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4 things you must do after a course of antibiotics

4 things you must do after a course of antibiotics

Antibiotics are a touchy subject. There is a lot of overuse (you hear all the time about doctors prescribing them straight away, without even being sure what the issue is) and resistance is becoming a real problem.

4 things you must do after a course of antibiotics

Whilst I’d love to say I’d never take them, there are certain situations where antibiotics truly are a modern miracle. In fact, I took them not so long ago when I found out I was host to an unwelcome parasite. The problem with antibiotics, is that as well as killing off the infection, they also kill off all of the good bacteria in our gut.

With diminished good bacterial colonies in the gut, this can significantly reduce your immune system and mess with your hormone balance. But it doesn't have to be permanent. Here are some steps you can take to help your gut to repair as soon as you've finished the course of antibiotics.

1. Eat strict paleo

So perhaps you’re clean eating had lapsed slightly before your antibiotics – but now is the time to get back on the wagon. Ditch anything processed and eat real, whole foods, keeping sugar (from natural sources) and carbohydrates low whilst you’re healing.

2. Eat fermented foods everyday

Have some kombucha, sauerkraut, yoghurt or kimchi ready to go. Fermented foods will help to re-introduce probiotics to your gut – so make sure to mix up your fermented foods and eat them regularly. You can also look at probiotic supplements.

3. You've taken care of probiotics – don’t forget prebiotics

Soluble fibre such as that provided from root vegetables and peeled fruit is a great way to feed the good bacteria you need to re-establish.

4. Eat bone broth

Said to be able to resurrect the dead, bone broth is the ideal nourishment after your course of antibiotics. It will help support your liver and digestive system –so make sure you have a big batch ready to go.

What’s your approach to antibiotics? Have you taken many courses?

 

 

sleeping pills tablets awake paleo diet health wake up-min

Sleep! Wake Up!

Tired and lacking in energy during the day – then wide awake at night?  I wonder how many people opt to take a pill for that?

sleeping pills tablets awake paleo diet health wake up-min

It struck me as completely ridiculous, when I saw how many sleeping tablets and “stay awake” (anti sleeping?) pills I saw in the pharmacy recently.  They're even stocked right next to each other (though thankfully they didn't have a “buy sleeping pills, get caffeine pills free” offer).  I can't help but think relying on pharmaceuticals to enable your body to rest and repair – and then again to enable you to function during the day is a recipe for disaster.  As well as the start of a chain of reliance on drugs to sleep – and then wake up.

Where the tiredness after lunch is a result of a huge sugar crash (thanks to a refined carb-heavy lunch), surely adding caffeine pills into the mix is only going to make things a whole lot worse?

I also wonder how restorative a sleeping pill induced sleep is compared to a natural sleep?

When people struggle to sleep and stay awake at appropriate times, this is surely a clear sign that behavioural changes are needed (change of diet to Paleo, getting up earlier, reducing stress and exercising perhaps?).  Behavioural changes aren't a quick thing, but surely they are a better long-term plan than taking one pill to counter act the other pill!

What do you think?  Would you take a pill to sleep, then a pill to wake up?