Feb. 15, 2024

269: About Taking Antibiotics : Gut Health, Probiotics, & What to Eat for Natural Healing

269: About Taking Antibiotics : Gut Health, Probiotics, & What to Eat for Natural Healing
Power On Plants | Meal Prep Ideas, Plant Based Diet, Vegan Food, Fatigue, Blood Pressure, Cholesterol, Healthy Food, Vegan Recipes, Weight Loss, Christian Healthcare

269: About Taking Antibiotics : Gut Health, Probiotics, & What to Eat for Natural Healing

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      Antibiotics are seen by many as the first line of defense against illness or infection. However, they can also have health consequences that should not be overlooked.

      While effectively killing disease-causing bacteria, they can also destroy beneficial bacteria, thereby affecting our overall health and particularly the vital gut microbiome.

      Discover the surprising truth about antibiotics and their real impact on your health...

      🌱 We're uncovering the unexpected connection between antibiotics and gut health, along with simple action steps that could change the way you approach your next bout with the common cold or flu.

      We get that struggling with sickness can feel like a hopeless cycle, so we're here to share the budget friendly secrets that can help you turn those sick days around! 🎉

      Perhaps you're wondering whether antibiotics are always necessary when you get sick. How do you know when you should consider taking them?

      When you do take antibiotics, should you also take probiotic and prebiotic supplements, or could that just be a waste of money?

      And what does eating a high fiber diet have to do with any of this?

      Tune into this episode and you'll also discover how a simple dietary shift can make a monumental difference in your health and well-being. 

      🎈Learning how to enjoy a whole food plant-based diet will help you regularly fill your body with the natural nutrients that target harmful bacteria without negatively affecting helpful ones. 

      We're sharing the eye-opening insights that will revolutionize your approach to healing. You won't believe how plant based nutrition can transform your body's ability to fight off illness 🌱❤️

      In this episode, we're diving into how antibiotics can affect your microbiome, gut health, and overall wellness, and answering some of your most asked questions about how to best maintain your overall health when you're feeling under the weather. 

      https://www.poweronplants.com/cookbook

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      Join us to gain the plant-based encouragement, real health-changing ideas, and sustainable plant-based inspiration you've been hoping for! 💕

      Chapters

      00:00 - Plant-Based Eating and Health Advice

      04:22 - Antibiotics and Gut Health Impact

      17:40 - Starting a Plant-Based Journey

      Transcript
      WEBVTT

      00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:05.073
      You wake up one morning and you recognize that feeling Uh-oh, I'm not feeling well.

      00:00:05.073 --> 00:00:09.507
      Sinus pressure, achiness, maybe even a little fever.

      00:00:09.507 --> 00:00:12.073
      It may be time to go see your doctor.

      00:00:12.539 --> 00:00:16.716
      But what if they give me an antibiotic, and how's that going to affect my health?

      00:00:16.716 --> 00:00:20.728
      Is there anything special I should do if they start me on an antibiotic?

      00:00:20.728 --> 00:00:22.192
      Let's talk about it.

      00:00:22.192 --> 00:00:25.891
      Hey sister, welcome to the Power On Plants podcast.

      00:00:25.891 --> 00:00:31.210
      Are you tired of staring into the fridge wondering what to eat so you can just feel better?

      00:00:31.210 --> 00:00:36.607
      Do you want to avoid spending hours in the kitchen making complicated meals in the name of health?

      00:00:36.607 --> 00:00:42.890
      Would you love to leave fatigue behind and finally have the energy to do all the things you want to do?

      00:00:42.890 --> 00:00:45.259
      Hi, we're shared in a need to resell Christ.

      00:00:45.259 --> 00:00:50.551
      Followers, healthcare professionals, parents of four and big fans of great tasting food.

      00:00:50.551 --> 00:01:02.741
      We, too, tried exercising more, eating natural and clean foods, but we still found ourselves struggling with what we thought were changes that come with age or bad genes, and we weren't finding answers to traditional routes.

      00:01:02.741 --> 00:01:10.004
      So we dug into the research and created our secret nutritional weapon sustainable plant-based living.

