Word on the street—that is from a doctor’s blog that my wife follows, Your Local Epidemiologist—is the most likely culprit of the recent, nationwide parasitic Cyclospora illness is packaged lettuce. With that said, they are still yet to identify the exact food, and instead for the time being recommend thoroughly washing all produce and eating—YOU GUESSED IT—exclusively COOKED FOODS! Yay!
According to YLE, this is the largest such outbreak in U.S. history, exceeding 3,000 recorded cases, which means there has probably been close to double that, with Michigan, New York, and Ohio topping the charts. Interestingly, it was the world champion New York Knicks who defeated the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers en route to their Finals appearance, though most medical professionals are confident this is completely irrelevant )
If you experience several days of explosive and/or watery diarrhea, obviously the recommendation is to see your doctor and get tested, and they would prescribe antibiotics in response to a positive test—for which we would obviously recommend probiotics on the back end to mitigate gut damage.
Generally, it is not enough just to “have yogurt” everyday in lieu of taking a probiotic. Firstly, because yogurt is cold, raw, difficult to digest food. Secondly, it will rarely match the quantity and diversity of strains offered by a good supplement. Although it is not technically my field, I would recommend one of the presently most popular and researched brands, Spore Probiotics.
As for Chinese medicine, the acupuncture point, Stomach 36 and/or moxibustion on the abdomen can help to resolve the “cold damp” climate created by the pathogenic bacteria, and from an empirical. standpoint, “Huo Xiang Zheng Qi San,” or “Agastache Powder,” is the most recommended herbal formula to treat acute (and often times chronic) bouts of liquid diarrhea.
Its chief ingredient, agastache herb, is researched to have antibiotic effects against candida albicans, staphylococcus, E. coli, dysentery, and diplococcus pneumonia. Another of its ingredients, magnolia bark, known to treat chronic bloating and coughs, is researched to have antibiotic effects against Bacilis subtilis, diplococcus, dysentery, and staphylococcus as well.
Best of luck to everyone! Stay safe. Eat well. Avoid lettuce. Cook your vegetables. Even after we’re on the other end of this because raw foods are more difficult to break down and assimilate, which makes the gut weak, which makes it more difficult to manufacture vital nutrients, which leads to illness!
