Natural Remedies for Glandular Fever

Glandular fever is caused by an infection with the Epstein-Barr virus – a close relative of the herpes virus. Infection often occurs in teenagers and young adults (although this is not always the case as can be seen from the second case study below). The symptoms of glandular fever include sore throat, headache, swollen glands and exhaustion. The condition is often preceded by a degree of stress. The symptoms can last for months and can recur for several years. A number of abnormalities, including food allergies, changes in the immune system and in cell metabolism, as well as persistence of the virus have been shown to occur after such an infection. Some people are dismissed as neurotic or malingerers – yet they are often very ill.

What you can do to help The remedies for glandular fever need to be directed towards improving the nervous exhaustion situation as well as improving lymphatic congestion most often associated with the condition. This then means:

• Vitamin C, the B group vitamins and zinc to improve the immunity and energy levels. These can be obtained as a part of a good multivitamin and mineral supplement.
• Potassium phosphate to assist the nervous system.
• Herbs to help cleanse the liver and lymphatic system. These include: burdock, dandelion, red clover,violet leaves and centaury.
• Nervous system herbs such as lime (linden) flowers and hops.
• It is important to eat a diet that will support the immune system by cleansing the colon and the rest of the body.

Glandular fever herbal mixture A herbal mixture that can help with intransigent viral infections such as glandular fever – even if the problem has turned into a low level, debilitating weakness, is as follows.

• 2 parts echinacea
• 2 parts poke root
• 2 parts wild indigo
• 2 parts wormwood
• 1 part myrrh

Combine the herbs and using 2 teaspoons of the herb mix place into a cup and pour on boiling water. Allow this to stand for 10-15 minutes. Strain the tea when it has cooled. The mixture should be drunk three times per day. If you do not like the unpleasant taste you can mask it by the use of liquorice.

Case Study: Glandular Fever Ian, aged 22 year visited with an acute attack of glandular fever. He had been off work for five weeks and had liver and spleen enlargement as associated problems.

Ian’s treatment consisted of:

• a general multivitamin and mineral supplement with additional: zinc, vitamin C and B complex vitamins.
• general colon cleansing, in particular, using dietary and digestive support changes.
• lymphatic cleansing and liver toning herbs: burdock, violet leaves, dandelion root and leaves, hops, lime flowers, centaury and wahoo.

As Ian was an acute case some of these herbs were given more often that the usual three times per day. Ian was seen after two weeks rather than the usual four. By that time he was generally better and the treatment outlined above was continued. On a subsequent visit he reported that all symptoms were improved.

Case Study: Post Viral Infection Fatigue Neil was a 57 year old car dealer who had had a severe bout of glandular fever 18 months before. Since then he had been troubled by tiredness and swelling in his glands in his neck. He also experienced weight loss, depression, loss of taste and headaches. Investigations showed that his zinc levels in his blood were normal but at a very low level in his sweat (107 parts per billion – normal range 360 – 680 parts per billion).

His treatment consisted of the following:

• Supplements of zinc and multivitamin and minerals.
• Colon cleansing and changes to his diet to include more fresh fruit and vegetables and a reduction in the dairy produced and refined flours.
• Herbs for his liver and lymphatic system: dandelion, milk thistle, burdock, echinacea and centaury.

Within a week his sense of taste returned and he was feeling less tired. Over the next three months he continued to improve with his energy level nearly returning to normal and his enlarged glands returned to normal size. Deficiencies of zinc, iron and vitamin B6 are relatively common and are important causes of poor resistance to or poor recovery from infections. Sometimes zinc deficiencies can be present even though the blood levels of zinc are normal and a trial of zinc supplements together with multivitamins and mineral supplements and a healthy diet and colon cleansing are well worth while.

Glandular fever is a disease that can go on unrecognised with debilitating effect. It can be treated with a natural approach that cleanses the colon, improves the diet, digestive, nervous and lymphatic systems.