If you’ve had an antibiotic treatment recently, it’s vital that we detox your body properly. The chemicals used during the process could harm us, even if we don’t feel any symptoms.
In this article, you will learn about the simple detox formula that balances our gut microbiome after antibiotic treatment.
There are roughly 40 trillion microbes that live inside our bodies. We have more microbes living in us than we have cells! It’s kind of disgusting, but it’s true. And a lot of them are our friends.
Microbes create a gentle balance in our body that can be life-saving. Antibiotics disrupt this balance by killing helpful bacteria inside the body. The bacteria in our gut impact our entire body. From how our body digests food, to its defense against threats such as viruses, parasites, and bacteria.
In the United States, bacterial infections were the cause of 30% of all deaths before the 1930s. This led to the creation of the first modern-day antibiotic.
Although antibiotics are essential for some ailments, they also pose a threat to our bodies. Antibiotics treat over 10 billion conditions that don’t need them, many of which are given to children.
Doctors often feel pressure to treat an infection, so they use an antibiotic, hoping it will help. In reality, if the doctor had done nothing, the infection would have cleared up within a couple of days. While it’s important to see a doctor if you have an infection, it’s also important to know when to, and when not to use antibiotics.
What Happens When You Take An Antibiotic?
An antibiotic operates by attacking the wall around bacteria. This stops the reproduction of the bacteria and blocks protein production.
When we take an antibiotic, it eliminates sensitive bacteria in the body. The bacteria that survive are often more resistant to that antibiotic.
Antibiotics kill both good and bad bacteria, but some of each is going to survive. This is a problem because it creates harmful bacteria that antibiotics can’t get rid of.
Side effects of antibiotic use include:
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Cramping
Severe side effects of antibiotic use include:
- Severe diarrhea
- Stomach pains
- Bloody stool
- Spiked fever
Long-term effects of antibiotic use include:
- Increased risk of fatal breast cancer
- Increased risk of colon cancers
- Gastrointestinal ailments
- Recurrent infections
It’s good to build up friendly bacteria because they protect us from antibiotics. They also clean up toxins and pollutants that can wreak havoc on the body.
There are three main types when it comes to the “biotics”, or the bacteria of the body.
Prebiotics
Prebiotics are the source of food for bacteria. Before the biotic starts thriving, we want to make sure we have enough food for these little armies!
Prebiotics are full of soluble fiber. Our gut bacteria are fermented by the soluble fiber, which becomes food for the microbiome. This means they can nourish good bacteria in the gut, without raising blood sugar levels.
Food sources that contain prebiotics include:
- Onions
- Leeks
- Chives
- Garlics
- Root vegetables (such as carrots, beets, etc.)
Probiotics
The healthy bacteria, probiotics, are probably what you are most familiar with. Probiotics are the friendly microbes that live inside our intestines. They help protect us.
It’s best to add probiotics during antibiotic treatment. Research shows that probiotics reduce antibiotic resistance, improving the effectiveness of the antibiotics.
Postbiotics
Postbiotics are the most important of the three bacteria. They are the bioactive compounds that probiotics produce when they consume prebiotics.
Many benefits linked with pre and probiotics come from the production of postbiotics. This limits the risk of digestive problems such as IBS, diarrhea, and food allergies.
The three biotics should be used in unison:
- Prebiotics to feed probiotics
- Probiotics to create postbiotics
- Postbiotics to get the full benefits
Yogurt as a Source of Probiotics
Many jump to the conclusion of using yogurt as their food of choice as a source of probiotics. But, there are a lot of added sugars inside of yogurt.
Yogurt has lactose, which means it turns into sugar in our bodies. There are artificial flavorings or artificial sugars which are often added for flavor. Yogurt also adds unnecessary dairy to our system.
Good Alternative Sources of Probiotics
As an alternative to Yogurt, some good alternative sources for probiotics include:
- Fermented foods
- Kimchi
- Sauerkraut
- Kiefer
- Kombucha
Biotics can be boosted by supplements, which stimulate their production. Most probiotics in the market today contain a prebiotic, and rarely have a postbiotic with it. Most probiotic supplements are a synthetic form, created in a laboratory. They’re very fragile, so they can’t make it through the acidic state of the stomach.
Soil-based Probiotics
Probiotics that are soil based are the best for you. The soil from growing our own vegetables means there are microorganisms in the food. This is good, because soil-based probiotics are strong, and are able to make it past the stomach. They also have a long shelf life, so by the time they get into your body, you still receive their full benefits.
Be careful not to over-wash your vegetables, as this can reduce how many pre, pro, and post-biotics you receive.
If you want a product that has all three, check out the pre-pro-post-biotic supplement that I created, which has everything you need to keep these good bacteria hard at work.
Antibiotic Recovery Protocol
From a detox perspective, you’re going to want to start rebuilding your gut after the antibiotic. This can be done through something called “The 3-day collagen cleanse”. You load up on collagen for 3 days, giving the body the repairing substance it needs, and take it with a form of pre-pro-post-biotics.
Loading up on collagen just means you’re putting in six to eight glasses of bone broth or a collagen smoothie on a daily basis. This collagen helps restore the lining of the gut after taking an antibiotic.
Seven days prior to taking an antibiotic, if you have that luxury, begin a pre-pro-post biotic. Typically antibiotics are a 10-14 period, take them during this period, and then continue it for another 39 days after, so a 60 process.
Our container of pre-pro-post biotics will last you up to 60 days. With just one scoop, you get 25 billion CFUs of probiotics, 11 billion CFUs of postbiotics, and hundreds of milligrams of prebiotics.
Additional Recovery Protocols
- Ox Bile – Especially effective for those without a gallbladder, the extra bile is safe for the body and stimulates gallbladder production.
- L-glutamine – Repairs mucosal lining of the gut. Digestive enzymes help break down food, which reduces strain on the gut.
- Fish Oil – Forms that are high in DPA, EPA, DHA or turmeric help decrease inflammation during or after an antibiotic.
If you have to use antibiotics in an emergency situation, you should get them. Follow these protocols to restore your gut health before, during, and after antibiotic treatment, so you can experience real health.
Sources:
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf301903t
