We are so blessed that Western Medicine has developed antibiotics that can fight off the nastiest of infections and support our bodies during times of need. This is the good. Antibiotics are drugs that can target bacteria and either kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria.
They are NOT effective against viruses. This is where the bad comes in. Antibiotics can sometimes be mis-prescribed for a viral infection, in which case it is ineffective and can also lead to something called antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance means that when your body actually needs the antibiotic it will no longer be effective because your body and the bacteria have become resistant to it.
Next comes the ugly. The ugly is that antibiotics along with all the good they can do have the ability to wreck havoc on our systems. They can kill off not only bad bacteria but also good bacteria that is supposed to be part of our gut in order to help us digest food, boost our immune system and even make certain important vitamins such as B vitamins and vitamin K. Antibiotics can change our whole microbiome which puts us at risk for other bacterial, viral, fungal infections, overgrowth of certain normal gut bacteria and fungi such as yeast and can also lead to a condition called Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO). SIBO occurs when bacteria that is a normal part of our colon accidentally gets into our small intestine and causes all kinds of digestive symptoms such as gas, bloating, stomach pains, constipation or diarrhea, food sensitivities and even psychological symptoms such as depression or anxiety, mental fog and fatigue. Many patients also report yeast infections following antibiotic use for this exact reason. The yeast, which is a normal part of the vaginal flora has now been able to over grow and the over growth is detrimental and can cause unpleasant symptoms.

So what is the solution if you really do need to take an antibiotic? The answer is probiotics! Taking something called probiotics while taking an antibiotic and even some time after can help alleviate some of this damage. Probiotics are good bacteria that I mentioned before that help with digestion, support the immune system and make some very important vitamins. They can help decrease symptoms of bloating and gas and help with regular bowel movements. Many patients believe that eating yogurt advertised to have probiotics is sufficient in repopulating the gut. But yogurt often does not contain the proper bacteria or the proper amount of bacteria that is needed in order to be effective.  A probiotic supplement is the most effective way to make sure the good bacteria is put back into the system and can do its job to protect us from further infection and gastrointestinal symptoms. There are lots of different probiotic supplements out there and they contain different strains of bacteria and are from different sources. I help patients find out which probiotic would be most effective for their needs and their body.  Once taking the proper form and dose of probiotics I often see a dramatic decrease in patient's symptoms and improvement in their immune response. To book your appointment today you can call (905)906-9097 or email drtruglia@gmail.com and start on your journey to optimum health!


Dr. Claudia Truglia BSc. ND
Naturopathic Doctor
Stoney Creek Natural Wellness Center
50 King St. W
Stoney Creek, ON
(905)906-9097
drtruglia@gmail.com 

I define optimum health as being in balance. It seems like such an easy concept. A little bit of everything, and lot of nothing. But why is it so hard to put into practice? One of the fundamental principles of Chinese Medicine is balance, yin and yang. You may have heard these terms before. It basically means for everything is life there is an opposite...for example when there is darkness there is light, sadness there is joy, hot there is cold, night there is day etc. This concept makes so much sense, so how do we incorporate this in to our every day lives? I have been trying to figure this out for past 6 years that I have been practicing naturopathic medicine.  My goal has been to achieve balance in my life. I don't believe in restriction or deprivation because that to me puts more stress on our bodies and minds. I believe in moderation. It has been a struggle at times and certainly takes a lot of work and effort on a daily basis.  Running a practice along with raising 3 young children, caring for a household and husband and trying to eat properly, exercise and take all my supplements can definitely be challenging and overwhelming some days.  Those are the days I sit back and really evaluate what I am doing. What are my priorities?  How do I do patient research, cook dinner and listen to my daughter do her home reading all at the same time? How do I clean my floors when my son needs to be nursed? How do I fold laundry and clean up the mess my daughter just made all over the couch? And then I take a deep breath, and realize there is only so many hours in a day and I need to do what I can and know that tomorrow is another day and everything else will get done. My children will only be this age for so long and have certain needs that take priority. I think about what I tell my patients. The negative effect that stress has on the body. And that is worse for your health than anything else. And so I leave my floors until the kids have gone to bed, and I delay cooking dinner for 5 mins to listen to my daughter read, and I take some quiet time when the kids are occupied to do my research or catch up on work. And then I feel satisfaction because I have been able to balance it all out.  I have a great support network (my husband, my parents, my mother in law, my sister, and my friends) which is so important. Accepting help was one of the first lessons I learned once I had children. It wasn't easy to let go of the control and admit I couldn't do it all on my own, but once I did, what a sense of relief. Again that helped me be able to achieve that balance between family time and me time which is so important. And so there you have it, this is a bit about my journey to discover the ability to achieve balance. It is something I have become much better at doing but I still have a long way to go to perfect this concept and I am ok with that. I know that as long as I keep this in my mind as my end goal then I just slowly work at it day by day and always come back to it when I start to feel overwhelmed or lost. Balance....just the word seems to have some sort of calmness and zen to it. I hope today you can find some way to incorporate some balance in to your day!