      00:01:10.004 --> 00:01:13.772
      The truth is, you can eat more whole plant foods, and it's not hard.

      00:01:13.772 --> 00:01:15.344
      You just need the way.

      00:01:15.344 --> 00:01:18.956
      That's realistic and delicious so you never feel deprived.

      00:01:18.956 --> 00:01:27.188
      If you're ready to enjoy your meals, no longer be held back by your health struggles and actively live your life, then you're in the right place.

      00:01:27.188 --> 00:01:32.466
      So grab your favorite plant-based cup of happy pop in those earbuds and let's get started.

      00:01:33.188 --> 00:01:34.253
      Hello there, governor.

      00:01:34.253 --> 00:01:37.441
      Welcome back to another episode of Power On Plants.

      00:01:37.441 --> 00:01:39.647
      I'm not sure what accent that was.

      00:01:39.647 --> 00:01:42.173
      I think I did about two or three there in one sentence.

      00:01:43.379 --> 00:01:45.926
      There might be a reason we didn't go into acting.

      00:01:45.926 --> 00:01:49.593
      No that is true, but we can still have fun.

      00:01:49.593 --> 00:01:50.721
      Yes, we can.

      00:01:50.721 --> 00:01:51.605
      We can still have fun.

      00:01:52.507 --> 00:01:52.947
      And we do.

      00:01:53.308 --> 00:01:54.231
      And we do.

      00:01:54.834 --> 00:01:55.375
      All right.

      00:01:55.375 --> 00:02:00.448
      So perhaps you found yourself in a situation where you're not feeling well, a little under the weather.

      00:02:00.709 --> 00:02:01.671
      I hate it when that happens.

      00:02:02.040 --> 00:02:08.742
      I know, thankfully it doesn't happen a lot but it does happen some and you decide I want to go see my health care provider.

      00:02:09.245 --> 00:02:12.331
      I have to say it happens, thankfully, a lot less than it used to.

      00:02:12.331 --> 00:02:15.497
      I mean, isn't that one of the most incredible benefits of plant-based eating?

      00:02:15.497 --> 00:02:15.718
      Absolutely.

      00:02:15.718 --> 00:02:27.453
      We're trying to get into that as we go and why that is, but what we see time and again and have experienced in our own lives is the longer you eat more whole plant foods, the easier you can bite things off.

      00:02:27.453 --> 00:02:30.046
      This is the reality of eating whole food plant-based.

      00:02:30.046 --> 00:02:33.104
      It's one of the beautiful quote side effects.

      00:02:33.104 --> 00:02:38.990
      If you call it a side effect, I think of side effects as negative things, but you know, in this case it's a really positive thing.

      00:02:38.990 --> 00:02:50.830
      But let's just say maybe you haven't been eating whole food plant-based long, or you just were around somebody who had some kind of severe bug going down and you caught something and you don't feel good.

      00:02:51.251 --> 00:02:52.193
      And life just happened.

      00:02:52.561 --> 00:02:53.324
      And life happened.

      00:02:53.324 --> 00:02:59.385
      You're at the doctor and all of a sudden they pull out a prescription pad and they're writing you an antibiotic.

      00:02:59.385 --> 00:03:00.368
      What should you do?

      00:03:00.830 --> 00:03:06.025
      What we know is that most colds kind of quote unquote colds are viral in nature.

      00:03:06.025 --> 00:03:09.712
      So antibiotics really do absolutely nothing for viruses.

      00:03:09.712 --> 00:03:11.443
      So grasp that for a minute.

      00:03:12.125 --> 00:03:17.723
      Antibiotics do not help fight off viruses and the majority of colds are viruses.

      00:03:17.723 --> 00:03:22.257
      We go in many times expecting and wanting an antibiotic.

      00:03:22.257 --> 00:03:23.722
      Doctors have been primed for this.

      00:03:23.722 --> 00:03:27.158
      Now maybe you're thinking no, no, no, no, I don't need to, I want to be natural.

      00:03:27.158 --> 00:03:28.484
      I don't want to take antibiotics.

      00:03:28.484 --> 00:03:29.586
      I totally get that.

