There used to be a time when minor bacterial infections like strep throat used to be fatal. Enter Antibiotics the Hero or Savior! To put simply antibiotics are drugs that kill bacteria and thus help in stopping bacterial infections. Though antibiotics were discovered first in 1928 by Alexander Fleming they were used widely from the 1940s.
Every rose has its thorn.
Antibiotics have been successful in increasing life expectancy as people can now be cured of what used to be deadly diseases like tuberculosis, pneumonia etc. But unlike Fantastical fictions there are no miracle drug in the real world. Overuse of antibiotics has led to a phenomenon - antibacterial resistance. Bacteria adapt over time and become stronger so that antibiotics no longer work effectively on them.
From the beginning of the discovery of penicillin, the first antibiotic , doctors noted that it was not useful against certain strains of infection causing bacteria. There are strains of bacteria which are resistant to antibiotics and as a result doctors to prescribe a second or even third antibiotic when the first treatment does not work.
Joint research by scientists at MIT, Harvard, the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering and the Broad Institute have claimed that antibiotics actually weaken the immune system in the long run. A survey published in JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association in 2002, showed that doctors lowered the number of antibiotic prescriptions they prescribed for children with common respiratory infections by about 40% during the 1990s in light of the growing antibiotic resistance.
Side Effects of Antibiotics
Not all bacteria in our body are harmful. Our gut is also a host for good bacteria that are needed for metabolic functions. But antibiotics have its drawbacks as they often affect the digestive system while treating an infection . Common side effects include:
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Bloating or indigestion
- Abdominal Pain
- loss of appetite
According to a research published in Frontiers in Microbiology antibodies damage the ability of white blood cells to fight off infections. White blood cells are our body’s soldiers that fights invading army of malicious bacteria or viruses.
To sum it up though antibiotics treat several bacterial infection effectively , it also lowers your immune system gradually. Which is why it is like a Trojan horse that seems relatively harmless at first but actually it is destroying her natural immunity in the long run. Therefore it is advised to limit intake of antibiotics unless prescribed by a registered physician.
If not antibiotics then what?
These past decades have witnessed chaos in the health sector with the outbreaks of epidemic like- Ebola virus disease, Zika virus disease, Nipah
virus infection, Swine flu and the now trending Corona Virus. A very important point to keep in mind is that antibiotics does not kill viruses and hence is no cure for viral infections.
Antivirals and a strong immunity is thus absolutely necessary. Before you head to google “How to have a strong immunity” read further because we have made your work easier.
A strong immunity allows the body to fight off day to day infection and not be susceptible to falling sick often from common cold, cough, flu etc. The foolproof way to maintain a healthy immune system is to adopt a healthy lifestyle that includes :
- Eating a nutritionally rich and balanced diet and includes bidding farewell to your KFC bucket.
- Physical exercise at least three times a week if not more.
- Quitting smoking, excessive drinking.
- Regular dose of sleep
- Maintaining general hygiene - wash those hands after reading these article.
Sounds absolutely easy right? But the truth is it is easier said than done. One’s hectic schedule seldom permits enough hours of sleep and a nutritionally rich diet everyday. Therefore at Bibo we have come up with a solution to give your immunity that extra zest with our BIBO SHOTS : INSTANT KADHA MIX. Kadha certainly needs no introduction. Thanks to our moms and grannies who have been forcing down this elixir down our throats every time we caught a cold or fever. Our BIBO SHOTS : INSTANT KADHA MIX contains ingredients that have been hailed in Ayurvedic Science for thousands of years for their ability to naturally boost the body’s immune system.
Bibo comes with a complete range of health care designed to treat cough and cold. We are a proudly natural line and our products free from any harmful chemicals. Head to find out more about our range in our website www.getbibo.com
Source:
1) https://newatlas.com/antibiotics-counteract-immune-system/52457/
3) https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/what-are-antibiotics#2
