Side Effects of Taking Antibiotics

Side Effects Of Taking Antibiotics And Natural Ways To Counteract Them

If you have a bacterial infection, antibiotics are recommended by physicians for treatment and cure. But these drugs are extremely potent and should not be used other than for appropriate cases.

One of the problems that has occurred with the use of antibiotics would be best described as overuse. For many years antibiotics have been abused in the sense that they are taken for "every little thing". The worst ill use of antibiotics is to treat viruses like the common cold or influenza. Viruses are not affected by antibiotics, only bacteria are. Yet they are prescribed everyday for the wrong reasons. Some say they are prescribed because of the "squeaky wheel" syndrome. Simply put the patient insists on the antibiotic treatment, and the doctor gives in.

The antibiotic is not going to harm the person at that moment. Taking it for a virus is simply not going to affect the virus. But in the meantime, over time, the body's immune system is weakened and will become less and less able to fight normal invasions of your health. Every cold or virus that comes along will be happy to settle into your weakened immune system.

Worse yet, when you do get that bacterial infection, your body is immune to antibiotic effects. And therefore, treatment is very difficult, demanding the use of very powerful and potentially dangerous antibiotics to afford effective treatment.

These powerful drugs can also cause some unpleasant side effects, such as yeast overgrowth and gastrointestinal trouble. In addition to the risk of unnecessary side effects, inappropriate use of antibiotics can promote the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and leave you vulnerable to incurable infections later on.

However, if you find yourself with a bacterial infection, antibiotics are still the treatment of choice and definitely the most effective treatment available. But you can still take very effective steps to avoid or at least reduce those side effects and do it naturally.

Three effective natural choices to support your system while you are taking antibiotics include probiotic supplements, herbal tea and milk thistle. Let's explore these.

Unfortunately antibiotics do not only kill the bacteria infecting your body, but it also kills the beneficial bacteria or probiotics that assist your digestive system. These are the natural healthy bacteria that reside in your digestive tract. Taking probiotic supplements and fermented foods such as yogurt and kefir can reduce yeast infections and prevent side affects affecting your GI Tract.

Something as simple as a cup of herbal tea can sooth the nausea sometimes experienced while taking antibiotics, a good choice is ginger tea. Also frequent complaints of diarrhea can occur while taking antibiotics. Raspberry leaf tea can bring effective relief of this difficult complaint.

One of the invisible affects of antibiotics is the taxing affect it has on our livers. The liver is responsible for breaking down the medications we ingest, including antibiotics. They must be broken down and sent into our bodies to be able to do their jobs, this is hard on the liver, the largest filter our bodies have. The herb milk thistle has been associated with protective antioxidant effect for the liver.

So obviously the best way to stay healthy is to avoid infections, get plenty of rest and eat healthy. But if you do find yourself having to take an antibiotic you can comfort yourself with the knowledge that you can ease the course of treatment with natural soothing relief.