BEYOND ANTIBIOTICS
by Dr. Lawrence Wilson
© February 2019, LD Wilson Consultants, Inc.
All
information in this article is solely the opinion of the author and is for
educational purposes only. It is
not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health
condition.
I. INTRODUCTION
The
intent of this article is not to suggest that antibiotics should never be
used. They can be
life-saving. However, many doctors
know and are starting to admit that antibiotics
are overprescribed. They are also
one of the most toxic classes of drugs.
They
cause many subtle problems that are worse than the original condition. Let us examine antibiotics more
carefully in light of recent findings.
We find that antibiotic drugs are rarely needed if one
knows how to use natural remedies for infections. We also find that antibiotics are often quite toxic and
harmful for development due to their toxicity.
Beyond
Antibiotics is the title of a
book by two medical doctors, Keith Sehnert, MD and Lendon Smith, MD. These gutsy authors challenge one of
the most sacred methods of conventional medicine - the widespread use of
antibiotics. We have drawn
information from the book to write this article.
The worst. Among the most toxic antibiotics are
those that contain fluoride. These
include:
|
Ciprofloxacin
(Cipro) |
Levofloxacin
(Levaquin) |
|
Gemifloxacin
(Factive) |
Moxifloxacin
(Avelox) |
|
Norfloxacin
(Noroxin) |
Ofloxacin
(Floxin) |
We
suggest avoiding these, except as a last resort if all else fails. Natural products will usually work just
as well without the risk of adverse effects that include nervous system damage,
kidney failure, and death.
OVERPRESCRIPTION
Doctors prescribe antibiotics at what can only be
termed an incredible rate.
According to several studies done around the year 2000, obstetricians
and gynecologists wrote 2,645,000 antibiotic prescriptions every week. Internists prescribed 1,416,000 per week. This works out to 211,172,000
prescriptions annually, just for these two specialties! Pediatricians prescribe over $500
million worth of antibiotics annually just for one condition, ear infections.
If this sounds like a lot of prescriptions, the next
statistic should also give you pause.
The above only represents 20% of all antibiotic usage. 80% of antibiotics are given to
livestock animals – whose meat and dairy products we then eat.
This means most everyone is taking a little
antibiotics, whether or not one swallows pills or takes shots of them. This can also help one understand why
antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a serious and growing problem.
II. PROBLEMS WITH ANTIBIOTICS
The
list of problems with antibiotics is quite long. Some are common and well known. Others are subtle, but no less important. I have divided the adverse effects into
nine categories:
1)
They contribute to cancer. A 2008 study of 3,000,000 people divided the participants into groups
that had taken no antibiotics for the past two years, those that had taken 2-5
prescriptions and those that had taken six or more prescriptions in the same
time period. Participants were
tracked for six years afterwards.
Those
who had taken 2-5 antibiotic prescriptions had a 27% increase in cancers
compared to those who took none.
Those who took six or more prescriptions had a 37% increase in
cancers. This was a carefully done
study on a large group of people and published in a very reputable journal (Int J Cancer 08;123:2152-2155).
Other
studies show the same thing. A National Cancer Institute study in a
major medical journal found that the incidence of breast cancer doubled among
women who took more than 25 antibiotic prescriptions or took antibiotics for
more than 500 days over 17 years (JAMA
04;291:827-835).
2.
Allergic Reactions.
When the author was in medical school, his professors explained that
rarely a patient would have a fatal allergic reaction to it. We were taught that if one practiced
medicine long enough, someone would die in our office after a shot of
penicillin.
While
this is uncommon, other allergic reactions to antibiotics occur
frequently. Not only can antibiotics
cause reactions, but most antibiotics contain chemical colors, sugar and other
additives that can trigger a reaction in sensitive individuals.
3.
Destruction Of Beneficial Bowel Flora. Like pesticides, antibiotics kill good
bugs along with the bad ones.
Wide-spectrum antibiotics are notorious for this. The human intestine has a somewhat
delicate ecology in which certain bugs help digest food, produce certain
vitamins, and maintain a balance of organisms that prevents harmful bacteria
and yeasts from multiplying.
Wide-spectrum
antibiotics derange the normal ecology of the intestine. This can cause parasitic infection,
vitamin deficiencies, loss of minerals through diarrhea, inflammation of the
gut, malabsorption syndromes and development of food allergies due to defects
in intestinal function.
4.
