The Plain Truth's: Your Health Today ONLINE: The Amazing Healing Effects of Olive Leaves

English: Olive tree leaves, front and back sides, Bela Vista, Lisboa, Portugal. Upper leaf: Front side. Lower leaf: Back side. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By Bob Barney
The Olive Tree.......For one thing, it is the first botanical mentioned in the Bible. ... After the Great Flood we didn't hear too much about the olive leaf for a long time. ... there is an angelic vision of a "tree of life" whose leaves "were for the healing of the nations. "And the dove came in to him in the evening, and lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf plucked off. So Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth." (Genesis 8 : 11). In Ezekiel 47 : 12, God speaks of the olive tree saying: "The fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.".. In Revelation, the last book of the New Testament, there is an angelic vision of a "tree of life" whose leaves "were for the healing of the nations." Today, as modern medicine increasingly embraces phytochemicals it is interesting to speculate about the biblical "tree of life."

The ancient Egyptians may be been the first to put the olive leaf to practical use. They regarded it as a symbol of heavenly power, and in keeping with that belief, they extracted its oil and used it to mummify their kings.

It is documented that the olive tree can live thousands of years and is disease resistant. Two giant olive trees in the town of Arraba and five trees in Deir Hanna (both in Israel’s Galilee region) have been determined to be over 3000 years old, and all continue to produce olives. According to scientific surveys, there are tens of ancient olive trees throughout Israel that are 1600-2000 years old; several trees in the Garden of Gethsemane in Jerusalem are claimed to date back to the time of Jesus. As with other common symbols in Israel, the characteristics of the olive tree are used by the writers of the Bible to tell us more about God, about Israel, and our relationship to both. Olive trees, their fruit, and the oil of their fruit have long played an important role in the daily life of Israel. For nearly 6,000 years, olives have been eaten as a Mediterranean staple food and olive oil has been used for cooking, in lamps for light (Ex. 27:20, Lev. 24:2), for medicine, and for anointing oil in religious ceremonies (Ex. 30:24-25). By the time of the Roman conquest of Judea, the olive had become one of the most basic dietary items, even of the poor.

Olive oil was so plentiful in Israel that it was one of the products regularly exported. Solomon sent the King of Tyre 100,000 gallons (378,533 liters) of olive oil (I Kgs. 5:11). One thousand years later, during the time of Jesus, olive oil is mentioned in writings of that day as the only export of the Jerusalem region. The Mount of Olives, located just east of the Old City of Jerusalem, attests to the prevalence of olive trees around the city. Also, it was in the Garden of Gethsemane (Gat Shemen in Hebrew, literally, the place of the "olive press"), where Jesus spent much of His time in Jerusalem with His disciples. "Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him" (Luke 22:39).

Psalms 52:8 says, "But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercies of God forever and ever."

Psalms 128:3 says, "Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the very heart of your house; Your children like olive plants all around your table."

Christians are simply the wild branches grafted in among the natural branches to "became a partaker with them of the root and fatness of the olive tree," which God established (Rom. 11:17).

The Olive Leaf in History and Medicine
by:Dr. James R. Privitera, M.D.
Was it the olive tree?

The first formal medical mention of the olive leaf - an account describing its ability to cure severe cases of fever and malaria -- ocurred about 150 years ago. In 1854, the Pharmaceutical Journal carried a report by one Daniel Hanbury and contained the following simple healing recipe:

Boil a handful of leaves in a quart of water down to half its original volume. Then administer the liquid in the amount of a wineglass every 3 or 4 hours until the fever is cured.The author said he discovered the effective tincture in 1843 and had used it successfully. This method became well known in England for treating sick Britons returning from His or Her Majesty's tropical colonies. The
author believed that a bitter substance in the leaves was the key healing ingredient.

He was right.

Decades later, scientists isolated a bitter substance from the leaf and named it oleuropein. It was found to be one ingredient in a compound produced by the olive tree that makes it particularly robust and resistant against insect and bacterial damage. From a technical angle, oleuropein is an iridoid, a structural class of chemical compounds found in plants. It is present in olive oil, throughout the olive tree, and is, in fact, the bitter material that is eliminated from the olives when they are cured.

