Although antibiotics kills or inhibits the growth of infectious bacteria it also kills the good bacteria that protect the body. Normal human flora is found within the body's cavity and on the skin. Taking antibiotics can and will disrupt the balance of the normal human flora of the skin and eternal body.
This in-turn can and will leave the body susceptible to diarrhea, drug fever, abdominal pain, liver toxicity, rashes, feeling nauseated, and/or vomiting, sensitivity to sunlight etc.. the side effects differ from person to person and it also depends on the antibiotic that is being used. According to www.drugs.com/article/antibiotic-sideeffects-allergies-reactions.html in a 2008 study over 140,000 people were admitted to the emergency room for antibiotic allergic reaction. The allergic reaction can be mild in some and severe in others. If you are feeling strange after taking an antibiotic do not wait head straight to the emergency room. Some antibiotics can cause allergic reaction resulting in death.
Let's break down antibiotics:
What are they?
How are they made?
How does it work?
What does it mean?
What are they?
Antibiotics are drugs.
In this case, drugs that are actually a poisonous "medicinal" substance.
Medicinal poisonous drugs that are used to treat bacterial infections only; and some are used in the treatment of parasites.
Antibiotics have no effect at all on viruses/viral such as the common cold, the flu, herpes, HIV etc.
How are they made?
It takes time and money to develop natural antibiotics.
At one time antibiotics were made from fungi or other bacteria but not anymore.
Today antibiotics are made by either bioengineering and/or chemical synthesis.
Sounds man-made to me and if it is man-made there is something "wrong" with it.
As a result of the long and financially burden process of making natural antibiotics that yield small amounts scientist had to create other "un-natural" ways of producing antibiotics in larger scales.
Thus lies the problem... un-natural.
Today many if not all antibiotics are no longer being made naturally (bacteria fungi and molds) many are completely synthetic.
How does it work?
Antibiotics work by either killing the infectious bacteria or inhibiting the growth of the infectious bacteria
Humans have billions of bacteria living on the inside and the outside. Bacteria are one-celled organisms or living things that are very tiny which are invisible to the human eye.
Bactericidal antibiotics kill bacteria (healthy and infectious) by attacking and weakening the inner membrane of the cell or the outer cell wall of the bacteria.
Bacteriostatic antibiotics obstruct the infectious bacteria by preventing it from reproducing and feeding from other bacteria. This in turn allows the body's immune system to kick in and do the job.
What does it mean?
Well "Anti" a prefix simply means against/opposite of: for example antiviolence (someone who is against violence)
I learned this in 5th grade science "Bios" means LIFE (and all its wondrous glory).
The last part of the word I honestly did not relate it to the word antibiotics until I read the definition "Tic" meaning quirk/trait of behavior.
So Anti-Bio-Tics is a word that means something (medication) that has a distinctive behavior/pattern that reacts against/destroys life (cells).
Antibiotics are ineffective against viruses such as HIV, AIDS, Herpes Simplex, Hepatitis A and B, Influenza (flu), Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Chicken pox and the list goes on.
If you suffer with any of these issue I would stay clear of antibiotics. The antibiotics will not help but it will most likely cause more damage. In that, any healthy bacteria you do have left will be killed off leaving your body susceptible to the above viruses and possibly other types of virus to do more harm.
There are many types of antibiotics and trying to remember them all is almost impossible for the average person. There are over one hundred types of antibiotics with most of them having two names and with several generations, the most common/main classes of antibiotics prescribed are Penicillins, Tetracyclines, Macrolides, Cephalosporins, Fluoroquinolones, and Aminoglycosides. There are many other types of antibiotics on the market.
Each of these classes have sub-classes and it can go on and on making new antibiotics because the previous ones are no longer viable.
"Static" lacking in movement, action, growth or change therefore, bacteriostatic antibiotics are antibiotics that inhibits the movement, action, growth or change of bacteria/ microorganisms.
