Thinking about health: Taking unnecessary antibiotics can be harmful

How many times have you walked away from the doctor’s office with a prescription for an antibiotic to treat a cold? Probably many. Over the decades we’ve been conditioned to believe that antibiotics are sort of an insurance policy against some malady that might be worse than a cold or that they will make the nasty symptoms magically disappear.

In recent years, study after study has shown that this “just-in-case” medicine comes with oodles of side effects and serious consequences that might make patients think twice before dashing off to the pharmacy. And yes, it might mean question...