Are your shields up? Let nature be your defense this season with Nature’s Sunshine’s full line of immune-supporting products, including Silver Shield, our best-selling immune system product. Silver Shield features Aqua Sol Technology—a patented process that provides a more stable and bioavailable silver particle. Aqua Sol silver particles are safe and effective and are flushed from the body within 24-48 hours. For broad-spectrum, daily immune support, put up your Shield! Use the best — and you won’t turn blue!
Written By: Steven Horne 1-10-2017
Silver was employed as a germicide and an antibiotic long before modern antibiotics were developed. In previous centuries, people would shave silver particles or submerge silver coins or articles in drinking water to prevent it from turning bad. This works, because silver inhibits the growth of bacteria and other disease-causing organisms.
Patented Silver Technology
As people become increasingly concerned about the overuse of antibiotics and the rise of antibiotic resistant bacteria, the use of silver as a natural antibacterial agent is coming back. Silver Aquasol technology, the basis of the new Silver Shield™ colloidal silver product, kills bacteria, viruses, mold, and other pathogens on contact! This new technology is patented (US Patent #7,135,195, Nov. 14, 2006) and being used by the Centers for Disease Control.
The patented silver in Silver Shield has been found to be effective against include: the bacteria that cause dental plaque and tooth decay (Streptococcus mutans), ear and sinus infection (Streptococcus pneumonaie), eye infections (Staphylococcus aureus), food poisoning (Salmonella arizona, S. tyhimurium, Escherichia coli), bacillary dysentery, (Shigella boydii), diarrhea (Escherichia coli), enteric fever (Salmonella tyhimurium), nosocomial infections in hospitals (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pyogenes), strep throat (Streptococcus pyogenes), impetigo (Staphylococcus aureus), septicemia (Enterobacter aerpyogenes), pneumonia (Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenzae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pneumonaie), scarlet fever (Streptococcus pyogenes), respiratory tract infections (Streptococcus pyogenes, E. coli, Klebsiella pneumonaie), urinary tract infections (E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus faecalis, Enterobacter aerpyogenes), urethritis in men and vaginitis in women (Trichomonas vaginalis), yeast infections (Candida albicans), burn and wound infections (Pseudomonas aeruginosa), skin infections (Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes), wound infections (Escherichia coli, Enterobacter aerpyogenes, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus faecalis), endocarditis (Streptococcus faecalis, S. gordonii), meningitis (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pneumonie, Enterobacter aerogenes , Haemophilus influenzae), suppurative arthritis (Haemophilus influenzae) and osteomyelitis (Staphylococcus aureus).
[Source: Colloidal Silver by Robert J. Holladay, Herbert Christensen, William D. Moeller, US Patent 7135195 (2003).]
The Benefits of Silver Shield
It usually takes 2-6 minutes for silver to destroy 99.9% of these pathogens. Tasteless, it is safe to take Nature’s Sunshine’s Silver Shield™ every day, either for prevention or to treat an infection of some sort.
Colloidal silver has been found to be both bacteriostatic and bactericidal for all gram-negative and gram-positive organisms tested, in vivo and in vitro (in patients and in the lab) all causing infections in humans, including emerging resistant strains. Clinical use of 10 ppm patented colloidal silver has been successful in the treatment of upper respiratory infections, sinusitis and rhinitis, eye, ear, nose infections, bronchitis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, halitosis and gingivitis, abdominal pain and diarrhea, pelvic inflammatory disease, urinary tract infections, malaria, Staphylococcus skin infections, septic ulcers, infected abscesses, fungal skin infections, vaginal yeast infections, sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea, and retrovirus infection (HIV).
The studies have shown that this silver has equal or broader spectrum antibacterial activity than any one antibiotic tested. This makes it a very effective alternative to antibiotics.
Using Silver Shield Internally
Silver Shield™ can be taken internally to fight existing infections or as a prevention against getting infections. The following are suggested doses for a 150-pound adult and may be adjusted according to body weight. Colloidal silver may be safely used by children, the elderly, and even pets in place of prescription antibiotics. Taken with antibiotics it can help prevent the development of antibiotic resistant bacteria and the fungal infections that often accompany antibiotic use.
- Preventative dose – drink 1 teaspoon per day and allow its broad spectrum activity to kill bacteria, viruses, and yeast in your body.