Infected bacteria multiplies very quickly in the body, bacteriostatic antibiotics slows down the process of the infected multiplying bacteria giving the immune system a boost to fight the bacteria this in turn, allows the healthy bacteria to grow and multiply.
Bacteriostatic antibiotic include:
Tetracyclines
Macrolides
Aminoglycosides
"Cidal" something that kills, destroys life as in bactericidal the killing of bacteria or genocide the killing of racial, political, or cultural group of people. Therefore bactericidal antibiotics are antibiotics that kills/destroys all bacteria/ microorganisms.
Bactericidal antibiotic include:
Fluoroquinolones
Cephalosporins
Penicillins
Broad-spectrum antibiotics are antibiotics that are used against a wide range of bacteria. These antibiotics are used when there is a superbug present or some sort of infection is present and the doctor prescribe an antibiotic without taking a culture.
Prescribing BSA often can cause antibiotic resistance in patients and by not taking a complete course of antibiotic as well; and if possible request a culture from your doctor before accepting a general BSA.
Commonly used broad-spectrum antibiotics:
Tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, Cephalosporins, Macrolides, levofloxacin, Amoxicillin with clauvanic acid, Fluoroquinolones, and a few synthetic penicillins.
Narrow-spectrum antibiotics are antibiotics that are used against specific or a small range of bacteria. These antibiotics are used when the infectious bacteria in known.
Prescribing NSA are less harsh on the body's natural flora than BSA. Yes, they can kill or slow the natural healthy flora but not completely wipe them out.
Unlike BSA chances for antibiotic resistance and superinfections/bug to develop are lower because NSA only focuses on the specific bacteria.
Commonly used narrow-spectrum antibiotics:
Penicillin, Amoxicillin, Erythromycin, Azithromycin, Clarithromycin, Clindamycin, Vancomycin.
Bacterial and Viral infections?
Bacteria are single cell microorganisms, a microorganism is a very tiny living organism/living thing or creature invisible to the human eye without the use of a microscope. They can survive without a host because they are living creatures and they can also live on non-living things such as toilet seats, faucet handles door knobs, keyboards, water and food.
A bacterial infection is an infection that is cause by an overgrowth of contaminated bacteria that has entered the body either sexually, through open wounds and other gates of the body such as mouth, ears, nose, eyes, hands contaminated food.
Some symptoms include fever, chronic coughing, thick brown, gray, green or yellow phlegm, pain in or around infected areas, inflammation, odor. Bacterial infections can last for two weeks or longer and antibiotics according to health professionals are "required".
Viruses are tinier than bacteria, they are very tiny capsule-like microorganisms invisible to the human eye without a microscope. Unlike bacteria they are not single cell creatures, viruses are non-living matter/germs that are either genetically coded as DNA or RNA. The mutated cell then multiplies by hijacking themselves into host-cells and making copies of themselves. They cannot survive without a host-cell (plant, animal or human).
A viral infection is an infection that is caused by an infected microorganism that enter the gates of the body. There are several ways of being infected by a virus, some are air-borne (sneezing ,coughing, talking, breathing it in), through touching (sexual contact, kissing, shaking someone's hand, eating and drinking after someone, touching blood), through eating contaminated food and water and even through an infected insect, animal or plant.
Some symptoms include fever, body-ache, stuffy or runny nose, sore throat, chest pains when inhaling, vomiting, itching, diarrhea. Viral infections usually stay up to two weeks/10 days antibiotics are not needed/effective.
Some bacterial and viral infections can be contagious. Any part of the body and body tissue can be infected by a virus. Viruses are much more difficult to treat then bacterial infection.
Antibiotics are a strange "medicine", it is not always clear to distinguish the difference between bacteriostatic and bactericidal. In higher dosages bacteriostatic can kill bacteria just like bactericidal and in smaller dosage bactericidal can prohibit the grow of bacteria like bacteriostatic.
