Olive Leaf Extract: God’s Ancient Remedy for Modern Times

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Fall is here, and you know what that means. In addition to kids back in school (more germs!), cooler weather, a time change, and the hustle and bustle of the holidays (more stress!), it also means the start of cold and flu season. For many of us, the first instinct when sniffles show up is to reach for the pharmacy shelf. But what if there was a natural remedy—one grounded in biblical history and supported by modern science—that could both protect and restore your health? Would you be interested?

Enter Olive Leaf Extract (OLE), an extremely effective botanical with healing properties that extend far beyond what most people realize. It’s a gift from God that has been used for centuries and is now being rediscovered as one of the most powerful tools we have for supporting health and vitality.

The Biblical Roots of the Olive Tree

If you’ve ever noticed how often something to do with olives shows up in the Bible, you know it’s more than just a plant. The olive tree is a symbol of life, peace, healing, restoration, and God’s blessing.

• Noah received an olive leaf as a sign of new beginnings after the flood (Gen 8:11).

• Olive oil was used for anointing, setting apart kings and priests (1 Sam 16:13).

• The Good Samaritan used oil to tend to wounds (Luke 10:34).

• Olive trees were an integral part of the Promised Land (Deut 6:10-11 and 8:8)

The olive tree is truly a picture of God’s provision. Olive oil was a staple in the biblical diet (and still is in the Mediterranean diet) and a foundation for physical and spiritual health. But did you know the leaves of the olive tree are also bursting with healing properties? That’s where Olive Leaf Extract comes from.

A Remedy Rediscovered

People have been using olive leaves for centuries. The ancient Egyptians valued them as a symbol of divine power. In the 1800s, ground olive leaves were used to treat fevers, even malaria. By the 20th century, researchers began isolating the powerful compound inside olive leaves called oleuropein.

Dr. Morton Walker’s book Olive Leaf Extract pulled together history, research, and real-world stories showing that OLE isn’t just an old folk remedy — it’s a modern-day powerhouse. It helps the body fight off viruses, bacteria, fungi, and even inflammation, all while strengthening the immune system. In other words, it helps your body do what God designed it to do.

Dr. Walker’s work brought OLE to the forefront of natural medicine as both treatment and prevention. I highly recommend reading the book to gain valuable insight into the varied and sometimes surprising conditions it’s been shown to treat as well as recommendations for dosing.

What Makes Olive Leaf Extract So Special?

Think of OLE as a multi-talented friend — the one who seems to be good at everything. It’s been shown to be/have:

• Antibacterial (without destroying your good gut bacteria, unlike prescription antibiotics)

• Antiviral (something antibiotics can’t touch and even for viruses that conventional medicine says there are no cures for)

• Antifungal (great for keeping yeast and mold in check, including candida)

• Anti-inflammatory (helpful for calming the body’s overreactions…inflammation is at the core of a lot of conditions)

• Immune system support (helping you stay strong throughout the year...weakened immunity opens the door for sickness and disease)

• Energy booster (builds lasting energy without pills or caffeine)

• Cardiovascular support (supports healthy blood pressure, cholesterol, and heart rhythms)

• And here’s something that really impressed me: OLE is one of the most powerful antioxidants we know of, ranking incredibly high on the ORAC scale. That means it’s fantastic at mopping up harmful free radicals that age our cells and weaken our defenses.

What Makes Olive Leaf So Powerful?

Olive Leaf is far more than a single-compound remedy.

• Oleuropein: This bitter phytochemical is the star of the show. It has been studied extensively and does a lot of the “heavy lifting.” It has been shown to disrupt the replication of viruses, inhibit harmful bacteria, and reduce inflammation. In olive leaf extract (vs powder), the amount of oleuropein is higher.

• Whole Olive Leaf Powder: While oleuropein is powerful, the leaf contains additional beneficial components such as hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol (phenolic compounds), flavonoids (antioxidants), and triterpenoids (a naturally occurring compound in plants with numerous biological activities) that work synergistically for greater effect. Supplements that combine oleuropein with whole leaf powder maximize the body’s ability to heal.

Everyday Support for Common Ailments

Because of its wide range of actions, OLE can support the body in many ways. People use it for:

• Cold and flu

• Viral and bacterial infections

• Fungal issues like candida

• Parasite infections

• Cardiovascular health

• General immune support

• Skin conditions

• Inflammation-related conditions

• And many more!

Unlike pharmaceuticals, OLE doesn’t just target a single pathogen. It creates an environment in the body where health flourishes and harmful microbes struggle to survive and thrive.

Instead of waiting until sickness knocks you down, OLE can be used proactively as part of your daily routine — especially during the colder months when bugs are everywhere or during travel when exposure is higher.

OLE vs. Antibiotics

Let’s pause for a moment here. Antibiotics have saved countless lives, and there are times when they are absolutely necessary. But we also know they’ve been overused and misused— a lot. And this is not just in human medicine, but in agriculture, as well.

"According to the CDC, in 2021, health care professionals prescribed 211.1 million antibiotic prescriptions — and many of these prescriptions were unnecessary." — Ocean Robbins

That’s staggering. And it’s not just about “too many pills.” In opposition to OLE, antibiotics don’t just target and kill the harmful bacteria. They cause collateral damage, disrupting and destroying your gut microbiome as well. The problem with this? Your gut is where 80% of your immune system lives. A weakened gut means a weakened defense system overall, making the body more vulnerable to other illnesses and infections.

And even if you personally avoid antibiotics, you may still be getting them through your food. Conventional meat and poultry are often raised with antibiotics, and those residues end up on your plate and in your stomach. This is one more reason to choose a more plant-based diet, buy organic when you can, or look for grass-fed and pasture-raised meat.

When antibiotics are overused, we also face the rise of antibiotic-resistant superbugs that no longer respond to conventional treatments.  That’s a scary thought, but it also reminds us why it’s more important than ever to turn back to the natural tools God has given us. Olive Leaf Extract is one of those tools, reducing the need for pharmaceutical intervention.

A Balanced View

It’s important to note: antibiotics still have their place. In certain life-threatening infections, they can be lifesaving. But for everyday health and immune challenges—and as a way to prevent reaching a crisis point—God has already provided powerful tools in nature. Olive Leaf Extract is one of the most remarkable of these.

Prevention is Better than Cure

As a health coach, I always tell people: don’t just think about how to get better — think about how to stay better. Proactive prevention is powerful. Quite frankly, it’s a lot easier to keep the door shut to bugs to begin with rather than kicking them out once they’ve taken up residence 😊.

Olive Leaf Extract fits beautifully into that mindset. Taken daily, it can help your body stay strong, resilient, and less likely to get knocked down by every seasonal bug. Paired with a biblical, plant-rich diet, daily movement, quality sleep, plenty of water, prayerful living, and intentional self-care, OLE helps build a foundation for health.

This is also why I created the GLEAN course — to help you see and experience how biblical wisdom around food and lifestyle can give you a healthier, stronger, and more joyful life.

Closing Thoughts

As fall settles in and cold and flu season looms, you don’t have to resign yourself to endless trips to the pharmacy. By returning to the wisdom found in Scripture, now supported by modern science, you can strengthen your body naturally.

The olive tree has stood for thousands of years as a symbol of life, peace, healing, and restoration. Today, its leaves can still bring these same blessings into your home and family. So as you get ready for the full change of seasons and the upcoming holiday onslaught, take some time now to do your own research and see if it’s right for you. Your body (and your immune system) will thank you.

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