Using Nature’s Remedies for Health and Wellness

30th September 2014

By  Gaye Levy

Contributing Writer for Wake Up World

Although I have always had an interest in using natural products for health and wellness, the elimination of toxic chemicals and drugs from my medicine cabinet was a slow process. It was not until I began to embrace preparedness and self-reliance that I took the time to learn about using nature’s remedies for health and wellness purposes.

And then, like a proverbial light going of in a dark room, I got it.  I mean I really got it.  Drawers full of OTC remedies and ointments were dumped into a box along with bottles of pharmaceutical drugs that I had hung on to “just in case”.

Although I have been using natural remedies and  DIY salves  exclusively for almost a year, things really came to a head recently when my  root canal was canceled after I ingested a brew of lemon juice, turmeric, and cayenne pepper that I named “Dee’s Cocktail”. Imagine my utter surprise when my dentist grinned at me, canceled the procedure for lack of need, and encouraged me to continue using  “nature’s antibiotics” – including turmeric, cayenne, cinnamon, and oregano!

How Do Plant Derivatives and Essential Oils Work?

Being a seeker of knowledge, I wanted to pursue the science of how plants and their derivatives such as essential oils work on the human body. I found this recent article on the National Library of Medicine (part of the National Institute of Health) website:  Effect of Essential Oils on Pathogenic Bacteria.

The increasing resistance of microorganisms to conventional chemicals and drugs is a serious and evident worldwide problem that has prompted research into the identification of new biocides with broad activity.

Plants and their derivatives, such as essential oils, are often used in folk medicine. In nature, essential oils play an important role in the protection of plants. Essential oils contain a wide variety of secondary metabolites that are capable of inhibiting or slowing the growth of bacteria, yeasts and moulds.

Essential oils and their components have activity against a variety of targets, particularly the membrane and cytoplasm, and in some cases, they completely change the morphology of the cells. This brief review describes the activity of essential oils against pathogenic bacteria.

To see something like this is writing from a credible source was encouraging. To that end, over the years, I have learned so very much from the shared experience and knowledge of others. I wish I was smart enough to be an expert at everything. Since I am not, I often call upon others who have already done some of the heavy lifting in seeking out information on topics I find important.

Today, with the assistance of  Rebecca Schiffhauer  (founder of  CampWander.com)  I will share the following  thoughts about natural remedies and why they work – plus a few simple recipes. Treat this article as a starting point for opening your mind to the miracle of nature and the herbs, plants, fruits, seeds and oils that can contribute to our health and wellness in a holistic, safe manner and natural manner.

Natural Antibiotic Remedies & Why They Work

“The ability of oils from various spices to kill infectious organisms has been recognized since antiquity. Natural oils may turn out to be valuable adjuvants or even replacements for many anti-germicidals under a variety of conditions.” ~  Harry G. Preuss, MD, Professor of physiology and biophysics, Georgetown University

You can find nature in one of its most powerful forms, the essence and life-force of plants found in what we commonly refer to as essential oils. Essential oils are derived from flowers, trees, grasses, leaves, roots and fruits. Their powerful essence is indispensable to medicine. Western medicine seeks to create chemical copies of essential oils because of their extremely effective and complex medical system.

Essential oils provide a system of medicine that not only is in total biochemical harmony with our bodies, but they’re non-invasive too!   Their delivery system is so efficient that synthetic drugs look crude in comparison.

This is why:  Synthetic antibiotics cannot penetrate the cell wall to get at the virus but, PURE essential oils can! You don’t have to take my word for it, read about the following studies and what the experts have to say:

• Essential Oils to Fight Superbugs
• Oregano Oil May Protect Against Drug-Resistant Bacteria, Georgetown Researcher Finds

Given the science, why is it that doctors readily write prescriptions for ineffective antibiotics that  break down our immunity  instead of fortifying it? Synthetic antibiotics  are inferior to what has been under our feet and noses for centuries…NATURE.  It’s time to turn back to the gifts of the earth. Reach for nature’s medicine first. Nature’s medicine cabinet has answers that modern medicine just can’t duplicate. hard as they try!

I could write a short novel on this subject however instead, I’ll encourage you to do your own research and, ask questions! Always ask questions when seeking medical help and keep asking  until you’re satisfied with the answer. Amen.

