Table of Contents[Hide][Show]
If you’ve ever wondered why some people get strep throat over and over and over again, sometimes even just days after a strep infection was supposedly eradicated with antibiotics, here’s the likely answer as explained by old-time MDs who practiced medicine before the modern love affair with prescription drugs got its start.
Most people are far too quick to run and get a prescription for antibiotics and never give their immune system a chance to build any resistance whatsoever. Most never consider the use of home remedies for strep throat either.
Conventional doctors today do a great job of scaring people out of their minds about the possibility of rheumatic fever/heart damage from allowing the body to deal with a strep throat infection unmedicated. However, the truth is, the risk of complications from strep throat is very small for healthy people who have no issues with their immune system. Even WebMD used to state (before pharmaceutical industry pressure forced a change in language to only mention antibiotics) that strep throat will go away on its own with or without treatment in 3-7 days.
I’ve written before about the one and only case of strep throat I ever had. It occurred when I was 15 and I am ever so grateful my MD father loved me enough to let me fight through it and win without antibiotics. The result? I’ve never ever gotten strep throat again despite repeated exposures. One exposure was in very close quarters – a college roommate had strep throat and I still didn’t contract it! What’s even more interesting is that none of my children have ever had strep either despite multiple exposures from friends and classmates.
I obviously built up a strong resistance to strep throat at a young age and have been blessed with never having to suffer with it again by allowing my body to fight through it naturally. It’s also quite possible I passed on my immunity to my children via breastfeeding, although that is obviously just an educated guess on my part.
The article I wrote on my personal strep throat story has invited both ridicule and applause over the past couple of years. Some folks have angrily emailed me saying I am crazy and putting people’s lives in danger by suggesting that forgoing meds for strep is the best way to go if one is in good health.
For others, the article triggered an “aha moment” with more than just a few deciding once and for all to stare down the strep throat demon and win!
One such inspiring story crossed my inbox recently and the strep throat victim was none other than professional singer Martin DeBourge!
Here’s what Martin had to say:
As a singer, getting strep throat every single year is not only frustrating, but vocally debilitating! So when it hit again this year, and I felt it coming on, I decided a new course of action was in order.
I spent a day researching. The one article that really rang true for me was on your website about whether antibiotics for strep are really necessary. You talked about how you “muscled through it” when you had strep throat as a teenager, and how your body may have even built an immunity against it.
That sounded great to me! But, I am well aware of the massive pain strep throat can cause. Just swallowing fluid is excruciating, let alone solid foods. So I needed a sort of “healthy second opinion”.
I called fellow friend and vocalist David Katz in New York. I knew he was an herbalist, but most importantly, he would understand my plight as a singer needing to do what’s best for my pipes. He runs a website and has an herbal product line JUST for singers, so I knew he was the right guy.
He ALSO encouraged me to steer clear of the antibiotics and gave me a few suggestions to “get through it”.
I braced myself for at least 10 days of bed ridden fever, throat swelling and sickness. Like I said, I’ve been through this numerous times before, so I knew what I was in for. I didn’t clear my singing schedule though, hoping for the best.
To my amazement, the strep “spots” started clearing within a couple days. I had my voice back in 36 hours! I was floored… and convinced.
Martin kept a daily log of his strep throat home remedies adventure outlined below. Hopefully, it will inspire more than just a few others to take the leap themselves.
Effective Strep Throat Home Remedies
Martin’s holistic strep throat treatment consisted of the following ingredients which he consumed at a rate of ½ teaspoon every 30 minutes to an hour.
- Use a mortar & pestle to mash up 3 cloves of fresh garlic (sources). If the raw garlic is too hot for you or you’re concerned about the odor potential, use homemade pickled garlic instead. Do not use commercial pickled garlic as it has no therapeutic value.
- Mix in half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper (sources).
- Mix in raw honey (manuka honey is the most potent. Be wary what brand you buy as most manuka honey is fake. Get UMF certified 15+) to taste which has healing properties of its own (sources).
Martin also gargled with raw apple cider vinegar diluted with some water 3x per day (sources). Although Martin didn’t use it, adding small cups of bone broth to the regimen would have helped speed healing as well.
Note that some people like to gargle with colloidal silver, which also works well. However, note that this remedy will kill the good bacteria in your throat area as well as the bad, potentially contributing to more problems down the road from unbalanced mouth, throat, and sinuses flora.
Below is Martin’s daily journal logging his progress to a cure.
