Antibiotic
Resistance and Side Effects - Natural, Safe, Effective Alternatives
After 40 years of pushing antibiotics for any ailment, physicians are
now confronting bacteria that have built defenses against those same drugs.
Some infectious bacteria that were once treatable are stronger and often
deadly. The reappearance of highly infectious bacteria is caused in part
by the overuse and misuse of antibiotics, but the resilience of bacteria
also stems from the ingenious biochemistry of the microorganisms themselves.
To survive, microorganisms and fungi mutate into resistant strains.
Antibiotic Crisis - The Prebiotics and Probiotic
Alternative
Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention - "Antibiotic resistance has been
called one of the world’s most pressing public health problems. It can
cause significant danger and suffering for people who have common infections
that once were easily treatable with antibiotics. When antibiotics fail
to work, the consequences are longer-lasting illnesses; more doctor visits
or extended hospital stays; and the need for more expensive and toxic medications.
Some resistant infections can cause death. Sick individuals aren’t the
only people who can suffer the consequences. Families and entire communities
feel the impact when disease-causing germs become resistant to antibiotics.
These antibiotic-resistant bacteria can quickly spread to family members,
school mates and co-workers — threatening the community with a new strain
of infectious disease that is more difficult to cure and more expensive
to treat." CDC
Curtis Donskey MD - "Unfortunately, far too many physicians are
still thinking of antibiotics as benign. We're just now beginning to understand
how our normal microflora does such a good job of preventing our colonization
by disease-causing microbes. And from an ecological point of view,
we're just starting to understand the medical consequences of disturbing
that with antibiotics." Dr.
Donskey is an infectious-diseases specialist of Case Western Reserve
University in Cleveland. DISCOVER Vol. 26 No. 10 | October 2005 | Biology
& Medicine
Professor Graham Bell, from McGill University in Canada
warns
that the new antibiotics pose "a serious and unprecedented" risk to public
health. He warns that regulatory authorities tend not to look many years
ahead when deciding whether to grant licences to new drugs. "They are poorly
designed to detect even grave and highly probable risks to public health
arising from the population biology of microbes. "Instead of dismissing
the possibility that widespread resistance will evolve, we should use the
bitter experience that we have gained from conventional antibiotics to
plan for it." Learn
about safe, effective, natural alternative to antibiotics
"The era of antibiotics is coming to a close. In just a couple of generations,
what once appeared to be miracle medicines have been beaten into ineffectiveness
by the bacteria they were designed to knock out.” Sarah Boseley Superbug
Drug-Resistant Health Threat
Antibiotics are known to have side-effects; 'allergic' reactions to
antibiotics such as penicillin have been documented in medical literature
for over forty years. The severity of these side-effects may range from
a simple rash to anaphylaxis, a life-threatening reaction which includes
difficult or laboured breathing, which are also symptoms of an asthmatic
attack. It is now time to reconsider whether the side-effects of antibiotics
should any longer be described as 'allergies', implying that the problem
lies with the patient rather than with the drug. It is time that we acknowledged
that drugs producing an 'allergic response' are toxic, and in fact producing
side-effects which are in many cases symptomatic of poisoning.
Some antibiotics which have been reported in the medical literature
as causing
asthma in certain individuals include
penicillin, ampicillin, amoxycillin, cephalosporins, tetracycline, spiramycin,
and erythromycin, other drugs and antibiotics have also been reported to
cause asthma. These references which represent but a few of those published,
have been selected to illustrate that a correlation between antibiotics
and asthma has been reported from several countries, and can result from
exposure in a variety of forms. They include: learn
more
Two years ago, Bobbie Mackeon got a paper cut. She thought it was no
big deal. But it got infected. Bobbie, a nurse practitioner, spoke with
the doctors at her hospital, and they all figured an antibiotic would take
care of it. It didn’t. Nor did the next two antibiotics she tried. “The
bug that was in there was eating these antibiotics for breakfast,” she
says. Read more... Silent
Killers: Scary Superbugs
William J. Hennen, Ph.D. - "It is increasingly
clear that as the world becomes a smaller place, with viruses and other
pathogens traveling with great ease, we now face a unique situation. Simply
put, we are now, and will continue to be more exposed to challenges to
our health. However, nature has already provided the
immune system as our defense to microbes found in our environment.
The degree to which we are able to educate our immune systems to recognize
invaders will help determine our ability to cope with health challenges.
I urge all people to pay attention to those things that affect their immune
systems."
Side effects of antibiotics The most common side effects with antibiotic drugs are diarrhoea, feeling
sick and being sick. Fungal infections of the mouth, digestive tract and
vagina can also occur with antibiotics because they destroy the protective
'good' bacteria in the body (which help prevent overgrowth of any one organism),
as well as the 'bad' ones, responsible for the infection being treated.
Rare,
but more serious side effects, include the formation of kidney stones with
the sulphonamides, abnormal blood clotting with some of the cephalosporins,
increased sensitivity to the sun with the tetracyclines, blood disorders
with trimethoprim, and deafness with erythromycin and the aminoglycosides.
Sometimes, particularly in older people, antibiotic treatment can cause
a type of colitis (inflamed bowel) leading to severe diarrhoea. Penicillins,
cephalosporins and erythromycin can all cause this problem but it is most
common with clindamycin, an antibiotic usually reserved for serious infections.
If you develop diarrhoea while taking an antibiotic, immediately contact
your doctor. Some people are allergic to antibiotics, particularly penicillins,
and can develop Side effects such as a rash, swelling of the face and tongue,
and difficulty breathing when they take them. Always tell your doctor or
pharmacist if you have had an allergic reaction to an antibiotic; sometimes
the reaction can be serious or even fatal. This is called an anaphylactic
reaction.
Robert O. Young D.Sc., Ph.D. - "Antibiotics are the acidic
waste products of fermentation. To make an antibiotic, you need a yeast
or mold and some sugar for the yeast or mold to ferment. The bi-product
of the yeast or mold fermenting the sugar is the acidic antibiotic. The
acids from antibiotics DO NOT KILL BACTERIA. They only force the bacteria
to change. Into what does bacteria change? Into yeast and mold. That is
why when you take antibiotics you end up with a yeast infection! That's
the antibiotic causing the bacteria to change from one form to another.
I call this process of change "biological transformation" and the reason
why you should NEVER take antibiotics." more...
Antibiotics
are a common cause of Candida. Antibiotics destroy
both harmful bacteria and good bacteria. When antibiotics destroy friendly
bacteria it gives the Candida a chance to begin to multiply. Anyone who
has been treated with antibiotics for acne, major dental work or any condition
where antibiotic use has been frequent, more than 1 course of 7-10 days,
is a prime candidate for Candida. safe
natural candida treatment
NDM-1 Superbug Drug-Resistant
Health Threat - Natural Alternative to Support the Immune Function Antibiotic resistance is a widespread problem, and one that the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls "one of the world's most
pressing public health problems. In a study published in The Lancet
Infectious Diseases, Dr. Tim Walsh at Cardiff Universit's team investigated
cases of multi-drug resistant Enterobactericeae infections - which include
E.Coli and Salmonella. The spread of a drug-resistant bacterial gene could
herald the end of antibiotics, researchers warned us. Learn how to minimize
your exposure to debilitating and often life-threatening microbes by taking
practical, preventive measures to strengthen the immune system and accelerate
immune response more...
Probiotics
and Prebiotics are the beneficial bacteria that are normally present
in the digestive tract. These bacteria are required for proper digestion,
the synthesis of Vitamin K, and the prevention of yeast infections and
pathogen growth. A healthy intestinal tract with a balanced microflora
can boost the immune system, keep pathogenic diseases of the intestinal
tract in check. "During the past five years I have seen positive
results with a probiotic – prebiotic complex...The initial positive results
were so remarkable that I encouraged the company to allow for a double-blinded,
placebo controlled clinical trial to support our initial findings."
Charles
Smith D.O. OBGYN – Surgeon - Learn
more about the health benefits of taking prebiotics and probiotics
ScienceDaily— (Washington, DC) – Oil from the common herb oregano may
be an effective treatment against dangerous, and sometimes drug-resistant
bacteria, a Georgetown researcher has found. Two studies have shown that
oregano oil—and, in particular, carvacrol, one of oregano’s chemical components—appear
to reduce infection as effectively as traditional antibiotics. These findings
were presented at the American College of Nutrition’s annual meeting October
6 and 7 in Orlando, Fla. Harry G. Preuss, MD, MACN, CNS, professor of physiology
and biophysics, and his research team, tested oregano oil on staphylococcus
bacteria—which is responsible for a variety of severe infections and is
becoming increasingly resistant to many antibiotics.
They combined oregano oil with the bacteria in a test tube, and compared
oregano oil’s effects to those of standard antibiotics streptomycin, penicillin
and vacnomycin. The oregano oil at relatively low doses was found to inhibit
the growth of staphylococcus bacteria in the test tubes as effectively
as the standard antibiotics did. Another aspect of the study examined
the efficacy of oregano oil and carvacrol, which is believed to be the
major antibacterial component of oregano, in 18 mice infected with the
staph bacteria. Six of the mice received oregano oil for 30 days, and 50%
of this group survived the 30- day treatment. Six received the carvacrol
in olive oil, not oregano oil, and none survived longer than 21 days. Six
mice received olive oil alone with no active agents (the control group)
and all died within three days. A repeat study corroborated these findings,
which demonstrates that there are components of oregano oil other than
carvacrol that have antibiotic properties.
