URGENT: Deadly New Threat in Our Food
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.
Managing editor, Living Well Daily
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.