Using Home Remedies for Strep Throat: A Daily Journal
10/6 – Sunday afternoon – felt “something” in throat. Still sang well at rehearsal.
10/7 – Monday morning – “something” became more prominent and I began the research into what I felt was inevitably the strep bacteria attacking my throat.
10/7 – Monday early afternoon – visit to doctor for regular checkup and asking about an unrelated pulled muscle. He checked my throat (routinely) and said nothing. It didn’t matter if he had, I would have just went through the motions of accepting an antibiotic prescription, but not taking it – I had already made up my mind to do something “different”.
10/7 – Monday afternoon – found information on The Healthy Home Economist about beating strep with no meds. Followed up with a phone call to David Aaron Katz. Became convinced that I will muscle through it with home remedies. As per David’s suggestion, I started by sucking/chewing on cloves of garlic – 5 of them before the day was out!
10/7 – Monday evening – attempted to sing. Did not go well, highs were very strained.
10/8 – Tuesday morning – throat uncomfortableness, but quick mirror check didn’t seem to reveal anything overly red. Driving son to school is when I looked in rear view mirror and noticed two white spots. Strep confirmed.
10/8 – Tuesday later morning – started a cycle of garlic chewing with a mixture of raw honey & cayenne pepper every half hour (concoction detailed below). First two administers I experienced upset stomach, but became very tired and slept most afternoon.
10/8 – Tuesday afternoon – continued garlic/honey/cayenne mixture every half hour during awake times.
10/8 – Tuesday early evening. Headaches persisted, but still had an appetite. Gargled with ACV – that was a bit painful.
10/8 – Tuesday evening. Continued with mixture until I went to sleep. Noticed a third spot very far back and lower behind the tongue. May have always been there, but this is the first I noticed.
10/9 – Wednesday early morning – Awoke with a sore throat, a bit difficult to swallow. Gargled and drank 16 fl oz water with 2 tbs of ACV & Raw Honey. Checked throat under light, saw the same three spots.
10/9 – Wednesday afternoon – no stomach issues, and the sore throat lessened considerably throughout the day. Still uncomfortable, but I can definitely eat.
10/9 – Wednesday early evening – third spot undetected, second one lessening. First one still prominent, but definitely all good signs. Also, I noticed I am not all that drained and exhausted – which I attributed to the garlic intake.
10/10 – Thursday early morning – woke up with slightly less of a sore throat. Gargled and drank 16oz water with ACV & Honey. Throat under light still shows the one stubborn spot, hard to tell, but it could be a tiny bit less in size.
10/11 – Thursday afternoon – Was told by my wife that she can’t bear with my garlic breath another day… no worries, that third spot is definitely reduced in size. I decided that come morning, I will just do Apple Cider Vinegar. Besides, I had a karaoke gig this night and needed to not smell like garlic for the customers.
10/12 – Friday Morning – Spot free. Wow. Not a single spot, throat back to normal. I decided to slowly warm up the voice as I had a singing engagement to prepare for on Saturday.
10/13 – Saturday evening – voice 100%. Throat clean as a whistle. In all my years (year after year) getting strep throat, I have NEVER bounced back this quick – not to mention getting through it without antibiotics.
10/15 – UPDATE: I made a facebook post about this a few days ago, simply saying that I kicked strep to the curb without the use of antibiotics. I have over 1400 followers on my profile, so I certainly expected varying comments. One particular comment jumped out at me… “make sure you really got rid of it, it typically comes back within a couple days if you didn’t eradicate it”.
Well……… it’s not back!
Congratulations Martin on the amazing success of your strep throat remedy! Please keep us updated on your progress, but my bet is that you won’t ever be taking antibiotics for strep throat again, and you may very well never even have it again!
Have you always wondered how to get rid of strep throat without meds? Have you ever muscled through it under your own power using one or more strep throat home remedies? If so, what remedies did you use and have you experienced immunity to strep throat since? Please chime in with the strep throat cures which worked for you below.
