Monday, April 7, 2014

Vitamin Goodness

I have the song "Trick of the Moonlight" by Gareth Dunlop playing in my head tonight.  It skips over it like a record and only plays the parts I really like.  

I had another long day at work, and tonight finds me tired and stressed. I read this article over the weekend in my mom's April Good Housekeeping magazine and it rang a few bells for me.



It talked about how doctors over-prescribe the "big gun" drugs in order to beat what could be minor illnesses and thus bacteria strains are becoming very antibiotic-resistant. Kind of scary actually, because deaths are rising from viruses and bacteria due to the strains becoming resistant. It had me thinking about it because I am allergic to your first-line antibiotics (penicillin, sulfa), so the doctors always prescribe the big guns for me. I had a recurring sinus infection for pretty much all of 2013 because I couldn't kick it with antibiotics. 

It finally took a med school intern to think outside of the box and prescribe me with three weeks of an antibiotic that was a cousin of penicillin. Sure, I developed a terrible rash and hives that lasted for a few months, and I was unable to finish the antibiotics because it started to affect my mouth/face, but I got rid of most of the germs. (The article also talked about how not finishing antibiotics actually helps strengthen those bacteria germs that makes them more antibiotic-resistant. So scary!) 

Now I take VitaFusion gummy vitamins every day (really, it's just like eating candy!) and I haven't had to go to the doctor since late November in 2013, which is definitely an amazing thing in my world. I still have occasional days when the sinus germs flare up and cause me issues, but over-the-counter antihistamines seem to help on those days.  For vitamins, I take a daily dose of Calcium, Vitamin D, a Women's Multi-vitamin and Vitamin C.  I loathe taking pills but I find chewing on gummies is an easy way to fool myself into taking them daily. Besides, aren't they cute in their berry-licious form?!



But I digress. I encourage you to pick up Good Housekeeping and read the article-it definitely rang true for me. And what I want to know is why are the drug companies not investing in coming up with stronger antibiotics? Do they want us to go back to the stone age?! Actually, don't answer that. The insurance companies probably do want us all to die young so they don't have to invest in keeping us healthy. 

And, since I usually post about my interior design craziness, I thought I would leave you with this teaser of an upcoming project (or two): 

And someone really needs to go hire me a butler. So you know, he can prime my new drywall.

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