4 Tips for Taking Antibiotics and Probiotics to Help You Feel Better Fast

You got your flu shot. You washed your hands and didn't touch your face. But somehow you still ended up sick. Ugh. You fill awful...for awhile, and finally drag yourself to the doctor. They prescribe you an antibiotic to tackle that bacterial infection that won't go away. Relief is around the corner, at last.

But while that antibiotic takes out the bad bacteria, what about all that good, healthy gut flora that you want for ongoing health - to help you get better and stay better? It's no secret that antibiotics can take out a lot of good bacteria in the fight to tackle that infection. So how can you support a more balanced approach? The answer seems to lie in probiotics. Here's a few tips from Healthline about how to maximize the benefits of probiotics while taking antibiotics...

1. Timing is important - Take your probiotic supplement or eat your probiotic food a few hours before or after you antibiotic dose to maximize the benefit of both.
2. Offset antibiotic side effects - Eating fermented foods can help restore damage to the gut bacteria caused by antibiotics. Yogurt also seems to reduce the risk of antibiotic-associated gastrointestinal issues in many people.
3. Hold off on fiber - High-fiber foods can help the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut but it's best to wait until your antibiotics course is over to help ensure optimal absorption of the antibiotic.
4. Avoid citrus and calcium-fortified foods - While taking antibiotics, avoid grapefruit and calcium-fortified foods which seem to negatively affect antibiotics absorption.
   

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