Want to connect with Martin? These links below will point you in the right direction:
(youtube) www.youtube.com/martindebourge
(bio) www.15hifi.com/site/martindebourge
More Information
Remedy for Sore Throat (fast acting)
How to Repair Your Gut After Antibiotics
Why Antibiotics Today Could Threaten Your Life Tomorrow
Best Natural Antibiotics and How to Use Them
Fever Blisters Home Remedy
I was just looking through articles because I’ve been having a sore throat associated with a cold virus and found that coconut oil helped soothe it. I just want to add my 2 cents here. I really don’t think riding out strep is a good idea. A few years ago, I broke out in these scaly bumps all over my body. It was so itchy I would wake up in the middle of the night with blood on the sheets from scratching. Eventually, my dermatologist tested me for strep with a blood test. I had apparently contracted strep about 5 months earlier and didn’t even have a sore throat! This led to psoriasis guttate. After a round of antibiotics about 90% of my psoriasis cleared up. Now, about 3 years later, I still battle with psoriasis and it is an awful and embarrassing disease. About 6 months ago, I had a minor sore throat and the next day, had a sudden sunburn like rash that lasted about 30 minutes. I was in tears. I thought I was having an allergic reaction and was going to die. Eventually I got to the doctor and I suggested a throat cultureg. Strep AGAIN. My dr said that it’s clear my strep manifests itself more in my skin than in my throat for some reason. So PLEASE take strep seriously. I’m all about home healing and avoiding antibiotics whenever possible, but I don’t want anyone else to have to experience psoriasis. I’m a 24 year old woman and will, for the rest of my life, be embarrassed by my body thanks to strep-induced psoriasis when I was only 20.
Sounds like you have a serious gut flora issue. I would definitely try to boost my immune system by taking a high quality probiotic with 10 strains minimum. Or even better… eat traditionally cultured foods like homemade sauerkraut or drink homemade kefir.
Look at dropping nightshades in your diet. You have an autoimmune disease and you should check our Autoimmune Protocol diet. My assistant stopped eating nightshades and her psoriasis stopped within a month. Hers was all over her arms and legs for years.
I used to get strep about twice a year sometimes 3. When I was a kid we always got meds and of course it was gone in a flash. As an adult, making my own decisions, I decided to ride it out 2 times. Both did not end well. The first time it became scarlet fever. The second time I would have been hospitalized with a trach had I not gone when I did. My tonsils were s big I could barely breathe. They closed every time I relaxed the least little bit. So, although natural remedies are great, do not neglect your health and wait too long for these to take affect.
I completely appreciate your point and it is a valid one. However, I can’t get to the drs for two days now anyway so this is the kind of advice that could seriously prevent something like this turning as nasty as yours did for those that know nothing of natural remedies.
Our bodies should be able to fight off anything with the right support. I have been able to stay well for months despite living with people who have had serious colds, possibly flu, chest infections and minor colds. I haven’t developed anything until I allowed my immune system to slip. There are lots of natural remedies that will boost you immune system so it has a chance of fighting even if this is until you can see a doctor or in conjunction with prescribed medication.
I personally think it is better to try and stimulate your immune system to deal with any illness. However, I would always advice anyone to get a diagnosis and a prescription for the medication needed so they at least know what they are dealing with, and if their body does not respond to their natural remedies, they can pick up medication sharpish. There are times when the body becomes overwhelmed and it just can’t fight off what it should be able to.
I recently just had a strep throat/ fever for the about 3 days. I didn’t get sick for about 2 years before this too. Here is what I did to get rid of it:
1. Took a swig of apple cider vinegar several times/ day.
3. Drank Echinacea tea
2. Made the cayenne pepper, raw honey, chopped garlic concoction and took a 1/2 teaspoon several times/ day.
3. ‘The Kicker’. 4 drops of oil of oregano diluted with water and had this 2-3 times/ day. I’m pretty sure this is what really made an impact.
I hate using anti-biotics from the doctor and wanted to use a natural alternative. I was close to going to the doctors for how terrible I felt, but I stuck it out for a couple days and then rapidly started feeling better. I will use this concoction anytime in the future, but hopefully I don’t need too 🙂
I’ve been battling the flu the past 5 days now. I’ve been gargling with ACV and cayenne, taking elderberry lozenges, and drinking lots of immune-boosting tea. I haven’t been eating garlic, honey, and cayenne together, because my stomach was upset the first few days.
I wonder if I start this regime now if it will combat my (perhaps strep) throat problem? Is it too late? I’m really trying to avoid going to the doctor. I’ve been taking ibuprofen when the pain is too much to bear.
Any suggestions would be well appreciated!
You do realize, of course, that these ‘natural remedies’ are antibiotic in nature? Many pharmaceuticals are derived from natural sources. Garlic, onions, etc., especially in quantities recommended here are very akin to taking an antibiotic- penicillin ABOs are the recommended first line defense against Strep(except for those allergic obv) and where did penicillin come from? Uh, it was found to be produced by mold. Yes, it has been altered and ‘enhanced’- sometimes to facilitate administration(IM injection, IV admin) or to enhance its effectiveness against certain types of microorganisms.
