I do not agree that the first steps to fighting infection is to take antibiotics – your body’s own immune system should do the work first with the help of a healthy diet full of fresh vegetables and fruit, healthy protein (e.g. free range eggs, lentils, quinoa, nuts, seeds, organic meats and wild fresh fish), complete carbohydrates (e.g. brown rice, buckwheat, whole wheat grains), drinking plenty of water and freshly squeezed orange juice and consuming nature’s antibiotics such as ginger, cider vinegar, Echinacea, garlic, onions and turmeric. Moreover it is important to get plenty of rest to allow your body to heal.
Unfortunately in today’s hectic world many people do not believe that they have time to rest and would rather dose themselves with medication rather than take time off work as sick leave, (which you are entitled to by law, by the way,) or take time away from their busy social lives. It is important to remember you have one stab at life and not allowing your body to heal itself naturally can be detrimental to your health at a later stage.
I am not totally against antibiotics; they have saved many lives but it is no news that they are being overly abused on a daily basis. It is in fact now common knowledge that the overuse of antibiotics is now the cause of many antibiotic resistant bacterium and when someone is infected with an antibiotic-resistant bacterium, treating that patient becomes more of a challenge and in turn the antibiotic-resistant bacterium can spread to other people. Antibiotics should be a last resource.
So let’s say you go to the doctor, he diagnoses you with some infection and puts you straight onto antibiotics.
What else should you be taking along with these antibiotics? Has your doctor failed to mention a very important point?
Antibiotics destroy your good gut bacteria and have an impact on your stomach lining and whole digestive function. Some people are affected more than others, especially those who already suffer from complications of the stomach, no matter how minor. However anyone who takes antibiotics will be putting a certain level of strain on their stomach.
Antibiotics are prescribed to kill the bad bacteria causing the infection, however in doing so they also kill the good bacteria. As adult humans we have over a kilo of good bacteria living in our intestines. Just like our world has an ecosystem that can be easily destroyed, so does your body have its own type of ecosystem that can go out of balance very quickly if not looked after.
Unfortunately in today’s hectic world many people do not believe that they have time to rest and would rather dose themselves with medication rather than take time off work as sick leave, (which you are entitled to by law, by the way,) or take time away from their busy social lives. It is important to remember you have one stab at life and not allowing your body to heal itself naturally can be detrimental to your health at a later stage.
I am not totally against antibiotics; they have saved many lives but it is no news that they are being overly abused on a daily basis. It is in fact now common knowledge that the overuse of antibiotics is now the cause of many antibiotic resistant bacterium and when someone is infected with an antibiotic-resistant bacterium, treating that patient becomes more of a challenge and in turn the antibiotic-resistant bacterium can spread to other people. Antibiotics should be a last resource.
So let’s say you go to the doctor, he diagnoses you with some infection and puts you straight onto antibiotics.
What else should you be taking along with these antibiotics? Has your doctor failed to mention a very important point?
Antibiotics destroy your good gut bacteria and have an impact on your stomach lining and whole digestive function. Some people are affected more than others, especially those who already suffer from complications of the stomach, no matter how minor. However anyone who takes antibiotics will be putting a certain level of strain on their stomach.
Antibiotics are prescribed to kill the bad bacteria causing the infection, however in doing so they also kill the good bacteria. As adult humans we have over a kilo of good bacteria living in our intestines. Just like our world has an ecosystem that can be easily destroyed, so does your body have its own type of ecosystem that can go out of balance very quickly if not looked after.
The most common forms of beneficial bacteria are lacto acidophilus and bifidobacteria. They are known as probiotics.
Probiotics keep yeast in check, however if the yeast is allowed to multiply it takes over and you can get a condition called dysbiosis which can lead to inflamed bowel, chronic fatigue, constipation, diarrhoea, heartburn, heart disease, asthma, thrush, bad breath.....the list is endless. Eventually if not dealt with this can also lead to obesity and even cancer.