      00:03:29.586 --> 00:03:38.400
      But doctors have been primed and PAs and NPs They've been primed and we know, because we're in that line of work, we know what happens.

      00:03:38.580 --> 00:03:39.802
      I witnessed it firsthand.

      00:03:39.802 --> 00:03:43.391
      One of the first doctors that I worked with this was over 20 years ago.

      00:03:43.391 --> 00:03:48.513
      He said just give them an antibiotic, it won't hurt them, that's what they're expecting.

      00:03:48.513 --> 00:03:50.849
      And so just give them what they want.

      00:03:50.849 --> 00:03:55.049
      And then the next time they need something they'll come back to us because we gave them what they wanted.

      00:03:55.049 --> 00:03:57.367
      Think about that for a minute Now.

      00:03:57.367 --> 00:04:00.000
      There may be some justification in the back of their mind.

      00:04:00.000 --> 00:04:01.582
      And I was there 20 years ago.

      00:04:01.582 --> 00:04:02.965
      I kind of wrestled with it.

      00:04:02.965 --> 00:04:04.168
      I didn't like it.

      00:04:04.168 --> 00:04:11.293
      But then you think Well, what if I'm wrong and maybe there is a bacterial infection there or maybe there's one brewing up?

      00:04:11.293 --> 00:04:13.258
      Take this antibiotic and then it will help.

      00:04:13.258 --> 00:04:19.596
      Now you may be saying okay, jared, but I'm different, because I took the antibiotic and then a few days later I got better.

      00:04:19.596 --> 00:04:24.740
      Well, what we know is that the general course of a viral infection is about seven days.

      00:04:24.740 --> 00:04:30.451
      So you suffer around for two or three days, say I can't handle this anymore, go see the provider.

      00:04:30.451 --> 00:04:32.576
      They prescribe it, you take it.

      00:04:32.576 --> 00:04:34.360
      A few days later you're better.

      00:04:34.360 --> 00:04:38.379
      You attribute that to the medication, and it may be it is, maybe it's not.

      00:04:38.379 --> 00:04:39.440
      Depends on what's going on.

      00:04:39.930 --> 00:04:40.230
      Right.

      00:04:40.230 --> 00:04:43.041
      If it is a bacterial infection, it could be that the medication helps.

      00:04:43.101 --> 00:04:45.064
      So we're not telling you don't take it.

      00:04:45.064 --> 00:04:52.360
      But in that situation seven days have elapsed, and that would have been the normal course for that viral infection.

      00:04:52.360 --> 00:04:54.517
      Anyway, your body would have fought it off.

      00:04:54.517 --> 00:04:58.035
      Things got better, the symptoms went away and now you're back to normal.

      00:04:58.370 --> 00:05:00.704
      Right, so maybe you're attributing it to the medication.

      00:05:00.704 --> 00:05:04.942
      Your body was just running the course and by day three, four, you started feeling better.

      00:05:04.942 --> 00:05:13.682
      Day seven, it's gone because God miraculously created your body to be able to take care of many of these things as they creep back, to fight them off, right?

      00:05:14.990 --> 00:05:21.014
      So in this scenario, I think the first step really would be to ask the provider is this really needed?

      00:05:21.596 --> 00:05:21.797
      Right.

      00:05:22.149 --> 00:05:35.259
      Because if you have a bacterial infection and antibiotics have done wonderful things I mean it used to be years ago when we had pneumonia that people died from it, and now we can save people from that by the medications that we have.

      00:05:35.259 --> 00:05:45.461
      If you go into surgery a lot of time well, I think just about every time antibiotics are given preemptively to prevent serious infections as a consequence of that surgery.

      00:05:45.661 --> 00:05:45.882
      Right.

      00:05:46.490 --> 00:05:50.000
      So again, there's a lot of good there, but it's not without its side effects.

      00:05:50.000 --> 00:05:55.141
      It's not without its consequences, and specifically by affecting your gut microbiome.

      00:05:55.470 --> 00:06:03.779
      So what we don't want to do is go in and just expect or want an antibiotic, every time going in and thinking, oh, I hope they give me an antibiotic because I want to kick this.

      00:06:03.779 --> 00:06:06.156
      And today we're going to share the reasons why that is.