Look up Allicin. It is found in Garlic and exhibits antibiotic properties against many strains of gram – and + strains of bacteria, including some resistant strains. So, I’d say, don’t eat garlic in massive quantities and act like your body is doing all the work- it isn’t- you are helping it out with an antibiotic, just in a more natural form.
Please, enjoy your heartburn.
Except that natural antibiotics don’t wreak havoc on the gut environment like drug antibiotics do, encouraging gut wall perforation and the development of lifelong autoimmune disease. Big difference!
Except you are all amazing me with your ability to eat mounds of raw garlic. I can’t even imagine. That makes my guts feel like they are rotting. I love garlic, but not much raw and definitely not in these huge quantities. It would make my stomach completely revolt on me.
I think when writing such an article, it is also BEST to mention this article is good for people who have strong immune systems. People with weak immune systems will only worsen and experience WORSE medical problems if not discussed with doctor. How do we know we have weak immunue systems? With a thorough blood test is then diagnosed with low immune system, including experience of shingles twice in one year, which I must add is VERY rare. In our time, we have more people who live longer then previous years, including the days they use herbal. Also, some people are allergic to herbal remedies. None of this has been mentioned in this article, which causes health problems in house holds today. Don’t act like a doctor if you’re not. Instead, spend a few dollars and see a doctor.
Although i agree with the statement of poor immune systems being a huge factor in this remedy. in no way did this person call themselves a doctor. They stated that their parent was an MD and had them muscle through it at a young age. They are not enforcing this ideal onto the public, but simple stating with enthusiasm a possible alternative than ineffective antibiotics which, all can agree, do lessen your immune system. I, for one, need antibiotics due to my lack of immune system so i understand your position. Just want to help make it clear that they are not slandering a doctor’s advise but simple putting out there opinions and experiences. The garlic “sucking” does actually help, tremendously actually. Honey is amazing for soothing a sore throat. honey and tea, wonderful remedy. My opinions and experiences but in no way forced onto the public or slandering professionals. If their advise intrigues someone then they have the freedom to choose to utilize it or disregard it. The author is not responsible for the actions of others or the effects they suffer from, from using the advice. yes, there should have been some mention of allergy risks or reactions, however, they are not doctors prescribing medication; they are a simple writer who have a thought to share so if you know your allergic to cayenne (which i am allergic to capsaicin) or garlic or etc. This advice is not for you.
However, in my recent case i suffered from a sever case of strep throat. My situation was not ideal for an illness like that because i had no transportation to get to any medical aid nor any money and in a new environment with no resources. I had no choice but to rely on my body and wit to survive. i did already know about honey, garlic and salt, all of which i “obtained” from the nearest store. Although it wasn’t brief and i did suffer a lot of pain, it did eventually subside and go away. Now, it has re-occurred but it doesn’t seem as painful or long lasting as before. So i will not say that this article is not full of truth but i will not deny the wisdom to see a doctor. Its best to do what each individual is comfortable with. it is a positive thing when people go out of their way to share their wisdom or experience with the world. Its how we learn on a broader scale.
It’s me, checking back in…nearly a year and a half since this article, and strep has never returned.
I spent a few hours reading every single comment. I’m encouraged by the people who had positive results following the regiment. Alternatively, I have taken to heart the comments from people seriously concerned with “this approach” as opposed to conventional antibiotics. I get it, it’s one of those things you can’t blanket statement on an entire suffering populace, and I would not claim it to be. When I get the frequent inquiry via my facebook from this Healthy Home Economist article, I ALWAYS preface my communication with “I’m not a doctor, and I wont put my neck on the line for it, but I CAN say it worked like gangbusters for me.”
this, from a SINGER who YEARLY suffered under the hammer of strep throat. Well, no more…
and I’m SO convinced of it – that IF it ever returned, I would treat it the same way, with natural remedies.
One of the earlier commentors accurately pointed out that perhaps my success was linked to NOT waiting for “official diagnosis”. I started treating it when I knew damn well what it was. Early.
Say what you want… but it worked for me, and I can’t afford to lose my voice, so that should tell you something.
Thanks again…. be good to each other.
