It’s that time again…….
The cold/flu season is upon us.
As early as November, you may find yourself purchasing over the counter cold/flu medications to store in the medicine cabinet, get the flu shot (hopefully not), wash your hands more often, tell your children to cover their mouth when they sneeze, etc., as preventative measures to avoid getting sick. If you or a family member does get sick, then you have over the counter medications to help treat the symptoms. If the symptoms get worse then we go to the doctor to get antibiotics, steroids or other prescriptions to help eliminate our symptoms and infections. For many, this preventative and treatment model works and people get over their cold and/or flu and are restored to good health.
All of these practices are not bad in and of themselves, however, they are based on a perspective that thinks that we “catch” a “cold” or “flu.” That germs from outside our bodies make us sick. It is our job to make sure that these foreign invaders do not make us sick, so we sanitize our environment more intentionally this time of year and take many other precautionary measures.
How the “Germ Theory” began
The biological idea that “germs” outside of our bodies make us sick comes from the 19th century. A man by the name of, “Louis Pasteur” developed a theory called, “The Germ Theory.” This theory states that fixed species of microbes outside our bodies invade us and are the first cause of “infectious” disease. These fixed species only have one form called, “monomorphism” (one form) that cause a diseased state. This theory was eventually accepted by the medical community by the late 19th into the early 20th century. Medical organizations like the American Medical Association, National Institutes of Health, Center for Disease Control, hospitals and universities all support the Germ Theory and it has become medical dogma since its adoption.
The creation of antibiotics are based on this Germ Theory. Since 1940, the medical field has been using antibiotics to treat bacterial infections. Antibiotics are an effective way to treat bacterial infections and has and continues to save lives; however, today we are hearing more and more about “antibiotic resistant bacterial infections.” You ever wonder how this could be the case?
Whether it is antibiotics or anti-viral drugs, they all are based on the ideas found in Pasteur’s Germ Theory. To be fair, these drugs have shown to be effective to treat and prevent disease proliferation to prolong a person’s life. This may have happened to you or someone you know and this is a good thing for many of us. Yet the idea of getting an illness from foreign external invaders is what drives medical research and the pharmaceutical industry to develop new drug therapies to address infectious diseases.
What to believe?
Are the medical and pharmaceutical industries winning the war against infectious disease? Yes and No. Yes, because many infectious diseases have reduced in the number of cases per year since the early part of the 20th century. Many infectious diseases that took many lives in the past are now treatable. No, because we are still dealing with new forms of bacterial infections that medicine cannot treat or other types of infections like viruses. We have been able to slow the progressions of certain viruses; however, having the body heal from them has not become a reality.
Is there another way to look at infectious disease?
Have you ever thought about how some people get sick and others seem to stay well?
How someone who is sick can be around other people and expose them to these microbes and they still do not get sick?
If it is the germs outside of our bodies that make us sick, then how come we all do not get sick, especially, in the cold/flu season?
How come events like the “Black Death” in the 14th century that stretched across Asia and Europe did not take out all of humanity?
Some people may say, “well some people have a stronger immune system” and that is true.
Others may say, “maybe what type of illness I have, the other has built up immunity from it already.”
The latter comment stems from the idea that we develop resistance from external microbes after we initially get sick. There is some truth to that, but it still assumes that infectious diseases come from external sources.
What if the Germ Theory is based on faulty presuppositions?
What if illness’ do not come from outside the body but comes from within our bodies?
What if all the symptoms we experience when we are sick are just manifestations of processes caused by a compromised internal environment?
A Lost Chapter in the History of Medicine
Doctors and scientists like Antoine Bechamp, Claude Bernard, Gunther Enderlein, Virginia Livingston Wheeler and Gaston Naessens offer a different perspective than Pasteur’s monomorphic-Germ Theory. They are a part of this evolving school of thought that goes back to the early 19th century called, “pleomorphism” (many forms) and makes claims such as:
- Disease is a general condition of one’s internal environment.
- Germs do not cause disease; they develop in a diseased environment.
- Germs have a healthy and unhealthy form that manifests in health or disease.
- Germs have different cycles that create different symptoms
- Diseases are just symptoms of other underlying causes.
In the book called, “Bechamp or Pasteur? Ethel Douglas Hume quotes an observation that Florence Nightingale (the famous pioneer for nursing) makes observing the sick she cared for as they went from one disease state to the next:
“The specific disease doctrine [Germ Theory-monomorphism] is the grand refuge of weak, uncultured, unstable minds, such as now rule the medical profession.”
