Health Newsletter

The Effects of Antibiotics

Antibiotics can save lives, but they can also be a health liability, and they've become ubiquitous in or environment. Each year in the US, humans and livestock consume over 35,000,000 pounds of antibiotics, and we also unknowingly consume an abundance of second-hand antibiotics in the meat, poultry and dairy products we eat. This frequently diminishes, and even destroys, much of the health-promoting beneficial bacteria residing in our intestinal tract. It also fosters the establishment of strains of harmful bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics and difficult to treat.

In 1993 for example, 70,000 patients died as a result of hospital-acquired infections that were resistant to in the antibiotics, double the amount from the previous year. And the tragedy continues to rise, jumping another 36% by 2002 to over 100,000. The more that powerful antibiotics are used, the more the bacteria learn to outsmart them. A study conducted at Boston Medical Center revealed that pediatricians routinely prescribe antibiotics to children who don't need them. One-third of the 610 doctors surveyed said they often give in to parental pressure by prescribing antibiotics even when they aren't indicated.

When helpful bacteria are destroyed by antibiotics, harmful bacteria and yeasts often proliferate in the intestines. This imbalance frequently results in the production of large amounts of toxins that can irritate the bowel and even get absorbed and play havoc with the body's immune and detoxification systems (which is why some women get yeast infections after antibiotic use). Traditional cultures regularly replenished their beneficial bacteria by ingesting fermented foods, like yogurt and sauerkraut in the West, and miso and tempeh in the East.

In fact, many cultures preserved their intestinal health with foods and spices. Cayenne pepper, turmeric, oregano, etc., besides adding taste to foods, were helpful in killing pathogens and promoting a healthy intestines. Recent tests performed on unpasteurized apple juice found that one teaspoon of cinnamon added to the juice killed 99.5 % of bacteria within three days. Cinnamon, clove and garlic added to other uncooked foods proved to be the most potent bacteria-fighting substances of those tested. Unfortunately, much of our processed foods rely on artificial flavorings and colorings, robbing us of the health-promoting advantages of herbs and spices.

Most of our patients don't realize how remarkable the GI system is. One-third of the body's immune system is gut-mediated. The intestines contain more bacteria than there are somatic cells in the body (roughly 100 trillion). Gut bacteria may weigh as much as six pounds, representing over 400 different species, some of which are beneficial and some are not. If we were to spread out the folds of the intestines, its size would be equivalent to a tennis court. It also commands one-third of the blood flow from the heart, the largest supply of any organ.

Maintaining a healthy balance of good intestinal bacteria is essential to the promotion of optimum health. We recommend the use of powders of acidophilus and bifidus any time an antibiotic must be used. And we also recommend avoiding their use whenever possible. Many of the non-life-threatening diseases we use antibiotics for, including sinusitis, bronchitis, ulcers, acne, urinary tract infections, wounds, etc., respond equally well to Acupuncture, without the risks.

Acupuncture increases immune response, including the ability of white blood cells to destroy bacteria by up to 200%. In this way, not only are the disease-causing germs destroyed, but the body's resistance to future infections is enhanced. Additionally, herbs as diverse as isatis, elderberry, olive leaf and andrographis have repeatedly shown to efficacy in fighting various bacterial infections, and are often prescribed along with the Acupuncture.