I was delighted to hear an HSE radio advertisement this week advising against the over-use of antibiotics, and saying how they are of no use whatsoever with viral infections like colds and 'flus. Halleluiah!-I've been saying this for years! By the way, Friday 18th November was the 4th European Antibiotic Awareness Day in case you missed it!
Since their discovery, there is no doubt that antibiotics have saved many lives-and they continue to do so. But there is also no doubt that over-use of antibiotics has also led to problems. If a drug is used habitually, eventually a resistance can build up in the body, meaning a stronger dosage is required, or even that the drug ceases to be medically effective.
In my own case, it was the prescription of ever-stronger antibiotics for yet another infection that led me to look for other ways to heal my body (I had started to develop terrible skin reactions to most of the antibiotics I took). If the body is overloaded with a substance, it produces antibodies or antitoxins in the white blood cells to get rid of it. In normal health, such waste is eliminated via the bowels, kidneys, skin and lungs. However, if the body becomes overloaded, it can affect any of these organs, leading to excess mucous, skins problems, cystitis, constant coughs and bowel problems.
Our bodies like to rotate and change with the seasons, just like the soil does for growing our crops. If we over-use any medication, antibiotic or food (dairy and wheat being the most common allergens), then our bodies start to talk to us through symptoms like tonsillitis, ear infections, colds and so on.
I've always been a firm believer in proactively enhancing our body's health. In my case, my search for a different approach to healing eventually led me to homeopathy. Since I first discovered this natural energy medicine some 25 years ago, I have never needed another antibiotic. And my four children, aged between 11 and 16, have never had a single antibiotic between them. Just like everyone else, my family gets infections, only we treat them holistically and homeopathically. That means trying to remove the maintaining cause, drinking alkalised lemon water, making sure we rotate our diet, and taking homeopathic medicines when the body is de-energised and needs its immune system boosted!
Let me make it crystal clear: I am not saying that antibiotics should never be used, and if you are in any doubt whatsoever with your health, you should consult with a registered health professional. However, I do feel that an automatic decision to use antibiotics for every case of infection is often not the best approach for the patient's health and well-being, and indeed it can end up being counter-productive. P.S. The current series of positive well-being talks at the Edmund Rice Centre, Waterford has ended and will resume in the new year. Watch out for details coming soon of a half day workshop in Waterford on "Connecting to our own inner medicine to heal ourselves."