Florence clearly saw in her nursing practice that disease states change over time and are not based on the idea that one germ creates only one symptom; in fact, they can cause multiple symptoms based on what form the germ changes into. So her perspective supports the “pleomorphic” view of germs and not Pasteur’s “monomorphic-Germ Theory.”
The “pleomorphic” view supported by the doctors and scientists listed above may offer some explanation as to why we have antibiotic resistant bacterial infections. If bacteria (also viruses) have different forms that change based on the internal environment of your body, then taking an antibiotic designed to target one or just a few possible forms may not get you well. This may explain why you may take an antibiotic to clear up a sinus infection and then end up with a urinary tract infection or have a second sinus infection after your initial antibiotic treatment.
It is no wonder that you or someone you know has had to take several rounds of antibiotics before getting well from an infection. Antibiotic prescriptions are like trying to hit a target in the dark. The hope is that whatever you are taking will destroy the infection without any further damage done. The cycle of multiple infections is all too common for many families year after year. We can thank the “monomorphic Germ Theory” for creating this infectious roller coaster.
The irony of Pasteur’s Germ Theory is abandoned by the one who created it in the first place. Pasteur claims on his deathbed that “the germ is nothing, the terrain is everything.” Pasteur came around to believe that Antoine Bechamp was correct.
The “pleomorphic” view is still looked at with suspicion today and labeled as a kind of pseudoscience by mainstream medicine. The idea that every cell in your body has healthy or diseased states based on your internal terrain seems ludicrous. The medical profession will continue to look at infectious disease as something that invades us from the outside and drugs will continue to be based on Pasteur’s theory, even though, he recanted from the idea from himself before his death.
We have not gotten sick!
“I know by taking the whole food supplements they have built our immune system to fight the common colds and flu. My family and I love Core Health Products and are grateful for what they have done for our health.” – Bennie W.
The Cycle of Unbalance
This section will explain how we create an internal cellular environment that is acidic, has low cellular charge, toxic and nutrient deficient. The perfect recipe for the germs inside our cells to change forms that manifest multiple symptoms we call infectious disease. Remember, germs are not the cause but only the effect of a compromised internal environment.
To be clear, your body has different pH ranges to maintain its health and proper function. Why Alkalize and The Missing Link to Health help to explain in greater detail this basic biochemistry. What we are discussing in this article, is the acidic waste that gets built up in our tissues and interstitial fluid within our cells that eventually turns our cells into unhealthy forms.
Your cells under normal body metabolism produces acidic waste that must be neutralized and eliminated. When you add the unhealthy lifestyle and environmental factors, then it is no wonder many of us are sick with numerous types of infections this time of year.
Let’s use the fish bowl analogy to help you see what we mean.
The fish represent our cells and the water is the fluid that surrounds the cells. As the fish eat and produce waste, the water eventually becomes dirty and acidic. If the water never gets cleaned, then the water becomes acidic and the fish (our cells) become sick. If the water remains clean and the waste is properly exposed of, then the fish (our cells) remain healthy at the proper pH level.
So, what are some of the lifestyle habits that create an internal environment that makes our cells acidic, have low cellular charge (60 MHz or lower), toxic and nutrient deficient?
The consumption of:
Processed/refined sugar (cane sugar, high fructose corn syrup, etc.)
Fried foods
Processed/refined flour
Alcohol
Too much animal food
All pasteurized dairy products-milk,butter, cheese, ice cream, most yogurts, etc.
Carbonated drinks (alcoholic, energy drinks, soda, etc)
Fruit and Vegetable juices from concentrate
Food allergens (e.g. soy, corn, dairy, wheat, nuts, grains, etc.)
GMOs (genetically modified organisms) (corn, cotton, canola, soy products)
All types of junk food
Refined oils (vegetable oils and (partially)hydrogenated oils)
Artificial sweeteners, additives/preservatives and coloring
Fast food
Salt
Caffeine
Baked goods-Candy-Chips-all processed foods
Lifestyle Patterns:
Poor thinking patterns
Emotional, physical, spiritual and mental stress
Toxic living environments
Chronic dehydration (nothing hydrates the body but water alone)
Prescription drug use (e.g. antibiotics)
Yeast/Fungal Overgrowth
Poor Sleeping Patterns
History of Poor Digestion
Smoking
Illegal drug use
Many more…
Environmental Factors:
EMF’s (from cell phones, wifi, etc.)
Medical Procedures (like CT scans exposing you to large amounts of radiation)
Pollution from the air, water and soil
Hygiene Products
Cosmetics
Building Materials
Heavy Metals
Mold
Odorless Gases (e.g. radon)
Cleaning Products
Factory work
Recycled air in the workplace
Many more…
The buffering systems we have in our bodies (totaling 7 all together) to help eliminate all this acidic waste become overworked and rundown. All of these lifestyle and environmental factors tax your body too much and the body cannot keep itself well anymore. Your cells now become acidic, have low cellular charge, toxic, oxygen deficient and nutrient deficient. As a result, your cells bathe in a soil that allow them to change forms and multiple bacteria and viruses now have the environment to cause multiple symptoms of infectious disease.
