A doctor has revealed the top three ‘unexpected’ things that she tries to avoid – and some of them may shock you.
The crucial information was shared in a new video posted to TikTok this week by Los Angeles-based doctor Nicole Van Groningen.
Dr. Van Groningen is an internal medicine doctor, and often takes to the social media platform to debunk medical myths and break down health news.
This time, however, she shared her own insights about what she tries to keep away from as a doctor.
The first thing that Dr. Van Groningen says that she tries to avoid is taking antibiotics out of precaution, or ‘just in case.’
‘Antibiotics are great, they are miracles in severe bacterial infections where they can be life-saving,’ the doctor explained.
‘I have seen it almost every day working in the hospital, however, when used inappropriately, they lead to a whole host of problems,’ she continued.
Dr. Van Groningen explained that the ‘over-prescribing of antibiotics’ can lead to things like antibiotic resistance, and inflammation of the liver and kidneys.
‘Antibiotics are great, they are miracles in severe bacterial infections where they can be life-saving,’ Dr. Van Groningen explained (stock image)
‘We also know that antibiotic use is the number one factor for developing C.diff, or C. difficile infections, which can be absolutely terrible if you have seen or heard or read about these,’ she shared.
C. diff is a type of bacteria that infects your colon, per Cleveland Clinic, and is extremely contagious.
However, Dr. Van Groningen said that even if you don’t develop C.diff from antibiotic use, it can heavily interfere with your gut microbiome.
‘In fact, there are a couple of recent studies that have shown that antibiotic use has been associated with a modest increased risk of colon cancer,’ Dr. Van Groningen said in the video.
‘It is postulated that one of the possible causative explanations for this could be the alteration in gut microbiome that comes along with antibiotic use,’ she continued.
‘Again, great drug for the right purpose, but I wouldn’t use it just because.’
The next thing that the internist tries to avoid is the frequent use of Benadryl, an over-the-counter medication that’s used primarily to treat allergies and inflammation.
‘Another great example of a fantastic medication used in the acute setting for an allergic reaction, a rash, can be fantastic, but it is not meant to be used in the long term,’ she explained.
The next thing that the internist tries to avoid is the frequent use of Benadryl, an over-the-counter medication that’s used primarily to treat allergies and inflammation
Finally, she revealed that she would ‘never trade sleep for productivity’ – meaning that sleep is absolutely essential for our health and well-being (stock image)
She cited that there have been a few studies that found a link between long-term Benadryl use and dementia.
‘Plus, the long list of side effects, especially in older adults, can be quite burdensome,’ she warned.
Some of the side effects that the doctor named were sedation, constipation, and confusion.
‘It’s just not great as a long-term option,’ she maintained.
Finally, she revealed that she would ‘never trade sleep for productivity’ – meaning that sleep is absolutely essential for our health and well-being.
‘It is not something that I think we should be doing when we have time, it is the cornerstone of our health,’ she stressed.
‘There are so many different studies that link chronic sleep deprivation with an increased risk of a multitude of chronic diseases, everything from dementia to cardiovascular disease,’ the doctor shared.
She said that on a long-term basis, it’s important to maintain a healthy sleep schedule.
