| Anthrax. Smallpox. Plague. Diseases that can kill. | | | | many blends available, or make your own) could help |
| Diseases that are now in the hands of terrorists. What | | | | forestall anthrax.Medicinal mushrooms are not only |
| if these diseases were released in your hometown, or | | | | immune system tonics, they possess antibacterial |
| the place where you work? What could you do if | | | | properties which make them ideal for preventing |
| vaccines and treatments were in short supply or | | | | anthrax infection, according to expert Paul Stametes. |
| unavailable? Is there anything you can do now to | | | | A tincture or strong infusion of any shelf fungus with |
| prepare yourself and improve your chances of | | | | pores can be used, he says. If you prefer to buy your |
| survival?Herbalist Susun Weed recognizes the | | | | mushrooms, rather than hunt for them, look for reishii |
| possibility of biological warfare and she is ready to | | | | (Ganoderma lucidum) or shiitake (Lentinus edodes). |
| cope with it. With her help, you too can be prepared | | | | Both are adaptogenic, revitalizing, regenerative, and |
| with herbs and home remedies that you can use now | | | | able to directly suppress infection. Side effects, even |
| to help avoid infection and to build a strong immune | | | | from large doses, are rare.Essential oils are |
| system. You can feel safer in these troubling times by | | | | antibacterial, and some sources suggest rubbing them |
| learning about herbs that are effective against | | | | inside the nose or spraying the air with these |
| antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and that can be used in | | | | extremely concentrated oils to counter anthrax |
| conjunction with, or in place of (should there be a lack | | | | infections. I don't. Essential oils are likely to cause a |
| of) modern antibiotics.Anthrax bacteria (Bacillus | | | | variety of side effects (such as damage to the mucus |
| anthracis) enter the body through breaks in the skin or | | | | surfaces of the nose and lungs, and stress to the |
| through the nose and lungs. Early symptoms (which | | | | lymphatic system) that could, paradoxically, make |
| may take up to a week to occur) include reddish-black | | | | infection more likely and more virulent.Cayenne and |
| sores on the skin or in the lymph nodes around the | | | | golden seal are antibacterial, but too strong to be used |
| lungs. Hemorrhagic fever and death follows. Treated | | | | as preventatives. Snuffing hot pepper up your nose |
| early, anthrax succumbs to antibiotics and most people | | | | would kill anthrax, but at the risk of irritating your nose |
| (75-80 percent) recover completely. Even without | | | | and respiratory passages, damaging their protective |
| treatment, according to some sources, more than half | | | | mucus surfaces, and stressing your immune system. I |
| of those infected survive. (Genetically-engineered | | | | rarely use golden seal, not only because it can cause |
| varieties may kill up to 90 percent of untreated victims.) | | | | severe side effects, but also because it is approaching |
| The inhaled variety is more lethal because the early | | | | extinction in the wild.I prefer safer antibacterial herbs |
| symptoms of infection are easily ignored, delaying | | | | such as Echinacea, usnea, or poke root, which not only |
| treatment past the point of most effect, and because | | | | kill infection, but also help us keep our immune systems |
| pneumonia infections frequently complicate the | | | | strong. That, of course, is the desired result from |
| recovery. Anthrax is not contagious; that is, it is not | | | | immunization: to strengthen the immune system and |
| passed from person to person.The antibiotic Cipro is | | | | alert it to the possibility of anthrax infection. Anthrax |
| one of the treatments approved by the US | | | | vaccines currently available for animals are not suitable |
| government for those definitely exposed to anthrax, | | | | for humans, and one prepared for people is in short |
| but neither it nor any other antibiotic can prevent | | | | supply (and only 93 percent effective). To achieve full |
| infection. It is dangerous to take antibiotics "just in case" | | | | immunity, one must have immunization shots every |
| for then they may not work when actually needed. | | | | two weeks for six weeks, then again at 6, 12, and 18 |
| Instead, try these home remedies.Salt is lethal to | | | | months. Given that, herbs seem a superb alternative: |
| bacteria. The simplest home remedy for those worried | | | | they have an extensive history of countering resistant |
| about exposure to anthrax is to rinse your nose with | | | | bacteria and strengthening the body's natural |
| salt (any kind will do) mixed into water. Taste your | | | | defenses.Echinacea root is the all American immune |
| mixture to be certain it is very salty. Getting this up | | | | system strengthener. It triggers production of white |
| your nose can be accomplished by putting your nose | | | | blood cells, interferon, leukocytes, T cells, and B |
| into the salt solution and snorting it in, or you may wish | | | | lymphocytes, as well as directly inhibiting the growth of |
| to buy a "neti pot," a device from India used to rinse | | | | most bacteria and viruses. Peter Holmes, author of |
| the nasal passages. Afterwards, blow your nose and | | | | Energetics of Western Herbs, cites it as being |
| spit out any residue that runs into the mouth.Yarrow | | | | effective against anthrax. Echinacea tincture is my first |
| (Achillea millefolium) has been scientifically shown to kill | | | | choice for countering infection. (Capsules and pills of |
| all gram positive and gram negative bacteria. A small | | | | Echinacea, if used for lengthy periods, may be |
| spray bottle of the tincture of the flowering tops can | | | | counter-productive.) A dose of the tincture is one drop |
| be used to spray the inside of the nose, killing any | | | | for every pound of body weight. I take this several |
| bacteria lurking there. Spraying tincture in your nose | | | | times a week as a preventative, several times daily |
| does sting a little and makes the eyes water, but don't | | | | when there is active infection. If I were exposed to |
| dilute it - the alcohol is antibacterial too.Garlic has been | | | | anthrax, I would take a dose every hour for at least |
| used to prevent infection for thousands of years; and it | | | | ten days.Usnea, a common lichen, is especially rich in a |
| still works! No need to upset your stomach (and loved | | | | powerful antibacterial bitter called usnic acid (also usinic |
| ones) by eating it raw; cooked garlic retains its | | | | acid). I use the tincture ofUsnea barbataI (a dose is 1-2 |
| antibacterial powers, so long as you eat enough of it. | | | | dropperfuls), but other lichens show similar |
| During plague times, healers in some areas wore a | | | | immune-enhancing and tonifying properties. There are |
| "bird's beak:" a stiff cone was made of paper or bark, | | | | no side effects reported from use of even large |
| stuffed with garlic and spices (cinnamon, cloves, | | | | amounts of usnea tincture.Poke root tincture |
| nutmeg), and tied on over the nose to help prevent | | | | (Phytolacca americana) kicks the immune system into |
| contagion. That's a little cumbersome for modern times, | | | | gear incredibly fast. |
| but inhaling the aroma of a cup of spicy tea (there are | | | | |