      00:06:06.156 --> 00:06:09.699
      Why do you not just want to go in and just immediately want to be put on one?

      00:06:10.170 --> 00:06:16.516
      And the biggest reason is that it will kill some of the beneficial bacteria in your gut, but not just there in your body.

      00:06:16.516 --> 00:06:25.740
      Now, like for women, a lot of times when they take antibiotics they get yeast infections, or children or adults may get thrush, which is a yeast infection in the mouth.

      00:06:25.740 --> 00:06:26.951
      Why is that?

      00:06:26.951 --> 00:06:35.360
      Because it's killing the beneficial bacteria that need to be there that help to prevent those things from developing, from growing out of control.

      00:06:35.930 --> 00:06:41.577
      Because antibiotics aren't selective in what they kill and some are more broad spectrum than others.

      00:06:41.577 --> 00:06:44.598
      That means they kill more things than others do.

      00:06:44.598 --> 00:06:50.533
      So they're coming in and just wiping out a whole host of bacteria, not just the one we're trying to target.

      00:06:50.533 --> 00:06:54.019
      But the interesting thing is, plants aren't that way.

      00:06:54.019 --> 00:07:01.377
      So when you get benefits from eating plants, they can specifically target things without wiping out the beneficials.

      00:07:02.240 --> 00:07:02.622
      Right.

      00:07:03.083 --> 00:07:06.271
      So we need to keep that in mind, too, when we're thinking about eating whole food.

      00:07:06.271 --> 00:07:11.697
      Plant-based Plants are amazing, so even if you're taking antibiotics, then we'll get into this in a few minutes.

      00:07:11.697 --> 00:07:14.788
      Yes, you're going to want to have more of the good stuff.

      00:07:15.009 --> 00:07:18.100
      So they help to get rid of the bad but feed the good.

      00:07:18.100 --> 00:07:20.767
      So, yes, plants, in that regard, are the best.

      00:07:21.069 --> 00:07:23.817
      So antibiotics are not selective in what they kill.

      00:07:24.079 --> 00:07:28.471
      Correct, and there are some that are a little more narrow in spectrum, some that are broader in spectrum.

      00:07:28.800 --> 00:07:31.209
      But they're wiping out the good and the bad when they come in.

      00:07:31.430 --> 00:07:40.754
      They do, and many times we use broad spectrum in a scenario where we don't know exactly what it is, because if it's a skin infection it could be several different bacteria.

      00:07:40.754 --> 00:07:53.379
      So it gives you something that's broad enough to try to cover for anything that it might be Right, instead of necessarily taking a culture, which back in the day that's what they did, but that takes a few days to get a result and find what antibiotic it's sensitive to.

      00:07:53.379 --> 00:07:57.920
      So then we try to give a quote-unquote broad spectrum antibiotic, so that way it's kind of one and done.

      00:07:57.920 --> 00:08:00.810
      We give it to the patient and then the problem is taken care of.

      00:08:00.810 --> 00:08:09.560
      Meanwhile this can have broad, sweeping implications for your microbiome, because a lot more of it gets affected, since it's a broad spectrum antibiotic.

      00:08:09.560 --> 00:08:14.331
      The other thing that factors into this too is also the length of the course of antibiotic.

      00:08:14.331 --> 00:08:18.250
      Sometimes an antibiotic only needs to be taken for five days.

      00:08:18.250 --> 00:08:20.819
      Maybe it needs to be taken for 14 days.

      00:08:20.819 --> 00:08:30.754
      So taking the narrowest spectrum, if you have to, of an antibiotic to take care of the pathogen and then for the shortest duration of time that you can take it.

      00:08:31.302 --> 00:08:35.779
      So these are things that you want to consider when you're talking with your provider and they're prescribing the medication.

      00:08:36.360 --> 00:08:37.783
      So one do you need it?

      00:08:37.783 --> 00:08:42.714
      Because if the provider thinks it's viral, they'll say no, thank you, I just want some supportive care.

      00:08:42.840 --> 00:08:47.274
      Like do you really think this is a bacterial infection or do you think it's a viral infection?

      00:08:47.274 --> 00:08:48.499
      That's something you should ask.

