Natural Remedies for NoroVirus

Natural Remedies for NoroVirus

What is NoroVirus?

Norovirus is a highly contagious virus. Norovirus infection causes gastroenteritis (inflammation of the stomach and intestines) that leads to diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain. Other names, such as food poisoning and stomach flu, are often called norovirus illness. Noroviruses can cause food poisoning, as can other germs and chemicals. Norovirus illness is not related to the flu (influenza). Though they share some of the same symptoms, the flu is a respiratory illness caused by the influenza virus.

Each year, norovirus causes 19 to 21 million cases of acute gastroenteritis in the United States. There are many types of norovirus, and you can catch it multiple times.

How Can Norovirus Spread?

Norovirus can spread by having direct contact with an infected person,

eating food or drinking liquids contaminated with norovirus,

touching objects that have norovirus on them and then putting your fingers in your mouth, for example, touching a countertop that has vomit droplets on it and then putting your fingers in your mouth or biting your nails,

sharing utensils or cups with people infected with norovirus.

Antibiotics will not help with the norovirus because antibiotics do not work on viruses.

When you have norovirus illness, drink plenty of liquids, as you must replace fluid loss and prevent dehydration.

5 Tips to Prevent Norovirus From Spreading

1. Practice proper hand hygiene. Make sure to wash your hands carefully with soap and water.
2. Wash fruits and vegetables and cook seafood thoroughly. Carefully wash fruits and vegetables before preparing and eating them. Cook oysters and other shellfish thoroughly before eating them. Be aware that noroviruses are relatively resistant. They can survive temperatures as high as 140°F and quick steaming processes for cooking shellfish.
3. When you are sick, do not prepare food or care for others. Do not prepare food for others or provide healthcare while ill and for at least 2 to 3 days after you recover.
4. Clean and disinfect contaminated surfaces. After throwing up or having diarrhea, immediately clean and disinfect contaminated surfaces.
5.  Wash laundry thoroughly. Wash the items with detergent at the maximum available cycle length, then machine dry them.

Natural Remedies Available 

Let’s review the antiviral activity of metabolites of plant origin against noroviruses as per the NIH (National Institute of Health) research.

In recent years, many laboratories around the world have engaged in research into plant extracts and their respective biological activity. 

Plant-derived phytochemicals exhibit various antiviral activities and employ different mechanisms of action. 

The biological and pharmacological activity of plant-derived secondary metabolites, such as polyphenols, terpenes, and alkaloids, has long been known and used in medicine. 

Plant antiviral phytochemicals and plant-derived compounds can bind to the virus’s surface without destroying the proteins in the capsid and, thus, interfere with its adsorption to host cells.

The research presents the most exciting and promising examples of the potential use of plant-origin compounds as antiviral phytochemicals in medicine and the food industry.

Nine Natural Remedies:

1. First up is OLE, an oil of oregano, which resulted in a statistically significant reduction in the norovirus within 15 minutes of exposure. 
2. Lemongrass essential oil significantly reduced the viral infectivity within 6 hours of exposure.
3. Grape Seed Extract caused the denaturation of viral capsid protein.
4. Green tea extract (GTE) inhibits the replication of the virus. It can deactivate these viruses by non-specific binding to their receptors, thus preventing the virus from binding to host cells.
5. Eugenol, also called clove, rosemary, and ginger, deactivated the virus. 
6. Unsweetened Cranberry concentrations showed viral reduction within the first 10 minutes of treatment.
7. Neem contains substances with potent antiviral activity. Neem, indeed, seems like a miraculous natural drug. 
8. Probiotics such as Lactobacillus casei GG and S boulardii may be helpful in some cases of viral gastroenteritis. GI Immune is essential after the stomach bug hits so you don’t get it or relapse. It contains dairy-free immunoglobulins that support a healthy mucosal barrier and immune system. Check the link to my supplement recommendations to explore. 
9. Zinc may reduce the severity and duration of stomach flu, but do not take on an empty stomach.

Final Thoughts

Noroviruses are highly resistant to environmental factors so that they can be efficiently transmitted through contaminated food, water, or surfaces and potentially threaten public health. 

Antiviral metabolites of plant origin have essential advantages over synthetic preservatives used as fresh food disinfectants because they are effective at safe dosages, are generally available, and utilize the inability of microorganisms to become resistant to plant-based viroids. 

Link to a natural protocol:

https://us.fullscript.com/plans/nancyguberti-natural-supplements-to-explore-for-norovirus

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Tags: Functional Medicine, immune health, Nancy Guberti, natural remedies for norovirus, Neem, norovirus, virus