Healing Sage

by Think-Outside-the-Book Publishing, LLC  
 
Did You Know...

... this herb, commonly used for culinary seasoning, could be the key to successfully treating strep throat?

     Sage is an herb that most of us know best for its distinct and delicious flavor in everything from sausage to sauces to stuffing.  Less well known, by far, is that the soft, grey-green leaves of this plant have powerful medicinal applications.  Sage (Salvia officinalis), is a part of the mint family, whose members derive their distinctive tastes... smells... and medicinal effects from their essential oils, some of which are antimicrobial.

     Studies have shown that sage has extensive antifungal and antiviral properties.  It's a useful treatment for inflammations and irritations of the mouth and throat.  Most exciting is the possibility that sage could be the secret to winning the war on strep throat.

Healing Strep Without Antibiotics

There are several million cases of strep throat in the United States every year.  About 9,000-11,500 of those cases progress into something called invasive GAS disease, which is severe and sometimes fatal.  Two of the most well known varieties of GAS disease are necrotizing fasciitis, or "the flesh-eating bacteria," as the media calls it, and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) which causes widespread organ failure.

     One of the trickiest parts of treating even a mild type of GAS infection is that those infections tend to recur.  The rampant over-prescription of antibiotics, resulting in resistant strains of bacteria, no doubt contributes to this.  Research indicates that sage, especially when combined with other natural remedies, can be used to treat the full symptoms of strep.

Proven Immunity Enhancer

Sage is so effective against strep throat that even mainstream doctors now suggest it as a complementary treatment.  And far from aggravating the recurrent nature of strep, sage actually works to overcome that.  Native American tribes used to chew sage leaves as a strengthening tonic because of its antibiotic and immune-stimulant effects.  For those who suffer from frequent strep, sore throat, or upper respiratory illnesses, sage ease symptoms of active ailments as well as fortifying your innate immunity so the conditions are less likely to strike again.

     Sage has special properties that make it a powerful immune protector.  The herb contains a broad spectrum of...

Antioxidants
Trace minerals
Essential oils
Stress-reducing nutrients

How to Use Sage—Your "Herbal Ally"—at Home
No matter where you live, says Dr. Linda B. White, "you can probably find an herbal ally [sage] at the local grocery store."  If you're seeking to treat a cough or nasal congestion, White suggests adding a handful of sage leaves, which work as "decongesting and expectorant" agents, to boiling water.  "Cover and steep for 10-15 minutes," she says, "then remove the lid, lean over, corral the vapors with a towel, and inhale deeply."