      00:08:48.499 --> 00:08:48.820
      It's important.

      00:08:49.561 --> 00:09:01.775
      Second would be for them to select the antibiotic that's strong enough to get the job done, but not stronger than what you need, because then you end up damaging more of the microbiome than you might otherwise have to.

      00:09:01.775 --> 00:09:04.429
      And then, third, look at the length of the course.

      00:09:04.429 --> 00:09:06.820
      You only want to take it for as long as is needed.

      00:09:07.802 --> 00:09:14.679
      But when they prescribe it, take it as long as that prescription is for, because otherwise you could do more damage than good.

      00:09:15.870 --> 00:09:26.820
      So if you stop it too soon, Then you may not kill all the bacterial infection, or you may only kill the weak ones, leaving the possibility for a strain to become antibiotic resistant or something of that nature.

      00:09:26.820 --> 00:09:32.355
      So take it the way that they've prescribed, but just ask them is this what I need to take it for?

      00:09:32.355 --> 00:09:33.799
      And then follow their advice.

      00:09:33.799 --> 00:09:39.820
      Now, once an antibiotic is taken, it can create an imbalance within the bacteria in your gut.

      00:09:39.820 --> 00:09:42.820
      And what are the potential consequences of this?

      00:09:42.820 --> 00:09:47.672
      Well, sometimes it could cause diarrhea, it could cause a yeast infection.

      00:09:47.672 --> 00:09:53.613
      There could even be a secondary infection from a bacteria called Clostridium difficile.

      00:09:53.860 --> 00:09:55.306
      You may have heard it called C diff.

      00:09:55.820 --> 00:10:07.716
      Yes, that's the common nickname of it C diff and that can cause really bad problems just because it gives off a toxin that can be damaging to the colon or the cells and the lining of the colon.

      00:10:07.716 --> 00:10:09.083
      That's obviously a bad thing.

      00:10:09.083 --> 00:10:10.448
      We want to avoid that.

      00:10:10.960 --> 00:10:17.820
      So maybe you're thinking what do I need to do in order to avoid diarrhea and this infection that you're talking about?

      00:10:17.820 --> 00:10:21.046
      And maybe you think you need to be taking probiotics.

      00:10:21.046 --> 00:10:23.470
      You know we hear a lot about probiotics these days.

      00:10:23.470 --> 00:10:25.533
      Is that going to benefit you?

      00:10:26.280 --> 00:10:32.820
      What the studies have found is that for most normal healthy individuals that there really is no difference when taking a probiotic.

      00:10:32.820 --> 00:10:43.820
      Now, I said most healthy individuals, people that are more vulnerable, like children under the age of three, elderly, or people that maybe have an intestinal issue like inflammatory bowel disease.

      00:10:43.820 --> 00:10:56.307
      They have actually found that those individuals do seem to avoid the diarrhea and the Clostridium difficile or C diff infections by taking a probiotic, but otherwise there really was no benefit to it.

      00:10:56.307 --> 00:10:59.693
      So based upon that, we don't really recommend taking a probiotic.

      00:11:00.120 --> 00:11:06.673
      But well, the interesting thing is, though, many of us think we need to be on a probiotic all the time because we hear about probiotics.

      00:11:06.673 --> 00:11:13.705
      Take your probiotics, you need the probiotics, and then, when we get sick, we really hear it Take it so that you don't get these infections.

      00:11:13.705 --> 00:11:18.799
      And what Jared's saying is these are the specific cases in which the research has shown that it is beneficial.

      00:11:18.799 --> 00:11:20.202
      Otherwise, it's not.

      00:11:20.202 --> 00:11:29.104
      So not only are you not benefiting your health by always taking it or always starting a probiotic when you take an antibiotic, you're wasting your money.

      00:11:29.104 --> 00:11:36.820
      I mean, we don't want you to waste your money, we want to use our resources wisely, so that's why it's important for you to understand these things.

      00:11:36.820 --> 00:11:52.820
      So if taking a probiotic is not going to help everyone and you don't fall in that category of the special circumstances that Jared just shared then is there something that you can do when you're taking an antibiotic to benefit your body?

