Have you noticed that as you age, and you cut yourself or have a wound from another injury, that it seems to take much longer to heal than when you were younger?
Whether it is a cut or a graze or a full-blown wound, you can begin by using an antibacterial silver ointment to protect it from infection and allow the body to begin the recovery without added problems. This silver ointment will not accelerate any healing but will prevent further infection.
Accelerate Healing with These Natural Remedies
A variety of herbs, supplements, and plants can speed up healing and prevent infection naturally.
- Honey
Honey has proven antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities. Honey has been shown to help speed wound healing by numerous mechanisms. It is an ideal dressing for wounds as it fights infection, reduces inflammation, and provides a moist healing environment all in one natural substance. Manuka honey may be the best option. To use, spread a thin layer of raw honey on your bandage before covering the cut.
- Chamomile
The little flower has been used to treat burns, bruises, sciatica, and hemorrhoids, among other things. It’s also a viable treatment for minor cuts and mouth sores, as well as bleeding or infected wounds. Doctors in Germany tested chamomile as a treatment for recent tattoos, which often bleed. Tattoos treated with chamomile extract healed more efficiently than those treated with typical tattoo balms. The flower’s healing properties, according to another human trial, likely come from its flavonoids and essential oils, which scientists have found can penetrate deep into skin. Several other studies on various types of wounds show that chamomile is extremely effective in speeding the rate of healing; it has even been shown to be as effective as hydrocortisone creams. It helps to kick start the body’s natural healing processes and regenerate tissue. Look for tinctures or natural products containing chamomile at your local health foods grocery, or make a compress out of chamomile tea (you can even put the teabags directly on minor cuts).
- Aloe Vera
This plant has many healing properties. It is a great treatment for burns, but it can also be good for cuts and scrapes as well; aloe promotes formation of collagen, prevents infection, and more. You can buy creams or gels that contain aloe vera, but my favorite way to use it is straight from the plant. Cut off a tip of the plant and spread the gel-like insides over your cut, then cover with a bandage. Mixed results show that aloe vera should not be used on very deep cuts, so stick to shallow scrapes to be safe.
- Zinc
Zinc is essential to wound healing. People who are zinc deficient often show delayed healing rates. Topical application of zinc to a wound can help speed up the process. It is antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory, and it also helps to stimulate the growth and maturation of cells to rebuild the damaged tissue. Look for a zinc ointment meant for wound care at a natural grocery store.
- Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree essential oil is one of the best ways to treat a wound to help prevent infection. It is a great antiseptic, antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal. Tea tree oil is so effective that it can actively attack and eliminate staph infections such as MRSA. The aborigines of Australia used tea tree leaves to heal skin infections and wounds and burns by crushing tea tree leaves and holding them in place with a mud pack. Thankfully, we can just use tea tree oil applied 3-5 times a day to effectively heal our wounds quickly and efficiently.
When researchers at the Good Shepherd Hospital in Texas tested tea tree oil on patients who had infected cuts, they found the time it took the tea tree group to heal, compared with the control group treated with conventional antibiotics, was strikingly shorter. Applying tea tree oil or tea tree cream directly to your cut twice a day will cut down inflammation.
- Garlic
Allicin in garlic has been shown to be as effective as a 1% penicillin solution! It is a great anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal and can help heal almost any wound. Garlic can cause damage to the skin, however, so making sure you don’t leave it on the skin for longer than 20-25 minutes. You can make a mix of 3 crushed garlic cloves and 1 cup of wine, blended, let stand for 2-3 hours and strain. Apply to the wound with a clean cloth 1-2 times a day.
- Calendula
This beautiful little flower is considered a vulnerary agent (a substance that promotes healing). This plant is an anti-inflammatory too, and is slightly anti-microbial. It can be used topically to help heal abrasions, skin infections and internal infected mucous membranes. You can buy calendula salves at health food stores, and you can use this to apply to your wounds. For internal infections, make a calendula tea with 1 cup warm water and 1 tbsp. calendula flowers.
- Marshmallow Root
Marshmallow root is not the same as the sugary white cylinders you can find in the candy section at your grocery store – this plant is actually incredibly healing to wounds inflicted on the body. Marshmallow is great for drawing out toxins and other bacteria found in wounds when used as a poultice, and it can shorten the healing time by drawing out impurities. It can also be used to heal burns and bruises! Creating a poultice with marshmallow and applying it to your wound can speed wound healing.
- Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne pepper is great for helping blood to clot faster at the site of your wound, and disinfects the wound due to its anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. Cayenne pepper will stop wound bleeding in 10-12 seconds, and if the wound is more severe, having the afflicted individual consume an 8-oz. glass of water with 1tsp. cayenne can significantly help too!
- Potato
Potatoes can heal wounds? Potatoes have this type of gravitational pull which draws out infections from any type of wound or abscess. Make a raw potato poultice with shredded potatoes and maintain this throughout the day, changing it every 4 hours or so (and rinsing with salt water in between). This will ensure that inflammation is reduced and that there will be no chance of infection! To make a poultice, shred raw potato with a grater, and spread this onto a clean cloth. Apply to the affected area, and cover with gauze and then some saran wrap or other material of choice. Leave overnight and remove in the morning. Clean affected area with salty water, cover with clean dressing and continue until healed.
- Lavender
The amazing benefits of lavender were accidentally discovered by a French scientist, René, Gattefossé, who was severely burned in a laboratory accident and immersed his hand in a vat of Lavender. He found that this oil promoted hasty tissue regeneration without any scarring! Use lavender essential oil to help promote natural wound healing. Use topically 2-5 times per day by applying 2-4 drops on the wound area. Dilute as required!
