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Combating Strep Throat In Your Family

Although strep throat can be an annoying wintertime illness, it is treatable with quick medical attention, correct treatment, and supportive care. By taking precautions (maintaining a healthy diet) and maintaining proper hygiene (washing your hands), you may lessen your chance of getting strep throat and have a healthier winter. Washing your hands regularly can save your family from a wave of strep throat in your household.

The Mistaken Identity Of Strep Throat Vs. A Virus

Many cases of strep throat are mistakenly diagnosed as a virus, the cases that are bacterial infections can be more harmful and pose serious implications if left untreated.

For this reason, it is important to seek medical attention if a sore throat becomes more than just a minor inconvenience and persists for more than a few days. Testing can be done to determine if it is due to a bacterial infection. If so, the proper treatment plan can be initiated to help shorten the duration and prevent it from causing other complications.

Integrative Medicine’s Approach To Treating Strep Throat

The goal of integrative medicine treatment for strep and other causes of sore throat is…

1. Remove anything negatively impacting the immune system.
2. Support healthy immune system function.
3. Weaken or help the body kill off the organisms causing the problem.

Remove

It is important to remove anything that could be suppressing the immune system.

This includes avoiding processed foods, excessive sugar and simple carbohydrate intake, alcohol, and even something like dairy, which can be inflammatory for some people. Excessive stress impacts the immune system as well and should be avoided. Don’t “push through” being sick as this will probably only delay healing.

Supporting Your Immune System

Next, it is important to support the immune system.

This includes eating a well-balanced diet consisting of whole foods and focusing on lean protein, veggies, fruits, nuts, and seeds. Staying well-hydrated is important as well.

As mentioned above, managing stress is important, and this means getting plenty of rest and sleep.

Supplements may be used to help support the immune system. Here are a few that are at the top of our list.

1. General immune support including Vitamins A, C, and D, medicinal mushrooms, NAC and quercetin, zinc, and others. The immune support packs found HERE contain everything needed for general support against bacteria and viral infections.
2. Iodine nasal and throat spray – This is something we keep in stock at PEAK and our top recommendation for throat, sinus, and nasal infections.

Weaken and Kill The Strep Throat Bacterial Infection

1. Antibiotics – Depending on the situation, prescription antibiotics may be recommended.
2. Bee propolis spray and Manuka honey – Bee propolis is one of the most commonly recommended natural remedies for sore throat, and it has the science to back it up. Another bee product called Manuka honey is also often recommended and has the science to back it up as well as a complementary treatment for sore throat and other infections.
3. Capsaicin – This should probably be at the top of the list, but given it’s “punch” AKA spicy heat and burning it produces, this might not be everyone’s go to remedy. However, in tough or more severe cases, this might be the best thing to add to the treatment plan. According this this study found HERE, “By inhibiting intracellular invasion and haemolytic activity, capsaicin could thus prevent both formation of a difficult to eradicate intracellular reservoir, and infection spread to deep tissues.”
4. Other Supplements For Strep Throat – There are many other antibacterial and antiviral supplements and foods including garlic, olive leaf extract, colloidal silver, etc.

Another interesting therapy is something called a “bacteriophage”, which are beneficial viruses that attack bad bacteria but spare our natural healthy flora. These can be opened up into a water or other (not hot) liquid or food and taken to help enhance the effectiveness of other interventions like antibiotics and the above supplements. This may be especially helpful for those with chronic and/or recurrent strep infections.

Contact Us For Strep Throat Treatment In Pennsylvania

We are located in Orwigsburg, PA, and serve residents of Schuylkill County and the surrounding area. During the winter season, strep throat, among other illnesses are running rampant through schools, families, and friend groups. Make sure your family stays healthy during this season, and contact us at Peak Integrative Medicine for your acute care and cold and flu-related treatment.