In 1962, an Italian researcher reported that oleuropein lowered blood pressure in animals. This triggered a flurry of scientific interest in the olive leaf.Other European researchers confirmed this interesting finding. In addition, they found it could also increase blood flow in the coronary arteries, relieve arrhythmias, and prevent intestinal muscle spasms.Around this time, a Dutch researcher determined the active ingredient in oleuropein to be a substance he called elenolic acid. It was found to have a powerful anti-bacterial effect.

By the late 1960's, research by scientists at Upjohn, a major American pharmaceutical company, showed that elenolic acid also inhibited the growth of viruses. In fact, it stopped every virus that it was tested against. Among others, the substance was found to counteract a variety of viruses associated with the common cold of humans.Moreover, a number of laboratory experiments at this time with calcium elenolate, a salt of elenolic acid, demonstrated a strong effect against not just viruses, but bacteria and parasitic protozoans as well.The compound worked effectively at low concentrations without any harmful influence on host cell mechanisms, the American researchers concluded. That meant they believed it to be extremely safe and non-toxic, even at high doses.

In a series of experiments, oleuropein was found to inactivate bacteria by apparently dissolving the outer lining of microbes.At the University of Milan Pharacological Sciences, researchers found that oleuropein inhibited oxidation of low-density lipoproteins, the so-called "bad cholesterol" involved in heart and aterial disease. This revelation, if confirmed by further research, suggests that oleuropein may contain antioxidant properties similar to other phytochemical compounds. Medical researcher Morton Walker, D.P.M., writing about olive leaf extract in the July 1996 issue of the Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, comments that the intake of flavonoids "is correlated with a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease indicated that the daily intake of olive oil and/or olive leaf extract containing phenols will likely bring on a similar result." At the present time, the cardiovascular research community is excited about such actions. Studies have shown that some phytochemicals can reduce the harmful oxidation of cholesterol as well as slow down the accelerated clumping of blood platelets that can lead to dangerous clots.At Spain's University of Granada, pharmacologists determined that olive leaf extract causes relaxation of arterial walls in laboratory animals. Such results suggest a possible benefit for hypertension, an effect first mentioned by researchers more than 30 years ago.

Olive Leaf Firepower

For the record, the researchers at Upjohn found calcium elenolate effective in test tube experiments against the following viruses: herpes, vaccinia, pseudorabies, Newcastle, Coxsacloe A 21, encepthlomyocarditis, polio 1, 2, and 3, vesicular stomititus, sindbis, reovirus, Moloney Murine leukemia, Rauscher Murine leukemia, Moloney sarcoma, and many influenza and parainfluenza types.

They found it effective against these bacteria and parasitic protozoans: lactobacillus plantarum W50, brevis 50, pediococcus cerevisiae 39, leuconostoc mesenteroides 42, staphylococcus aureus, bacillus subtilis, enterobacteraerogenes NRRL B-199, E. cloacae NRRL B-414, E. coli, salamonella tyhimurium, pseudomonas fluorescens, P. solanacearum, P. lachrymans, erwinia carotovora, E. tracheiphila, xanthomonas vesicatoria, corynesbacterium Michiganese, plasmodium falciparum, virax and malariae. The researchers credit a number of unique properties possessed by the olive leaf compound for the broad killing power:An ability to interfere with critical amino acid production essential for viruses.

An ability to contain viral infection and/or spread by inactivating viruses or by preventing virus shedding, budding or assembly at the cell membrane.The ability to directly penetrate infected cells and stop viral replication.In the case of retroviruses, it is able to neutralize the production of reverse transcriptase and protease. These enzymes are essential for a retrovirus, such as HIV, to alter the RNA of a healthy cell.It can stimulate phagocytosis, an immune system response in which cells
ingest harmful microorganisms and foreign matter.The research suggests that this may be a "true anti-viral" compound because it appears to selectively block an entire virus-specific system in the infected host. It thus appears to offer healing effects not addressed by pharmaceutical antibiotics.

