Natural Antivirals and Remedies to Fight Viral Infections

As indicated by their name, antivirals are substances that are used to treat infections caused by viruses; they fight them and are inoffensive for the host.  Natural antivirals not only help fight the virus, but they also strengthen the body’s defense system, helping increase them naturally.

There are a lot of conditions caused by viruses like chicken pox, labial and genital herpes, hepatitis B and C virus, which could cause liver cancer, etc.  Viruses cannot reproduce by themselves; they propagate by capturing cells, making the cells do their work.  Antivirals work by debilitating virus proteins.

Some chemical antivirals focus only of weakening the virus, which over time and when used excessively, could weaken the body’s defenses and turn the body weak and sickly.  This is because in some way, the antiviral does the immune system’s work.  Unlike these chemical antivirals, natural antivirals help make the defense systems strong and resilient.  

How to radically fight a virus

For the aforementioned reason, in order to fight a virus you have to consider not only how to attack and eliminate the symptom, but also how weakened the virus is from chemical substances, and you must bear in mind that a virus is fought primarily with a clean body, healthy blood, and a strong immune system.  When you have a virus it’s best to follow an appropriate diet, eliminating products like cow’s milk and its derivatives, processed or fried foods, red meat, refined flour and bread, and all foods that contain refined sugar like soft drinks, sweets, cookies, etc.  All of these products block the intestines with toxins, and create an overproduction of internal body heat and blood acidity.  This causes viruses to attack with more strength, making them more difficult to fight.

In addition to this, you have to support your diet with vitamin C by drinking natural juices like orange, lemon, etc.  You need to drink at least two liters of fresh water and rest whenever necessary, until the virus recedes.  You should follow a diet based on vegetables and whole-grains, including sprouts and fresh salads, with various vegetables during meals.  You should remember that in order to treat any viral condition, you absolutely must keep your body resilient and detoxified in order to prevent any condition from becoming chronic.

Herbs or phytotherapy are recommendable for reinforcing healing and supporting virus eradication.

Here is a list of herbs that you could include in your daily diet.  You can drink two or even three cups of infusions prepared with these herbs:

Natural antivirals

• Astragalus
• Echinacea
• Cat’s claw
• St. John’s Wort
• Melissa: a gentle, low-toxicity antiviral that is very effective for treating flus, coughs, and simple herpes.
• Momordica
• Pau D’arco
• Green tea (for it’s cleansing effect on the body)

Natural antiviral or immunostimulant foods

A few products and natural antiviral or immunostimulant foods are:

• Royal jelly
• Propolis
• Reishi
• Goji berry juice
• Garlic
• Onion
• Carrots
• Sprouts

Emotions and viral infections

Emotional states noticeably influence strong immune systems.  Stress, anxiety, pressure, depression, frequent rage, etc., are emotions that affect the defense system, due to the great amount of internal stress they cause, as well as their interference with nutrient absorption and efficient circulation to all systems and organs.  In order to heal any virus, you absolutely must consider the individual’s emotional state whenever a virus is detected because this means, undoubtedly, that a non-constructive emotional state has predominated in their life.

Exercise to fight viral infections

In order to eradicate or prevent viral infections we recommend that in addition to everything previously mentioned, you follow an exercise routine to help reduce possible body tension and to help efficient lymph and blood circulation.  It also invigorates tendons and body organs.  Practicing tai chi and Yoga are excellent alternatives.  

References

1. Blumenthal M, Goldberg A, Brinckmann J, eds. Herbal Medicine: Expanded Commission E Monographs. Newton, MA: Integrative Medicine Communications; 2000:139-148.
2. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). 2018. St. John’s Wort.
3. Natural Medicines Web site. Accessed at naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com/ on April 14, 2018
4. Shamaki, B. U., Sandabe, U. K., Ogbe, A. O., Abdulrahman, F. I., & El-Yuguda, A.-D. (2014). Methanolic soluble fractions of lingzhi or reishi medicinal mushroom, Ganoderma lucidum (higher Basidiomycetes) extract inhibit neuraminidase activity in Newcastle disease virus (LaSota). International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms, 16(6), 579–583.
5. Zhang, W., Tao, J., Yang, X., Yang, Z., Zhang, L., Liu, H., … Wu, J. (2014). Antiviral effects of two Ganoderma lucidum triterpenoids against enterovirus 71 infection. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 449(3), 307–312.
6. Hernandez-Marquez, E., Lagunas-Martinez, A., Bermudez-Morales, V. H., Burgete-Garcia, A. I., Leon-Rivera, I., Montiel-Arcos, E., … Ondarza-Vidaurreta, R. N. (2014). Inhibitory activity of Lingzhi or Reishi medicinal mushroom, Ganoderma lucidum (higher Basidiomycetes) on transformed cells by human papillomavirus. International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms, 16(2), 179–187.

Revised by: Dra. Loredana Lunadei on 07/31/2021

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