“While this investigation was performed only in test tubes
and on a small number of mice, the preliminary results are promising and
warrant further study,” Preuss said. “The ability of oils from various
spices to kill infectious organisms has been recognized since antiquity.
Natural oils may turn out to be valuable adjuvants or even replacements
for many anti-germicidals under a variety of conditions.” Georgetown University
Medical Center includes the nationally ranked School of Medicine, School
of Nursing and Health Studies, and a biomedical research enterprise.
Your immune system is constantly on the prowl for pathogens and foreign
antigens—agents of cellular damage, toxicity and disease. These antigens
include viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi and even pre-cancerous cells.
To neutralize these pathogens, the body needs a ready supply of glutathione.
If it doesn’t have enough, some of the invaders will get through, infecting
the body and/or contributing to aging, long-term accumulative damage—even
eventual cancers. We can’t avoid illness and aging altogether, but by keeping
our intracellular glutathione levels elevated,
we also keep our immune system on full alert and fully armed.
Dr. Gustavo Bounous, discoverer of Immunocal,
has focused on glutathione as support for
the immune system. “ The limiting factor for the proper activity and multiplication
of our lymphocytes (white blood cells) is the availability of glutathione”,
he states. Dr. Bounous’ research at McGill University has spawned countless
other research papers worldwide examining this phenomenon.
Professor Dr. Wulf Droge MD - "The human immune system is extremely
dependent on adequate glutathione levels
to perform properly. Even a partial depletion of the intracellular glutathione
pool has a dramatic consequence for the process of blast transformation
and proliferation, and for the generation of cytotoxic T cells." ( T –cells
are those cells which help the body defend against diseases.) Abstract:
- Cysteine and glutathione in catabolic conditions and immunological dysfunction.
Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition & Metabolic Care. 2(3):227-233,
May 1999. Droge, Wulf
Dr. Jimmy Gutman, MD - "Clinical evidence links low
glutathione levels to the most common illnesses of our time as
well as newly emerging diseases. Glutathione levels diminish as we age
and many diseases normally associated with aging have been linked to glutathione
deficiency." learn more...
For many months, l had felt
unnaturally fatigued and kept getting colds and infections. Then my doctor
diagnosed me with Chronic Lymphocyte Leukemia (CLL). I was told
there is no cure. My doctor tried to lift my spirits by saying that someone
would probably come-up with a cure within the next ten years. But since
it is a progressive leukemia, I knew I needed to keep the number of white
blood cells down if I wanted to last that long. Unfortunately, my white
blood cell count kept increasing with each blood test every month, letting
us know the cancer was growing. Lumps formed on my neck, forcing me to
wear turtleneck sweaters and scarves to hide them even during the summer,
because I didn't want to worry my children. I also tried my best to conceal
the skin disorder developing on my right arm. I hated living on antibiotics,
but what choice did I have? Every time I got an infection,
my white blood cell count would take a jump. By June of 2004, I was very
ill and had about given up. I made my funeral arrangements and put my affairs
in order. I prayed to God for a miracle. The next day, a good friend of
mine from Toronto sent me some Immunocal,
a glutathione (GSH) enhancer, firmly insisting
that I take some every day. Within a week, I experienced a complete turnaround
in my condition! How happy I was to have a second chance at life! In six
weeks, my white blood count had gone down and the lumps on my neck were
shrinking. After six months, I had no lumps, the skin disorder on my arm
cleared up, my hair began to shine, and my fingernails lost their ridges.
What can I say? I was absolutely delighted! I still have leukemia but I
don't worry so much, as long as I feel and look good. I am enjoying a high
quality of life and that's all that counts. My new saying is "If I'm going
out, I'm going out feeling good!" As long as I keep my glutathione levels
up, I feel great! How gratifying to have my life back! Fausta Magee
Dr. Jimmy Gutman, MD - "Clinical evidence links low
glutathione levels to the most common illnesses of our time as well
as newly emerging diseases. Glutathione levels diminish as we age and many
diseases normally associated with aging have been linked to glutathione
deficiency." learn more...
More and more people are using antibiotics to cure minor infections,
but have little clue that these types of medication are playing havoc with
their immune systems. Taking even the shortest
course of antibiotic or steroid based medication can have a catastrophic
effect on your immune system, kill the essential bacteria in your gut,
and leave you wide open to other more serious infections.
Antibiotics will kill off both the good and bad bacteria in your system,
and most of the essential bacteria in your gut will be killed or damaged.
This good bacteria is what helps to keep the yeast cells from overgrowing,
but once they've gone, the yeast are free to grow and spread. Because the
antibiotics have weakened your immune system, your body will be helpless,
and the yeast cells will be free to overgrow further and spread to other
areas of the body. Once you've completed your course of antibiotics, it'll
take your body weeks, and sometimes even months to re-build your immune
system. And, if a yeast infection takes hold, you could end up in serious
trouble. A yeast overgrowth will further weaken your immune system, and
before you know it, you'll end up catching every bug that's going around,
you'll feel tired and run down all the time, and your yeast infection will
gradually get worse and worse. more...
Dr.
Lisa Landymore-Lin wrote all about this in her book Poisonous Prescriptions
asking, ‘Do Antibiotics Cause Asthma and Diabetes?’
We are now even beginning to question the role of antibiotics as a cause
of cancer since they do lead to pathogen overgrowth especially in the area
of yeast and fungi. Chris Woollams writes, “It is estimated that 70 per
cent of the British population have a yeast infection.
The primary cause of this is our love of antibiotics.
The immune system is not responsive to drugs for healing. Antibiotics
used to fight infections actually depress the immune system when used long-term.
Disorders in the immune system can result in disease. Immunodeficiency
diseases occur when the immune system is less active than normal,
resulting in recurring and life-threatening infections. In contrast, autoimmune
diseases result from a hyperactive immune system attacking normal tissues
as if they were foreign organisms. Natural nutritive forces, like healing
foods and herbal medicines can and do support the immune system. By rebuilding
immunity, health is naturally restored and disease disappears. Transfer
Factor and Immunocal are powerful natural
immune support products.
Greg B. Wilson, Ph.D. and James B. Daily, Jr., Ph.D. - "Our health
is directly influenced by our immune system. The onset of
almost all infectious and degenerative disease is preceded or accompanied
by inadequate immune response. With intensifying concerns about the
perils of vaccinations and antibiotic resistant organisms, a new weapon
against disease is sorely needed. Transfer factors are such a weapon, and
based upon almost 50 years of research, Transfer Fator appear to be highly
effective with few, if any, side effects. If our immune systems are
functioning normally, transfer
factors are produced after we are exposed to infectious agents such
as viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites. Recent research, however, provides
evidence that transfer factors, even from another animal such as a cow,
can enable us to develop immunity to infectious agents before we are actually
exposed to them. In addition, transfer factor administration can
accelerate our immune response once we have been infected. This new
approach to optimizing the immune response to infectious agents promises
to revolutionize our approach to disease prevention and control!"
In 1949, Dr. H. Sherwood Lawrence made a revolutionary discovery while
studying tuberculosis. He determined that an immune response could be transferred
from a donor to a recipient by injecting an extract of white blood cells
(leukocytes)
from a previously infected, now healthy, subject into a newly infected
patient. He found that this extract contained a factor capable of transferring
immunity. He named the substance "transfer factors." Dr. Lawrence's discovery
came in the midst of the discovery and use of antibiotics. Transfer
factors have been used throughout the antibiotic age in different
regions of the world such as China, Poland, Italy and others, but never
have been available commercially due to the lack of technology. In
the fifty years since Lawrence's pioneering work, an estimated $40,000,000
has been spent on research
resulting in over 3,000 published scientific papers documenting the benefits
of various forms and sources of transfer factors. Beyond
Antibiotics - Application of Transfer Factor in Infectious
Diseases
In a clinical study, pediatrician, David M. Markowitz, M.D. reports
an 84% reduction in antibiotic use when children
used Transfer Factor.
Doctors fear that if antibiotic use
is not curtailed, we may soon approach the day when untreatable infections
are rampant. In Beyond Antibiotics, Drs. Schmidt, Smith, and Sehnert explore
the problems presented by the overuse of these drugs. More importantly,
they show how to build immunity, improve resistance to infections, and
avoid antibiotics when possible.
When penicillin and other wonder drugs revolutionized
Western medicine in the 1940s and '50s, it seemed as though every infectious
illness could be cured with a few pills or injections. But half a century
after it began, the golden age of antibiotics is ending with the alarming
news that the drugs that were supposed to save the world have instead spawned
an epidemic that may destroy it. more...
Stuart Levy MD, Tufts University - "People should realize
that although antibiotics are needed to control bacterial infections, they
can have broad, undesirable effects on microbial ecology. That is, they
can produce long-lasting change in the kinds and proportions of bacteria—and
the mix of antibiotic-resistant and antibiotic-susceptible types— not only
in the treated individual but also in the environment and society at large."
