Camel Milk Chocolate: A Unique and Sustainable Treat

Camels require significantly less water than cows, making them a more sustainable option in arid and drought-prone regions. They can thrive in desert environments where other dairy-producing animals would struggle, reducing the need for artificial irrigation.

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I keep a wary eye open against illness, and prefer to immediately treat any scratchy throat, cough, or stomach upset with natural remedies. It usually works. But it’s happened that illness has caught me first.

I wonder what would have become of me without antibiotic treatment for pneumonia with peritonitis at one time and a post-partum breast infection at another. Later in life, I had a whopper all-around infection of the chest, throat, eyes, and ears after a loved one died. My immunities had bottomed out due to exhaustion and grief. Antibiotic meds got me back on my feet, and I’m here to tell the tale.

There’s no doubt that antibiotics save lives. They’ve certainly saved mine. As Green Prophet’s Karin Kloosterman pointed out, antibiotics, after washing hands, is the biggest breakthrough in medical history.

Strep throat, bronchitis, urinary tract infections and other ailments appear any time. We can almost shrug and say, “People get sick.” We’re confident that we’re going to be uncomfortable for a while, but that we’ll survive: there’s antibiotics.

Yet there’s another side to antibiotics. At the same time that antibiotics kill harmful bacteria, they destroy beneficial bacteria that live in the gut and keep us healthy. According to a study of intestinal bacteria published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, “Gut microbiota (micro-organisms) mostly repopulate within two to four weeks of finishing a course of antibiotics. However, it can take up to a year or longer for your gut microbiome to fully recover.”

Microbiomes are colonies of specific bacteria that live in specific places in or on the body. Here we’re focusing on the health-supporting bacteria that are found in the large intestine or colon, but also in the vagina. These “good” bacteria are often weakened or largely destroyed by antibiotic treatment.

So what can be the effects of weak, or absent good bacteria? Commonly, nausea, gas, diarrhea and a scraped sensation in the gut. In women, a yeast infection may occur after a round of antibiotics. People complain of feeling “wiped out” after illness treated with antibiotics; not only because illness is debilitating itself, but because the bacteria that nourish their colon and prevent inflammation aren’t there.

It may also happen that a person whose gut bacteria have vanished either extensive treatment with antibiotic meds, gets sick again – needing another round of antibiotics. A continuing cycle of illness/antibiotics can lead to a severe gut infection called Clostridium difficile. It’s a life-threatening condition. in 2023, the FDA approved a new therapy for that: poop pills. Transferring fecal bacteria from a healthy donor replaces up to 95% of the missing bacteria in the patient’s depleted gut.

But don’t get grossed out. The good news is, that in common cases, it’s more than possible to encourage gut health, and to replace missing healthy bacteria. It’s even easy. It’s about eating pre-biotic foods regularly, to help maintain a high level of healthful bacteria.

Let’s look at the difference between prebiotic and probiotic foods. Prebiotics are rich in fiber and pass through the body partially undigested. Think of whole grains, sourdough bread, organic leafy greens and fruit. According to the American Society for Nutrition, dandelion greens, Jerusalem artichoke, garlic, leeks, and onions have the highest amounts of prebiotics. Their list includes onion rings, creamed onions, cowpeas, asparagus, and Kellogg’s All-Bran cereal.

Probiotic foods are a slicker trick, many either being liquid, semi-liquid, or having been fermented in liquid, usually brine but sometimes milk. Here we’re looking at miso soup,; vinegar-free sauerkraut (and here’s how to make your own); kimchi; kombucha; yogurt with active culture; kfir, and unpasteurized pickled vegetables.

You can make many gut-friendly foods at home, such as labneh, a tangy spread based on yogurt. Start with yogurt whose label reads “bio-active” or “active cultures” or some such label indicating it has active friendly bacteria.

You do have to locate kfir grains and the kombucha starter (also called the mother) first. I’ve acquired both by putting out a call on my local WhatsApp groups, but if that doesn’t work for you, natural foods stores often carry them. Otherwise, there are many online sources.

What to avoid eating while taking antibiotics:

Some authorities warn that dairy and calcium-rich foods bind the meds to the calcium and prevent them from being absorbed by the body. The list includes tofu, kale, fortified cereals and orange juice, alternative milks and chia seeds; all calcium-rich. But you can eat them if you wait two hours after taking the antibiotic and six hours before the next dose.

High acid foods like citrus, sodas, chocolate and tomato products may interfere with absorption of certain meds. Best to stay away from them altogether while on antibiotics. Caffeine and alcohol are on the list too.

Surprisingly, multi-vitamins and antacids are also on the “take it easy” list while taking antibiotics. These products contain minerals that bind to the meds and prevent their absorption. As with calcium-heavy foods, take the vitamins and antacids two hours after you take your antibiotic and six hours before your next dose.

Read the label or the pamphlet inside the box. If it says to take with food, you can take your medicine with a meal or a little snack like crackers and fruit. Food helps the body to absorb certain medications and can reduce side effects. If the product should be taken on an empty stomach, time your meals to be either one hour after you take the medicine or two hours before your next dose.

And no matter what, stay hydrated while you’re sick. Drink plenty of water or warm herbal tea like mint or chamomile.

After finishing the course of antibiotics, it’s wise to continue eating probiotic foods. Indulge, and enjoy.

:: Clinical Infectious Diseases

:: American Society for Nutrition

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