- If you are getting sick or going to be exposed to illness, are traveling, or under stress – take 1 teaspoon 2 times/day.
- For serious illness – take 3-4 teaspoons/day.
Using Silver Shield Externally
While it is good to take Silver Shield ™daily to provide silver in the blood stream, it is equally important to administer the silver through sprays or drops for topical use, or in the orifices of the body as needed. These methods may be used concurrently. You may wish to use the following methods of applying Silver Shield™:
1) Fine Mist Spray Bottle – Put Silver Shield™ into a fine mist spray bottle to use in the mouth, on the skin or on most any other body surface. The silver is most effective when it is in direct contact with the pathogen for 2-6 minutes. Most adults have had success using the following amounts:
- Mouth – 4 pumps
- Throat (for gargling) – 6 pumps, or swish 1 teaspoon of colloidal silver in mouth for 2-6 minutes before swallowing.
- Voice Spray – 1-4 pumps, 1-10 times per day.
- Skin – as needed to moisten (for acne, ulcers, wounds, burns, etc.).
- Replacement for antibacterial hand gel, which kills both bad and good bacteria – spritz both hands and have protection for the next 4 hours.
- Diaper Rash – improvement seen in 3 hours when the silver is sprayed directly on the rash.
- Disinfect – spritz on door knobs, faucet handles, sink knobs, hotel rooms, airplane seats/trays, etc.
- Purse Bottoms – are the second most germ-laden location! Spritz and wipe off the bottom regularly.
2) Nasal Atomizer Spray Bottle – Putting Silver Shield™ into a nasal spray bottle produces a much finer mist than the throat sprayer and is perfect for delicate tissues of the sinuses, eyes, burns, and acne. Here are some methods of using this.
- Sinus infections or prior to airplane travel – 4 sprays in nostrils, 2-4 times a day
- Eyes – 1 or 2 sprays in the eyes as needed
- Burns or acne – use as needed
3) Dropper Bottle – An eye dropper is designed to dispense liquid silver one drop at a time. Silver Shield™ may be placed in a bottle with an eye dropper for ease of application. The dropper is most commonly used for ears, but may also be used for eyes, wounds, nose or throat.
- Ear Infections – apply 4 drops into the affected ear while laying down on one’s side (ear facing the ceiling). Keep ear pointed towards the ceiling for ten minutes to allow the silver deep access into the ear cavity, and repeat the process with the other ear. Applying drops once or twice a day is generally sufficient. Nap time and bedtime are ideal times to apply the drops into a child’s ear!
- Toe/Fungal Infections – place the drops under the affected nail. For even more effective treatment, do the “Silver Toe” dressing, since the silver needs to be in contact with fungus for ten minutes to kill it. Therefore, we need to get it below the nail:
– Scrape or sand the top shiny layer, making the nail porous.
– Soak a 1/2 inch thick cloth in silver to create a toe dressing.
– Tape it over the toe so the liquid can soak into the nail.
– Tape a little baggie around it so it doesn’t leak; leave it for at least ten minutes, or overnight for even better results.
– Use clean duct tape to keep it in place (yes, it really works!).
– After ten minutes, the dark fungus will be lighter, and this treatment will be effective for 48 hours.
– Do this 3 times a week, or every other day.
4) Wound Dressing – wounds heal twice as fast! The silver reduces inflammation and pain, and reduces the healing time of serious wounds by half!
- Dress the wound topically 4 times/day with gauze soaked in silver, or apply Silver Shield Gel, then cover with a dry bandage & wrap.
- Take 1 ounce internally twice a day while you are treating the wound topically.
Label each bottle with the product name and date. Since silver is antibacterial it has a shelf life of 8 years, but it won’t last that long in most people’s homes, since it can be used in place of just about all internal or external antibiotics or anti-bacterial products!
Selected References:
The Comprehensive Guide to Nature’s Sunshine Products, 6th edition by Steven Horne and Kimberly Balas
Colloidal Silver by Robert J. Holladay, Herbert Christensen, William D. Moeller, US Patent 7135195 (2003).
Silver and its Compounds in Disinfection, Sterilization, and Preservation by N. Greer.
U.S. EPA IRIS Report for Silver-CASRN 7440-22-4.
Procedure in Antimicrobial Testing in Diagnostic Microbiology by J.A. Hindler and J H Jorgensen.