The
Germ Survival Guide recommends Transfer Factor
. This new book written by Kenneth A. Bock, M.D., Steven J. Bock, M.D.
is designed to give families and individuals preventative strategies to
use to protect against germs and environmental threats. Transfer factors
are extolled in the book as an effective way to optimize immune system
function so that personal immunity is at its best in the face of a variety
of health threats. In a clinical study, pediatrician, David M. Markowitz,
M.D. reports an 84% reduction in antibiotic use when children used Transfer
Factor.
Richard Bennett, PhD - "The immunity provided
by transfer factors is long lived and can help all
ages who are suffering from a variety of ailments or those who want to
stay well. The unfolding events surrounding Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome,
(SARS) is yet another painful reminder that we live in a crowded world
where continents are only a plane ride away. The SARS epidemic is only
one of an ongoing series of new emerging diseases. Our best global and
personal strategy is to do all in our power to ensure and support our unique
abilities of disease resistance and immunity”
Dr.
Bennett is an Infectious Disease Microbiologist and Immunologist. He has
also served as an advisor for the FDA and USDA.
Rob
Robertson, MD - "I believe transfer factors
are, without a doubt, the greatest discovery of the century in supporting
and modulating the immune system. I believe a strengthened immune system
will be the primary way to stay well in the future. This nutrient can affect
the immune system like nothing else can. I sincerely believe everyone needs
to consume this product." Dr. Robertson is a former Emergency Room . He
received his medical degree from the University of Louisville School of
Medicine in 1974. He served as the Director of Emergency Services at Western
Baptist Hospital in Paducah, KY.
The
data may be new, but the issue has become a perennial one: the overuse
of antibiotics. Earlier this week, the University of Nebraska reported
the results of two national surveys on the issue. These polls have estimated
that between approximately 70 to 80 percent of physician visits for sinus
infections resulted in a prescription for antibiotics. The problem lies
in the fact that these medications are designed only to attack bacteria,
not viruses. Yet, it is viruses which cause the overwhelming majority of
sinus infections (often referred to as a "cold" or "the flu"). So, what
is the harm? The answer is a phenomenon known as bacterial resistance to
antibiotics.
Resistance occurs because there are millions of “healthy” bacteria which
live symbiotically within us. These bacteria help us to live normally,
and we allow them the same in return. When the occasional unhealthy strain
arises and causes disease, we can knock that strain out with antibiotics.
Unfortunately, testing for unhealthy strains of bacteria can take days
to weeks. Hence, the concept of a “magic bullet” is exceptionally attractive
in acute illness, both to patient and caregiver alike. But if we take antibiotics
when unhealthy bacteria are not causing trouble, we only hurt the healthy
bacteria in our bodies. Naturally, our healthy bacteria begin to fight
back, and they find ways to avoid succumbing to antibiotics. It is only
a matter of time before these antibiotic resistant, healthy bacteria become
antibiotic resistant unhealthy bacteria. The result is a disease-causing
bug that can be treated with few or no available medications. Such drug-resistant
strains represent a potent danger, both to self and to others: and especially
to those whose immune systems are most vulnerable.
James
Howenstine, MD. - "Excessive antibiotics in children almost certainly
stops normal maturation of a healthy immune system. Lack of healthy bacteria
in the intestines caused by antibiotics creates an environment in which
pieces of partially digested proteins are able to penetrate the barrier
of the intestinal lining. When these abnormal proteins enter the blood
the body properly reacts to them as foreign substances. The foreign proteins
cause an antigen antibody reaction producing symptoms and setting the stage
for a possible auto-immune illness to develop. Food allergies can also
appear along with impaired absorption of nutrients which may lead to poor
health." more
Antibiotic resistance is not a theoretical phenomenon. Resistant strains
of bacteria currently thrive in both community and hospital settings. The
overuse of antibiotics is a consistent factor in the cultivation of such
widespread resistance; it is also a preventable one. What can be done to
help curb antibiotic resistance? Education is crucial, but remembering
to act on such knowledge is vastly more difficult and more important. Perhaps
steering clear of contributing to antibiotic resistance can be accomplished
by thinking of the issue in terms of balance. We should only take medicines
that help bring our bodies back into balance. If we take or prescribe medicines
that do nothing to target the appropriate disease, the body can only suffer
a further disruption of equilibrium. The phenomenon of antibiotic resistance
is one very important and concrete consequence to upsetting the delicate
balance in our bodies.
National
Geographic News June 1, 2006: “The ever present armies
of microbes in your digestive tract are so essential to your survival,
a new study says, that you might consider yourself a super-organism — human
plus microbes equals you. These hordes of "gut bugs" perform digestive
duties that the human body alone cannot, according to the first ever
comprehensive study of these microbes' genes. The study maps the
genes of the estimated 500 or more species that live inside us. About a
quarter of these genes appear to belong to unknown species.” "We are discovering
parts of ourselves we were not aware of," said microbiologist and study
co-author Dr. Jeffrey Gordon of the School of Medicine at Washington University
in St. Louis, Missouri. "It's a whole other planet down there." more...
Charles Smith D.O. OBGYN – Surgeon - "I cannot emphasize
enough the positive results my patients have experienced during our five
year clinical evaluation of Prescript-Assist. The product continues to
prove effective at augmenting many natural gut function processes which
have become complicated by various medications, individual lifestyles,
environmental toxins, and the general stress of daily living. Everyone
could use Prescript-Assist
to their benefit, especially as a preventative maintenance protocol for
30 days. " click
here for more...
“Our bodies carry ten times more microbial cells than human cells, and
these microbes collectively contain at least a hundred times the number
of genes in the human genome.”
"Not only are we never alone," said microbiologist David Relman (MD,
PhD) of Stanford University in Palo Alto, California. "Our partners contribute
essential functions to our collective."
Antibiotics are not the only medications to disrupt normal gut function.
Antidepressants, amphetamines, barbiturates, pain medications and non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) will put the bowel into a more sleep-like
state. Proper movement of food-matter through the gut system (small
and large intestines) is dependant upon its squeezing motion -- called
Peristaltic Action. This action is based upon tiny electrical impulses.
These impulses become disrupted by numerous medications, and the hormone
Progesterone.
Probiotics
and Prebiotics are the beneficial bacteria that are normally present in
the
digestive tract. These bacteria are required for proper digestion, the
synthesis of Vitamin K, and the prevention of yeast infections and pathogen
growth. Studies have shown that the continual use
of antibiotics has a devastating affect on the immune system.
Each time you use an antibiotic, the immune system gets further and further
suppressed. Antibiotic kill friendly helpful microflora bacteria in a body,
not just the pathogenic bacteria. A healthy intestinal tract with a balanced
microflora can boost the immune system, keep pathogenic diseases of the
intestinal tract in check. Probiotic use creates an intestinal environment
that can improve a user's immune system. The intestines are the body's
largest immune organ. It's a fairly hostile environment and a well balanced
system can relieve immunological stress associated with an unhealthful
system. This gives the immune system a chance to enhance its capabilities
in other parts of the body.
Charles Smith D.O. OBGYN – Surgeon - "During the
past five years I have seen positive results with a probiotic – prebiotic
complex for the treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBDs) of Ulcerative
colitis and Crohn's. Other positive results were observed during the treatment
of Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis. Relief from various food allergies
and Acid Reflux are continually realized, while eliminating both constipation
and diarrhea associated with generalized gastric upset. We also observe
a natural mechanism to effectively address vaginal yeast infections. The
product we have seen these results with is called Prescript-Assist.
The initial positive results were so remarkable that I encouraged the company
to allow for a double-blinded,
placebo controlled clinical trial to support our initial findings.
Subsequently, I was one of three physician ‘co-investigators’ to a recently
published clinical study for Prescript-Assist’s effectiveness to treat
Irritable
Bowel Syndrome (IBS)." click
here for more about Prescript-Assist In a healthy body, your inner ecosystem contains
enough good bacteria (microflora or probiotics) to outnumber the bad and
help maintain control over them. Probiotics may be a buzzword in the health
and wellness industry, but you need to consume plenty of prebiotics, to
ensure you have
enough probiotics populating your gut.
In your body, prebiotics
nourish the microflora (probiotics) and encourage them to work more efficiently,
keeping you healthy and strong. The synbiotic effect from fermented foods
and drinks means that not only do they help populate your intestines with
beneficial bacteria, they also help improve the survival, implantation
and growth of newly added microflora strains.
Bacteria have a reputation for causing disease, so the idea of tossing
down a few billion a day for your health might seem — literally and figuratively
— hard to swallow. But a growing body of scientific evidence suggests that
you can treat and even prevent some illnesses with foods and supplements
containing certain kinds of live bacteria. Northern Europeans consume a
lot of these beneficial microorganisms, called probiotics (from pro and
biota, meaning “for life”), because of their tradition of eating foods
fermented with bacteria, such as yogurt. Probiotic-laced beverages are
also big business in Japan.
First,
the world is full of microorganisms (including bacteria), and so are people's
bodies—in and on the skin, in the gut, and in other orifices. Friendly
bacteria are vital to proper development of the immune system, to protection
against microorganisms that could cause disease, and to the digestion and
absorption of food and nutrients. Each person's mix of bacteria varies.
Interactions between a person and the microorganisms in his body, and among
the microorganisms themselves, can be crucial to the person's health and
well-being. This bacterial "balancing act" can be thrown off in two major
ways:
1. By antibiotics, when they kill friendly bacteria in
the gut along with unfriendly bacteria. Some people use probiotics to try
to offset side effects from antibiotics like gas, cramping, or diarrhea.