Martin DeBourge
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=673919562707074
In your article you said you only had one case of strep and that was when you were 15 and you haven’t had it since. Now you’re tellino people that you had it YEARLY? I’m confused…
You are confusing the first article I wrote where I got it at 15 and never got it again. This story is by someone else who was having it on a chronic basis.
No this is the singer… obviously u dont know how to read
Whitney, I urge you to go back and re-read the article. you are confused. I’ve copied and pasted just in case. 🙂
Sarah:
“I’ve written before about the one and only case of strep throat I ever had. It occurred when I was 15 and I am ever so grateful my MD father loved me enough to let me fight through it and win without antibiotics. The result? I’ve never ever gotten strep throat again despite repeated exposures. One exposure was in very close quarters – a college roommate had strep throat and I still didn’t contract it! What’s even more interesting is that none of my children have ever had strep either despite multiple exposures from friends and classmates.
I obviously built up a strong resistance to strep throat at a young age and have been blessed with never having to suffer with it again by allowing my body to fight through it naturally. It’s also quite possible I passed on my immunity to my children via breastfeeding, although that is obviously just an educated guess on my part.
The article I wrote on my personal strep throat story has invited both ridicule and applause over the past couple of years. Some folks have angrily emailed me saying I am crazy and putting people’s lives in danger by suggesting that forgoing meds for strep is the best way to go if one is in good health.
For others, the article triggered an “aha moment” with more than just a few deciding once and for all to stare down the strep throat demon and win!
One such inspiring story crossed my inbox recently and the strep throat victim was none other than professional singer Martin DeBourge!”
Now, here is Martin’s snippet:
“Here’s what Martin had to say: ‘As a singer, getting strep throat every single year is not only frustrating, but vocally debilitating! So when it hit again this year, and I felt it coming on, I decided a new course of action was in order.'”
I ‘d say that it’s pretty clear as to who said what. 🙂
Yes!! You can get over strep throat without an antibiotic!! That’s very true!! But you might find out a year or so after that you have developed kidney disease from doing so. That’s excatly what happened to my father. A young healthy man in his early 30’s, thought he could tough it out without going to the doctor. Well, a year later when other complications arrived, he was told he had a deadly kidney disease….Post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis. He lived 4 more years in and out of hospitals. Even a kidney transplant couldn’t save his life. He died at 32 leaving his wife and children devastated. So if you are willing to take that chance, yes it’s a small chance, but it happened to our family and CAN happen to you, go for it. But I think it’s child abuse to take that chance with a child.
Call me a skeptic, but how does a man in his 30’s get strep, get diagnosed with kidney disease a year later, live 4 more years, and die at 32? big pharma #troll alert! Also, the fact that they would link strep from years earlier to his death makes me wonder how they also knew that every other factor in his life did not contribute to the kidney disease. It’s well known that pharmaceutical companies hire PR firms that have interns constantly trolling online against people seeking non-conventional medical alternatives, and I would say that this fits the profile.
If your father did indeed die 4 years after getting kidney disease and, subsequently, finding a -2 year wormhole in space/time, my deepest sympathies go out to you. Otherwise, good luck with your internship and I hope that you get your useful marketing degree without incurring too much debt.
LOL!! At first I read her comment with feelings of sympathy and actually started rethinking not seeing a doctor… then I read your comment. Haha, I didn’t even catch that! Lived for 4 years and died at 32. 😛 Thanks for bringing clarity and a good laugh. 😀
I am a huge believer in natural rememedies and allowing the body to gith infection by iteself. However, this anecdote isn;t a one size fits all experience. I had repeated bouts with strep (or various similar illnesses, which is more likely) and was hauled in for my prescriptions so many times that I’m resistant to anything penicillin-derived. for the past 3 years (since I had a daughter) I’ve become entrenched in the natural health lifestyle and have not taken so much as an asprin, much less antibiotics. I still get sick, even strep. In fact, since I’m now exposed to children through my daughter’s social activities, I get sick a whole lot more often than I used to when I avoided children like the plagues they seem to carry 😉
The illnesses are more bearable and less sever, and get less severe with each episode, but I definitely am not the healthy horse other natural minded people claim.
I so appreciate your website and the information you share. I’m going to have to try this one. Thanks for sharing.
I can’t believe it but this stuff acually works. On sore throats at least. I don’t think I have strep, but my throat has been killing for days. At first I couldn’t tell of my throat felt better or if the pain from the cayenne was just overshadowing it. But this morning it feels much better. I’m about to take another dose. Yuck!!!! (but worth it)