Q: I borrowed some antibiotics from my sister when I had a sore throat. When I told my doctor, he got angry. Is he just mad because I didn't call him, or was it really a bad idea? - Alma R., Milwaukee
A: No one should take antibiotics that have not been prescribed for a bacterial infection diagnosed by a doctor. Unfortunately, it's increasingly common in the U.S. A study from Baylor College of Medicine found that because of long waits at doctor offices and clinics, the cost of health care, embarrassment about contracting a sexually transmitted disease and not being able to leave work to see a doctor, many people across all socioeconomic and demographic groups look for under-the-table ways to obtain antibiotics.
Where do folks get them? At local grocery and pet stores (you can buy them one at a time!), online (do you really know what's in those pills?) and from family and friends who have "leftovers."
Such unprescribed use of antibiotics is an important contributor to the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections, but it's not the only one. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 47 million antibiotic prescriptions each year are dispensed unnecessarily from doctor's offices and emergency departments, often for the common cold or flu, sore throats, and sinus and ear infections that are caused by viruses and don't respond to antibiotics. Also, approximately 80% of antibiotics sold in the U.S. are for use in food-producing animals, and that also fuels the rise of superbugs.
The risks are real. If you skip the doc and have an infection that isn't properly treated, it can lead to serious complications. Plus, antibiotic resistance means once-manageable infections become potentially life-threatening. Today 35% of Streptococcus pneumoniae is resistant to ampicillin!
So do your part to protect your health and fight antibiotic resistance: Never take an antibiotic without a prescription, and don't ask your doctor to give you an antibiotic without knowing that a bacterial infection is the cause of your illness.
Q: I just bought a plastic water bottle for the gym and it says in big bold letters "BPA Free!" What did they replace it with, and is that OK? - Kayla T., Clearwater, Florida
A: There's been so much publicity about the hormone-disrupting effects of BPA in receipts, cans and bottles (technically they're in products containing polycarbonates and epoxy resins) that companies have tried to seem like they're going green by ditching BPA. So now we have bisphenol-S (BPS) and bisphenol-F (BPF). And tests show they're residue is as prevalent in our bodies as BPA.
Are these better or worse? It may be that they're more rapidly metabolized and/or flushed through your body than BPA is, but that might not make them any less harmful.
All the bisphenols show "estrogenic activity" in animal models, which means they mimic the estrogen hormone, trigger hormone changes and promote obesity. A recent study published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society seems to show that there isn't much of a difference between BPA and the newer versions, and that all the cousins may be linked to childhood obesity. Also, if you're of childbearing age, Kayla, a study just published in Molecular Psychiatry says that prenatal exposure to higher levels of estrogen seems to contribute to autism.
The bottom line: If you're going to stay with plastic water bottles, make your selection based on the Resin Identification Code (RIC) number (1 through 7) that's found inside a triangle on the bottom of every plastic container. Safest choices: 2, 4 and 5. Better yet, get a high-quality, reusable stainless-steel water bottle. It'll keep your liquid cool longer and it's easy to clean if you get the right one. But beware. Many metal water bottles (especially aluminum ones) have BPA linings just like canned goods, so look for ones that are unlined. With a little research you can find a good one.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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