Garlic was used by the ancient Egyptians to treat infections and wounds, by the Greeks and Romans for tumours, wounds and infection, and by the Chinese for fatigue, infections and tumours. In both World Wars it was used in wounds to stop infection, where no other antiseptics were available. It saved thousands of lives helping troops recover from typhus and dysentery and preventing gangrene.

Research shows that garlic oil contains a sulphur compound called allicin which has strong anti microbial properties – perfect for mononucleosis treatment. It can slow the growth or kill more than 60 species of fungi, more than 20 species of bacteria, and many viruses.

When garlic is consumed as a food, a sulphur-type odour can be smelt on the breath or skin as the garlic metabolites are excreted. The recommended dosage is 1-3 cloves a day – preferably raw. Those with a sensitive stomach may need to cook the garlic slightly or use the enteric coated capsules. The odourless garlic capsules may not be as effective as the active compounds may be lessened. If you are worried about the garlic smell on your breath you can chew on a sprig of parsley to take the smell away.

The other option I recommend during mononucleosis treatment, which makes ingestion of garlic a bit easier is to make up ¼ cup each of apple cider vinegar, honey and soy sauce. Pour into a screw top jar and fill to the top with as many peeled garlic cloves as can fit. Alternatively fill a screw top jar with peeled garlic cloves and cover with olive oil. You can take 1 teaspoon of these mixtures every 1 – 4 hours during mononucleosis treatment. These liquids can also be used as dressings on salads or vegetables in everyday cooking. They will last in the fridge for a few weeks after making.

For babies or young children who can’t tolerate garlic or take tablets, a garlic poultice (or compress), can be effective for mononucleosis treatment. Simply crush a clove of garlic, wrap it in gauze and tape it to the soles of the feet. It is a good idea to oil the soles of the feet with some olive oil first, because direct contact with the garlic may irritate the skin. The garlic oil will be absorbed into the blood stream and help fight the infection.

When my boys were younger, I would apply garlic compresses to the soles of their feet at bedtime. By morning, they might have had a slight garlic odour, but the infection had always improved.

Garlic is generally very safe but in some people can cause heartburn or gas when ingested. Because it has a blood-thinning effect it should be used with caution for those on anticoagulant medication or those undergoing surgery.

Garlic for mononucleosis treatment is a safe, cost effective option for those struggling with this nasty virus. For further information on natural mononucleosis treatment please refer to the e-book “Nature’s Amazing Mononucleosis Cures” by qualified naturopath Elizabeth Noble.

 Let’s have a look at the natural treatments for mononucleosis that can help boost immunity and repair gastrointestinal function:

1) Diet
A mono treatment plan for digestive problems needs to focus on a fresh food diet. Healing foods to include in your diet are fresh fruit and vegetable juices, paw paw, banana, grated apple, pumpkin, potato, millet, natural yoghurt, almond milk and rice. Aloe vera juice, slippery elm powder, psyllium husks and guar gum are particularly soothing for an irritated gut lining.

Foods you need to avoid include sugar, red meat, fried foods, coffee, alcohol, processed foods and any foods to which you have an allergy (typically cows milk and wheat).

2) Supplements
Mono treatment should always include the immune boosting nutrients like vitamin C, B complex, zinc, magnesium and the essential fatty acids. For those suffering from bloating, gas or indigestion, the addition of some digestive enzymes may be beneficial.

3) Gastrointestinal and liver cleansing
Digestive problems and inflammatory bowel diseases like colitis and Crohn’s may be triggered by pathogenic bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. A herbal anti-microbial gastrointestinal cleanse followed by the re-introduction of the healthy acidophilus and bifido bacteria is a good idea. A gentle liver cleanse can also be of benefit.

4) Stress management
Part of everyone’s mono treatment plan should be stress management. Stress can trigger lowered immunity and digestive upsets. Effective ways to deal with stress could include relaxation techniques like yoga, deep breathing, visualisation and adequate rest and sleep.

It is also important to keep a positive attitude and to avoid bottling up emotions inside. Having a good chat to a caring friend, doctor or family member can do wonders for your stress levels.

5) Home remedies

Mono treatment, particularly when the bowel is concerned, responds well to gentle heat therapies. An Epsom salt bath, hot pack or warm compress can be used to relieve abdominal discomfort and bowel pain.

For further information on mono treatment and improving digestion please refer to Elizabeth’s e-book “Nature’s Amazing Mononucleosis Cures”. The e-book also comes with 30 days personal email support with Elizabeth if you need advice on your individual concerns.