Similarly, some use them to ease symptoms of lactose intolerance—a condition
in which the gut lacks the enzyme needed to digest significant amounts
of the major sugar in milk, and which also causes gastrointestinal symptoms.
2. "Unfriendly" microorganisms such as disease-causing bacteria, yeasts,
fungi, and parasites can also upset the balance. Researchers are exploring
whether probiotics could halt these unfriendly agents in the first place
and/or suppress their growth and activity in conditions like:
* Infectious
diarrhea
* Irritable
bowel syndrome
* Inflammatory
bowel disease (e.g., ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease)
* Infection
with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), a bacterium that causes most ulcers
and many types of chronic stomach inflammation
* Tooth decay
and periodontal disease
* Vaginal infections
* Stomach and
respiratory infections that children acquire in daycare
* Skin infections
Another
part of the interest in probiotics stems from the fact there are cells
in the digestive tract connected with the immune system.
One theory is that if you alter the microorganisms in a person's intestinal
tract (as by introducing probiotic bacteria), you can affect the immune
system's defenses.
Probiotics may also be of use in maintaining urogenital health. Like
the intestinal tract, the vagina is a finely balanced ecosystem. The dominant
Lactobacilli strains normally make it too acidic for harmful microorganisms
to survive. But the system can be thrown out of balance by a number of
factors, including antibiotics, spermicides, and birth control pills. Probiotic
treatment that restores the balance of microflora may be helpful for such
common female urogenital problems as bacterial vaginosis, yeast infection,
and urinary tract infection. more...
Prebiotics
and probiotics can restore the balance of bacteria in your digestive tract.
Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that can be found in various foods.
When you eat probiotics, you will add these healthy bacteria to your intestinal
tract. Common strains include Lactobacillis and Bifidobacterium families
of bacteria. Prebiotics are non-digestible foods that make their way through
our digestive system and help good bacteria grow and flourish. Prebiotics
keep beneficial bacteria healthy.
.
Dr.
Joseph Rodrigo M.D - "Almost all diseases begin in the digestive track.
This includes diabetes, asthma,
cancer,
alzheimer's,
heart disease, memory loss, fibromyalgia,
MS,
and too many to even list here. If you are seeking health, and you
have not found the answers to your recovery and healing, start here.
Your intestinal track is the origin of disease, and it is also the origin
of your healing. I cannot emphasize enough how important the cleansing
of your digestive system is, to your health."
In addition to processing nutrients as the principal pathway
of the digestive system, the gastrointestinal tract (GI tract)
is a prominent part of the immune
system, providing various levels of defense against pathogenic
microorganisms and potentially toxic substances throughout the path of
digestion. If these waste products are not regularly eliminated,
they begin to poison the body and blood.
Substances that are toxic to our bodies come at us from all directions:
the air we breathe, the food we eat, the water we drink, the cleaning products
we use, and the metabolic waste produced inside us. Toxins build up in
the body faster than they can be removed, contributing to premature aging
and chronic and degenerative diseases.
Dr.
Miller's Iaso Detox Tea is a unique herbal blend of safe,
all-natural ingredients designed to gently cleanse
the digestive tract and detoxify the body. Its name is taken from
the traditional name of one of the ingredients, a widely-used medicinal
herb known as Holy Thistle, and is not intended to imply any religious
significance - although grateful users who experienced remarkable health
improvements after drinking Holy Tea often thank God for this gift of healing!
Probiotics
for the prevention of pediatric antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) Antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) occurs when antibiotics disturb
the natural balance of "good" and "bad" bacteria in the intestinal tract
causing harmful bacteria to sometimes multiply beyond their normal numbers.
The symptoms of AAD may include frequent watery bowel movements and crampy
abdominal pain. Probiotics are dietary supplements containing potentially
beneficial bacteria or yeast. Probiotics are thought to restore the natural
balance of bacteria in the intestinal tract. Ten studies were reviewed
and provide the best evidence we have. Study quality was mostly good overall.
The studies tested 1986 children (aged 0 to 18 years) who were receiving
probiotics co-administered with antibiotics to prevent AAD. The subjects
received probiotics (Lactobacilli spp., Bifidobacterium spp., Streptococcus
spp., or Saccharomyces boulardii alone or in combination), placebo (fake
pills), other treatments thought to prevent AAD (i.e. diosmectite or infant
formula) or no treatment. The studies were short term and ranged in length
from 15 days to 3 months. An analysis that included only patients who completed
the studies showed that probiotics may be effective for preventing AAD.
However, a more conservative analysis that counted study drop-outs as treatment
failures did not show any differences between probiotic and comparison
groups. Probiotics were generally well tolerated and side effects occurred
infrequently. Although current data are promising, there is insufficient
evidence to routinely recommend the use of probiotics for the prevention
of pediatric AAD.
Probiotics
show promise for the prevention of pediatric AAD. While per protocol analysis
yields treatment effect estimates that are both statistically and clinically
significant, as does analysis of high quality studies, the estimate from
the intention to treat analysis was not statistically significant. Future
studies should involve probiotic strains and doses with the most promising
evidence (e.g., Lactobacillus GG, Lactobacillus sporogenes, Saccharomyces
boulardii at 5 to 40 billion colony forming units/day). Research done to
date does not permit determination of the effect of age (e.g., infant versus
older children) or antibiotic duration (e.g., 5 days versus 10 days). Future
trials would benefit from a validated primary outcome measure for antibiotic-associated
diarrhea that is sensitive to change and reflects what treatment effect
clinicians, parents, and children consider important. The current data
are promising, but it is premature to routinely recommend probiotics for
the prevention of pediatric AAD.
The US Centers for Disease Control
(CDC) has just released "the first report ever done on adverse reactions
to antibiotics in the United States" on 13 Aug, 2008. (1) This is "the
first report ever"? How is that possible? Antibiotics have been widely
used since the 1940s. It is astounding that it has taken CDC so long to
seriously study the side effects of these drugs. It is now apparent that
there have been decades of an undeserved presumption of safety.
Antibiotics can put you in the emergency room. Common antibiotics, the
ones most frequently prescribed and regarded as safest, cause for nearly
half of emergencies due to antibiotics. And, incredibly enough, people
in the prime of life - not babies - are especially at risk. The study authors
reported that "Persons aged 15-44 years accounted for an estimated 41.2
percent of emergency department visits. Infants accounted for only an estimated
6.3 percent of ED visits." They also found that nearly 80% of antibiotic-caused
"adverse events" were allergic reactions. Overdoses and mistakes, by patients
and by physicians, make up the rest.
Allergic
reactions to antibiotics may be very serious, including life-threatening
anaphylactic shock. Searching the US National Library of Medicine's "Medline"
database (2) for "antibiotic allergic reaction" will bring up over 9,700
mentions in scientific papers. A search for "antibiotic anaphylactic shock"
brings up over 1,100. Many papers on this severe danger were actually published
before 1960. Given this amount of accumulated information, one might
wonder why CDC took so long to seriously study the problem.
Overuse of antibiotics leads to antibiotic resistance. At its website,
CDC currently states that antibiotic resistance "can cause significant
danger and suffering for people who have common infections that once were
easily treatable with antibiotics. . . Some resistant infections can cause
death." In the USA alone, "over 3 million pounds of antibiotics are used
every year on humans . . . enough to give every man, woman and child 10
teaspoons of pure antibiotics per year," write Null, Dean, Feldman, and
Rasio. (5) "Almost half of patients with upper respiratory tract infections
in the U.S. still receive antibiotics from their doctor" even though "the
CDC warns that 90% of upper respiratory infections, including children's
ear infections, are viral, and antibiotics don't treat viral infection.
More than 40% of about 50 million prescriptions for antibiotics each year
in physicians' offices were inappropriate."
Additionally, every year, a staggering 25 million pounds of antibiotics
are administered to farm animals, most given in an attempt to prevent illness.
Seepage from feedlots results in low concentrations of antibiotics in our
waterways and food. This increases human antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic
resistance and antibiotic allergic reactions continue to be major public
health problems. Both dangers are directly related to the huge amount of
antibiotics we consume. One immediate way to decrease the incidence of
side effects from antibiotics is to use antibiotics less often. Reducing
use "by even a small percentage could significantly reduce the immediate
and direct risks of drug-related adverse events," the CDC study authors
said. learn
more
Chaitow discusses the current antibiotic crisis in terms of the damage
done to friendly bacteria, the damage to our immune systems and the ecological
damage caused by the overprescription of antibiotics. Antibiotic resistant
bacteria (Superbugs) are proliferating, and it is time to consider alternative
ways of fighting infection. These include herbs like Echinacea, vitamins
and minerals, yoghurt and friendly bacteria, hydrotherapy, acupuncture,
fasting, other ways of immune enhancement,
lifestyle factors, detoxification and various mind-body factors. Stressors
that have a damaging effect on friendly intestinal bacteria include medicines,
drugs, stress, a high fat and high sugar diet, smoking, excess alcohol,
environmental pollutants, radiation (including X-rays) and immune deficiencies.
