During the winter season, people are often given antibiotics for their colds and flus. But colds, flus, cough and sinus congestion are symptoms of upper respiratory infections that are typically caused by viruses. However, antibiotics act only against bacteria and are ineffective against viral infections. Taking an antibiotic when you don’t need it is not without risk. Antibiotics can drastically decrease the numbers of normal, protective intestinal flora normally present in the intestines – which can leave you too deficient – and cause an increased risk of getting even more infections.
A well known research study on antibiotics showed that taking even a single regimen of antibiotics (i.e. about 10 days) makes a person 3 to 4 times more likely to get another infection. This is because antibiotics often kill off too much of the host’s inherent beneficial flora (which may have already been deficient in the first place), leaving the host even more unprotected in the fight against new infectious agents.
Types of Infections. Generally speaking, infections are typically caused by three different agents: viruses, bacteria and fungi:
According to recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, taking properly prescribed medical drugs was listed as the third leading cause of death in the U.S., presumably due to the extensive side effects of many drugs. Antibiotics were specifically listed as one of the drugs in this category. At times, antibiotics can be highly toxic and even deadly. Here are some of the potential adverse effects of taking antibiotics:
For example, one patient developed a severe reaction to sulfa drugs. Her entire skin blistered and sloughed off, and her vital organs began to shut down. She had been taking the antibiotic for a simple bladder infection, yet she died four days later.
If the flora is severely altered (in which too many beneficial bacteria die), it can even lead to life-threatening colitis, a severe inflammation of the colon. In some cases, young patients have required surgery after antibiotics because of development of colitis, after which they needed a colostomy bag.
In addition, antibiotics alter the normal vaginal flora and often bring about vaginal yeast infections. When the "good" bacteria are killed with antibiotics, then yeast, which is part of the normal flora of the body, can begin to overgrow because the antibiotics have altered the body’s healthy terrain (internal ecological balance) allowing the yeast to hyperproliferate and cause many far-reaching, toxic symptoms.
Antibiotics do not kill yeast. Many women find after taking antibiotics, they get vaginal yeast infections (because their normal bacterial balance has been lost). Antibiotics can also bring about fungal skin infections for the same reasons. Sometimes these skin infections are difficult to clear.
However, we now know that frequent antibiotic use can cause a long-lasting upset in the body’s normal healthy bacterial ecology. For example, super-resistant staph infections and others have become so resistant mostly because of the frequent, repeated use of antibiotics.
For centuries in many different cultures all around the world, even serious infections have been effectively and safely cleared with the use of natural herbal agents. The function and use of these herbs has been handed down from generation to generation for the health and well being of the families and cultures.
Natural Anti-Infective Agents. Unlike antibiotics, natural anti-infective botanical agents, such as olive leaf extract, hyssop, garlic and many others, can effectively kill the offending infectious bacteria without altering the body’s own normal healthy flora or compromising the body’s intestinal tract or other organs and glands.
Note: See our Immune Specific formulas for some natural alternatives.
Receive our latest updates about our products and promotions.