      00:11:53.505 --> 00:11:54.554
      Short answer yes.

      00:11:55.783 --> 00:11:57.423
      I like the short answer there is yes.

      00:11:57.423 --> 00:12:02.323
      But it doesn't tell what the answer is so yes, yeah, we gotta know what to do.

      00:12:02.940 --> 00:12:08.796
      The best thing that can be done to help if you need antibiotic is to eat a high fiber diet.

      00:12:08.796 --> 00:12:10.340
      Shocking, isn't it?

      00:12:10.880 --> 00:12:34.431
      I know, right, I know we keep coming back around, no matter I want you to notice this no matter what we're talking about on the podcast episode about health, because this is what the nutrition research shows, is what we've experienced, is what we see with our clients every day inside of Power and Plant Society, inside of Pi which, by the way, if you're not in Pi, podcast insiders experience it's our free community.

      00:12:34.431 --> 00:12:35.432
      Why are you not in there?

      00:12:35.432 --> 00:12:37.025
      We talk about things like this.

      00:12:37.025 --> 00:12:41.240
      You can search all the podcast episodes, get in there right now.

      00:12:41.259 --> 00:12:44.606
      It's worth it for that, if nothing else, I think the community is pretty awesome.

      00:12:44.606 --> 00:12:50.048
      That is totally worth it, but for the searchability of all these podcast episodes gotta be in there.

      00:12:50.048 --> 00:12:51.292
      It's a no brand.

      00:12:51.860 --> 00:12:55.250
      You can sign up if you're not a part power and plantscom forward, slash Pi.

      00:12:55.250 --> 00:12:57.619
      That's power and plantscom forward, slash Pi.

      00:12:58.864 --> 00:12:59.927
      Pi is good.

      00:13:00.259 --> 00:13:04.086
      Pi is delicious, but we all love Pi, right?

      00:13:04.086 --> 00:13:05.024
      So you need to be a part.

      00:13:05.024 --> 00:13:06.735
      But what do you do?

      00:13:06.735 --> 00:13:09.806
      What do you do If you're taking antibiotics?

      00:13:09.806 --> 00:13:13.783
      The same thing you should be doing when you're not taking antibiotics.

      00:13:13.783 --> 00:13:18.985
      Right, it's building your health naturally, and we do that by getting more whole plant foods.

      00:13:18.985 --> 00:13:19.246
      Why?

      00:13:19.246 --> 00:13:25.942
      Because the other is put the things in there that our bodies need to thrive, specifically here.

      00:13:25.942 --> 00:13:31.308
      This is just one thing we're pulling out, okay, but there's a whole host of things in there that work with this one thing.

      00:13:31.308 --> 00:13:34.784
      It's prebiotics, prebiotics.

      00:13:34.784 --> 00:13:38.250
      We talked about one of those on episode 267.

      00:13:38.250 --> 00:13:41.328
      If you haven't heard that, go back and listen to it when this one is over.

      00:13:41.328 --> 00:13:46.392
      But these prebiotics are crucial because they're the food for our gut bacteria.

      00:13:46.700 --> 00:13:54.869
      So to optimize this with the high fiber diet, you want to take it before antibiotics, during antibiotics and even after antibiotics.

      00:13:55.080 --> 00:13:57.226
      And by take it you mean eat it, Eat it.

      00:13:58.120 --> 00:14:00.066
      So if you're plant-based, you're already doing that.

      00:14:00.066 --> 00:14:00.548
      But what?

      00:14:00.567 --> 00:14:04.307
      they have found you don't need to be taking a supplement, a prebiotic supplement.

      00:14:04.347 --> 00:14:09.063
      No, no, that's what we're saying If you're already plant-based, you're already doing the things that you need to do, so you don't have to buy an extra supplement.

      00:14:09.063 --> 00:14:10.027
      Save your money.

      00:14:10.027 --> 00:14:12.960
      Save your money, just keep doing what you're doing.

      00:14:12.960 --> 00:14:21.990
      But what they've found is that it decreases the microbiome damage, but it also speeds recovery of whatever damage has been done by the antibiotics.

      00:14:21.990 --> 00:14:25.168
      So that's the power of eating the fiber.

