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Each year, as many as four in five Americans are prescribed antibiotics to treat an infection. Yet, many don’t realize the problems this causes inside their gut.
When we take antibiotics, they are meant to kill the bacteria that is killing the infection. But they also kill good bacteria in our gut. Good bacteria are necessary to maintain a healthy immune system.
If you’ve recently taken antibiotics, you need to help your gut flora by taking steps to restore it. This can mean a change in your diet, lifestyle, or just in the vitamins, you take.
Keep reading to learn how to restore gut flora after antibiotics have done their worst.
What Is Gut Flora?
Gut flora or the gut microbiome refers to your large intestine which holds all kinds of good bacteria. Everyone’s gut flora is different. Factors that can change your gut flora include the following.
- Age
- Diet
- Gender
- Health conditions
- Geographic conditions
- Socio-economic background
- Taking antibiotics
Healthy gut flora contains lots of bacteria that are needed for energy, digestion, immune system processes, and more. It also contains diverse bacteria. Just one kind of good bacteria can’t protect you from all the bad.
What Are the Effects of Antibiotics on Gut Flora?
There are trillions of bacteria in our guts. When we take antibiotics for a sinus infection or strep throat, they are likely cut down by 90 percent. Leaving your gut with only 10 percent of its good bacteria to survive on.
Of course, you may have more or fewer bacteria left depending on a few considerations. These include how long you’ve been on antibiotics, the type of antibiotic, and your health when you took them.
What Are the Effects of Damaged Gut Flora?
The gut microbiome after antibiotics is a scary place. Your body becomes more susceptible to inflammation and infection because your immune system is so weak.
The long-term use of antibiotics may lead to chronic conditions like Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and heart disease.
How to Restore Gut Flora After Antibiotics
If you’ve read this far, you’re probably wondering how to restore gut flora after antibiotics have wreaked havoc on your good bacteria. To restore gut health, there are a few things you can do.
First, eat a healthy diet. After taking antibiotics, you should eat at least seven different fruits and vegetables every day. Try to cut out sugar and processed foods that don’t allow your good bacteria to do any work.
Then, add probiotic supplements to your diet. Probiotics can help replenish your body with good bacteria. Don’t be afraid to take them before, during, and after your antibiotic cycle.
Finally, you should stay healthy in other ways. Make sure you get plenty of exercise and sleep. This will help you stay de-stressed, which is necessary for restoring gut flora after antibiotics.
Though these are the most popular ways to fix your gut health, you may find more personalized information on Wholisticmatters.com.
Learn More About Antibiotics and Gut Health
Learning how to restore gut flora after antibiotics is essential. Especially if you often struggle with UTIs, ear infections, sinus infections, or skin and wound infections.
Antibiotics are a necessary tool to help us overcome common infections. But they can also harm our body in a way that becomes dangerous for our gut health and immune system.
If you would like to know more about getting and staying healthy, check out the rest of our health page for other articles similar to this one.
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