These Plants Could Save Your Life

Things were already getting pretty bad.

Now the Trump administration has started turning the government off and on, upending vital systems. As the World Health Organization warns, "we have arrived in the post-antibiotic era," and we face a future pandemic up to 20 times worse than Covid. That future pandemic could be avian flu, mpox, or something else. On top of that, Covid and other diseases spread all year long, with new variants always evading vaccines.

Five years ago, we looked to plants to protect us from pathogens because vaccines and treatments weren't coming anytime soon.

Well, here we are again.

Our vaccines and treatments are failing, and when they work they're often in short supply, or we can't get access to them. As we mask while demanding clean air and better medicine, it's time to revisit those plants and see what they can do. I’ve combined all my work on this topic into one super post that overviews the available research, dose recommendations, and brands—because it’s not just whether they work, it’s who sells them. I’ve done a ton of digging and found many, many plant-based compounds that can help your body fight off infections. Some of these, like star anise, rival Tamiflu when they’re used effectively. Not everyone can use them, and you should always consult a doctor if you’re taking a medication or have a health condition that could impact their use. Some of these supplements aren’t meant to be taken every day all year long. You take them when you think you’ve been exposed to something. You take them for a few weeks. Then you give your body a rest, because too many supplements are hard on your liver.

So, do they even work?

Yeah, they do.