Tips on how to get well faster
- Drink water only (at least a gallon per day): Water helps to flush out acidic waste produced by the infections. All carbonated drinks and sports drinks will only increase acidity and help to proliferate unhealthy micro-forms.
- Fasting: We have been taught to feed a cold-flu but when we eat it causes our bodies to utilize lots of energy and reduces the ability of our immune cells to destroy the bacterial and viral infections. Feeding a cold-flu will only prolong your illness.
- Rest, Rest, Rest: When you rest and conserve energy, your body can use its energy attacking the infection. Since you will be drinking water and fasting, you will need to conserve as much energy as possible.
- Drinking homemade diluted vegetable juices: When you drink diluted fresh vegetable juice while being sick, you are providing the body with alkaline mineral rich ingredients that can help to neutralize the metabolic acids caused by the bacterial and viral infections. You also provide the body with vitamins and antioxidants to boost your immune system. These juices are also great for your gut and helps cleanse the liver. Assisting the gut and liver with these juices will speed up the healing process.
These four practices are a great way to assist the body with its own healing abilities. These practices can be found in Dr Bieler’s book, “Food Is Your Best Medicine.”
Now that we have spent time looking at how the body becomes breathing ground for infectious disease, let us turn towards how we get the body back into balance and prevent illness from occurring at all.
Is it possible to survive the cold and flu season without getting sick?
Is it possible that I can have a household sick and still avoid getting sick?
The answer to both questions is yes! When we get sick from the inside out and not the outside in, then it is possible.
The Cycle of Balance
Step 1 Cleanse
We hear so much about detoxing the body today and it is vital for not only resetting the body’s biochemistry but also for remaining well long-term. Here are some necessary things you must do in this first step to create a healthy internal environment. You must clean out the garbage before the body gets well. This first step is the beginning of increasing cellular charge, pH balancing the body, nourishing the body and reducing overall cellular toxicity.
1.Drinking mineral rich ionized Kangen water. Most bottled and filtered waters are acidic and void of any alkalizing/pH balancing minerals. Kangen water is filled with alkalizing minerals that help to neutralize acidic waste in the body. Minerals such as potassium, magnesium and calcium. Wetter (a reduced surface tension), mineral rich and antioxidant rich Kangen water is a great way to neutralize cellular acidity and prevent the use of your electrolyte buffering system to do so. One of the easiest and best ways to change the water your cells bathe in is changing the liquid you drink.
2. Drinking freshly juiced fruits and vegetables. Just like when you are sick and want to get well, drinking organic (if possible) freshly prepared juices will increase oxygen in the blood, neutralize acidic debris in the blood and tissues, create a higher cellular charge, pull toxins out of your cells and nourish the body all at the same time. Your body needs the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, enzymes and chlorophyll in these foods to clean house.
3. Saunas Using any type of sauna is a great way to cleanse the body through your skin. Working up to 30 minutes each session for 3 or more times a week would be a great help and speed up the process of eliminating toxins from the body. If you have any major medical conditions, please consult your physician before incorporating the sauna into your weekly routine. The goal is to increase your sweat time and a great way to do so besides exercise is in the sauna.
4. Exercise Aerobic exercise is a great way to rid the body of toxins because it also increases sweating just like the sauna. Anaerobic exercise is beneficial as well but make sure that you are sweating while doing any form of weight training. Burst training is another way you can increase your heart rate, build strength, increase perspiration and eliminate toxins. Whatever form your exercise takes, ensure that you are perspiring!
5. Deep Breathing When you do deep breathing exercises, you are increasing oxygen in the blood stream and exhaling toxins out of the lungs. There are numerous ways you can do deep breathing so search online until you find a technique that you like and enjoy doing. The good news about deep breathing is that it has some of the same benefits as aerobic exercise, so for those who are limited in mobility this is a safe alternative.
6. Correcting automatic negative thought patterns. A therapy called, “Cognitive Behavioral Therapy” will teach you how to change your negative thinking patterns that may lead to negative emotions and maladaptive behaviors. Your body is ease dropping on your thoughts and can either assist in making you sick or well. Working through your negative thinking habits and incorporating positive thinking will help to cleanse the mind and create a healthier mind and body.
