Researchers at the Mayo Clinic investigated the extent to which antibiotic exposure in the first two years of life is associated with the risks to immunological, metabolic, and neurobehavioral heath in children. The population-based cohort study of all children born in Olmsted County, Minn., between 2003 and 2011 was published in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings. It included 14,572 children, 70 percent of whom received at least one antibiotic prescription during the first two years of life.

Early antibiotic exposure was associated with increased risk of childhood-onset asthma, allergic rhinitis, eczema, celiac disease, excess weight and obesity, and ADHD.

For a long time, each generation of American children has become unhealthier than the last. When I was in elementary school, obesity was not common. Now it is. The same holds true for asthma, ADHD, and celiac disease.

Antibiotics can be lifesaving medications when used appropriately. But doctors are too quick to prescribe them for all patients, including children. To be fair, doctors are put in an extremely difficult situation: If they don’t prescribe an antibiotic and something happens, they can be sued. And in the case of newborns, it’s difficult to distinguish who requires an antibiotic and who does not.

Why are kids having more health problems now? I believe it is primarily due to our diet. Eating a healthy diet helps everyone, including pregnant women and their fetuses. A holistically trained physician can help guide you on how to eat a healthier diet.

More information can be found in my book, The Guide to Healthy Eating.