Are you taking antibiotics? Protect your gut flora with probiotics and more natural tips

Unfortunately, I'm on antibiotics! It feels a bit like failure, as my pampered digestive system is now drastically turned upside down. As you can read in my previous blogs, having a healthy gut flora, also known as a gut microbiome, is essential for a properly functioning body. Your mental state is also largely dependent on the good colonies of bacteria in our gut system. To best support your body, here are some tips. Taking a probiotic is one of the most important tools. 

Masses of sauerkraut and liters of kombucha

My kitchen has become a safe haven for all kinds of living foods bubbling and fizzing there. These fermented products, such as kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, kimchi and sourdough, are incredibly beneficial to our gut flora. I can say from personal experience that since I have been engaging in the wonderful and versatile world of fermentation, my bowel movements have never been more optimal! Without going into details, I can say that the engine in my system is working very well and the food that enters my body is broken down and processed splendidly. 

Consequently, I also feel mentally and emotionally in my power. It’s interesting what an important role these microorganisms play on our mental health. 

When I don't have the opportunity to ferment food myself (it does take some time and attention, though other than that you just have to be patient), I take capsules from Living Nutrition. Why these capsules work so well I tell you in this blog about health. 

Lyme disease

Antibiotics are drugs used to treat certain infections. Chances are that at some point in your life you have had to take an antibiotic prescribed by your doctor. The medicine fights bacteria that have entered the body and increase the risk of certain diseases. By the way, they don't work against viruses like the flu!

The first antibiotic ever made was penicillin, derived from a fungus. When it was discovered in 1928 by British scientist Alexander Fleming, a new era was dawning in terms of combating disease-causing bacteria. Out of idealism, Fleming refused to patent his discovery. As a result, developers and the pharmaceutical industry showed no interest. It was not until many years later that the antibiotic was introduced to the market. This had to do with the many wounded that fell during the Second World War. Penicillin was considered a miracle drug and indeed saved many lives. 

Today, there are many different variants of this medicine on the market and there are many types of antibiotics, each of which has its specific effect. 

I myself was bitten by a tick about a month ago. This was not the first time. This summer we are experiencing a real invasion of this creature, which can infect people and animals time and again with a vicious bacteria. In my case, it was there: after a few weeks, I discovered a red circle that formed around the bite. This is an important characteristic for Lyme disease. The doctor immediately prescribed an antibiotic for me and I hope I’m still on time. 

Disadvantages of antibiotics

Unfortunately, antibiotics don't just kill the "bad" bacteria, they also kill the good ones! Did you know that a lot of body functions are supported by the work of these microscopic creatures? Especially with our digestion, they keep themselves diligently busy. They help us process food, release essential nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, and support the excretion of toxins and ballast. 

Taking an antibiotic is a serious drain on your system. Your body can be pretty messed up and it's important to support your gut flora as best you can. 

Another major drawback of antibiotics is the fact that bacteria can become resistant. This is especially true when large amounts of a particular bacteria are present. Resistance can also occur if the dosage is not high enough, or if the use is short-lived. Thus, when bacteria become resistant, the drug no longer works or works less well. Today's modern medicine is less and less likely to prescribe an antibiotic. However, there are still many doctors who are very quick to prescribe this medicine and then often in very high doses. 

Side effects of antibiotics

Because your intestinal system is being thrown upside down, chances are you will experience certain side effects. These may include:

• Nausea
• Cramps
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Long-term damage to your intestinal system

Do not combine antibiotics with alcohol and drugs 

It is not wise to consume alcohol while on antibiotics. When your body is infected with harmful bacteria, it is especially important to stimulate the self-healing ability as much as possible. Alcohol has a negative impact on your sleep pattern, promotes inflammation and reduces your resistance. All things you do not want when you are healing! 

Is it safe to combine with marijuana? 

Weed does not have the toxic character of alcohol. On the contrary: cannabis contains many medicinal substances, of which cannabinoids form the largest group. Besides the well-known substance THC, CBD has also made a big advance within the literature and much is now known about this non-psychoactive substance. 

But if you're on antibiotics, can you still enjoy your vaporizer? Or is it better to wait a while?

There is still too little clarity on the exact interaction between cannabis and antibiotics. For a successful course of an antibiotic treatment it is important that the liver can do its work properly. If many other substances enter the body, the liver may have difficulty breaking it all down properly. This can be a reason to temporarily stop using cannabis. Cannabis is also broken down by the liver and this can overload this organ. 

So unfortunately, I will have to give up my joint for a while!

What about caffeine?

While we're at it... can I not drink coffee either?

Indeed, I'd best leave my coffee bean grinder untouched for ten days. Caffeine can have a negative interaction with antibiotics. The antibiotic I am currently taking is also very acidic and irritates the esophagus. It is better to avoid acidic drinks, such as coffee, as much as possible. 

So in the near future I'm going to focus on other drinks, like tea! 

Tip: If your body is weakened by certain medications, give extra attention to drinking healthy herbal teas. These provide extra support and resilience and have a calming effect. 

Always take a probiotic with antibiotics!

To minimize the negative effects of the medicine, it is important to take probiotics. As the name implies, pro = for and bios = life, probiotics actually support life and healthy bacteria. The negative impact of antibiotics on your gut flora can be detectable up to two years after use! So minimize this damage as much as possible.

Food supplements that support your intestines

Living Nutrition has several capsules in its range, each of which has its own unique character and supportive effect. They are based on the fermentation techniques also used in kefir and kombucha. Many probiotic bacteria and yeasts are freeze-dried and dosed in convenient capsules.

Sensitive - Fermented Peppermint & Lemon Balm: specially developed by Living Nutrition to bring your intestinal flora back into balance. Various microorganisms have been preserved via a freeze-drying technique so that they can influence the intestinal system in a positive way. As a main ingredient, this dietary supplement contains fermented components of peppermint and lemon balm. These compounds have a beneficial and soothing effect on your gut microbiome. 

Taking CBD as an additional supplement

To alleviate certain side effects of medications, taking a CBD supplement is recommended. Personally, I am currently experiencing abdominal pain and occasional nausea. Taking a few drops of cannabidiol is an additional supplement to relieve these symptoms. 

Who takes the most antibiotics?

Even if you have never ingested a prescription antibiotic, indirectly you will have come into contact with it, especially if you eat a lot of animal products. Within the livestock industry there is an enormous amount of antibiotics used. The more living beings live close together, the greater the chance of an infecting bacterium spreading at lightning speed. Cows, pigs and chickens are therefore preventively given enormous amounts of this drug so that they are certainly resistant to diseases. 

In 2011 the Netherlands scored the highest of any European country that gives large amounts of this drug to its livestock. According to the WHO (World Health Organization), about 80% of all antibiotics go to animals.

There are strict measures in place in Europe and the United States today against farmers and ranchers who give their animals antibiotics. Because certain drugs are growth-promoting, they are of interest to livestock farmers who want to raise their livestock quickly and thus earn more money more quickly. In countries such as India, the administration of heavy bactericidal drugs has expanded to a large scale. Here there is hardly any control and the medicines also end up in the wastewater, thus contaminating the soil. 

In South America, too, many livestock are given very strong drugs to promote growth and kill bacteria. Certain bacteria are becoming increasingly resistant and pose a great danger to general health. These so-called superbugs are very difficult to fight. The medications used for animals are also used for humans. The danger is that these medications will no longer work for humans either after some time. 

Hopefully we are moving into a future where these drugs are handled wisely and are only used when really necessary.