The book tells you what to do if you have to take antibiotics - this includes
supplementing with the friendly bacteria like Bifidobacterium Bifidum,
Lactobacillus Longum, Bifidobacterium Longum, Lactobacillus Bulgaricus
and Streptococcus Thermophilus. This is a practical and helpful guide to
all who are concerned about maintaining optimal health. The book concludes
with 12 pages of references and a thorough index. Book: Antibiotic
Crisis, Antibiotic Alternatives
Dr. Lawrence Wilson - "To strengthen the immune system, one must
address the needs of the whole body. A strong immune system is essential
for health. It is a very complex system of the body, involving the
skin, intestines, nasal mucosa, blood, lymph and many other organs and
tissues. Factors that impair the immune system include nutrient deficiencies,
contaminated air, water and food, unhealthful lifestyles and too much exposure
to harmful microbes. Other factors that weaken the immune system
are negative attitudes and emotions and the presence of toxic metals, toxic
chemicals and biological toxins in the body. Others are sluggish
metabolism, lack of rest and sleep, excessive stress or too much exercise.
As these causative factors are removed or corrected, the immune system
improves." PREVENTING
AND TREATING INFECTIONS NATURALLY
Currently, an estimated 70 percent of antibiotics and related drugs
in the United States are used in the feed and water of healthy animals
-- a practice with serious consequences for human health. Bacteria that
are constantly exposed to antibiotics develop resistance to these drugs.
When humans get sick from resistant bacteria, the antibiotics prescribed
are less likely to work.
Experts have long known that the overuse of antibiotics by doctors and
their patients has reduced the ability of those drugs to cure infections.
Now there is mounting evidence that the antibiotics widely used on farm
animals are also diminishing the power of important antibiotics to help
people. Giving animals antibiotics in their feed can cause microbes in
the livestock to become resistant to the drugs. People can then become
infected with the resistant bacteria by eating or handling meat contaminated
with the pathogens.
"Many
of us believe there is a tremendous overuse of antibiotics for animals,"
said Marcus Zervos, an infectious disease specialist at William Beaumont
Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich., who was involved in the Michigan case. "There
is some very strong opposition to our view that animal antibiotics are
undermining antibiotics for people, but this whole area has to be reconsidered."
Most of the antibiotics used on the farm are not administered to treat
sick animals. more
Antibiotics Kill Your Body's Good Bacteria, Too, Leading to Serious
Health Risks
"It is ironic that this humbled fungus, hailed as a benefactor of mankind,
may by its very success prove to be a deciding factor in the decline of
the present civilization." -Dr. John I. Pitt, The Genus Penicillum,
Academic Press, 1979
Yeasts are opportunistic organisms. This means that, as the intestinal
bacteria die, yeasts thrive, especially when their dietary needs are met.
They can use their tendrils, or hyphae, to literally poke holes through
the lining of your intestinal wall. This results in a syndrome called leaky
gut. Yeasts are not the only possible cause of this syndrome. Some scientists
have linked non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as naproxen
and ibuprofen to the problem. Given their ability to alter intestinal terrain,
antibiotics also likely contribute to Leaky
Gut Syndrome. In addition to possibly causing leaky gut syndrome, I
believe that parasitic yeasts can also cause you to change what you eat
in that they encourage you to binge on carbohydrates including pasta, bread,
sugar, potatoes, etc. So, it should come as no surprise that weight gain
counts as one of the telltale signs of antibiotic damage and subsequent
yeast overgrowth.
By altering the normal terrain of the intestines, antibiotics can also
make food allergies more likely. An array of intestinal disorders can ensue,
as well. Sadly, most doctors claim ignorance concerning their patients’
intestinal disorders rather than admit that the drugs they themselves prescribed
actually caused the disorders to begin with. Tons of antibiotics are fed
to American livestock on a daily basis, purportedly to proof them against
bacteria. This practice not only possibly contributes to antibiotic resistance
in humans -- many experts feel weight gain, and not disease prevention,
is the real reason antibiotics are so widely used. Fat cattle sell for
more than thin cattle. That’s all very well, but imagine what the antibiotics
thereby possibly present in dairy products could be doing to our children’s
health.
Probiotics
are the beneficial bacteria that are normally present in the digestive
tract. These bacteria are required for proper digestion, the synthesis
of Vitamin K, and the prevention of yeast infections and pathogen growth.
Studies have shown that the continual use of antibiotics has a devastating
affect on the immune system. Each time you use an antibiotic, the
immune system gets further and further suppressed. Antibiotic kill friendly
helpful microflora bacteria in a body, not just the pathogenic bacteria.
A healthy intestinal tract with a balanced microflora can boost the immune
system, keep pathogenic diseases of the intestinal tract in check. Probiotic
use creates an intestinal environment that can improve a user's immune
system. The intestines are the body's largest immune organ. It's a fairly
hostile environment and a well balanced system can relieve immunological
stress associated with an unhealthful system. This gives the immune system
a chance to enhance its capabilities in other parts of the body.
Although the suppressive therapies are hard on the body, they do not
compare with he rampant idiocy of using antibiotics for viral infections.
Thankfully some measure of sanity appears to be returning to the medical
profession. More and more doctors are avoiding prescribing antibiotics
for colds and flus. Several critical observations must be made here.
First, antibiotics are totally ineffective against viruses. The excuse
most often heard for prescribing antibiotics in a viral illness is to prophylactically
protect the body against a secondary bacterial infection. This is an idea
proven to be false decades ago. In the United States, of the 5 most common
antibiotics prescribed, three are broad spectrum. That's a problem!
Second, the basis of antibiotics is mold. Through millions of years
of evolution, bacteria and mold have coexisted in nature - in the soil,
plants and animals. When one of them developed an evolutionary edge over
the other and began to shift the balance in favor of itself, the other
must have rapidly learned to defend itself against this new attack. If
this were not true, we would only have either bacteria or molds but not
both. By using mold, we thought we could slay one step ahead of bacteria
in the evolutionary scale because we're so smart. Well, the yolk is on
us, the bacteria are winning, and at a record pace. So in our attempt to
wipe out bacteria, we forced them into a revolutionary evolutionary change
and we damaged our immunity so badly that we become easy prey for viruses.
Additional side effects of antibiotics are immune suppression and the increased
susceptibility to parasites.
The long term effects of the breakdown of the immune system can be seen
in increased infections, auto-immune disorders and tumor formation. The
body's last ditch effort to compensate for the loss of internal defenses
is to hyper activate the depressed immune function. What it may do is over
stimulate the immune function, sacrificing the "self" - "not self" regulatory
mechanisms. The defenses then perceive its own organs and systems as "not
self" and begin to mount defenses against them. This starts the precipitous
march toward auto immune disorders such as SLE, MS, RA, and possibly CFS.
more
--- Why
elimination of the symptom is NOT the same as elimination of the
disease
Towards the end of Louis Pasteur's life, he confessed that germs may
not be the cause of disease after all, but may simply be another symptom
of disease. He had come to realize that germs seem to lead to illness primarily
when the person's immune and defense system (what biologists call "host
resistance") is not strong enough to combat them. The "cause" of disease
is not simply a bacteria but also the factors that compromise host resistance,
including the person's hereditary endowment, his nutritional state, the
stresses in his life, and his psychological state.
"Back in the early 1800's homeopathy carved out a reputation for itself
with the extraordinary results its treating patients during epidemics.
The battle of Leipzig in 1813 caused an outbreak of typhus which Hahnemann
treated. Of the 180 patients he treated, only 2 died, the medical profession
had a greater than 50% mortality rate. During the winter of 1831-1832 a
cholera epidemic broke out in Europe. The homeopathic patients had a 4%
mortality rate compared to over 50% with conventional medicine. Excellent
results were obtained in all the following plagues as well. " more
about homeopathy
Two out of three infants receive antibiotics before they turn one year
old. By the age of two, three out of four children have received the drugs,
according to recent research. These findings are especially concerning
as resistance to common antibiotics is becoming an ever increasing problem.
Deaths caused by Staphylococcus aureus, the so-called superbug that is
resistant to most antibiotics, are reportedly increasing. Moreover, research
from a new study has shown that children from low-economic backgrounds
are more likely to receive antibiotics than those from more well off families,
and boys tend to receive antibiotics earlier than girls. Low-economic background
might be a factor because people from this group tend to have higher rates
of respiratory illness due to smoking and a lower likelihood of breast-feeding.
Antibiotics and ear tubes treat symptoms of a problem. They do not strengthen
the organism so that it can fight the infection itself, nor do they make
the organism less resistant to future infection. In chronic ear infection
it has become standard procedure for physicians to use ear tubes in conjunction
with antibiotics or in place of it. These tubes help drain the pus from
the ear, but this treatment only deals with the results of the problem;
it does nothing to Alternatives to Antibioticstreat the reason the infection
was able to spread in the first place. This physiological fact may be the
reason ear tubes have been found to be of questionable value."
learn about alternatives to antibiotics or ear tubes in childhood ear infectio
Natural
Herbal Antibiotics Today, drug resistant germs are spreading at an alarming rate. Natural
herbal antibiotics support a healthy immune system. It is the immune system
that plays a major role in determining whether the body will effectively
fight off infection and maintain immunity against pathogenic bacteria and
viruses.