Clinical Perspective

Clinically, the olive leaf extract has been used for a relatively short time. Health professionals began using it early in 1995 when it first became available. Although we do not have long-term perspectives as yet, initial results are very positive. We see a very promising and unique herbal with multiple applications. It shows considerable therapeutic action against many common conditions. In short, it appears to be living up to its unique background and expectations. From research and clinical experience to date, we can say that supplemental olive leaf extract may be beneficial in the treatment for conditions caused by, or associated with, a virus, retrovirus, bacterium, or protozoan. Among such conditions are influenza, the common cold, meningitis, Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), encephalitis, herpes I and II, human herpes virus 6 and 7, shingles, HIV/ARC/AIDS, chronic fatigue, hepatitis
B, pneumonia, tuberculosis, gonorrhea, malaria, dengue, bacteremia, severe diarrhea, blood poisoning, and dental, ear, urinary tract and surgical infections.

-->

In our clinic, we use olive leaf extract for a variety of infectious and  chronic conditions. We also believe that many people who lead stressful  lives or who may be particularly susceptible to colds and viruses may  benefit from long-term use of olive leaf extract as a preventive agent.

As I mentioned earlier, I am constantly surprised by unexpected benefits  reported by patients. This indicates that we are perhaps just scratching  the surface in our understanding of phytochemical benefits. Patients have  told me about improved psoriasis, normalization of arrhythmias (heart beat  irregularities), and less pain from hemorroids, toothaches and chronically  achy joints.

I myself cured a chronic toenail fungal infection after starting on the  supplement. It had not responded to the many other nutrients that I take. One woman with bad allergies reported significant improvement and a level  of energy she hadn't felt for years.

One elderly male with severe arrhythmia told me his condition had vastly  improved in about eight days just from taking olive leaf extract alone. A  woman with mild arrhythmia said her condition improved substantially while  she took the supplement and then slowly became irregular again after she  ran out.

We know from the oleuropein research done in the 1960s that the substance  improves blood flood to the heart and acts to normalize arrhythmias.  Currently, we are learning much about the cardiovascular benefits of the  phytochemical compounds found in grape seeds, onions, kale, green beans,  broccoli, and other vegetables. It will be interesting to see what  benefits the particular phytochemicals in olive leaf extract produce for  heart and arterial health. Phil Selinsky, a naturopathic doctor at the Institute for Holistic Studies  in Santa Barbara, and biochemist Arnold Takemoto, who has been developing  patient nutritional programs on behalf of physicians in Arizona for 15  years, have found olive leaf extract to be an effective addition to their  array of natural healing tools. After using the supplement in dozens of cases for over a year, Selinsky is  impressed with the benefits and looks forward to continued use and greater  understanding about its most effective applications. There is no doubt that olive leaf extract has real healing power. In a  moment I will go into much greater detail on how it has helped patients.

It is important to keep in mind, however, that like any nutritional  supplement it should not be considered a cure-all or panacea. In holistic  practices such as mine, individual supplements are part of a comprehensive  program that includes better diet, exercise, and stress control methods.  That's how we maximize health and minimize symptoms.

There is always the possiblity that one ingredient, one supplement, can  fill a large gap or particular need in the body and by itself lead to  major improvement. We see that happen all the time. But usually it is all  the elements in a nutritional program that work together -- like a team of  horses pulling a wagon -- that gets the job done most effectively.

Biochemist Arnold Takemoto puts it this way: "Olive leaf extract is not a  single magic-bullet. There are very few such things, especially in  non-pharmaceutical medicine. In many cases it takes a whole lot more than  just one ingredient to get over a particular condition. Yet I find it a  very valuable addition against chronic fatigue syndrome and many other  viral conditions, especially those that are more tenacious. It fills a  hole that we haven't been able to fill before."

Takemoto went on to say that Lisa Weinrib, M.D., one of the physicians he  works with, treats many cases of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue  syndrome.She has noticed that patients with these problems exhibit much improvement  from use of the extract, according to Takemoto. "It's the missing link  that functions as an antiviral and antiretroviral agent by slowing down  the organism's reproductive cycle. A slowdown...allows the patient's  immune system to go on the attack."

Takemoto says olive leaf extract has helped patients eliminate stubborn  viral infections they have had for years. One patient, who had suffered  from shingles (herpes zoster) for nine years, experienced complete relief  within two days of starting olive leaf extract and other supplements.

More Energy  One of the most frequent comments we hear from patients after they start  taking olive leaf extract is that they feel more energetic and have a  greater sense of well-being. Many want to continue the supplement even  after the treatment program has cleared up or reduced specific problems.  Some patients are energized to the point that they inquire whether there  is an "upper" in the product. There is not. It simply generates a natural  "upper" effect. Healthy people who take it say they also feel this  infusion of energy.

