Most people think of viruses as being universally bad. They cause diseases and that’s about it. However, there is a whole class of viruses called phages that go around destroying specific types of bacteria. In the current era of “superbugs” that are resistant to multiple antibiotics, phages may be our only defense.

The rise of superbugs

Throughout most of humanity’s history, bacterial infections have been a major cause of death. Young children rarely reached their third birthday and even a minor injury could lead to gangrene, sepsis, and death. That all changed with the discovery of antibiotics. Doctors thought for a time that they had completely defeated this enemy of humanity. However, bacteria are tricky foes and rapidly started acquiring resistance against antibiotics. The CDC estimates around two million people in the US contract antibiotic-resistant infections every year and around 23,000 people die from these infections.

The discovery of viruses that eat bacteria

The first bacteria eating virus was discovered in India, busily killing the bacteria that cause cholera in the heavily polluted Ganges river. Since then, endless numbers of different phages have been isolated from a variety of sources, including sewers, lakes, feces, the ocean, biowaste, and even in toxic liquids.

Phages in medicine?

The development of phages into medical therapy stalled after the discovery of antibiotics. Antibiotics are cheaper and easier to apply; a broad-spectrum antibiotic will knock out most species of bacteria, while phages tend to be fairly specific and only target one or a handful of species, thus before they can be used the exact species causing the infection needs to be identified. Then, a specific phage needs to be selected to target it.

Another impediment in the use of phages that has led antibiotics to be preferred is that they can in most cases be taken orally, while in general phages need to be injected into the body. Deliberately injecting an active virus into a sick person tends to cause a knee-jerk reaction of “not a good idea,” but phages do not target anything other than bacteria; they have no harmful effects on the human body.

They work

Although no phages have been approved for use by the FDA yet, they have been used clinically in a few cases. For example, they were used to successfully treat a man with a flesh-eating bacterial infection and in another case someone was saved from infection by a life-threatening multi-antibiotic resistant superbug.

The dream: off-the-shelf phages

Although the field of phage therapy is in its infancy, scientists feel that soon all hospitals will have an in-stock selection of phages that will seek out and kill all of the more common antibiotic-resistant bacteria and the bacteria that cause difficult-to-treat infections like sepsis and flesh-eating bacteria. The hoped-for scenario is that if a patient has an infection that isn’t responding to antibiotic treatment, the doctor can simply prescribe a cocktail of phages that can be immediately administered.

The defeat of the superbugs

Scientists are currently looking for naturally occurring phages that target the bacteria of greatest interest, and since there are a lot of phages in existence this approach may be fruitful. However, in today’s age of simple and quick methods for altering genetic codes, another approach could be to simply take some existing phages and genetically engineer them to attack specific bacteria. Thus, the era of the multi-antibiotic resistant superbug may soon come to an end.

Everyone has to deal with stress eventually. However, some people handle it better than others. Even very minor stressors, like a cluttered car or frustration at work, can end up spiraling into something big, especially if there are multiple minor stressors that all build into one big ball of stress. When you look at people that know how to effectively manage their stress, you may be equal parts amazed and annoyed. How did they get so good at handling the stresses that life throws their way? Although some of it is in building healthy coping skills and management strategies, some of it is just being in the right mindset.

Ignoring Stress

When you’re first presented with a stressful situation, how do you handle it? If you’re like most people, you probably just ignore the situation and shove it to the side. Maybe you feel like you have bigger things to deal with right now, or maybe you just don’t want to think about the stressor at the moment. Sometimes, ignoring these stressors is the best thing to do in a given situation. If a deadline is looming over your head, you’re going to feel stressed, but it’s short-lived. Once you get past the deadline, you’ll be able to destress.

However, most of the time, ignorance is not bliss. If you’re constantly putting off dealing with a very specific stressor, especially if it’s one that you tend to encounter over and over again, you’re just going to build up resentment toward it. It’s also still stressing you out, even if you think you’re forgetting it. Over time, all of these stressful encounters and situations build up. At a certain point, you may end up running into huge problems with something that you could usually handle, all because there are other issues weighing on your mind. Just ignoring things doesn’t solve the problem, and that’s bad for you.

Treating the Symptoms

Too often, people think of the stress itself as the problem. If the negative effects from the stress go away, they think, then everything will be just fine. Whether it’s with a bubble bath, a nice dinner, or a personal indulgence, you’ll be dealing with the effects of the stress, but not the stressor itself. True, these can be a great way to reward yourself for dealing with that stressor, but without action, they can effectively become a way to ignore the problem. You can’t just try to handle the emotions tied to the stress by themselves.

It’s even more unfortunate when you only address the symptoms and you only address them after an acute event. If you end up having to take a few weeks off school because you’re dealing with so much stress, it’s an obvious sign that you need to handle some of those personal issues. However, if you only treat the surface problems, you’ll seem to function normally for a very short amount of time before it all comes up in a much more disruptive fashion. It’s a seemingly-endless cycle that can be very frustrating and even have repercussions throughout your private life.

How can I actually deal with my stress?

People who are great at dealing with stress are so good at it because they know how to tackle the root of the problem. Even if they just brush off their stressors sometimes, they eventually handle what’s actually stressing them out. They have that difficult talk, finish that difficult task, or complete that difficult journey. In order to most effectively handle your stress, you need to be in that same frame of mind. That’s where CBD gummies come in.

With Charlotte’s Web CBD gummies, you can take a step back from the situation. It doesn’t give you any new tools in and of itself, but it does provide you with potentially the most important tool of them all — a clear mind. This way, you can trace back the issues you’re having and identify the stressor that’s causing those issues. Then, you’ll be more prepared to take it down.

When you achieve a clear head with CBD gummies, you’ll also be able to handle other portions of your personal life a bit better. You may be able to deal with anxiousness more easily, fall asleep and stay asleep more reliably, and even exercise better. It’s all up to you.

Kombucha has been all the rage lately. With its wide variety of health benefits, it’s no wonder why people prefer Kombucha as an alternative to caffeine and alcohol.

Kombucha can be enjoyed in many different flavors these days. However, it can be quite expensive especially if it’s something you will purchase often. You can save a ton of money though if you can make your own kombucha at home.

The first thing you need to learn is how to brew your own kombucha. Once you know how, you can then customize it and make your own flavors. Here are some must-try Kombucha drink recipes to check out.

Strawberry Lemonade Kombucha

Looking for a refreshing drink to beat the summer heat? Try this concoction made only with brewed kombucha, strawberries, and lemon.

Ginger Kombucha

If you’re looking for a more flavorful kombucha with a spicy kick, this recipe is for you! It’s so easy, you only need to add ginger root to your brewed kombucha.

Pineapple Kombucha

This kombucha drink will make you feel like you’re in a tropical country enjoying the sun, sea, and sand. All it takes is adding ¾ cup of pineapple juice to your brewed kombucha!

Cream Soda Kombucha

Kicking a soda addiction can be really hard. With this recipe though, you can do so while still enjoying that familiar soda taste. Just add a couple of vanilla beans and some organic prunes and you got your own cream soda kombucha.

Lavender Kombucha

Lavender has its own health benefits including helping relieve indigestion, headaches, and insomnia. It promotes relaxation as well. So, if that’s what you’re after, add some lavender buds to your kombucha.

Kombucha is definitely not a boring drink. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different types of flavors to kick it up a notch.