Here’s some of the health benefits of whey protein for mono treatment:

• supports the immune system as it contains valuable immunoglobulins
• boosts your body’s production of glutathione – a powerful antioxidant which helps remove toxins from your body
• helps you preserve and build muscle mass. Whey is excellent for rebuilding muscle mass during mono treatment as it delivers bio available amino acids like cysteine
• helps stabilise your blood sugar and insulin production
• accelerates the fat burning process
• prevents bone loss so is particularly useful in the elderly

Whey protein is readily available as a powder from health food shops, naturopaths and online retailers. It is important to choose non-denatured whey protein. Look for a brand that does not expose the whey to high temperatures. This will ensure the vital whey protein fractions like immunoglobulins, lactoferrin and glycomacro peptides are retained. Avoiding whey protein with added sugar is vital during mononucleosis as sugar acts as an immune suppressant. You can get healthy whey protein powders which are naturally sweetened with a non-glycemic extract like stevia.

Whey protein can be simply blended with milk, soy milk, rice milk, yoghurt or water for a delicious smoothie. You can add some frozen berries, banana or fresh fruit for extra taste. Some of my patients who are undergoing mono treatment like to add a raw egg, flaxseed oil or raw coconut oil for an added immune boost.

Whey protein is an excellent protein source that can be used in your mono treatment plan. For further information on whey protein plus recipes please refer to the e-book “Nature’s Amazing Mononucleosis Cures” by qualified naturopath Elizabeth Noble. The e-book reveals how to boost your immunity with the use of nutritional supplements, herbs, homeopathics, aromatherapy oil, diet, graded exercise, stress management and detoxification. Elizabeth offers 30 days of personal email support if you need advice or guidance on your individual concerns.

Alcohol
Alcohol doesn’t supply anything of nutritional value to your diet. The calories provided are in the form of simple carbohydrate.  Alcohol has the following effects on your body:

- Is often paired with sugar and contributes to blood sugar imbalance.
- Can cause liver damage (looking after your liver is essential during mono treatment
- Depletes vitamins and minerals – especially zinc.
- Interferes with the metabolism of essential fatty acids.
- Dilutes gastric juices.
- Causes inflammation of stomach, intestines, pancreas, liver and gall bladder.
- Contains acetaldehyde which causes damage to heart, brain and liver.
- Can cause allergic reactions as it contains histamine, yeast, wheat, corn and sulphur dioxide.
- Has been known to cause birth defects, miscarriages, foetal alcohol syndrome.
- Continued use of excess alcohol has been known to cause delirium tremens, irreversible brain damage and cirrhosis of the liver.
Alcohol is not recommended during mono treatment for the above reasons.

Coffee
Coffee contains three stimulants: caffeine, theobromine and theophylline. Coffee has the following effects on your body:
- Diuretic effect – it flushes your body of water, vital nutrients and trace elements.
- A stimulant effect, often quickly followed by a depressing effect which encourages you to have another cup. 
- Decreases iron absorption.
- Increases low density lipoproteins (bad cholesterol).
- Stimulates adrenal glands which can lead to adrenal exhaustion (the adrenals need to be nurtured and repaired during mono treatment)
- Increases secretions of hydrochloric acid which increase your chances of gastric ulcers.
- Excites brain function.
- Increases urine output.
- Increases blood pressure.
- Stimulates the kidneys. 
-  Toxicity can cause symptoms like anxiety, tremor, palpitations, rapid breathing, insomnia, headaches, nausea, vomiting, restless legs, irritated stomach lining.

Although it doesn’t contain caffeine, decaffeinated coffee still contains theobromine and theophylline. These are chemicals that can over-stimulate you and disturb your sleep patterns. This is what you don’t need during mono treatment. Most coffee products that have been decaffeinated retain unwanted chemicals which can adversely affect your liver function.

There are many grain-based alternatives to coffee like dandelion. Just make sure these alternatives are free of sugar. Sugar is an immune suppressant which should be avoided during mono treatment.

Tea
Tea contains both caffeine (although less than coffee) and tannin. It has similar, although lesser, effects  as coffee. Tea also acts in increasing bile production and decreasing peristalsis (which initiates a bowel movement). Tea binds important minerals preventing their absorption in the digestive tract.