Remember never use antibiotics if you are suffering with a virus, it will not clear the virus/infection and it will weaken your immune system more; this in turn may allow the virus to worsen and you can later develop antibiotic resistance. Antibiotics can be used against fungus and some parasites.
If you are going to use antibiotics here are a few examples when and where to use them and when not to use them:
To use:
Urinary tract infection (UTI)
Yeast Infection
Sinus infection
Strep throat
Whooping cough
Tuberculosis
STD's (some)
Not to use:
AIDS
Influenza (FLU)
Common cold
Chickenpox and Measles
Basic sore throat
Ear infection (some)
Herpes Simplex
Mononucleosis
How antibiotics affect normal flora
Antibiotics affect all healthy and normal flora in and on the body, the vagina, mouth, skin, stomach, the intestine and so on. When you take a course of antibiotics they can prohibit the ability for your flora to work properly.
Normal healthy flora when not weakened or killed off by the use of antibiotics can prevent pathogens (disease producing bacteria) from migrating and colonizing. It also produces vitamins and other chemicals; the vitamins are absorbed back into the body as nutrients and the chemical make an hostile environment for pathogens. The encouragement of natural antibiotics produced by the chemical hydrogen peroxide can also be produce by normal healthy flora when not weakened or killed off by antibiotics.
The human body and its natural flora can have several types of relationships with over one hundred (100) trillion types of bacteria in and on the human body these relationships are capable of causing harm or benefiting you. There are three (3) types of host and bacteria relationships that exist in biology called symbiosis (sys=together and bio=living) the living together of two different biological species.
Parasitism- a relationship that is unwanted and hijacked by an parasitic organism (a living thing that lives off of other organisms) that lives in or on a host for food, nutrients and shelter causing physical and/or mental harm or possibly death to the host. E.coli from the (large intestines) spread to the vagina causing infection such as yeast infections or bacterial vaginosis (BV).
Mutualism- a beneficial relationship of two different species working together as a team to benefit one another. The vagina is its own ecosystem mostly dominated by the Lactobacillus acidophilus species in premenopausal women. At the start of puberty LA bacteria establishes itself in the host and begins to colonize. The colony of LA bacteria produces lactic acid (responsible for the protective pH levels of the vagina) and hydrogen peroxide a (natural disinfectant) and the LA bacteria in turn receive a livable environment with a constant food supply.
Commensalism-
a relationship of two different types of species where one will
benefits (usually the bacteria) and the other (host) will neither be harmed or
receive any benefits. About six types of vaginal microorganism are native to the vagina four from the Lactobacillus species and the other two CST-IV-A and CST IV-B are mainly made up of several different types of bacteria, he latter two contain very low levels of the Lactobacillus species yet they also contain bacteria that can cause bacterial vaginosis (BV).
Benefit of taking probiotics while taking antibiotics
Probiotics are beneficial ingested microscopic living organisms that promote digestive and flora health benefits.
We know that antibiotics slows down or kill infected bacteria and we now know that antibiotics destroys all beneficial gut and vaginal flora. Taking probiotics while taking antibiotics can help restore and replenish the good bacteria much quicker.
When I did take antibiotics about fifteen years ago I would get the sniffles, a low-grade fever, a yeast infection and diarrhea (AAD), I learned about probiotics ten years ago and I would take them about three hours after I would take my antibiotic prescription and until the prescription was completed. I never had a problem with getting another yeast infection, the sniffles or diarrhea.
Probiotics can reduce many of the side effects of antibiotics helping the healthy vaginal and gut area bacteria remain effective. Probiotics can limit reinfection after taking a round of antibiotics for example: suffering with a UTI taking a course of antibiotics clears it up then you get a yeast infection.
Commonly used for gastrointestinal issues (IBS, Ulcerative Colitis) probiotics can be beneficial to other issues as well; they can help regulate and strengthen the immune system, they can improve digestion, and improve and maintain vaginal health.