- Goldenseal
This plant is known for its antiseptic and astringent properties. It can be used for cuts, wounds, infections, bites and stings and is also used internally to help treat sinus infections and inflammation of the stomach and intestinal tract. The main components of goldenseal are alkaloids called berberine and hydrastine which help destroy many types of bacterial and viral infections. Use goldenseal ointment on your wounds (found in local health stores), and watch your healing time drastically reduce!
- Coconut Oil
Coconut oil, amongst a million other things it can do, can effectively heal wounds! It has amazing antibacterial and antifungal properties and can even prevent scarring of wounds too! Use coconut oil on your wound to help speed recovery – apply coconut oil under a band aid and re-fresh 2-3 times a day. Watch your cut heal in no time!
- Witch Hazel
Witch hazel is a wonderful astringent that contains procyanidins, resin and flavonoids, all of which make it a very soothing, anti-inflammatory plant. Soaking a cloth in some with hazel and applying it to cuts, bruises and other wounds can significantly reduce swelling and speed up recovery time. Witch hazel can also control bleeding – to help reduce bleeding, apply witch hazel to a fresh wound and wrap it up in gauze.
- Juniper Leaves & Berries
Juniper berries, which were also used as a flavoring for gin back in the 17th century, are also very useful in the treatment of inflamed joints and wounds. These berries are very rich in B vitamins and vitamin C, which make them great for speeding up recovery time of cuts, scrapes and other wounds. Juniper berries contain antibacterial and antiseptic properties as well, so they are great for treating numerous wounds or sores like psoriasis, eczema and other skin problems!
- Comfrey Root
The genus name for comfrey is Symphytum, which literally means to “unite or knit together.” Comfrey contains a substance called allantoin, which helps cells grow faster, and so it literally improves healing time of broken bones, mends wounds quickly and helps burns heal quickly with little scarring. In fact, comfrey is often called knitbone! Allantoin is also found in the placenta of pregnant women to help the baby grow and develop in a decent amount of time. Use comfrey as a poultice next time you break a bone or get a bruise, cut, scrape or other wound.
- Colloidal Silver
It’s true that there are no high-quality studies substantiating silver’s health claims and there are risks of using it that you should be aware of. However, colloidal silver can be a great natural antibiotic if used properly. The antibiotic properties of silver are potent and the risk to human health in terms of toxicity is negligible.
Colloidal silver helps kill bacteria without damaging newly forming skin cells. It does not sting or burn. Other antiseptics sting when applied to a wound because they are killing the surrounding wall tissue cells. Colloidal silver does not harm the surrounding cells or tissue. Some people use a silver spray and sprinkle the colloidal silver over the affected area to help heal wounds faster.
Note that some clinical studies prove that natural silver – particularly colloidal silver – can destroy Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) pathogen quickly and effectively. MRSA is a bacterium that can infect surgical wounds. It’s tougher to treat than most strains of staphylococcus aureus – or staph – because it’s resistant to some commonly used antibiotics.
- Proper Diet
Eat well to promote faster healing. If you want to know how to heal a cut fast, it is important to look at your diet, as your body needs a variety of vitamins and nutrients to support the healing process. Vitamin C, for example, helps make collagen, stimulates the renewal and growth of skin cells, modulates inflammatory processes, and helps turn on genes that promote wound healing. And protein is in extra high demand when your body needs to rebuild tissue. Make sure to get plenty of vitamin C, E, and A; protein; omega-3 fatty acids; zinc; and antioxidants to support your body.
Top Foods to Heal Wounds
Green leafy vegetables – Kale, broccoli, spinach, and other greens are high in vitamin K, which is essential for blood clotting.
Clean protein – The body cannot rebuild lost tissue without protein. Add a quality protein powder to your morning smoothies and consume plenty of nuts, seeds, and beans.
Vitamin C – Is essential for manufacturing collagen an essential component of skin and tissues. Increase your intake of vitamin C rich fruits and vegetables such as citrus fruits, bell peppers, strawberries, and tomatoes.
Zinc – The chemical reactions necessary to rebuild bone requires zinc. To increase your intake of zinc, add pumpkin seeds, and spinach to your diet.
Omega 3 Essential Fats– Essential fats are critical to help rapidly heal wounds. Avocados and fish oil are great to consume.
Foods That Slow Healing
Alcohol – Increases inflammation which does not promote healing.
Sugar and refined grains – Promote inflammation and can slow healing.
Hydrogenated oils – Processed foods contain hydrogenated fats which also promote inflammation and decrease the ability of your body to heal.
Processed foods – May contain chemicals and dyes which can slow wound healing.
Summary
When you have a wound, ensure that you have a clean diet, plenty of oxygen and use nature’s healers. It may surprise you how miraculous your self-healing body still is!
References
ScientificWorldJournal. 2011 Apr 5;11:766-87.
Phytother Res. 2009 Feb;23(2):274-8.
Ostomy Wound Manage. 2011 May;57(5):28-36.
Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2014;27(6):303-10.
Biomed Res Int. 2015;2015:714216.
Biol Trace Elem Res. 2013 Jun;153(1-3):76-83.
Wound Repair Regen. 2007 Jan-Feb;15(1):2-16.
J Altern Complement Med. 2013 Dec;19(12):942-5.
Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012;2012:375671.
Int Wound J. 2015 Aug 20. [Epub ahead of print]
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