Chronic Fatigue  In my experience, olive leaf extract also has helped in many chronic  fatigue cases, even the most serious. One female patient described to me  what she called a "really quite unbelievable" recovery within one month of  taking the supplement.  "For the last few years I have not been feeling like myself. I've had  little energy and enthusiasm for anything. This is not my usual nature. I  attributed it to weight, unemployment and just being down. My head was  always somewhat achy and I couldn't figure out why. The only way I could  describe it would be as a constant low-degree headache which never left.

"I started taking olive leaf extract and noticed an immediate elevation of  my spirits. What I liked about the product was that it was effective but  gentle and didn't make me hyper or unable to sleep. Quite the contrary, I  slept better.

"After a few days I began to notice more energy and a stronger sense of  well-being. The cobwebs in my brain started to diminish. I also noticed a  bad shoulder and a bad knee started to get better. The pain associated  with these joints remarkably improved.

For some very sick individuals, including people with chronic fatigue  syndrome or particularly heavy loads of virus or bacteria in their bodies,  olive leaf extract may possibly generate detoxification symptoms -- known  as the "die-off effect" -- that may be unpleasant.

Such people may actually feel worse for a short time before feeling  better. As an example, many chronic fatigue patients suffer from an  associated depression. Patients of mine who toughed it out through  the"die-off" period emerged highly energized and no longer depressed. If you have ever used Nystattin to fight yeast infections, you are  probably familiar with this situation. Nystattin kills yeast. As the body  becomes full of dead yeast, you may experience a variety of detox  symptoms. Symptoms may intensify to the point where you need to stop or  reduce the dosage of the medication in order to give your body a chance to  eliminate the toxic waste.

Olive leaf extract is potent stuff. It can generate an internal cleansing  action that may similarly cause significant detox symptoms. Refer to the  next chapter about what to do if you experience such a reaction.

Die-off" Effect  "Die-off" symptoms can begin almost immediately after starting the  supplement. It can hit different people in different ways. Reactions  include extreme fatigue, diarrhea, headaches, muscle/joint achiness or  flu-like symptoms. Severity differs also from person to person, depending  on the extent of infection.  Keep in mind that such symptoms are positive signs. Nevertheless, they can  be unpleasant. Some people may not want to continue because of the  discomfort. Others handle it better. Others experience no such effect.

Here's what to do in case of substantial detoxification symptoms:

Reduce the number of tablets, or even stop them altogether for a while.

You may need a day or two, or even a week, to allow your body to process  the "die-off."

When you feel better, you can resume the supplement at a low dose and  increase slowly.

Holistic practitioners can usually provide a supportive detoxification  program for individuals who experience a strong "die-off" response. In my  clinic, this program includes taking vitamin C to bowel tolerance. Such a  regimen is best done under professional guidance. Other than the "die-off" detoxification effect among some individuals,  olive leaf extract appears to create no side effects. Past research with  calcium elenolate, the derivative or oleuropein, included safety studies  with laboratory animals. They were dosed orally and also via injection.  The only symptom observed was a mild irritation of the mucous membrane  among some animals at the injection site. Since olive leaf extract is  taken orally, this observation is basically irrelevant.  The research indicated that doses many times higher than recommended are  unlikely to produce toxic or other adverse side effects. During 1993  testing of the liquid form of the product against the herpes virus, there  were no observed or reported side effects.

Potential Against Serious Infectious Diseases  eaths from infectious diseases, formerly on the decline, have recently  taken an alarming upward turn in this country.  According to federal researchers, such deaths rose by 58% from 1980 to  1992, pushing this category of illness up behind heart disease and cancer  in the No. 3 spot of killer diseases.

While the AIDS epidemic accounts for most of the rise, experts say there  has been an unusual increase in mysterious respiratory infections among  the elderly and blood infections among people of all ages. When you  eliminate the AIDS the death rate during the same period for all other  infectious diseases rose by 22 percent.

The World Health Organization (WHO), back in 1978, looked to the future  and issued a report which contended that by the year 2000, sources other  than Western, technological medicine would be needed in order for all  people to have adequate health care. The organization subsequently adopted  the report that recommended the use of traditional forms of healing and  medicine, such as the use of herbs, to meet the demands of an factor,  exploding global population.