It is a good idea to take probiotics two to three hours after taking antibiotics, continue taking even after antibiotic prescription is complete because it can take about two months or more before good bacteria/flora can return to the vagina or gut. This wait in turn can and most likely will leave you susceptible of reinfection.
Natural Antibiotics
Many if not all of the natural antibiotics do not have the side-effects of synthetic antibiotics. Natural antibiotics work synergistically in the body they attack the infected bacteria without affecting the heathy bacteria. Pharmaceutical companies cannot own nature so they studies the effective active properties of a natural thing and try to create the synthetic/man-made form of it. The problem with that is that these companies can never re-create nature. To get the beneficial properties of these natural antibiotics they must be live, wholefood, organic, fresh and not synthetic/man-made or isolated from chemicals but from nature itself.
Alexander Fleming, the father of modern day penicillin warn us that bacteria being treated by antibiotics and all healthy bacteria as well will change over time making itself tougher and stronger against the usages of antibiotics. Well, that day is upon us and we should be very concern.
So, how do these natural antibiotics work?
Natural antibiotic works with the body not only do they destroy the infected bacteria, virus, fungus, or parasite they are strengthening the body's immune system during the process by supporting the natural good bacteria and yeast. They are very effective against the above mentioned and will create a barrier that will protect the entire body.
Below is a small list of natural antibiotics, I will continuously add more over the course of time and add more details of each.
Remember when going the natural route always take wholefood vitamin C 500 to 1000mg two (2) to three (3) times a day, you want 2000 to 3000 mg of vitamin C a day, a wholefood multivitamin and probiotics and/or wholefood cranberry capsules or 100% unsweetened cranberry juice for UTI's with any of the natural antibiotics below. Treatment should be seven (7) to 21 days. It depends on your body's healing process and your symptoms.
Before you treat yourself naturally with the oils do a patch test inner arm for 1 to 3 days to make sure you are not allergic. Also get diagnosed first and after you treat yourself go back to your doctor and get diagnosed again to see if you get the same results.
Contraindications of natural antibiotics are pregnancy, breastfeeding, taking blood thinners, heart medications,
Organic Garlic: is of the onion/lily family and it is a superfood. It has antibacterial, antifungal, anti-parasitic, and antiseptic properties in raw form. It is best to crush or chop organic garlic for medicinal purposes to release Alliin a sulfur compound and Allinase an enzyme that forms Allicin the antibacterial/fungal/ parasitic/septic properties of garlic. Garlic as been proven to help fight or eliminate a whole host of health issues from cancer to blood clots to cardiovascular disease to what this website is about vaginal health. Garlic is able to treat and cure vaginal yeast and bacterial infection as well as treat and cure the STD trichomonas vaginalis which is caused by a parasite.
Organic Ginger: is of the Zingiberaceae family same as cardamom, turmeric and galangal ginger is anti-viral, antifungal, antibacterial, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory in raw form. Gingerols the prime active component of ginger gives ginger its flavor, smell and its healing properties. Shogaols another component of ginger is produced when ginger is dried and it is an powerful antioxidant that destroys free radicals in the body. Zingerone also another component of ginger is produced when ginger is cooked and it is responsible for the anti-diarrhea effect of ginger. Just as garlic ginger can cure and prevent vaginal yeast and bacterial infection.
Organic Turmeric: is of the ginger family, it too has antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties as well as many other healing and beneficial properties. The active components of turmeric are the curcuminoids/curcumins (diferuloyl methane) with bisdemethoxycurcumin and demethoxycurcumin as important supportive members. The three give turmeric its golden-yellow color and its healing properties. Turmeric has strong anti-inflammatory properties as well and can cure and prevent vaginitis (inflammation of the vagina), cure yeast and bacterial infections. Pairing with piperine (black pepper extract) enhances and is needed for medicinal and absorption properties.
