Tonsilitis

One of the complications with tonsillitis is the bacteria produced due to the extensive amounts of inflammation and infection present.  The bacteria is produced as a by-product to the immediate viral condition and the resulted immune weakness.  Tonsilitis may be caused by a virus or bacteria, however most often it is a viral condition.  Medical treatment involves the prescription of anti-biotics to combat the bacterial infiltration that may be present or arise during infection.

What is tonsillitis?

The tonsils are an organ of the immune system located at the back of the throat and are composed almost entirely of lymphoid tissue. Tonsillitis is inflammation of the tonsils caused by bacterial (Streptococcus) or viral infection. This infection causes inflammation, pain, difficult swallowing, pus production and fever.

Diet tips for tonsillitis

• Drink warm Manuka honey, lemon and ginger drinks as they help to soothe the throat and provide anti-infective properties directly to the area
• Ensure proper hydration to help the body remove more wastes from the body via the kidneys
• Reduce acid forming foods such as dairy, wheat, sugar, red meats, preserved and processed foods as these dramatically reduce elimination of wastes via the lymphatic system
• Increase alkalising foods such as miso soup, organic chicken soup, vegetable juices (carrot, celery, ginger and beetroot), fruits and vegetables, grains, vegetable and barley soup, sprouts and fish
• Eat plenty of garlic, ginger and onions, as the sulphur contained in these vegetables helps to reduce the severity of upper respiratory tract infections, improve lymphatic waste removal and the immune systems ability to fight off an infection.
• Concentrate on an alkaline diet and decrease acid forming foods. Try to lighten the load on your digestion and concentrate on easy to digest foods
• Reducing refined sugars is beneficial because sugar feeds inflammation and reduces immune system function. Elimination of Dairy foods may also assist immunity as they can be very mucus forming and cause extra congestion in the lymphatic system
• Reduce dairy foods as they tend to contribute to mucus production

Natural remedies for tonsillitis

• The following are herbs beneficial for the immune system and which provide anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-infective properties and may help to reduce swelling, pain, inflammation, congestion and mucus production: Astragalus, andrographis, echinacea, golden seal, myrrh, olive leaf, sage, thyme, wild indigo, blue flag, propolis, licorice, ginger and garlic
• Make a throat gargle by adding herbs such as Olive Leaf, sage and echinacea to a small glass of water and gargle it before swallowing. You can also add Vitamin C powder to this effective sore throat remedy.
• Suck on throat lozenges which will provide anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-infective herbs such as Eucalyptus, echinacea, thyme, astragalus and Vitamin C directly to the tonsil area numerous times a day
• Take a Vitamin C supplement as this is a very important nutrient to rebuild immunity, provide anti-oxidants to a decreased immune system and reduce inflammation of the tonsils
• Probiotics may provide higher amounts of good bacteria to the digestive and lymphatic systems and reduce the re-occurrence of tonsillitis in the future. This is especially important if you have been on a course of anti-biotics which greatly reduce the amount of good health giving bacteria
• Herbal therapies such as Manuka honey, propolis, acidophilius, lemon juice, ginger, garlic, anti-viral and anti-bacterial herbs may be of assistance by providing anti-bacterial actions topically to the inflamed tonsils
• Colloidal silver may help to kill the detrimental micro-organisms which cause tonsillitis