As nerves settle and fears are put to the side, we all breathe a sigh of relief from the recent Ebola scare. Even though it’s not completely over, having a little more faith that the person next to us who just sneezed may only be getting a cold and nothing more.

The scariest thing about the whole Ebola situation wasn’t Ebola itself but the realization that there are more contagious viral and bacterial infections than Ebola. There are super bugs that are killing thousands a year and doctors still can’t figure out how to stop or even slow them down.

So where did all of this come from and why can’t our bodies fend off these diseases?

Well many healthcare professionals believe it’s the overuse of antibiotics. Antibiotics have been around since the late 1800’s, yet the term was not used until the 1940’s.

Since its inception it has been used to kill many bacteria that the body struggles to fight off on its own. The downside is that these bacteria have found ways to smarten up and resist the antibiotics after repeated use.

As time continues the antibiotics change to stay ahead of the bacteria while the bacteria are only one step behind. It has also been researched that the majority of the antibiotics we take do not come in pill form. Instead it comes in the form of food.

Many of the domesticated animals are fed antibiotics so they can fully mature before they are shipped off to the slaughter house. With the combination of doctors feeding us antibiotics when we are sick and the excessive use of antibiotics used on animals what are we supposed to do?

Well one option is to buy locally. Usually there are local farms that raise their livestock with minimal to zero drugs during the lifespan of the livestock. By doing this you are given the ability to know what was used in the processing of your meat.

The other option is talking to your local state representative in efforts for better regulation on farmers drug use on live stock. Without these measures there is not much we can do in giving antibiotics a chance to work when we need them most.

-Phil