ANTIBIOTIC USE IN INFANTS AND YOUNG CHILDREN, DECIMATES HEALTH LATER IN LIFE
Just a few months prior to this, research from Canada’s University of Winnipeg in Manitoba, that was published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, came to chillingly similar conclusion — antibiotics given to infants cause health problems later in life. They showed how infants treated with antibiotics have a greater chance of developing INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE (Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, etc) later in childhood. What did these medical scientists think was the likely culprit? Autoimmunity induced by destroying the gut’s good bacteria and letting the bad bacteria run amok (DYSBIOSIS).
And now we get this. A study published in last week’s edition of the International Journal of Obesity, stated that children given antibiotics prior to 5 months of age were significantly heavier than antibiotic-free children at 38 months of age. New York University’s School of Medicine showed that this trend continued into childhood.
If there is one thing that I have tried to get across to my patients over the past two decades, it’s that antibiotics in no way, shape, or form, strengthen the immune system. The truth is, antibiotics weaken and destroy the immune system. Sure, antibiotics have the potential to save lives, but in America this is certainly not the norm. The “norm” is children being prescribed round after round after round of antibiotics for every sniffle, sneeze, and cough that comes down the pike. And just why is this bad? Pay attention.
When a child gets sick in America, far too many patients fail to heed the advice of ‘America’s Pediatrician,’ DR ROBERT MENDLESOHN. Instead, we make sure our doctor prescribes antibiotics —- and prescribe they will! We use far more antibiotics both grossly and per capita than any other nation on the planet —- and it’s not even close. When your child takes the antibiotics, those bad little bacteria that we call “infection” tend to die. But guess what? The good bacteria are killed right along with them. It reminds me of the shirts and bumper stickers that were popular when I was a child during the later portion of the Vietnam era; KILL EM ALL, AND LET GOD SORT EM OUT. That is exactly how antibiotics work! And because the immune system is made up largely of bacteria found in the gut, each and every time your child takes an antibiotic, their immune system becomes progressively weakened. Because the immune system is weak, the child is susceptible to the next infection that comes along. What does the doctor do? Prescribes more antibiotics. Repeat Cycle ad infinitum until the immune system is destroyed. CANCER anyone? How about some AUTOIMMUNITY?
WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP OUR CHILD AVOID SICKNESS &
ANTIBIOTICS AS WE MOVE INTO COLD AND FLU SEASON?
- EAT A HEALTHY DIET OF WHOLE FOODS, AND TAKE WHOLE FOOD SUPPLEMENTS: Listen folks; care enough about your children to quit feeding them so much crap! Take charge of their health (after all; you are the parent) and make sure that they are getting a diet (and supplements) based on WHOLE FOOD NUTRITION.
- AVOID SUGAR AND PROCESSED CARBS: If you understand what these bad bacteria like to eat, this is a no-brainer. Just do a Google search on “Sugar Feeds Infection” and see what comes up. I promise you will be more than a little bit freaked out. Then Google “SUGAR FEEDS CANCER” While you are at it, take a couple of minutes and read my #1 BLOG POST of all time.
- GET YOUR KIDS OUTSIDE, ACTIVE, AND DIRTY: OK; you understand that fresh air and exercise are good for your kids. But what about the “dirty” thing? Numerous studies have shown that as crazy as it might sound, Americans are by and large too clean (HERE). Yes, you heard me. We are so clean that we are destroying the good bacteria that are on our skin (some of the same that should be found in our gut). This is one of the reasons why antibacterial soap is no longer recommended (another reason is that it, like antibiotic use, creates “SUPERBUGS“).
- GET A DOG: STUDIES HAVE SHOWN that dogs help in this process of providing good bacteria.
- TAKE A GOOD PROBIOTIC: Probiotics are the opposite of antibiotics. Instead of killing bacteria, they actually restore the good bacteria to your gut. Think of your gut as a movie theater that has only so many seats available. Once these seats are taken, there is no where else to sit. Your gut is the same way. Restore good bacteria, and you push / crowd the bad bacteria out. And since there are only so many bacteria that your body can support, it is only supporting the good ones. Because of this, we highly recommend that you take a probiotic that is based on HSO’s (Homeostatic Soil Organisms —- HERE). Our probiotics contain the same bacteria that are found in organic soil — the same bacteria that should be in your gut.
- THINK TWICE ABOUT HAVING YOUR CHILDREN VACCINATED: At the very least, study this issue closely. I promise it will be an eye opener for you. Vaccines — particularly in the numbers that we are giving our children today —- can be exceedingly damaging to immune system function. Where do you start? My blog; where else (HERE).