As we approach the year 2000, the wisdon -- and the urgency -- of this  advice is obvious in the light of the serious side-effects and shortcoming  of pharmaceutical drugs.

With the emergence, for instance, of antibiotic-resistant bacterial  strains, natural products such as olive leaf extract take on greater  importance. Even if new antibiotics are developed, new infectious bacteria  would emerge that are resistant to new drugs. In the case of herbal  medicinals, their complex chemistry may often render them potentially more  effective against a wide variety of microorganisms for which  pharmaceutical drugs prove to be ineffective.

AIDS  It will be interesting to see if olive leaf extract can benefit AIDS  cases. We know that it inhibits the production of reverse transcriptase  and protease, enzymes necessary for certain viruses, such as HIV, to  damage healthy cells.

Naltrexone, an immune-stabilizing drug used in the treatment of heroin and  alcohol addiction. Clinical trials conducted by Bernard Bihari, MD, a New  York City physician specializing in HIV/AIDS, demonstrated that this  preparation stops the progression of the disease and the decline of the  immune system in a majority of patients who take it regularly. Naltrexone  stimulates key hormones regulating the immune system and the communication  between the brain and immune function. No side effects have been reported.

DNCB (dinitrochlorobenzene), a chemical used in photography labs that is  applied in small doses on the skin. This compound acts as anti-viral agent  by stimulating killer cell activity. An estimated 7,000 patients with AIDS  have used this substance for some 10 years.

A blend of olive oil/whole lemon juice. This "grassroots" recipe appears  to be uniquely helpful in reversing neuropathy, swollen lymph nodes and  wasting syndrome associated with the HIV.

A patient had been using Naltrexone since October 1995 along with  weekly topical applications of DNCB. He had not used the olive oil/lemon  juice blend. In August of that year he had had a CD8 count of 700. CD8  refers to killer T cells, which, along with so-called Natural Killer  cells, are major immune destroyers of virus infected cells. They reduce  viral loads and inhibit damage to the body's defenses.  In January of 1996, his CD8 count had risen to 1380. In March of 1996 he  added olive leaf extract at the standart dose of one capsule four times  daily. He initially experienced a mild headache, a probably "die-off  effect." Within days, he reported a significant increase in energy along  with the disappearance of swollen lymph nodes. He said he felt 20 years  younger. On March 21, his CD8 count had soared to 1920! His physician said  never before in his career had he seen such improvement in an AIDS  patient.

One patient reported that after finishing a bottle of olive leaf  extract, one of three Kaposi Sarcoma lesions on his chest vanished. He  experienced headaches and flu-like symptoms for about two weeks, again a  probable "die-off effect." Continuing with a second bottle, he said the  second lesion was completely gone and the last one was "fading fast."  His HIV viral load, as measured by PCR technology, had dropped from  160,000 to 30,000 in two months. Soon afterward, he reported that his PCR  results for HIV were now down to 692.

An HIV patient reported his genital herpes vanished within four days of  starting on the olive leaf extract.

Another patient with Kaposi's Sarcoma and retinitis added five capsules  of olive leaf extract daily along with Naltrexone and DNCB. After doing  this, he said that the sarcoma lesions stopped growing. This prompted him  to stop two drugs he had been taking -- Ganciclovir and Biaxin -- because  of severe intestinal side effects. A few days after discontinuing the  drugs, his digestion returned to normal. He soon reported improved vision  and that lesions were becoming lighter in color.

One patient took the olive leaf extract by itself for about 3 1/2  months. His HIV viral load dropped nearly in half as a result, along with  significant improvements in his white blood cell counts. After adding  Naltrexone and the lemon/olive oil drink, his improvement accelerated.

Herpes  I have recommened olive leaf extract to many patients with herpes. The  results have been encouraging.  One man in his early 40s suffered from repeated lesions plus fatigue. In a  week after starting the supplement, his lesions disappeared and his energy  level increased. He told me that olive leaf extract was the only  preparation that had ever cleared up the herpes. "Even the most minute  blisters are gone," he said.

A female patient had an unusually stubborn herpetic cold sore in the mouth  for four months. She also suffered from cancer, thus there may have been  some significant immune exhaustion involved. After one week with the olive  leaf, the sore disappeared.

