I’ve gargled with it for a few seconds and immediately stopped a sore throat in its tracts. It was used by Hippocrates, the Father of Modern Medicine, in the 5th Century B.C. I’m talking about Oregano with its anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and anti-fungal effects. It has also been known to kill MRSA, Listeria, and other pathogens. And with modern antibiotics becoming less and less effective in the face of new and more virulent strains of bacteria, we need to go back to our ancestors’ medicine chests.
Oregano is both a common spice, and like many other essential oils from plants, a serious medicinal plant. The essential plant oil stands out to researchers as one of the top 10-20 natural compounds which have been effectively used to fight bacterial, viral and fungal infections over the centuries. Oregano oil, along with coconut oil, and garlic (we call 911-GARLIC when a virus strikes) is a standard of care in our household. But let me warn you, it’s not for the weak! This strong oil has a burn effect. Be careful to sufficiently dilute it before taking internally or putting it on topically.
Oil of Oregano’s medicinal potency comes from a concentration of volatile compounds found in the leaves of the plant. These are tiny and mighty molecules. The most abundant volatile compound is carvacrol, a fragrant phenol which gives oregano its particular smell and most of its medicinal properties, according to An Herb Society of America Guide to the Genus Origanum.
“Carvacrol is probably the strongest anti-viral component because it helps to inhibit viral replication,” said Jenn Dazey, N.D., professor of botanical medicine at Bastyr University in Kenmore, WA.
Ah, that’s one way it works…oregano oil inhibits viral replication! That’s a powerful activity. Unfortunately, however, it does kill good gut bacteria (aka microbiota) also, so it should be used in conjunction with Probiotics, same as prescription Antibiotics. What we do: Swallow the diluted oil and 2-3 hours later consume something probiotic. Do this multiple times per day for up to a week. Then switch it out with other oils such as Thyme, Lavender, or the oil blend “OnGuard”, another doTERRA product we carry. We also include two Chinese Medicine secret weapons in our cold-n-flu-bug arsenal. We can hardly keep Gan Mao Ling and Yin Chiao on the shelf in the wintertime.
You Still Need Probiotics
What probiotics should I consume, you may ask? We’re BIG on food. Consume non-pasteurized sauerkraut (better yet, make your own…simple and pennies per serving), eat raw kimchi, drink kefir (we prefer goat kefir as the healthier, less estrogenic alternative to cow), or take powerful capsules we carry such as the 60 Billion+ “IB Balance” Probiotic by Metagenics, which is specifically formulated to deliver the goods. They have a protective mechanism to get them thru the digestive juices and deliver them “live” into the intestinal tract.
An “Exotic” Probiotic
In April, we’ll be demonstrating how we make Kombucha, an ancient Chinese fermented tea and a rich Probiotic which we enjoy almost daily. Learn about SCOBYs (Symbiotic Cultures of Bacteria and Yeast)…and take your very own SCOBY home with you. It’s all happening April 7th at our evening “Food Talk”, at Lotus Blossom Clinic. Check out our Events page for details,
Answering the Question
We asked at the front of the article whether Oregano Oil could take the place of Antibiotics, which are becoming less and less effective given all the Resistant bacterial and viral strains which have come along and continue to increase in the past couple of decades. I’ll let the researchers at Mercola.com finish it off. And, when you want to get your own bottle, stop by the clinic for high-quality, internal grade, essential oils from doTERRA.
According to Dr. Mercola:
Oregano Oil Is a Wonderful Addition to Your Natural Medicine Chest
In addition to its culinary uses, oregano oil may be useful for fighting off many types of infections, making it a useful home remedy. For instance, the anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and antifungal properties in oregano oil may be useful for:
- Inhibiting the growth of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus, which may cause respiratory infections. It may also fight multi-drug resistant bacteria.
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs), because it inhibits the growth of Coli, Proteus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, bacteria that may cause UTIs.
- Yeast infections, including those that are resistant to the commonly used drug Diflucan.
- Parasitic infections. Oregano oil has been shown to be more effective against the parasitic amoeba Giardia than the drug tinidazol.
- Food-borne illness. Many food-borne pathogens, including Listeria, Salmonella, E. Coli, and Shigella dysenteria are inhibited by oregano oil. Not only may adding the oil to foods help to kill such bacteria, but using the oil if you have food poisoning may help to alleviate your symptoms.
For more on the health benefits of oregano, please check out Dr. Mercola’s full article from 2014: “What are the Health Benefits of Oregano?”
Stay Alert,
Dr. David and Deb Martín and Staff
(239) 277-1399
Serving the Greater Fort Myers area, including Cape Coral, Estero, Lehigh, Bonita Springs & Naples