Weekly Wellness Note #8 - The Bacteria Myth

Alright, back to work after a couple weeks off.

Today I want to talk about another health issue that gets WAY too bad a rap from contemporary thought.

Bacteria.

The little 'bugs' and 'germs' that your mom and dad used scare you away from because they made you sick.

And it's true, there are some bacteria that can and will harm you, and fortunately almost all of these are preventable by proper hygiene and lifestyle choices (safe sex, no intravenous drug use, etc).

However, the great majority (95%+) are either good for you or do no harm. In fact the human body has 3 Trillion cells, and there are 10 times more bacteria in your gut than cells in your body!

Here are some of their functions:
- break down fiber for absorbtion
- make vitamins and nutrients
- PROTECT YOU FROM BAD BACTERIA

So why does this affect you? Because you NEED more bacteria in your life. And that means eating a healthier diet with more fruits and vegetables and weening yourself off common antibiotic products.

AND I'm NOT knocking antibiotics. The discovery and development of antibiotics could have been the greatest victory against infectios disease we may ever know. HOWEVER, their abuse is causing a tremendous amount of illness today. They will save your life when wounded, save your life during sepsis, and kill syphillis and gonorhea, but we SHOULD NOT be using them to treat colds and having them in our soaps.

Results of antibiotic abuse:
- Superbugs - the cause of most hospital deaths result from bacteria that have become resistant to most drugs because of overuse
- Killing the GOOD BACTERIA - the good bacteria protect us and give us essential nutriets. Antibiotics suppress this immune mechanism and lead to nutrient deficiency!

And this is not controversial in any way. Any PhD in microbiology will vouch for this information.

So what can you do?
Get rid of your antibacterial soaps. They contribute to the rise of superbugs
If you have a common cold, flu, or fever, try to avoid antibiotics.

The stats show that most antibiotic use (more than 80%) for these illnesses are treating viral infections which is useless.

Your body has so many weapons against these common ailments, and letting your body express the fever and cough without the drugs will strengthen your body against them in the future.

If you do feel sick enough to see your doctor and he offers you antibiotics, take control of your health.

Tell them you would like a high degree of certainty the infection is bacterial
Ask them if them for advice on reestablishing the good bacteria (normal flora)
Make sure you finish your prescription! If you start on antibiotics it is critical that antibiotics are taken in it's entirety. Stopping always leads to resistance!

Of course, most of these illnesses are not an issue when you live innately (diet, excercise, and CHIROPRACTIC care) and strive for wellness in all aspects of your life.

Be on the look out for some great nutrition advice next week. Til then...

Be well and stay adjusted.