Antibiotics and Atomic Bombs

Those of you who have been following my blog know how I feel about antibiotics. They definitely have their place and have saved many lives, but they are completely and utterly overused.

My husband and I were talking this morning about how so many people run to antibiotics when they get sick and how traditional medicine has been so ingrained into society. In most cases people just don't know there is another way. (Or they just want a quick and easy fix).

My clever husband compared antibiotics to an atomic bomb. When there is an "invasion" in our bodies that makes us sick, most of us utilize the "atomic bomb method" of using antibiotics. The antibiotics certainly take care of the invasion. EVERYTHING is wiped out - including the good guys (your immune system). You're then left with a blank slate which is then more susceptible to a new invasion. After an atomic bomb blast, you have to rebuild. If you don't, then the vicious cycle begins.

When handling illness naturally, you have to shift your perspective. Healing naturally doesn't happen with one big pill (familiar with Z-PAK?). Yet with CONSISTENCY, healing naturally has HUGE benefits and none of the side-effects of traditional medicine.

My friend called me a few days ago. Her little nephew had a double ear infection and she was wondering what could be done to help the little guy. He had already been on antibiotics several times, and the ear infections kept returning. This made sense to me. After his first round of antibiotics, his immune system was compromised which left him susceptible to not only more ear infections, but also to picking up whatever bug was currently going around. (Later in this post I'll share the same information I shared with her).

Another key to healing naturally is PREVENTION. Prevention, in my opinion is the very best thing we can do for our families. And it's really a very easy thing to do with (here I go again) ...CONSISTENCY!!

So, with fair warning that I am NOT a doctor, and not qualified to give medical advice (however I do get medical advice from my Naturopathic doctor)...the following is what I do or would do for my own children:

If my kids had been on antibiotics, I would immediately start them on some PRO-biotics (acidophilus) to help rebuild the immune system. Acidophilus helps to repopulate the body with the good bacteria that was destroyed by the metaphorical "atomic bomb". EATING YOGURT IS NOT ENOUGH! And dairy products can aggravate ear infections, sinus infections, and respiratory infections. (My kids drink only rice milk).

PREVENTION

Good hand washing is a very beneficial practice for obvious reasons. However, there is one aspect of hand washing that a lot of people aren't aware of. ANTI-BACTERIAL SOAPS. Please throw away any antibacterial hand soaps, especially those containing Triclosan!! When Triclosan comes in contact with the small amounts of chlorine in your tap water, chloroform gas is produced. Chloroform gas is highly toxic even in small amounts. Triclosan itself is also detrimental to our environment when washed down the drain. Bad stuff all around. Anti-bacterial soaps contain dioxins (bad!) and in general act like antibiotics - killing the good along with the bad. (You can purchase my SAFE foaming hand soap here!)

Secondly, to prevent illness in my home, I use essential oils. Every night before bed, I rub Immunity of Thieves essential oil blend on the bottoms of everyone's feet. The essential oils contained in my Immunity blend are highly anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal. (Read more about it here). This blend also has an immune-boosting effect on the body. The oils are absorbed quickly through the bottoms of the feet and go to work to fight any "invasions" without killing the good guys! So if the Immunity oil is in your system on a regular basis, any "bug" that enters your body won't have much of a chance to turn into a problem. When I am CONSISTENT with this practice, we don't ever get sick. You can purchase my Immunity blend here.

If I haven't been CONSISTENT with the Immunity Oil on the bottoms of our feet, and we happen to catch a bug, then I'll also apply the diluted Immunity oil to the chest and back 3x a day (sometimes I'll alternate with tea tree oil as well).

If an illness seems to be a bigger deal and high fevers are involved, then I'll pull out all my "guns". In addition to using the Immunity Oil on our feet, backs, and chests 3x daily, I'll also use colloidal silver, which is a natural antibiotic. When fighting illness, we take it orally 3x daily. For sinus, respiratory, and ear infections, I spray colloidal silver up each nostril 3x per day (can also use drops instead of spray). Colloidal silver can also be applied directly into the ear canal 3x daily for ear infections. Diluted Immunity oil can be rubbed behind and in front of both ears (never inside). For respiratory infections, Lobelia tincture is my best friend! It loosens the mucus in the lungs so it can be expelled. Take a look at my naturopathic medicine cabinet! (An alternative to taking colloidal silver internally is Echinacea/Goldenseal which also works great for my family!)

My three-year old daughter became very sick this year. She had a cough, a runny nose, was vomiting, and had a fever. This went on for several days, but happened gradually. It was a very busy time in my life, and I didn't do the things I normally do to keep my kids well. Then her fever shot up to 105 degrees. She was very sick. Day two of the 105 degree fever, I was getting concerned. My well-intentioned dad called with concerns about my daughter and lovingly recommended that I get her in for some antibiotics. At first I second-guessed myself and what I have learned over the years, because I too was becoming very concerned. That's when I called my Naturopathic doctor and mentor, Brenda Grogan of The Healthy Way. She encouraged me to use the above methods. If she wasn't showing improvement within 3 days (she'd already been sick for over a week), it might be time to get her on some antibiotics. After one full day, her fever was gone and never returned, and on day two she was as good as new!

I know that with consistency, these natural healing methods work without compromising our immune systems. Sure, you'll have to change your lifestyle a little bit and get into new habits, - and maybe these methods aren't as convenient, but the payoffs are worth it! Less susceptibility to becoming sick, faster recovery times when you do get sick, and an overall stronger, healthier body for the long haul!

With all the illnesses that seem to be floating around lately, I hope this post has inspired you to try a different and better way, and that you will be among those who won't catch the current bug! If you want to try my Immunity of Thieves blend, please visit my online store!

xo,
Jen

Related Articles:
Antibacterial Soap Danger Still a Hot Topic
Antibiotics Aren't Always the Answer (NY Times)