Alternatives to tea are herbal teas which have a therapeutic effect. Many are available in organic form. Good choices during mono treatment are ginger (for nausea, pain and inflammation), sage (for a sore throat) and mint teas (for digestion)

Soft Drinks
Most soft drinks contain a lot of sugar, artificial flavourings and colourings. They are not advisable during mono treatment. Drinking soft drinks can cause mineral imbalances in the body. They are also very acid and contribute to making your body pH too low. If you are addicted to soft drinks then wean yourself off them by starting with a caffeine free diet drink and cutting down your intake over a week or so.

During mono treatment what you drink can influence how you feel and how fast you recover. For extensive food and drink lists for mononucleosis please refer to the e-book “Nature’s Amazing Mononucleosis Cures” by qualified naturopath Elizabeth Noble.

Nuts and seeds
Raw nuts and seeds are a good source of healthy fats and protein. They should be eaten in moderation. A small handful a day is a good guide. Try almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, pine nuts, walnuts, macadamias and hazelnuts. Seeds are also a wonderful food. Experiment with pumpkin, sunflower, sesame and linseeds. They make a nice topping for a stir fry, salad or yoghurt dish.

During mononucleosis treatment use the unsalted, raw varieties of nuts and seeds, or you can dry roast your own for a lovely crunchy texture. Nut and seed butters are good as spreads or you can make them into creamy dressings with lemon juice and water. When buying nut butters make sure they are sugar-free as sugar can suppress immunity during mononucleosis treatment.

Oils
The healthiest oils to buy are the cold pressed varieties, especially olive oil, canola oil and linseed (flaxseed) oil. They contain the healthy essential fatty acids which are vital in repairing the cell membranes during mononucleosis treatment. Linseed oil and virgin olive oil can be used in a salad dressing, in smoothies or on toast or cereals. They should not be used for cooking which destroys  their valuable nutrients. The essential omega 3 fats are highest in the fish oils. Deep sea oily fish like salmon, tuna, sardines and herring or a fish oil supplement should be eaten at least three times a week.

Butter and spreads
Butter is made from milk products and contains Vitamins A and D. It is high in healthy short chain saturated fat. Tasty alternatives to butter are avocado, tahini, hummus, linseed oil, olive oil and nut butters. Do not use margarine – the process of converting a liquid vegetable oil into a solid mass generates trans fatty acids – a dangerous source of free radicals. Margarine is not recommended during mononucleosis treatment.

Eating healthy fats is an important part of your mononucleosis treatment plan. For food lists and recipes please refer to the e-book “Nature’s Amazing Mononucleosis Cures” by qualified naturopath Elizabeth Noble.

So what mononucleosis treatments can you undertake to help relieve these painful conditions? Here’s a few to get you started…

• Firstly in the acute stage of mono when symptoms like fatigue, sore throat, swollen glands, fever, muscle aches and joint pain are common, the best remedy is best rest. Lie on a firm but comfortable mattress that allows you to rest and sleep well. If your back is sore, you can elevate your legs to take pressure off your back. Simply place a small pillow under your knees when lying on your back. If lying on your side, then place the pillow between your knees.

• If you can manage to get into a bath, a hot Epsom salt bath, which is high in magnesium can improve circulation, relax muscles and bring prompt pain relief.

• For a specific area of pain, you can apply a hot water bottle or heat pack to that part of the body. Some people prefer an ice pack, especially for a recent injury, or alternating heat and cold.

• A crucial part of mononucleosis treatment is the use of nutritional supplementation to support the healing process. For back, muscle and joint pain and inflammation, the most important nutrients are magnesium, the B complex, zinc, vitamin C and the essential fatty acids. For longer term problems like arthritis, torn cartilage or damaged ligaments, the use of chrondroitin or glucosamine are beneficial. These supplements can help to re-build damaged tissues.

• Diet plays a vital role in mononucleosis treatment. Aim for a high protein, low carbohydrate diet that includes plenty of alkaline vegetables and fruit. The use of the essential fats like those found in fish oils, flaxseed oil and raw nuts and seeds can help to reduce inflammation.

• When you are over the acute infection, mononucleosis treatment needs to address graded exercise. To start with, low impact exercises like yoga, tai chi, swimming or elliptical training are suitable. As you get stronger it is important to build up muscle tone, particularly in the abdomen and back. If you have a good, strong muscle tone, you are less likely to injure your back in the future. Exercises like sit ups, push ups, weight lifting, yoga, walking, swimming, jogging and cycling are good choices.

• Before you incorporate exercise into your mononucleosis treatment plan, it is advisable to get the all-clear from your doctor. Sometimes the spleen can remain enlarged. This increases the risk of exercise rupturing the spleen and causing further complications.

