A virus is a microscopic pathogen that invades cells and then replicates itself until the cell bursts and spreads to other cells.  The Latin meaning of the word virus is toxin or poison.  That gives you a pretty good idea of what you are dealing with when you contract one.  Many diseases stem from a virus and today we will share with you some ways to treat a viral infection.

First lets make one thing very clear - your immune system is the only thing that will kill a virus. That means you can work on preventive measures to strengthen your immune system so that when a virus invades, your body immediately can kick into action to attack and remove it. ​

Keep your body healthy by consuming whole foods (no processed or refined "food")fresh vegetables and fruit, whole grains, nuts, seeds and animals products sparingly. Incorporating cultured foods and/or probiotic supplements will strengthen you immunity and also aid in treating pathogens. In addition to your diet you can also take the following supplements:

• Garlic and onions
• Elderberry
• Red raspberry leaf
• Alfalfa
• Red clover
• Dandelion
• Thieves blend, this can be diffused as an essential oil or made with herbs into a vinegar and taken internally.
• Immune Booster tea
• Dr. Christopher's Plague Remedy
• Medicinal mushrooms
• Herbs high in Vitamin C include burdock, nettles, mullein, plantain, cayenne, catnip, dandelion, peppermint, rose hips, and sage, among others. 
• Astragulus is a great regulator of the immune system
• Other immune system information and lifestyle support ideas
  
  

All viruses are not created the same but the treatment for them can be.  The first step is the prevention mentioned above.  Most healthy persons will not even know they had a virus because the body took care of it before it became a problem.  For those that start showing signs that there is a problem we have found the following protocol to be very helpful:

• Continue to strengthen the immune system by following preventive measures
• Break down the protein coat covering the virus with protease enzymes
• Take antiviral herbs to kill the virus
• Detox the body to remove dead cell waste
• Treat individual symptoms

Some viruses are nastier than others and will take a little more work to get through the protein coat protecting the virus.  That is where protease enzymes come in.  Protease enzymes break down or change the composition of proteins, which will break down that coat so the immune system can recognize the virus and start the attack process.  Some protease enzymes are thought to improve inflammation and strengthen the immune system so we highly recommend incorporating them in your diet.  The following food contain protease enzymes:

• Pineapple
• Papaya, can also use papaya supplements
• Kiwi
• Ginger
• Whole grains - sour dough bread
• Rejuvelac
• Sprouts - whole grains, nuts and seeds
• Raw honey
• Kefir
• Kimchi/Kraut
• Dr. Christopher's Plague Remedy

Once the protein coat is dismantled and the virus is revealed, antiviral herbs would then be helpful in fighting the virus. Some of the best antiviral herbs include:

• Lomatium
• St John’s Wort
• Licorice
• Pine
• Usnea
• Yarrow
• Dandelion
• Basil
• Garlic
• Oregano
• Black Walnut
• Prickly Pear Cactus
• Plantain
• Thyme
• Lemon Balm 

It is important to help the body remove the toxins produced by the virus through the eliminative passageways. Thus, herbs that assist the lymphatic system such as mullein, cleavers and calendula would be helpful.  Drink plenty of fluids, including distilled water and bone broth. The following herbs are great for helping the body get rid of toxins.

• Yellow Dock (blend with a nutritive herb such as red raspberry leaf, nettles or alfalfa)
• Burdock
• Dandelion 
• Blood purifier blend
• Dr. Christopher's Blood Stream Formula

Viruses affect people differently and some viruses have specific body systems that are affected, such at COVID 19 affecting the respiratory tract. Once the protein coat has been broken down, antiviral herbs taken and detox herbs flushing out the waste it is time to focus on the systems being affected.  We will not go into each body system here but will be using COVID 19 as our example for a treatment protocol to support, strengthen and cleanse the respiratory system.

• White blood cells cause the production of mucus which is how they trap invaders. Because this epidemic is attacking the lungs that is where the white blood cells are going to concentrate along with the mucus.  The mucus can get stuck in the lungs and the bronchioles reducing the oxygen uptake.  Herbs that reduce the cytokine response include:
  • Yarrow
  • Pleurisy root
  • Ginger and Honey
  • Turmeric
  • Spruce buds
  • Pine
  • Gum Weed
  • Plantain
  • Mullein
  • Brigham Tea helps open the lungs
  • Mullein is specific for the lungs. It helps pull out infections and reduce inflammation.
  • Hot liquids like herbal tea, bone broth and hot honey and lemon.     
  • Respiratory remedies, use the pneumonia remedies if treating a wet condition.

The mircobiome is the bacteria that populate your gut.  For every human cell, there are ten bacterial cells, we are more bacteria than we are human!  These bacteria are key to our immune function, working with our body to consume and kill viruses, toxins and harmful bacteria.  They produce vitamins, have an affect on our personality and the way we think, they communicate with each other and with our brain, effecting mental health.  They are tied to our nervous system and  even produce hormones. 

This microbiome consists of both beneficial and harmful bacteria.  The key is to keep the beneficial bacteria more productive and thriving than the harmful.  If there are too many harmful bacteria the beneficial can morph into harmful and that is where you see many of the health issues common in today's society.  Most health concerns have a root cause in the gut and once you work on killing off the harmful bacteria and feeding the beneficial bacteria, your body will return to a balanced state of optimal health. 

We are working on a new book that will walk you through the process of killing off harmful bacteria, sweeping it out of the body and building up the beneficial.  We will keep you updated on that progress and post as we go.
​

​There is a lot of confusion about what is healthy. We are bombarded with messages on what is the best way to eat. From eating mainly protein to avoiding animal products all together, each one contradicting the other. Our mission at Herbs to Know is to simplify the way we live and eat. Each individual is created uniquely and therefore will require different dietary needs. That is why one diet does not fit all. We believe that as you heal your gut your body will know what it needs to function optimally. Through our website and books we hope to educate others on how herbs and wholesome foods can break addictions, heal the gut, provide nourishment and heal the body bringing about physical strength and mental clarity. We invite you to join us on this journey to better health!