THE STORY OF ANTIBIOTICS CONTINUES…
LET’S TALK MORE about what happens when you take antibiotics.
All the bacteria inside your whole body everywhere, die.
Theoretically at least THEY ALL DIE. That does mean that all the harmful but also all the helpful bacteria, die. This is a problem because the (good) bacteria that live in your gut (digestive system) are the field workers that digest and glean so many nutrients from your food. We know what the ‘bad’ guys can bring with them…some really dangerous diseases, and strep throat, salmonella, scarlet fever, tetanus, tuberculosis, urinary tract infections. But the ‘good’ ones do A LOT of good. Some produce enzymes that breakdown plant cell walls which won’t give up their valuables unless they are broken. (In other words we wouldn’t be getting anything from all the vegetables that we eat.) Some bacteria synthesize vitamins that are difficult to obtain from food like K and some of the B vitamins. There are bacteria that maintain the proper pH in order for the digestive tract to stimulate and maintain the immune system. There are ‘good’ bacteria that increase the white blood cells, T-cells, which are immune system supporters. Some bacteria break down drugs; some regulate hormones; and others expel detrimental environmental and cancer-causing substances.
If all the good goes down with the bad then there are no good ones left to do the good work that needs to be done. Somewhere along the line someone made the command decision that it was okay to kill everyone so that the bad guys would be gone. Although the body eventually re-populates with bacteria, not much attention was being paid to the effects of taking antibiotics just a little beyond the immediate success and certainly not to the effects suffered in the longer term. In fact, long-term problems were not really identified or being connected to the cycle of destruction caused by using antibiotics to get rid of colds and influenza and ear infections and sinus infections and coughs and fevers, none of which are primarily bacterial in cause.
I think we’ve at least got the answer to what happens when you take an antibiotic.
The next question is why do you have to take the full course? Why can’t you just quit now when you are feeling fine?!