Flu and Colds  Results to date indicate that olive leaf extract may be a good weapon  against the common cold and flu. Consider the following letter written to  me in August of 1995 by a female patient suffering from persistent flu  symptoms:  "I became ill with the flu in February and had several immune boosters,  extra vitamins and three antibiotics. My fever was 102-103 every afternoon  and this continued even after the antibiotics. I developed paralyzing  chest and abdominal pain, being confined to the couch for weeks -- not  able to hardly walk. My weight dropped to 84 pounds. Medical tests  revealed nothing specifically wrong.

I started taking olive leaf extract on July 18. Within a few days my  temperature started dropping and it is slowly and steadily going down, so  that some days I haven't needed to take Tylenol to reduce it. The pain is  subsiding gradually and my appetite and strength is returning."

At the time of her next medical examination, the woman's temperature had  been normal for a week. She hadn't needed pain-killers for two weeks.

I received a striking testimony from an elementary school teacher with a  history of asthma and vulnerability to colds and flu. She felt that olive  leaf extract fortified her against the constant exposure to germs  circulating throughout her classroom.

"I used to get sick all the time," she told me. "One school year I got  strep throat eight times. If you sneezed at me, the chances are I would  get sick. Not any more. When many kids in my class were coughing,  sneezing, and blowing their noses before Christmas, I caught a slight cold  and that's it."

Bacterial Infections  The ability of olive leaf extract to destroy bacteria was demonstrated  dramatically in the case of a 64-year-old physician who had been bedridden  for several years following a serious stroke. He also had recurrent  bladder infections which caused considerable pain, smelly urine and fever.  All efforts to alleviate his condition had been generally unsuccessful.  Even a $1,000 antibiotic specially made for him had not worked. He had  constant discomfort. His urine was cloudy "and looked like soup." Often it  was bloody.

After one month on olive leaf extract, the infections had vanished. After  six months, the condition has not recurred.

The doctor also suffered from frequent allergies and colds and had to take  medication to keep these under control. The incidence and severity were  significantly minimized with the supplement and as a result he requires  considerably less medicine.

Naturopath Phil Selinsky reports success against bacterial infections in a  number of cases. These include sinus and bladder infections and oral  infections associated with tooth or gum disease.

"Some patients have told me that olive leaf extract took down their  dental-related infections within hours," according to Selinsky. "They were  quite impressed by the response."

Diabetes  Researchers have found that the natural olive leaf compounds can decrease  the level of blood sugar. I have had several cases in my clinic confirming  this finding.  One involved a 15-year-old girl with juvenile diabetes. The teenager had  been regularly taking 350 units of insulin daily for control. After one  month on olive leaf extract, she was able to maintain similar control with  just 220 units. In another case, the blood sugar level of a diabetic elderly priest  dropped from 450 to 160 after three months. In an yet another instance,  the blood sugar of a middle aged man stabilized at 140, down from 250,  after one month. He reported a great increase in energy during this time.

Rheumatoid Arthritis  A number of patients have experienced significant easing of joint pain. We  don't know yetprecisely how this is happening.  A male patient, who had been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis five  years before, had this to say: "After taking all the medicines I could  stand with no real results, I was informed about some nutritional  supplements. One of them was an olive leaf extract.' "After taking it for  three weeks I noticied more flexibility in my fingers, elbows, and neck.  There was marked relief of muscle tension surrounding my joints. Overall I  am enjoying olive leaf extract with my daily routine."

Multiple Symptoms  One of our clinical observations is that olive leaf extract appears to  work on many different levels in the body. As a result we often hear  reports from patients that a variety of symptoms begin improving.  One woman with chronic fatigue, frequent colds, asthma, and vaginal yeast  infections said that all her symptoms had virtually cleared up within five  weeks. The woman, a teacher, was able to take on new projects she wouldn't  even begin to think were possible before.

"I became ill in December 1993 and was diagnosed with a stomach and  prostrate infection. I was treated with high doses of antibiotics, but  never fully recovered. I was troubled with multiple symptoms, some of  which were back and neck pain, fatigue, flu-like symptoms, swollen glands,  sinus and digestive problems. I was subsequently diagnosed with  fibromyalgia (chronic fatigue syndrome) and the physicians recommeded  Prozac-type antidepressants and anti-inflammatory drugs. But I refused  them. I began taking olive leaf extract along with my regular vitamin and  mineral supplements in August of 1995 at the rate of one tablet every six  hours. I increased the dosage after five days and began to feel better."