Probiotics also:
- assist with the absorption and formation of some B vitamins, some forms of vitamin K and some minerals;
- ferment the indigestible fibre in to provide energy for the cells in the colon and produce more beneficial bacteria;
- provide protection to the lining of the intestines from invasion by harmful bacteria and other substances.
You can find probiotics in many live yoghurts. They can also be found in kefir, tempeh, sourdough bread, miso soup, kimchi, apple cider vinegar, fermented cheese (aged cheddar, feta, parmesan, provolone, edam, emmental and gruyere) sauerkraut, sour pickles and other pickled vegetables including olives and capers, and Kombucha tea. You can also find them in some nut milks.
In order for probiotics to function well, they need to be fed. Probiotics need prebiotics to function properly.
Common prebiotics are Fructo-oligosaccarides (FOS) or fructans and Galacto-oligosaccardes (GOS). Basically prebiotics are non-digestible carbohydrates (fibre).
Foods high in FOS are:
- Bananas
- Tomatoes
- Garlic
- Onion
- Leeks
- Artichoke
- Asparagus
- Barley
- Whole grains
- Rye
- Honey
Foods high in GOS are:
- Lentils
- Chickpeas/hummus
- Green peas
- Lima beans
- Kidney beans
Unfortunately too many people do not consume enough prebiotic foods and those who do often do not consume enough probiotic food to help digest the prebiotics, hence why we have so many people living with stomach issues.
So, although I would like to advise taking the natural route and get all your nutrients from food, I make certain exceptions when on antibiotics, especially for someone who does not eat many of the foods mentioned above, and strongly advise that you pop down to the health shop or pharmacy and purchase some probiotic and prebiotic supplements. Probiotics and Prebiotics can also be found in one tablet supplements to make your life a little easier. It is important that you start taking them with your antibiotics (if not before) and continue for a good two to three weeks after.
It is also worth mentioning that if you are run down, suffering from the flu or even just a cold, probiotics and prebiotics can make a difference. Moreover as previously mentioned, if you suffer from stomach issues then you ought to give probiotics and prebiotics a go.
If you don’t eat foods high in probiotics and prebiotics, then I strongly suggest you start now.
Another important point to note is that when taking antibiotics eat plenty of oranges and/or drink plenty of fresh orange juice, eat kiwis, broccoli, dark leafy greens, tomatoes, bell peppers (capsicums) for their vitamin C content. You could also take additional supplementation of vitamin C to ensure you are getting enough. The daily recommended amounts stipulated by the NHS in the UK is 40mg daily and the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine in the US recommends between 75mg to 90mg daily for adult women and men respectively, unless you are a smoker, then you are told to increase the amount by 35 mg daily.
My opinion and that of many others working in the field of nutrition is not to agree with these amounts. You can take up to 3000 mg a day without any harm. The worst that could happen is that you get stomach pain or diarrhea. Vitamin C is a soluble vitamin not stored in the body. I take a 500mg vitamin C (ascorbic acid) supplement on a daily basis and up this to 2000mg if I start feeling under the weather. Please note if you are taking a mineral ascorbic acid supplement, then you should be on less.
If you are unwell whilst reading this, I hope you get better soon. :-)
Resources and further reading
https://books.google.com.mt/books?id=-i_9AgAAQBAJ&pg=PA201&lpg=PA201&dq=Norway%27s+policy+on+antibiotic&source=bl&ots=nJBUw-7ll2&sig=IaMJi8aZHjfNGdSDjlDW2cogJF8&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwihwZ-Yw5DKAhUmJnIKHdT3BZcQ6AEIXDAI#v=onepage&q=Norway's%20policy%20on%20antibiotic&f=false
http://www.cdc.gov/features/getsmart/
http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm092810.htm
https://www.womentowomen.com/digestive-health/probiotics-for-life/
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/09/05/microbes-manipulate-your-mind.aspx
http://chriskresser.com/what-to-do-if-you-need-to-take-antibiotics/
http://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/16572062
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2036.2005.02624.x/full
http://www.bmj.com/content/324/7350/1361.full
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/nutrition-vitamins-11/probiotics
http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/vitamin-c/dosing/hrb-20060322
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/vitamin-C