Development Of Resistant Species Of Micro-organisms. An article in Science Magazine, August 1992, stated,
"Doctors in hospitals and clinics around the world are losing the battle
against an onslaught of new drug-resistant bacterial infections including
staph, pneumonia, strep, tuberculosis, dysentery and other diseases that are
costly and difficult, if not impossible, to treat".
Bacteria
have a certain ability to mutate.
Antibiotics kill bacteria that are susceptible to their action, but this
leaves the field open for mutant strains to multiply even more. It is a case of survival of the
fittest. The use of antibiotics
actually encourages the development of the mutant, drug-resistant
super-bacteria.
5.
Immune suppression.
This may sound odd because the purpose of antibiotics is presumably to
help the immune response. However,
evidence indicates that people treated with antibiotics have more repeat
infections than those who are not given them.
This
is especially true of children whose ear infections are treated with
antibiotics. Vitamin A and C, and
the use of simple herbs such as echinacea and astragalus, for example, are much
safer and often equally effective.
In
fact, antibiotics do not aid the immune system. They replace one of its functions. Antibiotics act by inhibiting certain enzymatic processes of
bacteria, and by changing mineral balances. Normal cells, however, are also affected. This may be one reason why antibiotics
weaken the immune response. Other
toxic effects of antibiotics, such as the effect upon the normal bowel flora,
may also be a cause.
AIDS
research indicates that a risk factor for AIDS is an impaired immune response. This can be due to a history of
repeated antibiotic use. Perhaps
it is no accident that the same group of people with the highest incidence of
AIDS - homosexuals - is also a group that uses more antibiotics than most other
groups of people. This may also be
why antibiotics are linked to increased risk of cancer.
6.
Overgrowth of Candida Albicans And Other More Dangerous Intestinal Infections. Normally, candida
albicans, a common yeast, lives peacefully in our intestines and elsewhere, in
harmony with other flora that keep the yeast in check. Take an antibiotic and all of this
changes. By suppressing the normal
flora, candida takes over and problems begin. In its mild form the result is diarrhea or a yeast
infection.
Far
more serious is the growing problem of chronic muco-cutaneous yeast
infection. This is described in
books such as The Yeast Connection
and The Yeast Syndrome. It is a major iatrogenic (doctor-caused)
illness today, and a very debilitating and potentially fatal condition. One of the prime risk factors for
chronic candida infection is repeated antibiotic use.
Even
more dangerous is that antibiotic use opens the intestines to infection by
other species of disease-causing bugs.
These range from parasites and yeasts to others that can cause damage to
the intestinal lining and other areas of the body.
7.
Chronic fatigue syndrome. This is another 'new' health
plague. It is associated with
chronic viral illness and a weakened immune system. While its exact origins are not clear, one of the major risk
factors for chronic fatigue syndrome is - you guessed it - repeated antibiotic
use.
8.
Nutrient loss and resulting nutritional deficiency states. Nutrient loss from
antibiotics is due in part to diarrhea, which causes a loss of essential
minerals. Destruction of friendly
bacteria in the intestines can also impair the synthesis of certain vitamins in
the intestines. While not a major
cause of malnutrition, antibiotic usage can definitely be a factor in common
nutritional deficiency states.
9.
Serious kidney and liver damage. Antibiotic drugs do not all leave
the body a few hours after taking a dose of them. In fact, a residue remains for years. It often accumulates in the liver or
kidneys. There it can cause
serious damage to these organs.
10. Treating effects, not causes. Antibiotics only address the end-stage
result of a weakened body chemistry - bacterial invasion. The bacteria may only be there to
"mop up" the biological debris that are present because the body is
too weak to eliminate the poisons.
In fact, the infectious process can
serve a useful purpose. Cutting
short the process with antibiotics aborts the cleansing function of a infection,
which can impair health in the long run.
Of course, we don not advocate not responding to infections. However, the idea of giving
antibiotics for every little infection is not helpful for overall
immunity. This may be why giving
antibiotics to babies and children for ear infections has been shown to
increase the frequency of future infections.
This
line of reasoning traces back to the famous debate between Pasteur and
Beauchamp. Dr. Pasteur insisted
that germs are the cause of disease.
His colleague, Beauchamp, insisted that the health of the host was more
important than the germs.
On
his death bed, Pasteur was said to have declared that Beauchamp was correct -
"the host is everything, the germs are nothing". Orthodox medicine, however, embraced
Pasteur's view, and ignored Beauchamp.