A female patient, after taking olive leaf extract for a month, gave me  this happy report: "It has improved my allergy-like psoriasis, and symptoms of a kidney  infection. I have been having back aches for almost a year and frequent  urination. These have improved a lot also.

Fungus and Yeast Infections  Earlier I mentioned my own positive experience with olive leaf extract. I  started taking the supplement and it completely cleared up a stubborn  toenail fungus infection.  A woman with an infection of the large toenail said that within 60 days  her condition was about three-quarters healed. For five years, she had  tried many types of medication and natural agents without help.

More than 10 million Americans are said to have disfiguring fungal nail  infections, a widely ignored medical problem. It is frequently found among  patients with AIDS, cancer and diabetes, athletes, elderly individuals,  people who spend considerable time standing or who wear the same shoes day  after day, or who wear artificial fingernails. Drugs taken for cancer and  AIDS lower resistance and are believed to make people more susceptible to  infection.

For the first time in 35 years, a new drug has been approved for the  condition. It is called Sporanox and is reported to be more effective than  previous anti-fungal preparations. But none of these preparations come  cheap. Patricia Anstett of the Knight-Ridder Newspapers reports that two  100-milligram pills of Sproranox are taken daily for about three months at  a cost of $900. Older drugs, taken for 12 months or more, cost double or  more that amount over the longer duration. Even with the new drug, the  condition may return if the medication is stopped.

Olive leaf extract may offer a natural -- and for sure, less expensive --  method of self-treatment.

One patient said a fungal infection of the tongue he had for 30 years  responded virtually overnight to the olive leaf. "I had tried all kinds of  diets, treatments and regimes but to no avail," he told me. "Within three  weeks on olive leaf extract the fungus disappeared!"

More than a dozen patients with candidiasis have reported significant  improvements. They say they have fewer infections, allergic reactions,  less dullness and more energy. One woman said she was finally able to  clean out her dust-ridden garage. Before olive leaf extract that would  have been impossible for her.

"I have seen several doctors using conventional medicine. They prescribed  every medication available to combat yeast, all to no avail. After less  than three weeks of taking the olive leaf supplement, all symptoms cleared  up and have not returned. As a sufferer of herpes simplex II, I would  experience outbreaks several times a year. Now, I have had no more  flare-ups."

Skin Conditions  A chronic scalp infection that had stubbornly resisted all treatment for  more than 10 year responded directly to olive leaf extract within 60 days.  The patient wrote me this detailed letter:  "The condition would flare up causing very painful eruptions and lesions  in my scalp, which, over time, have killed quite a few hair follicles.  Modern medical doctors and dermatologists have been unable to eradicate  (the condition). I had resolved my self to the fact that there was no  cure.

"I am satisfied that I am getting some significant results from using the  olive leaf extract. My scalp remains a little tender, but the eruptions  have all but ceased. I am continuing to use the product about twice a day,  and the skin color is much healthier than it has been in recent time.

"No matter what drug therapy my doctors have prescribed in the past, none  has provided me with the level of relief I am currently experiencing. I  would gladly recommend this product to others suffering chronic skin  aliments."

A female patient reported better energy and disappearance of a rash in 30  days. The rash occurred in winter, or during times of extreme cold. Tropical Illnesses  Olive leaf extract may offer considerable potential in the treatment of  tropical infections such as malaria and dengue.  Malaria is caused by parasitic protozoans injected into the body by  infected mosquitoes. Protozoans, in case you are interested, are  one-celled organisms, the simplest creatures in the animal kingdom. A full-fledged case of malaria at a clinic in Mexico was totally cured  with a dosage schedule of two olive leaf extract supplements every six  hours. A clinic report said that the 34-year-old female patient made a  steady recovery and after six months, "she was without any of the malaria  symptoms, not even anemia or shivers. Her breath is good. Her state of  mind excellent and she does not show any signs of chronic or contagious  disease."

Malaria has been reported recently in Texas and continues to be a leading  cause of illness and deaths worldwide, particularly because of the  development of drug-resistant strains. "It is a continuing concern in the  United States because of increased international migration, travel, and  commerce, " according to the publication Morbidity and Mortality Weekly  Reports.

