination is available. Against these we are left with only one defence – our own natural immunity. Now more than ever, with new diseases emerging and antibiotic resistance at an all time high, it is important for you to know how to support your body’s inbuilt immune system. Here are some simple natural steps you can take. 

CLEAN LYMPHATICS
Your lymphatic system picks up metabolic wastes and environmental toxins from throughout your body and excretes them through your skin or bowel. When your “glands are up” (your lymph nodes are swollen) this is a sign they have gathered an amount of toxic waste (i.e. they are doing their job). When you get sick your lymph nodes help isolate the infection. As the infection passes they should slowly and safely excrete their wastes. Unfortunately, in modern times we have many toxins in our body that it was never designed to deal with, so the lymphatic system is often permanently congested and sluggish. Exercise helps pump lymph and clean this system through sweating. If you don’t sweat or your sweat smells or you are showing a lymphatic rosary in your iris, your lymphatic system needs cleaning. Specific herbs can achieve this. This detox mix helps cleanse both your lymphatic system and blood:
http://www.medicinalherbsforwomen.com/product/herb09″

The Australian Bush Flower Essence ‘Bush Iris’ can also support the lymphatic system energetically http://www.medicinalherbsforwomen.com/product/ABFE-14

HEALTHY BLOOD

“Dirty blood” is a naturopathic term referring to blood laden with waste products. Iron deficiency can contribute to this. Good iron levels are necessary to oxygenate all the cells in the body and to burn out infection. The long term effects of low iron levels are potentially very serious. Vegetarians, those who don’t eat a lot of red meat, and women who menstruate heavily are most prone. If blood tests show low iron or haemoglobin levels, natural iron supplements are recommended. Synthetic iron tablets often cause constipation and are not as readily absorbable by your body.

TRY HERBAL ANTIBIOTICS
Like any part of the body, the immune system gets stronger the more it is used. “Use it lose it” definitely applies here. Over use of antibiotics can lead to a lazy immune system, antibiotic resistance and / or yeast overgrowth (thrush and candida). Combine this with a weak immune system and the outlook can be grim if a really serious infection occurs. There are many very effective herbal medicines for bacterial, viral and fungal infections. Other herbs can be used to stimulate the immune system when necessary. No resistance seems to develop against herbal remedies and they support the healing process rather than suppress it. Even in medical circles, stress is now known to lower immunity. Your adrenal glands must be healthy for you to mount an effective response against any challenge – including disease. Stress, worry and anxiety all deplete your adrenal glands. There are many herbs and flower essences which act as adrenal tonics and assist during times of stress. Flower essences include Black-Eyed Susan www.medicinalherbsforwomen.com/product/ABFE-07 and also Macrocarpa www.medicinalherbsforwomen.com/product/ABFE-36
Remember to take time out to relax with family, friends and hobbies. Live and work somewhere you like, with people whose company you enjoy. Live joyfully.

…. as much as you can afford to buy and have time to grow. The much higher life force from plants and animals being nurtured on good quality soil, using traditional farming practises, is well worth the extra expense. Mass produced food is grown in tired soil, stimulated with chemical fertilisers to grow fast, and sprayed with toxic chemicals to control pests. Some is also genetically modified to look good, travel well and last a long time on the supermarket shelf. The end result has dramatically lowered nutritional value. The cost of organic food is the true cost of (nutritious) food. The true cost of non organic food is chronic sub health and the recent alarming rise in serious diseases in western society. Every step of processing food lessens its nutritional value. So use as much whole, organic food as time and budget permit and cook it yourself. It’s the only way to really know what you are eating.

LIMIT ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS
They increase the work your liver, kidneys, skin, lungs and lymphatics have to do. Take a serious look at every cleaning product and personal care item in your house. If you can’t eat it, don’t breathe it or let it touch your skin. Many natural products do just as good a job as their chemical equivalents and using them does you, your children, your grandchildren and the environment a huge favour. Copyright Linn Wiggins. Wholistic Herbalist. http://www.medicinalherbsforwomen.com

Flower Remedies are not new. The Australian Aboriginals have always used flowers to heal the emotions, as did the Ancient Egyptians. There has also been a very long tradition of use of Flower Essences in India, Asia and South America and they were also very popular in Europe in the Middle Ages. Hildegard von Bingen (12th century) and Paracelsus (15th century) both wrote about how they collected dew from flowering plants to treat health imbalances.

This healing method was rediscovered by Dr. Edward Bach sixty years ago through the use of English flowering plants. Today our society and its needs are totally different to that of sixty years ago. There has been a great need for remedies that would help people deal with the issues of the 21st century – sexuality, communication skills and spirituality to name but a few. The answer to this need has come from the Australian plants, developed and researched by Naturopath, Ian White a fifth generation Australian herbalist.

Ian grew up in the Australian bush. As a young boy his grandmother, like her mother before her, specialised in using Australian plants and would often take him bush walking. From her deep understanding she would point out the many healing plants and flowers. He learned a profound respect for nature through her and went on to become a practitioner and a pioneer working with and researching the rare remedial qualities of Australian native plants.

Australia has the world’s oldest and highest number of flowering plants exhibiting tremendous beauty and strength. Also Australia is relatively unpolluted and metaphysically has a very wise, old energy.

At this time there is a tremendous new vitality in this country. This, combined with the inherent power of the land, is why the Australian Bush Flower Essences are unique. Practitioners and prescribers world wide are now incorporating the Australian Essences to form an integral part of their therapy.

The Bush Remedies not only help to give clarity to one’s life but also the courage, strength and commitment to follow and pursue one’s goals and dreams. They help to develop a higher level of intuition, self esteem, spirituality, creativity and fun. The more the Essences are used, the more one is likely to experience greater awareness and happiness in one’s life. Then everyone benefits….the individual, society and the planet.

The effect of these Essences is similar to that of meditation in that they enable the person to access the wisdom of their Higher Self. This releases negative beliefs held in the subconscious mind and allows the positive virtues of the Higher Self – love, joy, faith, courage etc. to flood their being. When this happens the negative beliefs and thoughts are dissolved, balance is restored and true healing occurs.

Author Australian bush flower essences and Ian White.

One of the reasons I have created this site is to spread the expansion of thought. To do that I truly believe that you must understand the power of thought. Here are some amazing examples of what the power of thought does to water.

Our bodies are mostly water. How we speak to our children and ourselves has a demonstrative effect on who we are. This video helps me to see why prayer or affimations pyshically affect us.

Also this will help you with the knowledge of how and why flower essences work.

Note: Take notice of how you feel with each picture that is shown.

Enjoy