I watched a documentary the other day about superbugs and their relationship to antibiotics. Having needed antibiotic treatment myself a few months ago, I was very interested in what I saw.
On a personal note, I was prescribed, among other medications, roughly 4 months’ supply of an antibiotic, only to develop a very annoying side effect after less than a month into the treatment. I did some research on the medications I had been prescribed and discovered that this particular side effect was quite common. Naturally enough, I stopped taking it immediately and the unpleasant symptoms disappeared. I did give the medication another try after about another month, once the side effects had disappeared. Unfortunately, they reappeared immediately so my decision then was, in my mind, a no brainer.
After watching this documentary, I started researching (naturally, being me), ways to achieve beneficial results without using antibiotics. Or, more attractive for me, finding foods anyone can source that will actually work on our systems to help us avoid the need for antibiotics, a way that will actually keep me and my gut healthy on a daily basis.
During my research I came across several companies and institutions investigating similar options. One of the most recent I read was a huge report from “Medical News Today 2018” listing foods, from garlic to oregano that are being shown to have very beneficial effects.
It is speculated by such prestigious organisations as Medical News Today and National Academy of Medicine, to name just two, that our excessive use of antibiotics is opening the door to more and more so-called “superbugs” and that this could easily result in antibiotics losing their ability to heal.
Research into this matter by the large medical organisations across the world is ongoing, but takes time and money and we don’t know how much of that we have.
One thing that stands out clearly, from all of this, is that the use of antibiotics ONLY when expressly needed, and ONLY using the most appropriate dose for the disease being treated is of major importance. This is difficult, but not impossible to achieve. But is VITAL if we want to reduce the incidence of “superbugs” that are negating our antibiotics today.
Another thing that could help in this endeavour is by making sure that the conditions being treated actually NEED antibiotics, as researchers have found that ‘Antibiotics won’t treat viral infections because they can’t kill viruses’. And yet, sometimes antibiotics are still prescribed.
Is this in hope that they may succeed?
The use of effective antibiotic alternatives, which will promote good health and give our bodies the armour to resist disease, could be one major way to decrease the NEED for antibiotics and therefore lower the risk of the emergence of even more, stronger superbugs.
As many medical researchers say, solutions to the antibiotic resistance problem are multifaceted and include reducing the use of antibiotics via the use of alternative products. Although no one alternative will replace all uses of antibiotics (Allen, 2017).
So it could mean we should include ingredients such as Garlic, known as a healing herb for centuries, Honey, in use in some parts of the world since Roman times, Ginger, Turmeric, which has been found to be useful as a healing agent for at least 5,000 years, to name but a few, all of which can be found in most kitchens, in our food. Then, we can at least begin to protect ourselves from the NEED for antibiotics and so the RISK of contracting these “superbugs” to attack our bodies when they are weakened by disease.
We can also build resistance by taking more exercise, but that is a subject for another day.