Antibiotics & Your Gut: Make Sure the Good Guys Don’t Finish Last

Depending on your age, health status, diet, medications and overall lifestyle, your gut microbiomes are essentially ever-changing landscapes of living organisms (trillions of them!). As with any community, both good and bad bacteria reside in your gut. And whether your gut has more of the ‘good’ or ‘bad,’ may depend on your health and lifestyle.

Don’t Resist These Facts When It Comes to Giving Your Kids Antibiotics

It’s officially back-to-school time. And although school is a place where children learn and grow academically and socially, it is also a breeding ground for germs where kids can get sick. For example, check out these common “back-to-school illnesses,” such as pink eye and lice, you should know about. And with flu season rapidly approaching again, the fear of the flu and common cold is constant.

Iron May Help the Body Resist Harmful Bacteria

There’s no doubt that the discovery of antibiotics was a good thing. Antibiotics and other similar drugs have been used for the last 70 years to treat patients who have infectious diseases. “Since the 1940s, these drugs have greatly reduced illness and death from infectious diseases,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Think Nail Biting is Harmless? You Won’t After Reading This

I’m an occasional nail biter. It’s a habit I’ve had for years. Half the time, I don’t even realize I’m doing it. And I’ve always thought this habit was pretty harmless, until I came across this recent news story.

Is it Time to Question Your Doctor’s Advice About Completing Your Antibiotics?

Over my lifetime, I may have been prescribed antibiotics after dental surgery or to treat a bronchial infection. And I have always been instructed to take the full course of antibiotics prescribed, in order to reduce the likelihood of further infection and prevent the growth of antibiotic resistant bacteria.

Taking Antibiotics? Be Sure to Protect your Digestive System!

Antibiotic use in the United States is among the highest in the world. In fact, this class of drugs is prescribed to four-out-of-five Americans every year. They are an effective treatment and prevention for a variety of bacterial infections ranging from pneumonia to UTIs. And most of us have taken antibiotics at some point in our lives.

What’s President Trump On? Let’s take a peek inside his medicine cabinet, and explore the potential side effects of the medications he takes.

Donald Trump’s longtime New York physician, Dr. Harold N. Bornstein, is no stranger to the public spotlight. In 2015, he penned a letter declaring the then-candidate would be the “healthiest individual ever elected” president. Now, with Trump in office, Dr. Bornstein is sharing details about the president’s use of medications.

Why your doctor said no to the antibiotic

You’ve got a cold and some body aches. You believe you may need an antibiotic, but your doctor doesn’t want to write the prescription. When doctors say not to take an antibiotic, they aren’t necessarily “denying” their patients. Rather, it’s a sign that they did a good physical exam and medical history, and determined that a virus is the cause of illness. Generally, the term “antibiotic “refers to medicine that is designed to kill bacteria.

Be proactive: Know which nutrients are depleted by your prescription drug

Nutrients – you can’t function without them! Critical nutrients – such as vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats, carbs and water – are essential for metabolism, energy and repair. They are the fuel that keeps your body functioning. As these nutrients are used up by the body’s metabolic activities, they need to be replaced – or you may end up with problems. But did you know that common medications may deplete the body of vital nutrients? It is very important that you be proactive and make sure you understand which nutrients are being depleted by the medications you take.

Be proactive about overuse and misuse of antibiotics in nursing homes

Approximately 4.1 million Americans are admitted to or reside in nursing homes and long-term care facilities each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Although there are many health challenges these residents face, one of them is risk for infections, due to their age and disability. Unfortunately, the overuse and sometimes inappropriate use of antibiotics to treat suspected infections has led to antibiotic resistance, making the drugs less effective and complicating treatment.

WAIT! Read this before you stop your meds

We've all cheated a bit on a long antibiotic course — stopped taking the medication a few days early. But there are instances when stopping your medication suddenly can do a lot of harm. Think about these scenarios.

Constipation is on the rise

Many of us are living in a sedentary world. We spend prolonged periods sitting in front of a computer screen at work or at home. Add in the ever-increasing stress, poor dietary choices, lack of fiber, inadequate fluid intake and lack of exercise, and you have the perfect storm for constipation. Unsurprisingly, an article in the American Journal of Gastroenterology found an increased number of emergency room visits for constipation between 2006-2011. To understand why this problem seems to be on the rise, let’s take a look at what constipation is and what you can do.