I know antibiotics have the ability to save your life, and I’m 100% for that indication.
Today’s article is not about life-threatening infections, it’s about irrational, unfounded use in millions of people and the reason is that it can cause massive health catastropheies that last the rest of your life, asthma, and diabetes for example.
So you should also be against the rampant, indiscriminate overuse of antibiotics. Today, millions of pills will be handed out to naive families, kids and adults who don’t need them. 50% of you who get them don’t need them, that’s a real stat.
It happened in my own life as a young girl like between the ages of 6 and 12, if I sneezed more than once, or developed a sore throat or fever, I was taken to the doctor. My folks, especially my loving ‘Book Face mom’ was probably a little over protective looking back, but she also trusted the American doctors. This was a new country for them, they immigrated here pregnant with me. So anyway, the pediatrician put me on a week-long regimen of antibiotics which would then make me throw up and take me out of school for days at a time.
This happened over and over for years. I didn’t have a say in it. I would have rather sneezed or pulled through on my own! Honestly, looking back, I can’t believe I made it through unscathed.
Then once again, I saw the ugly effects of long-term antibiotic use hit home again. As an adult, I saw it up close when we treated Sam for bizarre symptoms that we mistakenly thought were related Lyme disease, which come from tick bites. Lots of you are taking antibiotics now as well, and whether or not you still need them is the topic of a future column. Today, I want you to know that there’s so much more harm from these drugs than we ever thought possible.
Everyone is aware of the assault that your stomach takes from antibiotics. You might think cramps and diarrhea are bad enough, but at least those are transient problems. Brand new research suggests these drugs trigger Type 1 diabetes, especially when toddlers take them.
Keep in mind that back in 2015, a Denmark study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism correlated the use of antibiotics to type 2 diabetes in adults. From all of this, and other research, I think it’s safe to conclude that antibiotic usage increases risk for type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Antibiotics are dolled out way too easily, and some of them can destroy your nerve fibers forever! If you’re a mom or dad, you don’t need me to tell you that some doctors are pretty quick to prescribe antibiotics for your kids who present with skin rashes, ear aches, sore throats or coughs. But between you and me (and about a million people reading my article today), they are just guessing!
They don’t know for sure if the bug is a virus or bacteria! The antibiotics won’t work if your infection is viral, yet the prescription is handed out almost immediately. I think pediatricians and Lyme practitioners should rethink prescribing antibiotics in everyone who walks in the door, or at least consider shorter terms of usage. In the United States, statistics show that approximately half of all antibiotic prescriptions written have no therapeutic basis. I personally think this is a gross underestimate.
To hear that their use can trigger a life-long metabolic disorder that requires insulin shots is infuriating. Think of the economic impact on families, and the terrible loss of quality of life. Needle sticks… dietary restrictions, doctor visits forever more. Sadly, reducing diabetic complications becomes the goal, because a cure is difficult (although possible in some cases).
Antibiotics wipe out probiotics, and when your microbiome is lacking friendly bacteria, the hateful ones take over. Then your immune system is compromised. Changes in enzyme production and gene expression occur. This is what ultimately leads to the metabolic disaster, making you way more susceptible to diabetes and all the serious complications like heart disease, amputation, more infections and blindness.
On that note, I want to tell you about a new study out of Barcelona, Spain. Scientists just published results about howeating two servings of omega 3 “fatty” fish per week could reduce your risk for blindness, at least in people with pre-existing diabetes.
But back to antibiotics. I know some of you take them every day and I just want you to be empowered so that you can have an informed conversation with your own physician. Keep in mind that heavy antibiotic use may increase your risk of diabetes, allergies, asthma, colitis, Crohn’s and heart disease.
There is a delicate balance between treating a life-threatening infection and one that is not. There are also many herbal antibiotics that could help with chronic mild infections.
Suzy Cohen, has been a licensed pharmacist for over 30 years and believes the best approach to chronic illness is a combination of natural medicine and conventional. She founded her own dietary supplement company specializing in custom-formulas, some of which have patents. With a special focus on functional medicine, thyroid health and drug nutrient depletion, Suzy is the author of several related books including Thyroid Healthy, Drug Muggers, Diabetes Without Drugs, and a nationally syndicated column.
