antibiotics

Antibiotics Shown to Impair Memory, Stop Growth of New Brain Cells

~ admin ~ Leave a comment

antibioticsCarolanne Wright – A new study in the journal Cell Reports has established that antibiotics strong enough to kill off gut bacteria also halt the growth of new brain cells located in the hippocampus — the region of the brain responsible for memory. “We found prolonged antibiotic treatment might impact brain function,” says senior author Susanne Asu Wolf of the Max-Delbrueck-Center for Molecular Medicine in Berlin, Germany. And the researchers think they know why — in short, a unique white blood cell that functions as a go-between for the brain, immune system and gut. The good news is the team also discovered two remedies which can reverse the damage.

How the Gut Affects Memory and Brain Health

In the study, the researchers gave mice enough antibiotics to nearly destroy all intestinal microbes. When compared to the control mice, those who lost their healthy bacteria performed worse in memory tests, and the production of new brain cells (neurogenesis) stopped within the hippocampus. “At the same time that the mice experienced memory and neurogenesis loss, the research team detected a lower level of white blood cells (specifically monocytes) marked with Ly6Chi in the brain, blood, and bone marrow. So researchers tested whether it was indeed the Ly6Chi monocytes behind the changes in neurogenesis and memory,” reports Science Daily.

Continue reading →

Wal-Mart Asks Meat Suppliers To Reduce Antibiotic Use In U.S. Market

~ admin ~ 7 Comments

Reuters – Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT.N) said its U.S. units were asking meat suppliers to reduce the use of antibiotics in animals, joining the list of U.S. companies that have responded to consumer and government concerns over the excess use of drugs in livestock.

antibioticsWalmart U.S. and Sam’s Club U.S. will also ask suppliers to provide annual reports on antibiotics management and animal welfare, the world’s largest retailer said on Friday.

Public health experts and federal regulators are concerned that routine feeding of antibiotics to animals could spur creation of antibiotic-resistant superbugs in humans, creating a health hazard.

Wal-Mart’s U.S. units will ask suppliers to limit the use of antibiotics for the treatment of sick animals and not to boost their growth, the company said.

“We have listened to our customers, and are asking our suppliers to engage in improved reporting standards and transparency measures regarding the treatment of farm animals,” Kathleen McLaughlin, senior vice president of Walmart sustainability, said in a statement.

Tyson Foods Inc (TSN.N), the largest U.S. poultry producer, said in April that it planned to eliminate the use of human antibiotics in its chicken flocks by September 2017.

McDonald’s Corp (MCD.N) also said in March its U.S. restaurants would gradually stop buying chicken raised with human antibiotics over the next two years. Continue reading →

Nature’s Most Powerful Antibiotics (Recipe Included!)

~ admin ~ Leave a comment

Alex Earthie Mama’ Du Toit – Your first line of defense against any virus or infection is your own immune system, and there has never been a better time than right now to learn how to support your immune system naturally.

powerfulCombining 7 antibacterial and antiviral ingredients, the basic formula of this ‘Master Tonic’ dates back to medieval Europe. It is a super cleansing natural antibiotic, destroying both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. It is a potent anti-viral and anti-fungal/yeast formula, and can increase blood and lymph circulation in the body. It is also known to be effective for treating colds and the flu, as well as Candida.

Apple cider vinegar (ACV)

ACV contains high levels of acetic and malic acid as well as vitamins, mineral salts and amino acids. Some of ACV’s active ingredients are soluble fibers in the form of pectin, vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, thiamin, lycopene, niacin, pantothenic acid, riboflavin and beta-carotene. It also contains other minerals like sodium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, iron and magnesium. All of these powerful substances work together and make ACV very effective as an antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal tonic. (Learn more.)

Garlic

Continue reading →

Have Antibiotics ‘Shut Down’ Your Immune System?

~ admin ~ Leave a comment

ChristinaSarichNew evidence coming from the New University of British Columbia found that early antibiotic treatments (negatively) affect the health of our immune system and its ability to fight specific diseases later on. You may want to reconsider utilizing antibiotics offered by your health care practitioner.

This research corroborates with what other scientists have found – that gut bacteria is responsible for 80% of our immunity to disease. The problem with antibiotic treatments is that they do not discriminate between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ bacteria in the gut, thus compromising the necessary ratio of bacteria in the gut.

While over-using or misusing antibiotics at any age can have negative long and short term effects, altering our gut bacteria when we are young can be especially damaging. The early use of antibiotics has even been shown to cause obesity later in life. Giving an antibiotic to a toddler for an ear infection, a sore throat, or a host of other ailments may be the last thing parents should do.

The study, published recently in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, explains how different antibiotics affect good bacteria. Continue reading →

New Antibiotic Hailed As ‘Game-Changer’ By Scientists

~ admin ~ Leave a comment

“The new drug was discovered after British, German, and US scientists studied bacteria from a grassy field in Maine, US. Convinced that the soil held more secrets, researchers from Northeastern University in Boston created a device that allowed them to grow and study the bugs.” – M Barrett

As a young psychiatrist, Ramsey admits that he couldn’t help but question whether or not he was actually helping his patients heal by prescribing antidepressants. This was a large turning point for Ramsey, after which he began focusing on diet as a means to heal our brains.

Antibiotic resistance is leaving countless individuals worried about our future when it comes to modern medicine, as numerous bacteria aren’t able to be wiped out by our ‘life-saving’ antibiotics. But recent findings suggest that we should not be concerned. Scientists have reportedly come across what is being deemed a “potential game-changer” when it comes to wiping out antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

The super-antibiotic capable of wiping out everything from MRSA to TB has been found lurking in soil. It may in fact be a new class of antibiotic that is actually resistant to resistance. Not only does the new compound kill deadly superbugs like TB and MRSA, but it makes it extremely difficult for pathogens to mutate and develop a resistance because of the way it destroys their cell wall. The drug also worked ‘exquisitely’ well against hard-to-treat bugs such as C. diff that damage the heart.

The new drug was discovered after British, German, and US scientists studied bacteria from a grassy field in Maine, US. Convinced that the soil held more secrets, researchers from Northeastern University in Boston created a device that allowed them to grow and study the bugs.

Of the 10,000 sorts of bacteria that grew, 25 pumped out substances that could potentially be used as antibiotics. And of these, teixobactin was the most promising.

In tests on mice, it killed a wide range of bacteria, including MRSA, C. diff, and TB. Importantly, it did all this without producing side-effects. Continue reading →