"Olive leaf...take olive leaf!" exuded a neighbor to my sniffing, coughing husband. "I take olive leaf extract whenever I feel a cold coming on. Cures it every time!" Smiling serenely, she added, "Olive trees can live 2,000 years. That's good enough testament for me!"
Extra-virgin olive oil is proven to be laden with omega-3 fatty acids that can provide heart health benefits.
Olive trees hail from the Mediterranean. Isn't the Mediterranean diet good for us?
Olive trees are so feel-good biblical... The Mount of Olives in Israel is mentioned often in the Old Testament. The Mount of Olives is where Jesus wept, prayed, taught, and from where he descended into heaven. Olive trees feel vaguely holy by association.
"Antibiotics have failed. With the coming of exotic new viruses, and the evolution of microbes resistant to the drugs we've used for the last fifty years, we have never needed an alternative therapy more.
"Olive Leaf Extract-- effective, natural, and nontoxic-- has been used as a folk remedy for thousands of years. Only now has scientific research shown that the active ingredient, oleuropein, has vast healing powers because it practically eliminates the viruses, fungi, bacteria, and other parasites that cause disease.
"From immune disorders to the common cold, from athlete's foot to malaria, olive leaf extract can be an adjunct to any program of healing, health, and wellness"
Alert the Gates Foundation! A cure for malaria has been found; Bill and Melinda can stop wasting hundreds of millions in attempting to treat and prevent malaria in Africa and other developing countries.
Not! These three ultra-slick, finely worded paragraphs are worthy of any slimy, All-American snake-oil pitch, including those for acai berry and raspberry ketones supplements.
My brief internet perusal finds claims that olive leaf extract also lowers blood pressure, boosts bone health, eliminates yeast infections, and, of course, has been "shown to eliminate cancer tumors."
Google "olive leaf extract" and you'll find more than 2,110,000 results, mainly products, ads, unverifiable testimonies, and barely traceable websites. The modern industrial-food complex has already discovered its newest miracle elixir, olive leaf extract, and good gracious... those greedy profits must be quite golden.
Oleuropein lends extra-virgin olive oil, the least processed of olive oils, its pungent, distinctive taste.
"... Since fruits and vegetables happen to be good sources of nutrients and phytochemicals, this suggested that antioxidant compounds might lower risk against several diseases.
"This idea has been tested in a limited manner in clinical trials and does not seem to be true, as antioxidant supplements have no clear effect on the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease."
Alarmingly, Wikipedia further reports, "Some antioxidant supplements may promote disease and increase mortality in humans... "
My internet research could find absolutely no... zero, zilch, nada... scientific evidence or testing in support of human health claims attributed to olive leaf extracts or supplements.
Eat real food, not fake food or fake food supplements.
If you want the health benefits of the oleuropein chemical compound found in both olives and olive leaves, regularly enjoy a sprinkling of delicious, good-quality extra-virgin olive oil on salads, pasta, dips, or meats.
Why buy over-priced, over-hyped, real food-substitutes when the real deal... extra-virgin olive oils... are widely available? Unless, of course, your goal is to fatten the coffers of the modern industrial food industry.
have been using olive leaf extract for the past 4 years for all the family and I would not be without it for treating cold and flu virus, also helped with my daughter with swine flu. I had a very sick rat with respiratory infection and was at deaths door gasping for air, started treating it with olive leaf extract in a large dose and it made a full recovery. I am a firm believer and experienced the benefits of olive leaf.
I treated my dog with it when he was fighting a raging ear infection still at the end of a course of antibiotics. I have used it multiple times to fight off illness (including the flu) in myself, but my dog sure wouldn't be helped by the placebo effect. We were on vacation, and I didn't know what else to do for him so thought it was worth a try. Sure enough, he was well within 3 days.
Re: Olive leaf extract, has lowered my blood pressure and totaly healed a cellulitis infection i had for 7 months. I had 2 rounds of keflex and bactrim that did not work!!! I tried the olive leaf as a last resort and thank God i did. I'm finally healed. I fully expected it NOT to work, but it did and i'm grateful i kept an open mind about trying something new. Lisa R St. Petersburg, fl.
Indeed, Pauline and Anon. Type in 'Olive Leaf Extract' in the search frame at PubMed and read SCORES of studies, largely supportive of OLE's benefits for a wide range of health issues.
Olive leaf immediately relieves constipation. It is amazing at start of cold. There is tons of research and FDA is approving certain claims even. But whatever the research says or doesnt say, go try it yourself - IT WORKS!!
My son was diagnosed with Autism. Olive leaf got him speaking again. So, yeah, I would say it works. Where you actually buy it makes all the difference in the world.
I had been plagued by recurring boils and was at my wits end after 4 courses of antibiotics had no effect. Started using Olive leaf extract and within days the boil was gone. Can't speak on what the research may or may not say but from personal experience, it works.
This woman is completely off base and clearly has not done her research she said she did..DONT BELIEVE THIS!! Their are sevreal REAL LEGIT STUDIES that have been done on OLE...and it DOES HELP!
Think about it. If we all get well, and aren't going to the doctor, and they aren'taren't writing prescriptions...whor stands to loose money? That's right.
The only part of this story that sounds like a scam is the blogger...she is waaay off base. Just knocked out a horrid flu/sinus infection going on for over a week, even with antibiotics, with a liquid olive leaf complex, highly regarded by top medical and scientific research, in a matter of about 10 hours. The blogger states she's a 'real food' advocate.....look at her picture and you be the judge.
The testimonies here are highly circumstantial. Cured autism? I am happy that this child improved but we 'want' to believe so badly in a miracle that we will place hope before reason. This is natural as we are human, but the next person will claim it cured their cancer, blindness, and others - God only knows.. I have used OLE for a cold in large doses, and it has made absolutely no difference. My wife uses it, and swears by it, but her colds seem to disappear no faster than normal. I still haven't found one report that concludes to its anti-viral / immune system improving properties. If someone has found such evidence (legitimate - double blind study etc) then please let me know. There are some reports that allude to beneficial effects for blood sugar levels and cardiac health, but nothing significantly higher than many other foods (fish oil for example). Lets compare that to the cost of this stuff (highly inflated prices compared to what the stuff actually is) and you can see why there are so many websites selling this stuff with ridiculous and unsubstantiated claims, or worse yet - 'papers' from science'y sounding people that are about as scientifically based as the Sunday comics.
As a doctor, I certainly have used and prescribed olive leaf extract. The trick is the dose and potency of the product. Try 50mg oleuropein equivalent dose, 2 three times a day or even higher for good effect.