ANTIBIOTIC – ANTIBACTERIAL

The word antibiotic comes from the Greek anti meaning ‘against’ and bios meaning ‘life’ (a bacterium is a life form).’ Antibiotics are also known as antibacterials (compound or substance that kills or slows down the growth of bacteria), and they are drugs used to treat infections caused by bacteria.

Before bacteria can multiply and cause symptoms our immune system can usually destroy them. We have special white blood cells that attack harmful bacteria. Even if symptoms do occur, our immune system can usually cope and fight off the infection. There are occasions, however, when it is all too much and our bodies need some help – from antibiotics.

The first antibiotic was penicillin. Such penicillin-related antibiotics as ampicillin, amoxicillin and benzylpenicilllin are widely used today to treat a variety of infections – these antibiotics have been around for a long time.

How do antibiotics work?

Although there are a number of different types of antibiotic they all work in one of two ways:

* A bactericidal antibiotic kills the bacteria. Penicillin is a bactericidal. A bactericidal usually either interferes with the formation of the bacterium’s cell wall or its cell contents.

* A bacteriostatic stops bacteria from multiplying.

Antibiotics can’t distinguish between the “good” and the “bad” bacteria. 

“And we don’t want to kill the good bacteria in the gut because:

1. They assist the enzymes in breaking down the food into basic elements.
2. Even more important they are a part of the mysterious “intrinsic” system that transports vitamin B12 into the portal vein . If too many of these friendly colonies are missing, the person can suffer from pernicious anemia. Women may become hypertensive from a lack of B12.
3. Also very important – friendly bacteria actually manufacture about 80% of the needed vitamin K directly in the gut. What’s so important about vitamin K? Well, vitamin K is a precursor (necessary part for manufacture) of both the blood hormones that control bleeding vs clotting. Hormone systems typically have two different hormones that control various body systems. One important body system consists of a pair of hormones – one hormone controls bleeding, and the other controls clotting. If you get a small cut, you want it to bleed first to get out germs, and then to clot, but you don’t want it to clot inside a blood vessel or it may cause a stroke or heart failure.“ (Dr Phil Bate)

One of the foremost concerns in modern medicine is Antibiotic Resistance.

“Antibiotic resistance is a type of drug resistance where a microorganism is able to survive exposure to an antibiotic.“ (Wikipedia)

Antibiotics were once considered the solution to most infectious diseases.  Unfortunately, the misuse and overuse of antibiotics, combined with bacteria’s ability to resist treatment, mean that antibiotics are no longer as effective.  Antibiotic resistance is now a worldwide public health problem.

Everyone has a role to play in using antibiotics responsibly.

Now… if you are like me and don’t like to take “conventional medicine”, there are other natural options to kill harmful bacteria in the body without compromising the healthy flora.

They can be found in Health Food Stores or be prescribed by your Naturopath

TUESDAY

Tech: Deadlift

WOD: DIANE

21 – 15 – 09

Deadlifts

HSPU

HAPPY DAY!

Sheppy & Fancypants.