Richard
J. Holliday, DVM - "Antibiotics disrupt the normal population of beneficial
microbes in the gastrointestinal tract of all animals, these beneficial
bacteria are the first fine of defense against most diseases, without them
the animal is more susceptible to other infections. Antibiotics depress
the immune system by decreasing the number of circulating white blood cells.
This lowers the animal's ability to fight infections. Some antibiotics,
such as chloramphenicol, can cause irreversible damage to the bone marrow.
Many bacteria develop resistance to the effects of antibiotics, This resistance
can be passed to other bacteria, The concern is that if humans are exposed
to resistant bacteria from animals then the use of antibiotics may be Ineffective
in treating any resulting disease. This is the major controversy regarding
the use of antibiotics on a regular basis in food producing animals." Richard
J. Holliday, DVM
Diarrhea, abdominal pain, severe inflammation of the colon (colitis),
irritable bowel syndrome, skin problems, fever, elevated white blood cell
count, weak immune system, vomiting, dehydration, potassium deficiencies,
allergies, colon perforation, bad breath, excess stomach gas, yeast problems,
nutritional deficiencies and constipation are just some of the many side
effects and problems linked to antibiotics. In 1928, when Alexander Glemming
discovered antibiotics, everyone was raving at this incredible breakthrough
in medicine. However, over the years, this breakthrough which was heralded
with curing disease is now creating disease and problems of its own.
Bacteria now has built resistance to many antibiotics. Hence, stronger
and stronger antibiotics are needed to do the job and if weaker antibiotics
create problems, can you imagine what more powerful antibiotics will do?
It's a vicious circle because ultimately bacteria will build resistance
to the new and more powerful antibiotics too! New forms of bacteria and
disease are being created. These new problems are very dangerous and the
flesh eating disease is the best example of antibiotic resistant bacteria.
Antibiotics literally means against life (anti = against and biotic = life).
In a healthy body, there is both good and bad bacteria in the intestinal
tract. There should be about 80% good bacteria and about 20% bad bacteria.
When antibiotics are used, both good and bad bacteria are destroyed
in the intestinal tract. Once the antibiotics are stopped, the bad bacteria
grows back first and faster. The result is a very unhealthy and weak body
with no friendly bacteria. It takes on average 1 year to recover from antibiotics
if you are feeding good food and supplementing with friendly bacteria.
If the diet you are feeding is bad, then your pet will take even longer
to recover and may never fully recover. Antibiotics relieve symptomatic
problems but after the antibiotics are stopped, the symptoms come back.
So what happens now? They give more antibiotics. What's ironic is that
antibiotics are then given to help combat the problems that the antibiotics
created in the body. Antibiotics are definitely over prescribed and over
used. Antibiotics for example do nothing for a virus and yet are often
administered anyway.
Hopefully soon, common sense will prevail and medical practitioners
will realize what is happening. But, it is up to you, the people to put
pressures on vets to become more careful about their practice of administering
antibiotics. In fact, encourage your vets to learn the alternatives. Make
them aware that there are side effects that can no longer ignored. Before
antibiotics, what did people do? In World War 1, medics put garlic cloves,
which have long been acclaimed for their natural antibiotic properties,
in the wounds of soldiers. Some use bee propolis which has natural phagocystosis
properties. Phagocystosis is the ability to encourage white blood cells
to destroy bacteria. There are certainly many other natural antibiotics
which have no side effects (except bad breath in garlic's case). In general,
natural antibiotics only attack bad bacteria and leave the friendly bacteria
alone. Become aware that although antibiotics have helped save many lives,
they are not a cure by any means.
Conclusion
- The body should have 80% friendly bacteria and about 20% bad bacteria
inside the intestinal tract. After the use of antibiotics, the body will
have no more than 20% friendly bacteria and 80% bad bacteria if not more.
-Most illness, disease and problems begin in the intestinal tract. Thus,
antibiotics create the potential for serious illness to begin.
-You may not be giving your pet antibiotics, but if it has ever eaten
foods with preservatives, you have been giving your pet what I call 'hidden
antibiotics'. The job of preservatives is to control bacteria and once
your pet eats food with preservatives, it will ultimately have an effect
inside the intestinal tract too and kill the friendly bacteria.
-You should expect it will take at the very least 1 year to recolonize
the intestinal tract with friendly bacteria after the use of antibiotics.
-Recolonize the intestinal tract with friendly bacteria by using supplements
and feeding natural foods.
Dr.
Karen Becker DVM -
"It’s vital to understand that antibiotics do not
discriminate in the type of bacteria they destroy. They kill both the healthy
and unhealthy bacteria. And, by decimating the good bacteria, you increase
your pet’s risk of subsequent intestinal infection and yeast overgrowth.
Every time your pet is placed on antibiotics I strongly recommend you use
a high quality probiotic, which replenishes the beneficial bacteria the
antibiotic destroys. I also recommend you ask your vet to perform a culture
and sensitivity test prior to guessing at which antibiotic will be effective
for treating your pet’s infection, unless the infection is life threatening.
One of the reasons animals are becoming microbially resistant to many of
the antibiotics on the market is because vets take the “here, try this
one” approach to prescribing, which is the recipe for creation of a dangerous
superbug."
How to recolonize the intestinal tract of your animal with friendly
bacteria Bacterial infections, stress, traveling, antibiotic treatment, poor
diet and a number of other factors can and do disturb the balance in our
intestinal tract, decreasing the number of beneficial bacteria while allowing
an increase in pathogenic bacteria. This increase in pathogenic bacteria
can result in gas, diarrhea, constipation, and other intestinal symptoms.
How do you know if your dog has a bacterial imbalance? If your
dog has bad breath, it has a bacterial imbalance. If your dog has
chronic flatulence, it has a bacterial imbalance. If a dog has colitis
or other kinds of digestive disorders, it has a bacterial imbalance.
If your dog has diabetes, arthritis or other debilitating chronic illnesses,
it has a bacterial imbalance. In fact almost all illnesses stem from
a bacterial imbalance in that the body cannot absorb the nutrients you
are providing thus hindering your dog's body in its quest for robust health
and vitality. Without excellent nutritional absorption, the body
eventually fails.
Probiotics
are a class of beneficial bacteria that promote health, balance and efficient
functioning of the digestive system. These friendly bacteria are normal
inhabitants of the intestines and help to digest foods by breaking them
down into their individual component parts, such as fats, amino acids,
carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals for absorption into the body. Another
function of these normal bacteria is to prevent or limit the growth of
unwanted bacterial pathogens including salmonella, clostridia and E-coli
that can prevent proper nutrient absorption, create intestinal disturbances
and eventually cause more serious illness. Prevention of illness by a well
maintained microflora balance is accomplished by a method referred to as
"competitive exclusion". That is, the good bacteria take up positions known
as enteric sites therefore preventing the pathogenic bacteria from establishing
itself and proliferating to become a predominant bacteria. more
"Dogs with chronic, recurrent ear infections often receive repeated
prescriptions for ear salves containing steroids
and antibiotics, but these poor dogs are rarely permanently cured. Experts
now recognize that many ear infections are caused by underlying allergies,
which might prompt the doctor to recommend diet changes, nutritional
supplements, homeopathic remedies, or any
number of holistic treatments. Pets with chronic skin disease and even
epilepsy often respond favorably to a simple change
in diet, yet many go through life living from one steroid or anticonvulsant
pill to the next, unnecessarily. Holistic medicine often gives a pet with
chronic or incurable diseases a new chance at health." AltVetMed
Richard
H. Bennett, Ph.D - "For decades, the approach to maintaining healthy
animals was to wait for signs and symptoms of disease to occur and to counter
the challenge with an array of drugs which were toxic for the disease causing
agent. This approach is now being questioned as the armada of drugs
is diminishing due to multiple drug resistant pathogens. Compounding
this alarming trend is the current approach to health maintenance which
assumes that "all is well" until actual disease processes begin. By this
time, the disease is established, sometimes irreversibly, and the damage
has occurred. So the questions arises...What if a new paradigm existed?
Could it be possible to optimize the immune status of animals so that (1)
disease is much less likely to occur and (2) if disease does occur, it's
severity and duration is minimized? The answer is YES and this paradigm
shift is being engineered by small, naturally occuring protein-like molecules
called TRANSFER
FACTORS." Dr.
Richard Bennett holds a doctorate in Comparatie Pathology from the University
of California, Davis. His work in this area includes basic and applied
research in infectious disease microbiology and immunology. read
the testimonials from veterinarians who use transfer factors in their practice
Note Feeding your animal a diet of raw
food (meat, fish, nuts, fruits and vegetables) will provide ample supply
of friendly bacteria. I noticed that dogs are fonds of rotten food items
from compost piles. The reason is probably because rotten food are rich
in friendly bacteria. I save all my "spoiled" veggies for my dog. The worst
it smells, the better she seems to enjoy eating it. To an animal, spoiled
veggies may be similar to what yogurt is to humans. Shirley
"Our society has been conditioned with quick-fix and band-aid medicine.
We know from experience that this often times only gives temporary relief
and in fact can generate a rebound effect of symptoms or undesirable side-effects.
complementary medicine, in particular Homeopathy
and Herbs, can play a very large part in the
successful rearing of our animals. Homeopathy and Herbs are essentially,
natural healing processes, providing remedies to assist the patient to
regain health by stimulating the body's natural forces of recovery. They
concentrate on treating the patient, rather than the disease." Marina
Zacharias, author of Healthy
Breeding with Herbs and Homeopathy
SICK OF DRUGGING YOUR PET?