Over the course of time as I’ve turned to a more holistic approach to health and wellness, I’ve tried to blend organic ingredients to create an even more powerful remedies. Here are two  examples.

Antibiotic Tea Recipe

Stir a heaping teaspoon of  Manuka Honey  and 2 drops of  Shield Protective Blend*  in a cup of very warm water along with 1 drop of  lemon  for a powerful dose of  nature’s antibiotics!  Perfect for a sore throat, cold and cough, congested chest and flu symptoms. Drink as needed.  *Essential oil blend  of  clove, cinnamon bark, eucalyptus, and rosemary.

If you’ve never heard of Manuka Honey that hales from New Zealand, click here to learn more.  This particular honey is raw, unpasteurized and  organic. Manuka Honey is produced by bees who forage on the Manuka Tree (Tea Tree) creating a very special medicinal honey.

Natural Antibiotic Blend aka  Cold & Flu Bomb Recipe

Here’s yet another natural remedy with antibiotic properties. This is a great remedy to whip up when you have a nasty cold or flu bug trying to get hold.   Start this antibiotic protocol (that works!) just as you begin to feel symptoms.

3 drops  Oregano  oil
3 drops  Melaleuca  oil
3 drops  Shield  Protective Blend  *Essential oil blend  of  clove, cinnamon bark, eucalyptus, and rosemary.

Take 3x daily, for 5 days. If your symptoms are acute already, every 3 hours. For the nastiest of stubborn bugs, rub  extra  Oregano  diluted with a bit of carrier oil on the bottoms of feet as needed.

Natural Remedies are Only Beneficial if You Use Them!

I will be the first to admit that if someone had told me ten years ago that I would shun the drugstore in favor or herbs, spices and essential oils, I would have looked at them cross-eyed. That was then and this is now.

Today’s article is meant to educate and challenge you into action. You may already have gathered books and other materials about natural remedies. That’s great, but until you actually read them and try these remedies and concoctions yourself, you really will not know whether they will be effective for you or not.

Heck, even with pharmaceuticals, sometimes things just do not work out. How many times has your health care provider prescribed something and $30 later you discover it does not work? Or has side effects so bad that you discontinue use?

The use of natural remedies requires experience. What works for one person may not work exactly the same way for someone else. This is nothing to be fearful or hesitant about  –  it is simply nature’s way.

The Final Word

It is my belief that in any sort of collapse or global disruptive event, practical knowledge that helps us harness Mother Nature will go a long way toward  maintaining our health and wellness.

If you have questions or concerns, by all means discuss them with your personal health care professional.  If you are lucky like I was, they will not only encourage your use of nature’s remedies, but also educate you so that you can continue down this path with their guidance.

Enjoy your next adventure through common sense and thoughtful preparation!
Gaye (and Rebecca)

Further articles by Gaye Levy:

• 20 All Purpose Remedies Using Essential Oils
• The Powerful Healing Qualities of Rosemary Essential Oil
• 15 Alternative Uses for Honey
• Vermiculture: How To Build A Worm Bin the Cheap and Easy Way
• Spices for the Survival Pantry
• 21 Home Remedies for a Toothache Emergency
• The Miracle of Tea Tree Oil: 80 Amazing Uses for Survival
• 26 Five-Minute Prepping Projects
• 10 Simple Steps Toward Self-Sufficiency
• Creating a Healing Garden: 9 Healing Herbs You Can Grow Yourself

About the author:

Gaye Levy, also known as  the Survival Woman, grew up and attended school in the Greater Seattle area. After spending many years as an executive in the software industry, she started a specialized accounting practice offering contract CFO work to emerging high tech and service industries. She has now abandoned city life and has moved to a serenely beautiful rural area on an island in NW Washington State.

Gaye lives and teaches the principles of a sustainable and self-reliant lifestyle through her website at  BackdoorSurvival.com.  At Backdoor Survival, she speaks her mind and delivers her message of prepping with optimism and grace, regardless of the uncertain times and mayhem swirling around us.  You can find Gaye through her website  Backdoor Survival.com, on  Facebook,  Twitter  and  Pinterest.

If you have not done so already, please be sure to like Gaye’s  Facebook  page, which is updated every time there is an awesome new article, news byte, or link to a free survival, prepping or homesteading book on Amazon.  In addition, when you  sign up to receive Gaye’s email updates  you will receive a free, downloadable copy of her e-book  The Emergency Food Buyer’s Guide.