Beyond Antibiotics: Strategies for Living in a World of Emerging Infections and Antibiotic-Resistant BacteriaAt a time when the numbers of emerging infections and antibiotic-resistant bacteria are rising sharply, the supply of new antibiotic drugs has been steadily decreasing. In addition, many health providers have failed to consider that our bodies are cloaked in a blanket of bacteria so pervasive that the bacterial cells outnumber our “human” cells by a factor of ten. In short, we are living in a microbe’s world and cannot ignore the very real potential for untreatable serious infections. In this timely book, Dr. Michael Schmidt proposes we focus on strengthening ourselves by thinking of our bodies as a “human-microbe hybrid.” This requires taking action to raise our defenses, while preserving the integrity of the microbial elements that live on and within us. Drawing on the latest research from several scientific fields, Schmidt presents a strategy of medicine that can be used to build and balance our system of immune defense and repair. He offers a set of general recommendations that can easily be used to tailor programs to individuals seeking to support health maintenance, prevent illness, fight active acute or chronic infections, and foster faster recovery from infections. |
Contents
Why the War on Germs Cannot Be Won | 3 |
1 Antibacterial Agents Approved 19832004 | 13 |
Youre Not Who You Think | 19 |
1 The Number of Bacterial Cells vs Human Cells | 20 |
Myths Failures and Consequences | 35 |
1 Falling Death Rate from Common Infections Prior | 38 |
Immune Defense Energy and Repair | 59 |
1 Basic Behavior of Natural | 63 |
3 Most Heavily Contaminated Fruits Vegetables | 223 |
6 Immune Measures in Toxicology Studies | 229 |
Mood Mind Stress and Infections | 235 |
Coping Strategies That Make Us Strong | 253 |
The Way Forward | 279 |
Strategies for Living in the Microbes World | 281 |
Are Antibiotics Warranted? | 307 |
1 Treatment Guidelines for Children with Acute Otitis | 311 |
4 How Gut Bacteria Fragments Endotoxins Leak | 69 |
How Nutrients Fuel the Entire System | 87 |
1 Glycemic Load of Selected Foods | 130 |
1 How Leaky Gut Allows Food Proteins and Allergens | 138 |
How Probiotics Will Change | 147 |
1 Types of Probiotics Available | 155 |
We Have More Control | 159 |
1 Diseases Associated with the HLA System | 164 |
2 A Partial List of Genetic Mutations of Enzymes | 183 |
How Lifestyle Shapes Our Defenses | 187 |
1 How Sleep Deprivation or Heavy Exercise May Allow | 193 |
Environmental Threats | 209 |
1 Antibiotic Drugs Found in U S Waterways | 210 |
Personalized Medicine and Strong Defenses | 325 |
1 Molecules Commonly Measured | 338 |
3 Selected GutBacteriaDerived Molecules Found | 344 |
4 Testing for Th1Th2 Balance | 352 |
Epilogue | 357 |
Appendices | 361 |
Table A 1 Effect of Antibiotics on Selected Nutrients | 362 |
1 Protective Agents Found in Human Milk | 382 |
Notes | 385 |
Tables | 399 |
419 | |
About the Author | 435 |
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Common terms and phrases
activity altered amino acids antibi antibiotics antibodies antimicrobial associated bacterium barrier defenses Bifidobacterium bloodstream body carnitine cause Chapter chemicals chronic cortisol cytokines defense and repair deficiency depleted diabetes diet dietary doctors drugs effect endotoxins energy enzyme exposure fatty acids fever folic acid gene expression genetic genome glutathione glycemic gut bacteria gut barrier harmful hemochromatosis hormone human illness immune defense immune function immune proteins immune response immune system improved increased infectious disease inflammation inflammatory influence intake intestinal iron Lactobacillus leaky gut levels macrophages magnesium medicine metabolism mice microbes molecules muscle nutrients nutrition obesity organisms otics otitis media patients percent placebo pneumonia probiotics production reduced repair system resistance respiratory risk role scientists sleep specific strep stress susceptibility symptoms T-cells tested therapy tion toll-like receptors toxic triclosan tryptophan urine viral vitamin vitamin D white blood cells women zinc