What to do When You Have to Take an Anti-Biotic

Each one of us at some point in our lives need to take an anti-biotic for a variety of reasons.  I am not a medical Dr and I cannot diagnose or treat anyone, so this is simply based on my own personal experience.

 

I have had antibiotics throughout my life, at times twice a year, and one year at least 4 times for infections of varying types.

 

I’ll be sharing things here that have worked for me.  Please be sure you check with your Dr before following any advice.  

 

When I get the prescription for an antibiotic, that evening when I take my evening medication, I take 1 additional probiotic called Life 9.   This increases my body’s good gut flora without adding sugar. (Google "Good Gut Flora" if you need to understand a bit more.)  When an antibiotic is introduced to one’s body, it doesn’t pick and choose which things to wipe out in your gut, it just wipes everything out.   When I take an antibiotic, I stay away from carbohydrates at all cost because anything that my body can break down to the simplest form of sugar, that’s what will increase in my gut.  When you have excess sugar, yeast thrives and blooms in that environment.  I have to be super vigilant with this otherwise I’ll get thrush in my mouth, which is a form of yeast overgrowth.  Some people call it Candida.  

I call it “yucky!”

 

So, to ensure I don’t have a yeast overgrowth, I increase my probiotic and decrease my carbohydrate consumption.  This keeps my gut flora balanced better when I have to take an antibiotic.

 

So what else do I eat when on an antibiotic?  I normally have protein of various types like beef, chicken, pork, turkey, nuts and seeds.   I also increase my fiber with adding vegetables at every meal in various forms.  For example, in my scrambled eggs, I add pepper, spinach, and a little onion.  With lunch, I’ll have a salad, protein, and a warm vegetable like green beans.  Dinner will be much the same, but with vegetables swapped.  

 

Now, so far this year I have been on 2 different antibiotics.  The first was for an ear infection that I wanted to get under control before I went to my sister’s wedding.  Flying with an ear infection did not sound too thrilling to me, so I figured I’d better get it under control before I left.   And immediately I started my gut protocol, but it still caused me issues.   I figured that particular antibiotic wasn’t going to help much because while listening to my body, I was still experiencing diarrhea from it.  That’s a telltale sign while you’re on any medication that something isn’t right.  

 

Additionally, I went in to my mother’s apartment on numerous occasions {trying to help her clean, but in doing so caused my own health detriment}, drove her car and in doing so caused the infection to worsen and travel to my bronchial area.  Just a week after returning home, having visited my Dr, I have a 2^nd antibiotic in less than 2 months due to bronchitis.   I didn’t want it going to bronchial pneumonia, so I decided to get in to see my Dr sooner than later.

 

This was not in my plans!

 

Finally, many times we just keep going and going like the energizer bunny when this kind of thing happens.  I’ve found that I need to grant myself some grace, take an extra nap, and let go of expectations that I have of myself and others.   I do what I can and leave the rest for others to tend to.  It isn’t a bad thing to do that!  

 

Loving myself enough to take care of myself is a good thing.  Beating myself up for having needs is counterproductive to my body and to my own mind.  What is better is to admit to having needs, let someone know, “Hey, I need to go nap for a bit.” And go do it!

All this to say, staying healthy takes work. We must be careful when taking anti-biotics because they lose their potency. I choose not to take them for as long as possible, but when it is warranted, I take them. Working and working ourselves “to the bone” is counter-productive to our health and we get sick easier. Grant yourself some grace, take a nap, enjoy a salad or some good soup, and curl up with a cup of tea and a good book. Breathe deeply, add some Stress Away to your diffuser and relax! If the Lord of the universe can create the world in 6 days and rested on the 7^th, so can you!  

 

Have a lovely and wonderful day!

 

Love & God Bless, 

Sitting on my aunt and uncle's back porch in South Dakota one morning 
enjoying my coffee and talking with my uncle.
  

PS:  After my anti-biotic is done, I'm planning to do a detox.    It's going to be a 3 day detox, so stay tuned for that information on how I am beginning that journey!