Dr Charles E Loops DVM - "After
10 years of traditional veterinary practice I became tired of having no
treatment for chronic disease, incurable conditions, and a plethora of
allergic maladies which seem to plague all veterinary practices. I was
frustrated with giving animals cortisone because
I had no other solutions, or using antibiotics for infections which I knew
were of viral origin. There is so much that can be done for an animal,
bird, or reptile that is ailing by utilizing homeopathic medicine." Healing
Your Dog, Cat, Ferret, Horse, and other Animals with Safe, Natural and
Effective Non-Toxic Remedies
You
cannot
poison your animal into healthwith drugs,
chemo or radiation. The holistic approach treats the whole animal, ignites
the body's internal healing force and stimulates the body's natural abilities
to heal itself "Health can only be achieved with healthful living"
T.C.Fry
Veterinary Malpractice- "Of the tens
of thousands of veterinarians practicing in the United States, many are
incompetent, careless or both. Others fail to deliver adequate care because
their singular focus on profits makes them unwilling to pay for qualified
employees, equipment, supplies, etc. I have even known of one vet who diluted
her euthanasia drugs and another who re-used single-use surgery supplies.
Unnecessary deaths and suffering have become commonplace."
Dr. Michael W. Fox DVM - "The right of all animals under our
care/dominion is right veterinary care, which must begin with a more conservative
approach to prescribing and administering potentially harmful and often
unnecessary
vaccinations and other drugs that are wrongly toted under the banner
of "preventive" medicine*, for pecuniary if not misguided reasons, like
the wholesale use of antibiotics in intensively farmed animals that put
consumers at risk world-wide from antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria
in contaminated meat, eggs, poultry and dairy products (.Those who have
read Ivan Illich’s book "Medical Nemesis" may well see a parallel in this
"veterinary nemesis" that I have been fighting for many years. And I am
not alone** in this deep concern for the animal health and wellbeing, and
for the good of every society, East and West, North and South, that still
depends on animals in so many ways, emotionally, culturally, and financially,
for reasons good and bad, depending on your point of view and the situational
ethics that affect our relationship with and treatment of these other sentient
beings." more
Dr. Richard Pitcairn D.V.M.
Ph.D - "In this article we begin to address the subject of vaccinosis,
the general name for chronic dis-ease caused by vaccines. For some readers
the very idea that vaccines are anything but wonderful and life-saving
may come as a surprise, and it's not a very pleasant one. After all, the
general population pictures vaccines as one of modern medicine's best and
brightest moments, saving literally millions from the scourge of diseases
like poliomyelitis and smallpox. "
Dr. McCluggage DVM - -
"...we must stop advocating yearly vaccines because of the harm we are
doing to the animals we vaccinate. He covered the homeopathic concept of
"vaccinosis". Vaccinosis is a disease entity that may be introduced through
vaccinating animals or people. Once vaccinosis develops, there is a disturbance
in the bodies vital forces that leads to symptoms of chronic disease that
can be very difficult (and often impossible) to cure. Dr. McCluggage also
stated that there are no good reasons to recommend annual vaccinations
for our companion animals. "
Donna Starita Mehan DVM
-"Routine" vaccination has adverse side-effects, either short or long
term. With vaccines that are repeated year after year, the frequency and
severity of these side-effects in our pets has increased dramatically.
Most of the problems involve the immune system. After all, the immune system
is what vaccines are designed to stimulate. But they do so in a very unnatural
way that can overwhelm and confuse the immune system and can result in
increased susceptibility to acute infections (such as ear infections in
dogs, bladder infections in cats), chronic tapeworm problems, or in more
degenerative cases, cancer."
Correctly
prescribed homeopathic remedies can often undue the damage caused by vaccines.
Homeopathy
is
noted for its success to antidote or remove the toxic effects of vaccines
and to re-establish balance in the organism and restore health. Certain
homeopathic remedies taken aftervaccination can minimize
vaccine damage. A professional homeopathic vet should
be consulted for more information.
Animals aren't the only
ones at risk! What Every Parent Should Know BEFORE Their Childen Are Vaccinated!
What
Every Parent Should Know BEFORE Their Childen Are Vaccinated! Why
are a growing number of parents and health care professionals around the
world questioning vaccination? The controversy stems from the thousands
of deaths and permanent disabilities attributed to vaccination annually,
as well as the many published medical studies, government statistics, congressional
testimonies, and other credible sources that directly contradict commonly
held assumptions about vaccine safety and effectiveness.
Bart Classen, a Maryland physician, published data showing that diabetes
rates rose significantly in New Zealand following a massive hepatitis B
vaccine campaign in young children, and that diabetes rates also went up
sharply in Finland after three new childhood vaccines were introduced.
More pictures
of vaccine damage available to view at the
CDC
website
In fall 1997, two influential professional magazines featured articles
asking the question: Has the decrease of infectious diseases in childhood
through the mass use of vaccines been replaced with an increase in chronic
diseases such as diabetes and asthma? The Economist, a prestigious international
magazine read by world leaders in government, business and public policy,
and Science News, a magazine read by both health care professionals
and the general public, explored the reported links between vaccines and
chronic diseases in their November 22, 1997 issues.
Homeopathy
can be used successfully to prevent and treat smallpox, measles,
whooping
cough, chickenpox, and other ailments.
Would you allow big brother to enforce vaccinations on your kids? Government
Enforced Vaccinations Vaccination Tracking Registry - Government programs
that limit your choices -and your rights- in health care when it comes
to mandatory vaccination. These mandates last for 40 or so years
and they're impossible to repeal. Also, learn about Legal Requirements
and Exemptions
Are Vaccines Damaging Our Pets?
Routine Vaccination: Is
it really safe and effective? Most recently, an article
appeared in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
entitled "Are We Vaccinating Too Much?" Read about the comments of veterinarians
who believe that vaccines are damaging our pets.
In 1988 in a New York City hospital,
the first strains of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) appeared, and
between September 1989 and October 1991, 38 New York hospitals reported
VRE infections, 98 percent of which were contracted during the patient's
hospital stay. Soon hospitals in New Jersey, Connecticut and other states
began reporting VRE infections, and the problem quickly spread to other
countries. VRE infections are now a worldwide problem.
Nearly all VRE infections are acquired in hospitals.
The longer the hospital stay, the greater the risk. Although the risk is
highest in intensive care units, VRE infections in hospitals have been
traced to nearly every patient-occupied area. Individuals previously treated
with vancomycin or combination antibiotic therapy have an increased risk
of developing VRE. Those with a serious disease or suppressed immune system
or who undergo abdominal surgery are at increased risk. Most VRE infections
occur in patients 41 to 60 years old, but they can affect people of any
age. VRE infections are virtually untreatable using conventional methods.
Even if combination antibiotics appear to be effective, the patient soon
has a relapse more virulent than the original infection. A 1995 study at
Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York found that when VRE infections
spread to the blood (bacteriemia), the in-hospital death rate was 100 percent.
VRE infections are now the second leading cause of infections acquired
in hospitals.
Hospitals are not the only breeding ground for
new versions of old pathogens. As the New York Times explained on January
24, 1999, previously unknown bacteria and viruses are blooming in the earth's
warming oceans, killing marine life and threatening human health. At that
week's national meeting of the American Association for the Advancement
of Science, researchers reported that dying coral, diseased shellfish and
ocean waters infected with human viruses are symptoms of a rapidly growing
global problem.
According to the organization, new studies show
that vast colonies of human viruses migrate regularly into Florida's coastal
waters from the state's 1.6 million septic tanks, and many people are becoming
infected with viruses picked up while swimming, windsurfing or boating
in infected waters. One study found that almost 25 percent of the people
using marine beaches developed ear infections, sore throats, sore eyes,
respiratory infections or gastrointestinal disease. Some of the viruses
detected in coastal waters are linked to heart disease, diabetes, meningitis
and hepatitis.
“Most people who come in contact with these viruses
do not get ill,” said Joan B. Rose, a researcher at the University of South
Florida, “but of the 20 to 24 percent who do, about 1 percent become chronically
infected.” Rose's research team traced the migration of viruses from septic
tanks and found that pathogens infect coastal waters within 24 hours of
being flushed down toilets. Storms that churn ocean water speed the process.
Many of the viruses that infect humans directly or through the eating of
contaminated shellfish cannot be detected by the routine monitoring of
water pollution. Other researchers at the meeting said that the increase
in pathogens in the world's oceans may be linked to a 1.8-degree rise in
ocean surface temperatures detected in many areas. Warmer water kills algae
on coral, weakening the coral and making it more susceptible to infection.
more
- From Well Being Journal Vol. 9, No. 1 ~ January/February 2000
"It is ironic that this humbled fungus, hailed as a benefactor of mankind,
may by its very success prove to be a deciding factor in the decline of
the present civilization." - Dr.
John I. Pitt, The Genus Penicillum, Academic Press, 1979
Water therapy has been used for centuries to heal the sick. Hydro-
and hydrothermal therapy are traditional methods of treatment that have
been used for the treatment of disease and injury by many cultures, including
those of ancient Rome, China, and Japan. Water therapy has been around
for centuries. The ancient Greeks took therapeutic baths. Water is an important
ingredient in the traditional Chinese and Native American healing systems.
more
F. Batmanghelidj, M.D.
- "Every function inside the body is regulated by and depends on water.
