Dooley Noted: 1/29/2015
When you’re exposed to hundreds of students and thousands of New York City commuters, you occasionally get sick.
Yesterday, I was struck with strep throat.
As I struggled to swallow, I remembered the years of strep throat growing up.
After many years of amoxicillin and other antibiotics, I knew there must be other choices.
I personally save the antibiotics for the very serious conditions.
Strep throat is a mild fever and a few days of being uncomfortable. To me, this is not time to trash my intestinal flora with antibiotics.
For those that make the same decision for themselves, I suggest the following anti-microbial and steps to increase your comfort.
1. Don’t go to work. You may want to do so. I certainly did. But you need rest.
2. All-natural anti-microbials can help you fight microbes without obliterating your intestinal flora. Some powerful helpful anti-microbials: oil of oregano, garlic, coconut oil, and capsaicin (cayenne).
3. Gargling with sea salt water is astringent and very helpful to decrease the pain of strep throat. Follow gargling immediately by drinking room temperature water.
4. Soothing teas like Throat Coat can help comfort and ease swallowing as you recover. This tea contains licorice root, an herb very soothing to sore throats.
5. Breathing steam mixed with apple cider vinegar can help draw pus out of the mucosal lining and ease pain in the throat. Mix one cup of apple cider vinegar into 3-4 cups of water. Bring to a boil and breathe the steam.
6. Perhaps the most effective part of my repertoire is Chinese herbs. I was given a particular herb that helps soothe the throat as it drains phlegm. Contact a Chinese herbalist to help provide an herb set that is right for you.
7. Key acupuncture points can help with symptoms. One particular point is Lung 10. This point, found in the middle of the thumb pad, is extremely effective in reducing the pain of a sore throat.
If you want to reduce bacterial resistance to antibiotics, consider not jumping to use them for minor bacterial infections.
But if it’s a major infection, with very high fevers, antibiotics certainly have their place.
As always, it’s your call.
– Dr. Kathy Dooley