URGENT: Deadly New Threat in Our Food
By
Natalie Moore
Posted June 14, 2017
Dear Living Well Daily Reader,
Without question, antibiotic resistance is one of the top threats to your health these days.
Not only can it take your life, but it’s also incredibly hard to treat.
And while you might think you’re safe from drug resistance because you take antibiotics only when it’s necessary… you’re not.
Because according to new research from California State University, there’s another way for you to get infected with drug-resistant bacteria — your food.
Yep. That’s right, you could be eating thousands of gut-wrecking, drug-resistant bacteria every day.
But what’s truly shocking is that these nasty bugs are on fresh fruits and veggies.
You see, most of the antibiotics used in this country are given to animals raised for meat, making it a more likely source of drug-resistant bugs.
But since drug-resistant infections are becoming more and more common, California scientists were curious if these nasty bugs were making their way to your dinner table in produce too.
For the study, the researchers tested both conventional and organic fresh produce for drug-resistant bacteria.
After hours in the lab, the researchers found that both types of produce carried eight different types of antibiotic-resistant bacteria!
These included particularly tough strains resistant to colistin, a “last resort” antibiotic.
Experts report that some drug-resistant bacteria occur naturally in soil, but that antibiotics used in animal farming could also add to the problem.
While this news is alarming, it doesn’t mean you should stop eating fruits and veggies.
Simply washing your produce with cold tap water can significantly reduce the amount of surface bacteria on your fruits and veggies. For further protection, remove any bruised or damaged areas, since bacteria can thrive in such places.
Be sure to wash your produce before it comes in contact with your kitchen surfaces to further prevent spreading these dangerous bacteria.
Since it’s impossible to totally avoid drug-resistant bacteria in your food (and other parts of life), taking a probiotic can also help strengthen your gut and even help you fight off drug-resistant bugs.
You can get probiotics at your local pharmacy.
Live well,
Natalie Moore
Managing editor, Living Well Daily
Ed. Note: Please send your feedback: feedback@livingwelldaily.com – and click here to like us on Facebook.
Sources
[1] Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Found in Produce, Dairy Products
[2] Antibiotic resistance can occur naturally in soil bacteria
Written By Natalie Moore
Natalie Moore is a dedicated health researcher with a passion for finding healthy, natural, and science-based solutions. After a decade of direct healthcare experience in western and natural medicine, she was involved in public health research before joining Living Well Daily.
View More Free Articles
This Sleep Mistake Is Doubling Your Disease Risk
Think your inconsistent bedtime is just a harmless habit? Think again. New research reveals that going to bed at different times each night isn’t just making you tired—it could be dramatically increasing your risk of serious diseases. But the key to making sure poor sleep doesn’t derail your health goals likely isn’t what you think…....
Stop Obsessing Over Diet Trends
Can we stop with the endless diet debates already? Every other week there’s a new headline shouting about which diet is best for weight loss, heart health, or diabetes. Paleo, keto, low-carb, high-protein… it’s exhausting. And now, a new meta-analysis is out comparing the Mediterranean diet, the DASH diet, and something called AHEI (that’s “Alternative...
A New Reason to Ditch Processed Junk
If you’ve ever walked the inside aisles of your local grocery store and thought, “This is all just junk,” your instincts were spot on. A new study published in the journal Thorax just added another red flag to the list of dangers linked to ultra-processed food—a 41 percent higher risk of lung cancer. That’s right....
When Being Winded on Stairs Is Serious (And When It Isn’t)
I had an athlete visit me recently because he experienced shortness of breath while climbing stairs. He is in great shape, so he was worried about what it might mean. “Doc,” he said, “I run five miles three times a week. Why am I huffing and puffing after two flights of stairs?” His concern is...
Study EXPOSES Hidden Danger Lurking in Your Car
We think of our homes and cars as safe havens. But according to a startling new study, they may be flooding your lungs with microscopic plastic particles—every single day. Researchers in France recently found that adults inhale an average of 68,000 microplastic particles daily from indoor air alone. To put that in perspective, that’s about...
Mailbag: Is Modern Food Making You Snore?
“What can cause snoring, and is there a way to correct this issue?” —Seeking Silence Hi Seeking, Snoring happens when the soft tissues in your throat relax and vibrate as air passes through during sleep. While several factors can cause snoring—from sleep position to nasal congestion—I want to share one trigger that might surprise you....
Simple Food Swap SLASHES Dementia Risk 28%
Let’s be honest… who would jump at the chance to cut their dementia risk by 28 percent. And no, you don’t need to run marathons, survive on broccoli, or learn to play the zither (whatever that is) to make it happen. All it takes is one easy swap—something that’s probably already in your refrigerator. Researchers...
This SMART Floss Exposes Hidden Health Danger
Scientists have created dental floss that doesn’t just clean between your teeth—it also tracks your stress while you’re flossing. Now, I know what you’re thinking… “Great—now even flossing is going to stress me out by telling me how stressed I am.” But this fascinating new tool from Tufts University could be a game-changer for understanding...
Is This "Safe" Sweetener Damaging Your Brain?
The headlines are alarming… “Popular Sugar Substitute Linked to Brain Cell Damage” and “Erythritol Could Damage Critical Brain Barrier” are just two of the dozens I’ve spotted recently. But before you toss every sugar-free product in your pantry, let’s take a closer look at what this study actually shows—and what it doesn’t. The latest research...
This Summer Threat Could SPIKE Your Blood Sugar
Picture this… It’s another scorching hot summer day. You crank up the air conditioning while watching the weather forecast, which predicts yet another “record-breaking” heat wave. It’s starting to feel like just another miserably uncomfortable summer. But what you might not realize is that—if you have diabetes—those rising temps could do far more damage to...