It is time to focus more on the person, and less on the germs.
11.
High Cost. While the cost of a single antibiotic prescription may not be extremely
high, some newer antibiotics are quite expensive. These are used more frequently today due bacterial
resistance to the older antibiotics.
These Millions of doctor visits and prescriptions for antibiotics add up
to a major expense.
We must also include in the cost of
antibiotics the cost of allergic reactions, candida albicans infections, repeat
infections, development of resistant organisms, some cases of cancer and widespread
immune suppression.
The
cost is justified if the antibiotic drugs are the only or best option. However, We believe this is not the
case. Bringing health care costs
under control is not just a matter of eliminating waste and fraud. We need methods of healing that build up
the health of the people, rather than ones that poison the body with side
effects.
12.
Contamination of every major water supply in the United States and most in
Europe. Antibiotic
residues are now a major cause of water pollution throughout the world.
13.
Persistence of residues in most beef, chicken, turkey and pork consumed in
America and to a lesser degree in Europe. Widespread use of antibiotics in animal
feeds to fatten animals, and giving antibiotics to sick animals is causing
residues to show up in a lot of meat and dairy products, particularly in
America and Europe. This leads to
bacterial resistance to antibiotics and weakens the bodies of those who eat the
animal products.
III. MYTHS ABOUT
ANTIBIOTICS
Among
the prevalent myths about antibiotics are the following:
Myth #1. Natural remedies may be nice, but if you are really sick
with an infection, you need antibiotics. This is a total falsehood, in our
experience. First, antibiotics are
ineffective against viral and some bacterial infections. Secondly, in our experience of 39
years, the proper natural methods are often just as effective or more so than
antibiotics.
Myth
#2. Antibiotics are responsible for the decline in infectious disease. Antibiotics are helpful for some infections. However, antibiotics have not resulted
in the elimination of infectious diseases.
In
fact, we now have antibiotic-resistant diseases that are much more difficult to
treat as a direct result of the use of antibiotics. These include strains of gonorrhea and tuberculosis, as well
as many others that are less well known such as MRSA, a resistant strain of
streptococcus. These cause many
deaths, especially in hospitals.
In
Beyond Antibiotics, the authors use
graphs to trace the incidence of the major infectious diseases from 1900 to
1973. The diseases include
measles, scarlet fever, tuberculosis, typhoid fever, pneumonia, influenza,
whooping cough, diphtheria and polio.
All were in decline for several decades
before the introduction of antibiotics or vaccines. After reviewing the data, researchers
John McKinlay and Sonja McKinlay at Boston University concluded that "..
at most, 3.5% of the total decline in mortality since 1900 could be ascribed to
medical measures introduced for the diseases considered here". In fact, improved nutrition,
sanitation and hygiene were far more important than the 'wonder drugs' or
vaccines to reduce these diseases.
Myth
3. Antibiotics are useful against colds, flu and ear infections. Studies show that antibiotics are not that helpful for most
cases of colds, flu and ear infections.
Yet many physicians continue to prescribe them for viral conditions such
as colds and flu.
Their
rationale is it is a way to prevent secondary bacterial infection. This would not be so bad, except for
the cost and serious side effects of many antibiotics.
Given
the dangers of antibiotics, it is prudent in most cases not to take antibiotics
for colds, influenza and many ear infections. They can worsen the situation, prolong recovery and leave
one with permanent liver, kidney and digestive problems.
Myth
#4. Antibiotics are harmless. This is the most insidious myth. It leads to overprescribing and blinds physicians and the
public to the dangers of antibiotics.
Meanwhile, safer methods of avoiding and treating infections are ignored
based upon the false premise that antibiotics will take care of everything.
The
PhysicianÕs Desk Reference lists the
adverse effects of antibiotics.
Anyone who is taking an antibiotic (or any other medication) should read
about the adverse effects. This
can help prevent nasty surprises.
Also take notice of the interaction between antibiotics and other
medications.
IV. OTHER TOPICS
IF ANTIBIOTICS ARE SO HARMFUL AND NOT NEEDED, WHY ARE
THEY USED SO MUCH?
The
reason is that medical doctors are not taught to use natural remedies for
infections. Also, their State
Medical Boards and even their attorneys may require that they use antibiotics or
they might lose their medical license. This is the same reason why most doctors
do not say a word about the problems with vaccination, another dangerous and sometimes
lethal medical practice.