Natural mononucleosis treatment can go a long way in alleviating back, muscle and joint problems associated with this nasty illness. For further information on these therapies plus more, please refer to the e-book “Nature’s Amazing Mononucleosis Cures” by qualified naturopath Elizabeth Noble.

Sluggish bowels and constipation are the bane of modern civilisation. When the bowel is under- functioning, it causes toxins to be reabsorbed back into your blood stream making you feel ill and off colour, giving you bad breath, bloating, headaches, low energy and bad skin. It will also make your mononucleosis treatment plan ineffective.

With chronic constipation you slowly poison the system and may contribute to chronic disease like diverticulitis, irritable bowel syndrome, poor immunity and bowel cancer.

I have met patients who only pass a stool motion once every week! Some patients think they are regular. Going to the toilet to pass a stool every second or third day may be regular but it is not healthy. It is still constipation. You should be passing a stool at least once a day.

The easy answer for constipation is not a laxative. This will just make your bowel lazy so it becomes reliant on higher and higher doses of laxatives to get it moving.

Tho best way to cure constipation during mononucleosis treatment is to do a natural bowel cleanse. This involves removing any bad bacteria and parasites with a gentle anti-microbial supplement. Replenishing the healthy gut flora like acidophillus and bifido is the next step. A healthy fibre rich diet, lots of pure water and specific foods like paw paw, pineapple, kiwi, peppermint, ginger, psyllium and slippery elm will also support the digestive system to remain healthy.

Addressing liver function is also essential, particularly during mononucleosis treatment when the liver is under stress from the Epstein Barr virus. The liver plays an important role in digestion as it produces bile which breaks down dietary fats in the intestines.

During mononucleosis treatment, I recommend all my patients do a liver and bowel cleanse. This can be repeated yearly to ensure that your health stays in tip top condition. You can purchase a good bowel and liver cleanser from a naturopath or purchase a reputable brand like the Blessed Herbs Internal Cleansing Kit online :

http://blessedherbs.com/?af=1254&d=single&item_id=3882

For more details on how to do a bowel and liver cleanse during mononucleosis treatment please refer to my e-book “Nature’s Amazing Mononucleosis Cures”. Supercharge your digestive system and reap the benefits of improved immunity, terrific well being and improved health.

Antibiotics
Antibiotics are of no use in treating viruses like Epstein Barr – the virus which causes mono. In fact using antibiotics like amoxicillin and ampicillin in mono patients may cause a measle-like rash.

Occasionally antibiotics may be prescribed when treating mononucleosis if a secondary bacterial infection like strep throat develops. In these cases it is worth getting a swab and culture done to confirm if you have developed a secondary infection. If you do test positive for a bacterial infection, then amoxicillin and ampicillin should be avoided.

Viral skin rash

A skin rash in the early, acute stage of mono can be a viral rash which normally resolves itself within a couple of days. This skin rash is commonly seen in children.

Allergy or intolerance to medication or foods

A more extensive and prolonged skin rash can be an allergic reaction or an intolerance to a medication or food that you have been taking. Many drugs can be hard for the body to metabolise. If liver function is impaired, as it often is with mono, the rash may be itchy, red and raised. It may be accompanied by nausea, poor appetite, headaches and malaise.

Natural remedies for a mono skin rash

If a skin reaction does appear when you are treating mononucleosis there are a few remedies you can try. Topically you can try some healing gels like paw paw ointment or aloe vera gel which can take the itch and redness out of the rash.

Exposing the skin to sunlight may enhance healing – just don’t get sun burnt. If using sunlight when treating mononucleosis it is advisable to test how your body reacts first for a few minutes. Although most of my patients find sunlight helpful, some individuals seem to get an adverse reaction to sun which can worsen their symptoms.

When treating mononucleosis patients with a skin reaction, I have found the nutrients vitamin C, vitamin A, zinc and the omega 3 fats can reduce the inflammation and discomfort. Anti-inflammatory foods in the diet like turmeric, ginger, garlic, deep sea fish, pineapple and paw paw are also excellent.

Doing some gentle liver cleansing with lemon juice in warm water on rising, plus plenty of fluids throughout the day is essential to flush the virus and toxins out of the body.

For more information on treating mononucleosis naturally with nutrients, herbs, a healthy diet, liver cleansing and lifestyle changes, then please refer to my e-book “Nature’s Amazing Mononucleosis Cures”.