Another serious tropical disease giving concern to public health officials  is dengue fever. This ailment is also mosquito-borne, in this case caused  by a virus, and occurs mainly in tropical Asia and the Caribbean. It can  cause vomiting, high fever, loss of appetite, and abdominal pain, and is  deadly in 50 percent of the cases. Some 50 million people are affected  each year and about half a million require hospitalization, according to  the World Health Organization. Researchers are trying to find a vaccine  but no breakthroughs have occurred yet.

In 1995, large outbreaks of dengue were reported by health authorities in  12 Latin American and Caribbean countries.

Dosages  Olive leaf extract is currently available in the form of 500 mg. tablets.  The routine dosage is one tablet every six hours or four throughout the  day. Take the supplement between meals for best results.  In the case of bad colds or flu, you can use two tablets every six hours.  For acute infections, some individuals have taken more -- three and even  four every six hours -- and reported rapid relief.

If you encounter a "die-off" effect, cut back on the number of tablets you  are taking or temporarily discontinue them. See the section on "die-off  effect."

For healthy folks seeking more energy or the prevention benefits of olive  leaf extract, we suggest one or two tablets a day. The younger and cleaner  the body, the more responsive it is to supplements such as this. When a  person becomes older and more toxic, more of the supplement is required to  do the job.

Recipe to make your own tea from leaves:  10g Olive leaf tea. 2 quarts water.  Boil two quarts of good water, place olive leaf tea (alone or mixed with other herbs/teas) in a tea cozy or directly into the boiling water. Immediately reduce heat to a high simmer and let tea brew for approximately fifteen minutes. Stir tea occasionally, strain to drink and/or refrigerate. Tea should be a medium amber color with a slightly bitter taste. To combat a specific ailment, sip refrigerated or re-heated tea and consume entire two quarts over a three day period.

Dr. James R. Privitera, M.D. earned his medical degree at Creighton
University and completed an Internship in Internal Medicine at Providence
Hospital in Seattle, Washintion and his residency at Presbyterian Hospital in
San Francisco, CA. Following a Clinical Fellowship in allergy, immunology
and rheumatolgy at Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, he entered private practice in
allergy and nutrition in Covina, California where he practices today.
Affiliated with the American Preventive Medical Association and the
International College of Applied Nutrition, among others, Dr. Privitera
has served on the boards of several top health organizations including the
National Health Federation. A pioneer in dark field microscopy, Dr.
Privitera has been asked to consult to some of our nations's leading
vitamin manufacturers. He has a book soon to be released entitled "Silent
Clots - the Nation's Biggest Killer".

References
Cruess WV, and Alsberg CL, The bitter glucoside of the olive. J. Amer.
Chem. Soc. 1934; 56:2115-7.

Samuelsson G, The blood pressure lowering factor in leaves of Olea
Europaea. Farmacevtisk Revy, 1951; 15: 229-39

Veer WLC et al, A compound isolated from olea europaea. Recueil, 1957;
76:839-40

Panizzi L et al, The constitution of oleuropein, a bitter glucoside of the
olive with hypotensive action. Gazz. Chim. Ital; 1960; 90:1449-85.

Petkov V and Manolov P, Pharmacological analysis of the iridoid
oleuropein. Drug Res., 1972; 22(9); 1476-86.

Juven B et al, Studies on the mechanism of the antimicrobial action of
oleuropein. J. Appl. Bact., 1972; 35:559-67.

Kubo I et al, A mutichemical defense mechanism of bitter olive olea
europaea (Oleaceae)-- Is oleuropein a phytoalexin precursor? J. Chem. Ecol
1985; 11(2):251-63.

Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Society of Pharmaceutical
Industries of Tunis, Hypotension, hypoglycemia and hypouricemia recorded
after repeated administration of aqueous leaf extract of Olea europaea,
Belgian Pharmacology Journal, March-April 1994; 49(2), 101-8.
Copyright © 1996 by James. R. Privitera

Reference: http://www.curezone.com/foods/oliveleaf.asp

SOURCE: http://falconblanco.com/health/supplements/oliveleaf.htm

Where to Buy OLIVE LEAVES!!! (This is not a paid advertisement and The Plain Truth can not endorse this store....