Antibiotics have their place in modern medicine, but they’re not always necessary—and overusing them comes with serious risks.
Medical herbalist Simon Mills recently shared his decades of wisdom on natural alternatives that work with our bodies rather than against them.
From ginger tea to garlic, these plant-based remedies have been used for centuries and are backed by both historical evidence and modern understanding.
Here’s what he recommends before reaching for that prescription bottle.
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The Real Problem With Overusing Antibiotics
Mills makes an important distinction right away: serious infections may absolutely require antibiotics. But for viral infections like colds and flu? They’re completely useless.
If you’ve got a cold, flu, virus, particularly the airways, antibiotics will have no use at all and they just add to the risk.
Every time someone takes antibiotics unnecessarily, they’re contributing to antibiotic resistance. Mills explains this through basic natural selection.
When antibiotics kill 999 out of 1,000 bacteria, that one survivor becomes two within 20 minutes, four within 40 minutes, and suddenly creates an entirely resistant population.
Ginger and Cinnamon: Nature’s Warming Remedy
Mills’ go-to recommendation for colds and respiratory issues is remarkably simple: ginger and cinnamon tea.
He shares fascinating historical context about ginger—it was once worth more than its weight in gold. European colonization of Asia was largely driven by control over spice trade routes, with ginger being among the most valuable commodities.
How To Make Ginger-Cinnamon Tea
- Take fresh ginger about the size of your thumb
- Grate it directly into a mug
- Add one teaspoon of cinnamon (preferably the tightly-wrapped variety, not Cassia)
- Pour hot water over the mixture
- Strain out the bits before drinking
The warming sensation happens immediately. Mills explains this isn’t actual burning—ginger stimulates pain fibers, which triggers a reflex response opening blood vessels.
The Science Behind The Warmth
When someone drinks ginger tea, blood vessels in mucous membranes expand. Mucous cells loosen up, producing more fluid that helps flush out pathogens.
When you take a hot thing like ginger, it’s stimulating the pain fibers and immediately there’s a reflex response which opens up the blood vessels.
For lung congestion, this natural escalator mechanism helps bring mucus up and out. The combination of ginger and cinnamon was described by Mills as being “created in heaven”—they complement each other perfectly.
Ancient Wisdom: Heating vs Cooling Remedies
Before modern medicine, practitioners diagnosed conditions based on what patients felt. This led to categorizing remedies as either “heating” or “cooling.”
Mills applies this ancient framework today because it works. If someone instinctively wants warmth when sick—hot baths, blankets, hot drinks—they need heating remedies.
When To Use Heating Remedies
Ginger works for more than just colds. Mills recommends it for:
- Headaches that respond to heat packs
- Menstrual cramps relieved by hot water bottles
- Joint pain eased by warming liniments
- Any condition where heat provides comfort
Other warming remedies include fennel tea, cardamom, turmeric, black pepper, and chilies—all from the same medicinal family.
Cardamom: The Convalescent Tonic
Mills has particular affection for cardamom, especially for people recovering from illness with weakened digestion. In China, it’s traditionally used as a convalescent tonic.
I prefer that to most of the other spices when I need warming, but also sustaining and nourishing.
Cooling Remedies: Bitters and Digestion
Some conditions require the opposite approach. For fevers or situations where someone prefers cold packs (like certain migraines), cooling remedies work better.
Peppermint represents cooling herbs perfectly. But the most powerful cooling category throughout medical history has been bitters.
How Bitters Work
Bitter plants like wormwood (vermouth), dandelion, and burdock trigger specialized taste buds. These receptors are hardwired to produce hormones in the stomach that increase digestive activity.
Blood flows toward the digestive system, effectively drawing it away from peripheral inflammation or fever. This is why bitters traditionally earned their “cooling” reputation.
Coffee without sugar is actually a bitter remedy. Mills explains it was historically consumed after meals in the Middle East to help digest questionable food—long before it became a morning ritual.
Bitters were always seen to be good for your digestion and appetite. In fever, that actually meant lowering your body temperature.
Supporting Immune Function Naturally
Beyond herbal remedies, Mills addresses supplements that genuinely support immune resilience against viral infections.
Vitamin D: Especially Important For Some
Vitamin D deficiency is widespread in countries with limited sunlight. People with darker skin living in northern climates face particular risk.
Mills acknowledges evidence supporting vitamin D supplementation, especially through winter months. Just 15 minutes outdoors in sunlight provides substantial amounts, but that’s not always possible.
Vitamin C and Zinc
Both nutrients show evidence for adding resilience against infections. Mills doesn’t claim they’re miracle cures, but they function as valuable backup support for natural immunity.
Interestingly, when asked what supplements are imperative, Mills answered firmly: “None.” Not for everybody, anyway—supplementation depends entirely on individual circumstances and identified deficiencies.
Garlic: Russian Penicillin
Mills saved one of the most powerful natural antibiotics for last: raw garlic.
Nicknamed “Russian penicillin,” garlic was used during World War I to prevent trench foot and other infections when actual antibiotics were unavailable.
Garlic is a very powerful prebiotic. In other words, it helps the gut flora, the good guys down here in the microbiome.
For disrupted gut flora or microbiome issues, Mills sometimes prescribes raw garlic as treatment. The evidence supporting its prebiotic properties is strong—it feeds beneficial bacteria while fighting harmful ones.
The Bottom Line
Mills’ approach isn’t about rejecting modern medicine—it’s about using it wisely. Antibiotics save lives when truly needed, but they’re catastrophically overused for conditions they can’t help.
Natural alternatives offer genuine benefits without contributing to antibiotic resistance. Ginger-cinnamon tea for colds, bitters for digestive issues, garlic for gut health—these aren’t pseudoscience, they’re evidence-based remedies refined over millennia.
The key is understanding what your body needs. Does warmth help or make things worse? Would you instinctively reach for a heating pad or ice pack? These simple questions guide which remedies will work best.
Start with herbal teas at low doses. Pay attention to how your body responds. That immediate feedback—the warmth from ginger, the digestive activation from bitters—provides all the information needed.
