The writing could finally be on the wall for the common cold and other
winter-related infections like the Norovirus vomiting bug.
Finally,
doctors are starting to recognise that antibiotics used to treat
different types of infection are gradually losing their ability to help
in an increasing amount of cases.
There’s no refuting the fact
that antibiotics have helped save countless lives, however, certain
strains of bacteria have developed a resistance to the action of these
drugs – making them less effective in fighting infections.
Silver in your yoghurt pot
The
answer to the problem takes us back to a trace element the ancient
Greeks and Romans recognised as a powerful infection-fighter… Colloidal
silver!
In fact, colloidal silver was a mainstay treatment for
conventional doctors until penicillin and other patented antibiotics
were introduced as new wonder drugs. Since preparations of colloidal
silver were unpatentable, they predictably fell into disuse.
That
is until recently, when Belgium researchers from the University of
Ghent, turned bacteria, normally found in yoghurt, into ‘silver bullets’
that can destroy viruses.
Sounds like something out of a fabulous futuristic film, doesn’t it? Fortunately, it’s all true!
Professor
Willy Verstraete, a microbiologist, and fellow researchers, attached
nano-particles of silver onto the surface of Lactobacillus fermentum — a
harmless bacteria, and tested the silver-impregnated bacteria against
the Norovirus which typically causes 90 per cent of the gastroenteritis
cases around the world. Results found that the ‘silver bullets’ left the
virus unable to cause infections.
The findings were unveiled at
a meeting of the Society for Applied Microbiology in London last week.
Prof. Verstraete said the bacteria could be incorporated into nasal
sprays, water filters and hand washes to prevent viruses from being
spread.
Nasal sprays, according to Prof. Verstraete, carrying
silver studded bacteria may provide an alternative in the fight against
respiratory infections like flu, which normally spreads through the air
when infected individuals sneeze and it is breathed in by those around
them.
Powerful weapon in the war on infection
The re-discovery of silver as a safe and effective way to help keep infections at bay is a blessing in more than one way.
As
we know, antibiotics are not always effective in fighting infections
and the more powerful the antibiotics become the more likely they are to
cause harmful side effects, which limit their usefulness. These side
effects include diarrhoea, vomiting, skin rashes, ringing in the ears
with the risk of deafness, jaundice, and even epileptic fits.
This
is exactly why silver is such a versatile and safe infection-fighter.
Not only is it effective in the treatment of viral infections like the
flu and upper respiratory infections but it’s also perfectly efficient
in fighting bacterial infections like strep throat as well as fungal
infections, such as athlete’s foot and Candida.
It’s important
to note that silver exists in different forms and some forms are
beneficial, whilst others are toxic. For example, silver ions (free
molecules of silver that are not bound to another substance), such as
those found in silver jewellery, are usually toxic in high
concentrations. However, when silver is bound and locked up in a
solution it becomes safe to take and offers benefits against a range of
infections. This form of silver is called colloidal silver, or Mild
Silver Protein (MSP).
Along with the most recent study from
Belgium, there is a wealth of evidence confirming the infection-fighting
benefits of colloidal silver:
1. Silver protein reduces the risk of eye infections following eye surgery:
Researchers examined the effect of colloidal silver drops in preventing
eye infections following surgery to the eye. Results showed that, when
silver protein eye drops were administered, only 11 out of 4,594
patients developed an infection, whereas without treatment with silver
eye drops it was estimated that 45 patients would have been at risk of
developing an eye infection – meaning that treatment with silver cuts
the infection rate four-fold.
A survey was also carried out
which revealed that eye specialists increasingly give colloidal silver
protein eye drops to their patients as a routine treatment before eye
operations, as a preventative against infections developing.
2. Putting an end to chronic ear infections:
One study showed that the effects of silver were found to be mild but
persistent, without any side effects. In addition, it was found that
silver used together with conventional antibiotics may become up to 14
times more effective. For this reason, silver is also believed to be
effective in mild, ordinary ear infections such as those affecting
people following flu or because of swimming in dirty water.
3. Relief against cystitis and other urinary infections:
Cystitis is a common infection, especially among women, which affects
the bladder and sometimes the urethra. Many sufferers experience
frequent bouts of cystitis that don’t respond to conventional
antibiotics. This is because there are only three or four different
types of antibiotics commonly used to fight cystitis, and so many
strains of bacteria (such as E. coli) have become resistant to them.
Women
are more likely to suffer from cystitis because of the ease of access
bacteria have in reaching the bladder, due to the shortness of the
female urethra. In addition, antibiotics used to treat the problem can
actually trigger attacks of cystitis – particularly in those whose
immune systems are already compromised.
Japanese scientists have
found that silver protein is effective in preventing urinary
infections. In particular, they found that urinary catheters coated in
silver protein reduce the amount of bacteria in the urine and lessen the
likelihood of infections in people who have to use catheters, such as
those recovering from a stroke or following surgery.
What to take for best results
Although
many people taking silver protein have not reported any side effects,
it is best to avoid using very high dosages for long periods of time
without medical supervision.
The strength of each preparation is
measured in parts per million (ppm). The higher the ppm number, the
stronger the preparation. Colloidal silver protein is used as follows:
Eye infections: 50-100 ppm in eye drop form, twice a day
Burns, cuts and skin injuries: In spray or liquid form, 100 ppm used four to six times a day
Nose infections and sinusitis: 100-200 ppm in nasal spray form, four times a day
Ear infections: usually a higher strength, 300-500 ppm in liquid, four times a day
Flu: 400 ppm four to six times a day as soon as symptoms first appear
It
is important to only take silver from a reputable supplier, to ensure a
strong and stable potency of the solution and to follow the dosage
instructions given on the product’s label.
http://www.thehealthierlife.co.uk/natural-remedies/alternative-therapies/silver-antibiotics-yoghurt-natural-remedies-97341/
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