I’ve received several questions about Salmonella poisoning lately, so I thought I would post some information on what I would do for myself or family if suspected if being infected.
About 79,000 people a year are infected by Salmonella from eggs in the USA. Around 30 deaths are reported a year. BTW, poultry and fruits and vegetables are commonly infected with Salmonella spp. The number just mentioned is only people in the US infected by eggs.
The recommendations I mention below cover most of the Salmonella species out there. I hope it is helpful.
That being said, there doesn’t seem to be a problem with Salmonella poisoning in our community, but it can be a very serious condition for at-risk people if it gets into their system.
Most people develop symptoms between 8-72 hours after exposure. Most healthy people recover in a few days to a week, without specific treatment. The people most affected are children under 5 years old, adults 65 and older, and those with weak immune systems.
Salmonella spp. resistance to antibiotics is increasing, which limits options for people with severe infections.
Salmonella can survive a long time outside a host. Active organisms have been found in 2 and half year old, dried feces. The bacteria can’t be killed by freezing. It dies when heated to 130F for at least an hour or at 170F for around 12 minutes.
General symptoms are vomiting, diarrhea, severe abdominal cramps and fever. In severe cases , sepsis and infection of other organs can occur.
If you do get an infection, the tea below is very useful for salmonella infections whether the infection is only in the GI tract or has gone systemic (meaning if you are just starting to feel ill or it has already spread throughout the body):
Juniper or pine needle (chopped or powdered) and ***Sida acuta leaf (dried or powdered) tea:
mix 1oz of juniper, 1oz. of dried **Sida leaves and 1tsp Apple Cider vinegar in a jar and pour 2 quarts of boiling water on them. Cover tightly and let cool for several hours. Strain. Drink through the day. Drink 4-6 oz., 3-6x daily, until symptoms subside. (If the herbs are powdered, the tea will be stronger).
***This herb is hypoglycemic and may affect meds for diabetes. Just watch blood sugar if you are a diabetic.
*** Women shouldn’t use while trying to get pregnant or the first trimester. It has been shown to interfere with egg implantation in mice. So just be cautious.
***This herb also has some ephedrine, so should not be used with pharmaceuticals that possess similar effects.
If you have a weakened immune system or are under 5 or over 64 and want to have something around just in case… I recommend taking the tinctures below, along with drinking the tea above until the symptoms subside… which should be less than 2 weeks.
If you want to have some protective, antibiotic herbs on hand, you can make and store the following that will be effective for Salmonella spp. The tinctures will last years as long as they are kept closed in a dark, cool place. Most of the powders will keep in the freezer for about a year if tightly closed.
Systemic Anti bacterial tincture:
Bidens pilosa fresh plant tincture (1:2 95%) 1tsp – 1 TBSP 3-6x daily, depending on severity, until symptoms subside. OR fresh plant juice with the addition of 20% of its volume of 95% pure grain alcohol (Everclear) added to it so it will keep. **This will be slightly stronger than the tincture, take a little less for each dose.
As a side note, Sida acuta is a great herb for Salmonella as well, but only for the typhimurium strain. Bidens pilosa is pretty much active on all the strains.
You can tincture the dried Bidens pilosa plant (1:5 50%) if you have to, but it is much weaker. You would need to triple the dose.
**This herb alters blood glucose and insulin levels. Just watch blood sugar if you have diabetes.
In addition to Salmonella spp., this tincture is lethal to many other bacteria as well. Such as Bacillus. cereus and B. subtilis, Strep. faecalis, E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, L. amazonenis, Mycobacterium tuberuclosis, N gonorrhoeae, Plamodium spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serratia marcescens, Shigella flexneri, Staff. aureus and Staff. epidermidis. It is also very menacing for Herpes 1 and 2, Candida albicans, Human cytomegalovirus, and Entamoeba histolytica.
GI tract Anti bacterial tincture:
Berberis vulgaris or Mahonia aquifolium dried root bark tincture (1:5 70%) 1tsp – 1TBSP 3-6x daily, depending on severity, until symptoms subside.
**Caution if pregnant.
**If there is blood in the diarrhea, or bloody stool… combine 1/4 part of a (Punica granatum) pomegranate bark or pomegranate peel tincture (1:2 50%)
Immune support tincture:
Mix equal parts of…
Glycyrrhiza glabra dried root tincture (1:5 50%)
Rhodiola rosea dried root tincture (1:5 50%). Some people can experience jitteriness from this herb. So don’t take this right before bed… just in case.
fresh squeezed ginger juice… full strength
and take 1tsp, 3x daily, until symptoms subside
For Salmonella with sepsis: Take all three of the tinctures and the tea above and add:
Echinacea angustifolia dry root tincture (1:5 70%) 1/2 tsp – 1TBSP every half hour to an hour. You can mix this with water for this purpose.
Having these tinctures on hand would really be helpful if you have any family members that are at higher risk.
I have to mention that in recommending certain herbs, etc, I do not diagnose or prescribe, but offer this information purely for educational and experimental purposes. A person who suffers from serious illness should use this information in cooperation with their doctor (preferably a nutritionally oriented one), and abide by his decision regarding the advisability of using suggested therapies for a specific condition.
In the event the reader uses the information without the approval of his doctor, he/she is prescribing for him/herself (which is his/her right to do so) and he/she assumes the responsibility for it. In other words, I know a lot about this stuff, but don’t trust me… do your own research… as you should with any possible treatment recommended to you; from your doctor or otherwise. You are responsible for your own health. Don’t ever take what even a doctor recommends to you, unless you do research first. Know what you are putting into your body or taking out of your body, its benefits and side effects. No one cares about your health and knows more about your body than you do.
I hope this was informative and helpful to any who read it.