Water must be available to carry vital elements, oxygen, hormones, and
chemical messengers to all parts of the body. Without sufficient water
to wet all parts equally, some more remote parts of the body will not receive
the vital elements that water supplies. Water is also needed to carry toxic
waste away from the cells. In fact, there are at least 50 reasons why the
body needs sufficient water on a regular, everyday basis. Without sufficient
water to constantly wet all parts, your body's drought-management system
kicks into action. The histamine-directed chemical messenger systems are
activated to arrange a new, lower quota of water for the drought-stricken
areas. When histamine and its subordinate "drought managers" come across
pain-sensing nerves, they cause pain. This is what I discovered in my research
that I mentioned earlier."
Home:
ShirleysWellnessCafe.com (aka: MyWellnessHouse.com) is a free educational
site site dedicated to help promote holistic health for you, your family,
and your animals.
Shirley was once a victim
of the never-ending flow of propaganda from the medical establishment who
wants to maintain a monopoly on the word "cure" and who wants us to believe
that we have no control over our own health and that our only hope to get
"well" is with drugs, surgery and radiation. You can read an account
of Shirley's
journey into health without drugs, surgery or radiation.
Dr. Jimmy Gutman, M.D
- "Clinical evidence links low glutathione
levels to the most common illnesses of our time as well as newly emerging
diseases. Glutathione levels diminish as we age and many diseases normally
associated with aging have been linked to glutathione deficiency."
Dr. Allan Somersall M.D
- "To raise glutathione levels is to
reduce premature oxidation, to quench destructive free radicals and help
detoxify the poisons inside each cell when it needs to. Only Immunocal
is clinically proven to do that in a safe, effective and convenient way."
Learn
more...
The Truth
About the Drug Companies : How They Deceive Us and What to Do About It
"The medical establishment works closely with the drug multinationals whose
main objective is profits, and whose worst nightmare would be an epidemic
of good health. Lots of drugs MUST be sold. In order to achieve this, anything
goes: lies, fraud, and kickbacks. Doctors are the principal salespeople
of the drug companies. " Guylaine Lanctot, M.D.
Raising
Public Awareness Most modern maladies are
caused by prolonged exposure to a combination of negative lifestyles and
toxic environmental factors, including junk food and malnutrition, pesticides,
antibiotics, microwaves, chemical pollution of food, water and air, lack
of exercise and chronic stress. These factors are further aggravated by
the failure of modern medicine to recognize them as agents of dis-"ease"
and death and the consequent failure to take preventative measures against
them. more
Gandhi - “We
have grown accustomed to believing that no illness can be cured without
medicine. However, this is just a superstition. Medicines are always dangerous”
A
growing number of holistic doctors, pediatricians and veterinarians use
transfer
factors as an alternative to, or in conjunction with conventional
medicine for their acute and chronic cases, including cancer and other
serious health conditions, with excellent outcome.
Dr. Rob Robertson, MD
- "There is no other product in a nutritional substance, nor a drug, that
has this kind of power and ability to affect our immune system. With the
increase of killer viruses, mutated germs, super-resistant germs, and food
contaminations, our only hope and defense, must lie within our own immune
system." Transfer factors and the immune sytem
Dr. Jerry Tennant, M.D.
says
that marine phytoplankton contains almost everything
one needs to sustain life and to restore health by providing the raw materials
to make new cells that function normally. These nutrients improve mental
function, and memory. They reduce depression, harmful effects of stress,
and mood swings. Profound Life-Giving Properties
of Marine Phytoplankton
The
Native Americans call it "Ee-Wah-Kee" meaning "The-Mud-That-Heals".
In addition to the role it plays as a potent detoxifier, therapeutic
clay has also been used extensively in the treatment of pain, open
wounds, colitis, diarrhea, hemorrhoids, stomach ulcers, intestinal problems,
acne, anemia, and a variety of other health issues. more
Chemicals
and Toxins Are The Primary Cause of Illness, Disease and Obesity. Detoxification
comes in many forms and refers to many different programs that cleanse
the body of toxins. Detoxification for Optimum
Health
Teas
Are One of The Most Effective Ways to Benefit from Nature's Healing Herbs Teas can help fight depression
and anxiety, heal skin conditions and gastrointestinal disorders, regulate
hormone imbalances, improve your sex life, prevent illness, and help
you heal faster.
Many diseases and conditions for which we turn to modern medicine can also
be treated naturally with healing herbs. These treatments can be safer,
less expensive and possibly even more effective than traditional methods.
Dr.
Myklebust, MD: "Teas are rich in antioxidants called polyphenols which
are plant chemicals that may help prevent cancer, heart disease, and other
diseases" More
MagnesiumTherapy
Magnesium helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function, keeps heart
rhythm steady, and bones strong. Dr. Sidney Baker - "Magnesium deficiency
can affect virtually every organ system of the body. With regard to skeletal
muscle, one may experience twitches, cramps, muscle tension, muscle soreness,
including back aches, neck pain, tension headaches and jaw joint (TMJ)
dysfunction." more
Natural
Stem Cell Enhancers The first natural plant-based
stem cell enhancers have shown to trigger the release of millions of adult
stem cells from the bone marrow very quickly. These stem cells can then
migrate and attach to any cells, tissue, bone, muscle, cartilage, organ
anywhere in the body needing repair. Learn more
Chia
Seeds: The "Aztec" Wonder Food with Healing Power. The ancient Aztec
civilization used Chia seed to provide them with radiant health, endurance,
and boundless energy.
The
Healing Power of Original Himalayan Crystal Salt For centuries,
the energy/information content, in the form of vital mineral elements
locked away within these perfectly formed crystals of mineral rich salt,
were utilized by doctors for treating most every disorder known to humans,
and with unfailing success. Recently. this ancient knowledge was once again
uncovered by biophysicists and brought to light in the acclaimed book,
Water
and Salt, The Essence of Life , by Dr. Barbara Hendel and biophysicist
Peter Ferreira
Albert Einstein said:
"If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would only
have four years left to live."
The future of the Internet
is up for grabs. Large and powerful corporations are lobbying Washington
to turn the World Wide Web into what critics call a "toll road," threatening
the equitability that has come to define global democracy's newest forum.
"The genius of the Internet was that it made the First Amendment a living
document again for millions of Americans," says Robert McChesney, a media
scholar and activist and co-author of OUR
MEDIA, NOT THEIRS. "The decisions that we're going be making ... are
probably going to set our entire communication system, and, really, our
entire society, on a course that it won't be able to change for generations."
learn
more on PBS: The Net at Risk
SecreSea
Nature's Beauty Secret Since the Dawn of Mankind This skin
care line contains timeless offerings from sea and land, using only the
highest-quality ingredients, extracts
and essential oils to rejuvenate and purify your skin. SecreSea generously
nourishes the skin with marine phytoplankton
and then adds aloe vera, lavender, CoQ10 and other 100% natural nutrients
to support healthy skin.
Stressed
out? Anxious? Worried? Panic Attack? Insomnia? Today's fast paced
living can translate into a highly stressful environment. Our bodies are
continually
challenged physically and emotionally, in the workplace and in our personal
lives. Calmazon helps our body to relieve stress naturally. It produces
a calming effect by assisting the body's natural processes and supporting
its nutritional needs. learn
more
Leaders in Washington
are working to restrict your access
to dietary supplements - including the safe, effective, and affordable
vitamins, minerals, and herbs you depend on for your health. Your hard-won
natural health freedoms as guaranteed by the Dietary Supplement Health
and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994 have come under attack by the
political
allies of pharmaceutical interest groups!" Watch the Whistleblower
doctors free videos
Prescription
for Disaster in-depth investigation into the relationships
between the pharmaceutical industry, the FDA, lobbyists, lawmakers, medical
schools, and researchers, and the impact this has on consumers and their
health care.
The
National Health Federation is an international consumer education,
health-freedom organization working to protect individuals' rights to
choose to consume healthy food, take supplements, and use alternative therapies
without government restrictions.
The
Natural Solutions Foundation (NSF) is a non-profit corporation devoted
to protect, preserve and defend our right to make our own health
choices based on what we, not the government, believe are the best
choices for ourselves.
The
World Natural Health Organization's mission is to unite all natural
health care groups against the attack of government officials and special
interest groups that want to eliminate the natural health care system,
institutions of higher learning, the manufacturing of natural herbal products,
and natural health care laboratories around the world.
Optimal Prostate Health and
Prevention Measure to prostate enlargement.
Prostate Cancer: a drugless
approach
Homeopathic approach to impotence,
bladder infections, prostate problems etc.
The Male Andropause (like menopause)
Male Herbs for Impotence
Peter R. Breggin,
M.D - "The drugging of children has gotten
so out of hand that America is waking up to this. This is a national catastrophe."
more
Julian Whitaker M.D -
"Class
action lawsuits have been filed in Texas, California and New Jersey charging
Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis, maker of Ritalin,
with conspiracy to create the psychiatric disorder known as ADHD in order
to fuel the market for their product." more...
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Popular Life-Giving ProductsAntibiotic Resistance and Side Effects - Natural, Safe, Effective Alternatives
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