Organic Goldenseal root powder: is an perennial herb (a plant or herbs that grows back yearly without using seed to replant) in the buttercup family. Goldenseal has antibacterial, anti-viral, antifungal, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. The three active compounds are berberine, hydrastinine and hydrastine given this herb its yellow pigment and powerful healing properties. Like turmeric goldenseal can cure vaginitis and treat bacterial vaginosis, trichomonas vaginalis and UTI's.
Organic Echinacea powder: is a perennial flowering plant in the daisy family. There are nine species of Echinacea but only four of the nine are used for medicinal use (E. Angustifolia, E. Purpurea, E. Pallida and E. Tennensiensis (endangered, rarely used)). E. Angustifolia and E. Purpurea are considered most potent. Echinacea has antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory properties. The active compounds are echinacein and echinacoside; echinacein provides protection from bacteria and viruses from penetrating healthy cells and infecting them and echinacoside is a natural antibiotic. Also cures, treats and prevents UTI's, bacterial vaginosis, vaginitis/vaginal yeast infection.
Organic Aloe Vera Gel: Aloe Vera is a succulent plant species of the Lily family. Two substances are produced from the aloe vera plant; Latex, a yellow natural chemical just under the skin and the next layer is the Gel, the clear meat-like jelly texture of the plant. Aloe has antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties as well as other strong helpful properties. It will cure vaginal yeast infections and bacteria vaginosis. Aloe vera can stimulate and regenerate skin tissue.
Organic Raw Unheated Honey: honey is very beneficial to vaginal health; it has high levels of natural hydrogen peroxide and is very acidic. It has anti-fungal and antibacterial properties; because of this, it is very hard for fungus to survive in this kind of environment. The benefits of honey helps restore and re-balance the pH of the vagina. Honey also has antioxidant properties which helps to remove free radical from the body and the vagina.
Organic Plain Unpasteurized Unsweetened Yogurt: Lactobacillus acidophilus is a friendly bacteria found in the vagina and intestines. It is also found in yogurt. When something upsets the balance of the vagina making it alkaline instead of acidic there will be an overgrowth of yeast or bad bacteria. Using yogurt can restore and replenish the good bacteria creating the right balance and pH.
Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar (w/mother only): A healthy vagina is naturally acidic. It needs to be acidic in order to control and destroy anything harmful. If an overgrowth of yeast or bacteria is in the vagina then the natural acid that protects the vagina is very low or depleted. Apple cider vinegar can restore the vagina's natural acidic pH. We now understand that antibiotics kill off good and bad bacteria and in turn leaves the vagina open for yeast and bacteria to overgrow. Apple cider vinegar only kills the bad bacteria like bacterial vaginosis and in turn controlling yeast overgrowth.
100%Wild Oregano oil (Mediterranean only): I personally call this oil the "Queen Mother" because I've used it for every ailment and it has never failed me from toothaches to ear infections to strep throat to yeast infections and so on and it has cured it all. It has anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-parasitic, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory properties. It is in the mint family. Not all oregano oils are equal so don't run out there and just buy any capsules or oil do your research first. Like the above natural antibiotics oregano oil can kill, treat and prevents a vaginal yeast infection, UTI's, bacterial vaginosis and treat and cure trichomonas vaginalis. Research has shown that wild oregano oil can treat and cure the Herpes Simplex virus, Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), Molluscum contagiosum (non-HPV), ringworms (used on my son's scalp), toothaches and infection (works like a charm),any fungus issues and so on. Wild Oregano oil from the Mediterranean only is pure and natural antibiotics from "Queen Mother Earth".
Tea Tree oil: This is my second favorite oil I call this oil "queen mother"....2. I like the smell of the oil to me it has a medicinal floral scent I sometimes wear it as perfume. Like oregano oil tea tree oil has antibacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-parasitic and antiseptic properties. Also like oregano oil this oil can be used the treat and cure vaginal yeast infection, bacterial vaginosis, trichomonas vaginalis