Most
medical doctors are ignorant about the alternatives to the use of
antibiotics. We find that even
many naturopaths are taught that if a person is really ill, suggest an
antibiotic.
INFECTIONS DURING A DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
These
are very common. Technically, they
are not infections, but rather retracing or healing or purification
reactions. The difference is that
an infectious disease is a sign of ill health in which invading organisms sweep
through a part or all of the body causing damage and possibly causing death.
In
contrast, a healing reaction is a sign of improved health. The body reopens the fight against an
old, chronic infection by making it acute and then eliminating it for
good. Symptoms will often occur
for a few days or occasionally longer as the body Ômops upÕ the chronic
condition.
However,
a healing reaction can look and feel exactly like a cold, a flu, a sinus
infection, a throat infection or another infection. For details, read Retracing.
REDUCING THE NEED FOR ANTIBIOTICS
There
is much you can do to both prevent and get rid of infections without using
antibiotics. This is discussed in
a separate article entitled Boosting Your Immunity.
OTHER IMPORTANT HINTS FOR FIGHTING INFECTIONS
á
Use the safe natural remedies
described at the link above aggressively and faithfully. This is a very important point. Do not skimp on the dosages of vitamins
and herbs, for example. Taking a
little more will not usually hurt you, but taking less may make them less
effective.
á
Patience and persistence are
essential with any serious infection. Healing some
infections with natural methods may take a week or longer. This is perfectly fine, provided you
are slowly getting better. It is
not helpful to abandon the natural methods just because healing takes a week or
longer. Using antibiotic drugs may
speed up the process, but leave you weakened and toxic.
á
Always act quickly with all infections, even a cold. Many
people who do not want to take antibiotics, but they also fail to apply natural
remedies quickly or at all. This
is not wise because any infection can be dangerous for oneÕs life.
á
Start natural therapy at the first sign of infection. This will
increase its effectiveness and prevent complications that occur due to
waiting. Waiting with infections
is almost always a bad idea, as it can allow the infection to take hold more
firmly in the body. You never know
when complications will set in quickly and be life-threatening.
á
If one method is not working
at all after a few days, add another one or two. However, remember that, at
times, results are slow because it is a serious infection and not because your
methods are not working.
á
You may combine all the
natural methods, and you may use them along with antibiotics or other
medication if you wish, unless told otherwise. Natural methods of healing do not, to my knowledge, interfere with
antibiotics and, in fact, will make them more effective by replacing nutrients
in the body.
á
If you are not succeeding
within a few days to at least feel a little bit better each day, always consult
a knowledgeable health practitioner. Rarely, an
infection will require medical intervention.
Sinus infections. Many are fungal in
origin and will not respond to antibiotics for this reason. Antibiotics are actually fungal-based
drugs and can make them worse.
If
a sinus infection responds slowly, it may be fungal in origin. These respond
very fast with the use of two unusual-sounding methods:
1.
A single red infrared heat lamp (250-watt bulb sold at Home Depot or other
hardware store) shined on the
sinuses for 5 minutes every hour is superb.
2.
Colloidal silver can also be sniffed or inhaled into the sinuses with excellent
results. Do this several times per
day. It should also be used
orally.
Toothaches. Always visit a dentist. However, on a nutritional balancing program, tooth flare-ups
occur commonly and usually go away on their own. You may shine a single red heat lamp on the jaw near the
tooth 5-8 times daily for 5 minutes each time, as hot as you can stand it. Also, you can place a tablespoon of
colloidal silver in the mouth and tilt the head so the solution covers the
affected area, and these methods can help in a pinch. Always consult a
knowledgeable person if you are not sure what to do.
CONCLUSION
Antibiotics
are a class of medications that can save lives. However, antibiotics are extremely overprescribed and most
are quite toxic. They should be
used as a last resort, not the first.
Very often, simple, inexpensive natural methods of healing infections work
well, with far fewer adverse effects.
Most
doctors donÕt know about natural alternatives, including some naturopaths and
holistic doctors, so they prescribe antibiotics and often overprescribe them
for conditions that they do not act upon.
Infections
are always serious conditions, even seemingly mild ones. Therefore, take care of all infections
rapidly, and aggressively. Natural
remedies often work superbly.
Finally, always ask for help if you are not sure how to use simple,
natural methods or if an infection is not beginning to get a little better, at
least, after two or three days, at the most.