Update: Farm Animals Get 80 Percent of Antibiotics Sold in U.S.

Those of us who have been parents for a while have witnessed the shift away from using antibiotics until absolutely necessary. In days gone by, antibiotics would be prescribed for virtually any illness or pain. Even if the source of the problem could not be helped by antibiotics (such as a virus infection) doctors would often prescribe antibiotics to prevent "a secondary infection". Today, antibiotics are reserved for use only in cases where it has been proven to help. Even childhood earaches do not get antibiotics routinely as they once did. Why this severe shift in policy? Because of resistance.

We now know that frequent use of antibiotics for decades has and is creating resistant strains of the bacteria that are immune to antibiotics. Simply put, expose bacteria to antibiotics and a few isolated bacteria have the capacity to survive. If you do this frequently enough, the effect is that of "killing off the weak but leaving the strongest". over time those strongest multiply and cause the same disease, but can not be stopped by antibiotics. I suspect we have all heard this warning in the doctor's office lately, as the explanation of why they hesitate to use antibiotics unless they know it is required and helpful.

But wait. The first thing that bothered me about this explanation is... if before the antibiotics were prescribed in a large enough does to kill off the bad bugs, resistance is highly unlikely. Only smaller doses would allow the strongest bugs to live and multiply while killing of the  weak ones. Now sure, this could be caused by people not taking all of the pills in a full week dose, allowing the stronger bugs that can live through a few days to make return once the pills are stopped early, BUT this doesn't seem a likely source of resistance. Even in this case, the bugs are killed off by the persons immune system, or the person would have a relapse. I suspect not many people have suffered  from a continual infection for weeks or months while breeding these little bugs for resistance.  Perhaps it does happen, but it doesn't seem likely.

So lets explore the question...How would one purposefully create a resistant strain of bacteria easily if one wanted to? Here is one scenario :

1. Choose a single species or breed of host
2. Place high concentrations of this host in very close living conditions
3. Allow the living condition to be conducive to bacterial proliferation through unsanitary practices
4. Control the nutrition of the host in such a way that lowers the natural immune system
5. Expose the host to a constant life long dose of antibiotics at a low enough level to not kill bacteria but only inhibit them
6. Follow this model for several generations of host in the exact same physical area to allow bacteria to grow in the environment as well as the host, passing the increasing resistance from generation to generation

That sounds like a very plausible and effective  plan to create resistant bacteria, would you agree?

The shocking and sobering news here is that... we in America do this every day and have been doing this for decades. The model described above is EXACTLY what happens in factory farms day in and day out. AND it happens on such a scale that the activities of the doctors in human health really seem ridiculous as an effort to stop the trend of resistance.  This article clearly show why this is the case :

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/12/news-update-farm-animals-get-80-of-antibiotics-sold-in-us/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wired%2Findex+%28Wired%3A+Index+3+%28Top+Stories+2%29%29

You see in this article that the use of antibiotics in humans is only 20% of the total. Therefore, if we cut antibiotics use in humans through the policy change of doctors by 10%, that only affects overall antibiotics usage by 10% of 20% which of course is 2% of the total. Not enough to make a difference in the actual problem. If in fact 80% of the antibiotics use in America goes to factory farm animals in the model described above, the problem can not be relieved through any policy use of doctors. Even if humans quit using antibiotics completely, if the government banned their use in humans entirely, 80% of the problem still exists and is therefore unaffected.

Perhaps you wonder.. but these are animals, we are talking about resistance in humans. The truth is the bacteria that frequent feedlots and factory farms are also the ones that are becoming most resistant in humans. A Small amount of research will show this fact.There is a direct connection between resistance within feedlots and humans, in fact, those that work in factory farms are at highest risk for antibiotic resistant infections. Ever see the protective clothing required when entering a factory farm today? These places have become virtual bacteria factories and hazardous waste factories, unfit for human presence without careful procedures and protective clothing.

So now we might ask, WHY would owners of factory farms and feedlots do this to America, to us? 

We were often told when entering the farm occupation that "antibiotics increase health and weight gain". That is given as the primary reason to encourage farmers to spend money on antibiotics. "BUT WAIT" a small voice in side me says... "WHY is that?". Why would antibiotics encourage weight gain and improve health in animals when that does NOT happen in humans? The answer lies in how you look at it.

IF you take animals and place them in single species overcrowded facilities
AND IF you neglect to keep those facilities clean and sterile through nature's methods
AND IF you feed them artificial food built for growth, not health
AND IF you breed them for growth genetics instead of health genetics
AND IF you ignore all the warning signs of nature
THEN animals loose weight, get sick, and often die
SO IN THAT CASE antibiotics encourage weight gain and health.

You see, antibiotics allow factory farms to use inhumane, unhealthy, and appalling approaching to animal treatment without as much death and disease. Antibiotics allow for factory farms and feedlots to exists, because without antibiotics it would be hopeless to raise animals in this manner. Nature itself fights against  what we are doing in our food supply and antibiotics allow us to break the rules anyway... for a while...

Even in factory farms it is becoming evident that the whole approach used is not working. It is not sustainable. Disease is rampant, genetics are deteriorating, people, especially children, are dieing as a result.

So, I propose three fixes to antibiotic resistance:

1. The government outlaws factory farming
2. The public refuses to buy food produced in factory farms
3. The owners and workers on factory farms go on strike and refuse to continue killing Americans

Sound extreme? Unfortunately the only way to stop antibiotics resistance is to stop factory farming that is producing it. As long as antibiotics are used in production of meat on a routine basis, there is no hope of stopping the trend in the doctor's office.

So, I plead with you, starting today, do what you can. Refuse to buy anything produced with antibiotics. Just say no and choose an alternative. Your body, your children, and your grandchildren will thank you for being part of the solution instead of part of the problem. The sad truth is, when you buy meat that is raised with antibiotics, YOU become part of the reason that our grandchildren will suffer. It is a very easy fix to start the new trend.

Find a preferably local family farm that does not use chemicals, does not follow factory farming methods, and buy meat from them and only them. If you eat out, reject fast food and always ask of the source of the meat in restaurants.  It may cost a few pennies more today, but save much more money and even save lives of your offspring. Don't wait for the government to do something, make the choice to be the solution today yourself. Where we spend our money every day has more affect on the future than any government policy or law. In fact, the government will NOT address this problem until enough people are already refusing to pay for factory meats.

Which side will you be on today?