      00:14:25.820 --> 00:14:30.980
      And all the prebiotics which you're going to be getting by eating a wide variety of whole plant foods.

      00:14:30.980 --> 00:14:35.231
      We're going to be talking about that on the next episode More about prebiotics.

      00:14:35.231 --> 00:14:36.404
      It's not just about fiber.

      00:14:36.404 --> 00:14:38.687
      We covered that well in episode 267.

      00:14:38.687 --> 00:14:40.967
      Again, go back and listen to that if you missed it.

      00:14:40.967 --> 00:14:44.927
      But in the next episode we're going to talk more about prebiotics.

      00:14:44.927 --> 00:14:54.113
      What are they, how do they work, why are they so beneficial and why I need to be getting them into my life every single day as much as humanly possible.

      00:14:54.113 --> 00:15:00.023
      Look, this is why you've got to learn how to make whole plant foods simple, enjoyable and taste great.

      00:15:00.023 --> 00:15:09.725
      Because when you can do that, you have a sustainable way of living that you absolutely love and there's no deprivation, there's no wanting to go back and you can start feeling better.

      00:15:09.725 --> 00:15:17.668
      Your body can heal naturally, so that if something does come up and you do have to take an antibiotic, then your body is pre-prepped for it.

      00:15:17.668 --> 00:15:24.384
      Your body is in the best shape humanly possible to be able to make it through that repair and recover optimally.

      00:15:24.384 --> 00:15:25.950
      And that's what we want.

      00:15:25.950 --> 00:15:27.345
      We all want to feel good.

      00:15:27.345 --> 00:15:31.308
      We all want to have optimal health so we can live our best life.

      00:15:31.710 --> 00:15:31.971
      All right.

      00:15:31.971 --> 00:15:39.488
      So remember, if you go in to see your provider and they say I'm going to give you an antibiotic, first be sure to ask them do I really need this?

      00:15:39.488 --> 00:15:48.413
      And if not, then don't take it If you do realize that this will kill off some of the beneficial microbiome in and on your body.

      00:15:48.413 --> 00:15:56.288
      And next, for most healthy individuals, taking a probiotic supplement and the research was not found really to be of any added benefit.

      00:15:56.288 --> 00:16:04.594
      And lastly, if you need to take an antibiotic, eat a high fiber diet before, during and after.

      00:16:04.594 --> 00:16:11.407
      This will give you the best way to decrease the damage to your microbiome and also speed recovery of whatever damage is done.

      00:16:11.700 --> 00:16:18.429
      And if you're at the beginning of your plant-based journey and you haven't been eating a lot of whole plant foods and you get sick, you think, oh, I've just got sick, I'm sick.

      00:16:18.429 --> 00:16:21.139
      You know, I've got something I'm dealing with right now.

      00:16:21.139 --> 00:16:22.566
      Don't worry about what happened before.

      00:16:22.566 --> 00:16:25.087
      Start from this point and move forward.

      00:16:25.087 --> 00:16:30.104
      Start taking those steps to learn how to make it simple for you and the way it's going to work for your real life.

      00:16:30.104 --> 00:16:38.424
      Listen, this podcast is filled with over 260 episodes now probably a lot more than that at the time you're listening to it.

      00:16:38.424 --> 00:16:49.846
      Get into podcast and side-drages experience so you can search these things and look up what you need to know and spend more importantly than just learning the facts, because there are a lot of facts that we share with you.

      00:16:49.846 --> 00:16:52.908
      The most important thing is take simple action.

      00:16:52.908 --> 00:16:57.931
      Get into community where you can share what you're doing and learn and grow from each other.

      00:16:57.931 --> 00:16:59.522
      And then don't just be there.

      00:16:59.522 --> 00:17:00.905
      Really do it.

      00:17:00.905 --> 00:17:14.166
      Start sharing, start posting those simple pictures of what you've been eating and trying and the questions that you have as they come up, because every step you take is one to get you one step closer to where you want to be.

      00:17:14.166 --> 00:17:21.403
      We look forward to seeing you in the next episode, where we'll be talking about prebiotics, and we hope you have a great week, sen Chan.