7. Clean out your gut! Believe it or not, but the the first 6 on this list will help to create a better intestinal environment. The gut is vital when it comes to overall health and/or disease. We suggest taking enzymes and probiotics like our Core Health Pack or Digestive Health to help clean your intestines of undigested food, yeast/fungus and re-populate your intestines with the bacteria it needs to protect your body from harmful pathogens that may enter the bloodstream because of poor digestion. Your cells becoming chronically acidic, toxic and malnourished begins in the gut.
8. Eliminate as many environmental toxins as you can. The list of environmental toxins listed earlier is a good checklist to go by to help you clean up your living environment. While we cannot eliminate all potential hazards, do the best you can to reduce your exposure to these toxins. Our external environment does play a role in how healthy or unhealthy our cells function.
These 8 steps will do wonders for your health and get you headed in a good direction. Even though these practices are about “cleansing” the body, it is preferred that you make them a part of your new lifestyle as much as you can. Our environment and nutrition are so toxic these days, that daily practices of continual detox are imperative.
During this stage, stay away from the toxic foods and drinks as well. In the beginning you may feel worse before feeling better because of the amount of toxin being eliminated at once, so go at your own pace. Again, for those who are chronically sick already, please speak with your physician before doing any type of cleansing protocol.
Step 2 Nourish
The lifestyle practices discussed here, are all a part of how to sustain a slightly alkaline state, increase cellular charge, create a non-toxic cellular environment and a body that is adequately nourished. These practices will ensure the water your cells bathe in remains clean and healthy, in turn, your cells remain in a healthy state.
Chiropractic Care: Your central nervous system is vital for sustained bodily function and to keep your immune system strong. Any type of scoliosis or subluxation (pinching of the nerves) in the spinal area will reduce your immune function and increase atrophy of your organ function. You need optimal nerve supply to the body for optimal function and going to a chiropractor routinely is the way to do that.
Fasting: utilizing the fasting instructions in step 1 a few times a month will help you rid the body of excess cellular garbage. Use up any stored energy, clear the mind and give your digestive system and liver some rest utilizing the foods you eat for fuel.
Routine sleeping patterns: going to bed and rising in the morning at the same time is ideal for proper bodily function. Routine and restful sleep allows the body to cleanse itself over the nighttime hours. Avoid eating about 3 hours before bed to ensure your body detoxes while you sleep.
Exercise: a combination of aerobic and anaerobic exercises.
Relaxation techniques: doing a form of relaxation (e.g. deep breathing) to de-stress will help keep the body from over-stressing and avoid producing acidic waste in the body.
Correcting any deficiencies in the body: getting your blood work done to see if you are deficient or have too much of any nutrient is imperative. Checking your vitamin and mineral levels is an example. Many people are vitamin D and B12 deficient, so correcting deficiencies will ensure your cells are functioning at optimal levels.
Sweat! Sweat! Sweat! exercise, being outdoors, saunas are all great ways to ensure you are riding the body of toxicity and acidic waste and increasing oxygen levels in the blood.
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Drinking water is the only liquid that can flush out acidic waste in the body. Ionized (mineral rich) and antioxidant rich Kangen water is a great way to neutralize acidic waste and give your cells a great place to swim. To learn more, click HERE.
Eliminate any food allergens: We hear so much about food allergies today. Common allergens come from wheat, peanuts, soy, dairy, corn, food dyes/coloring, food additives, etc. Eliminating these and other foods that are processed is a good place to start. You can use the pulse test re-introducing these foods after abstaining from them for at least 30 days but do so one at a time. If your normal resting pulse rate increases after 20 to 45 minutes after consuming these foods, then you know you’re having a reaction to the food. Avoiding the food is your best option.
Foods to eat!
The general list of foods below will create a balanced internal environment over time. We are not going to list alkaline and acidic foods here because it is misleading since some acidic foods alkalize the system. Just avoid many of the types of foods listed earlier in this article. The list provided here are general categories with some examples. These foods will pH balance the body, increase cellular charge and nourish your body.
Organic and Raw Leafy Green Vegetables: kale, spinach, collard greens, box choy, swiss chard, etc.
Organic raw berries: strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, elderberry, etc.
Organic fruits: lemons, limes, avocado, unsweet grapefruit, tomatoes, cucumber, granny smith apples, etc.
Organic and Raw-Lightly Steamed Cruciferous vegetables: cauliflower, cabbage and broccoli.
Sprouts: alfalfa sprouts, bean sprouts, broccoli sprouts, etc.
Sprouted grains: millet, quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth, etc.
Wild caught fist: salmon, mackerel, sardines, anchovies, etc.
Raw Soaked nuts and seeds: pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, almonds, chia seeds, etc.
Freshly ground flax seeds: eat them as soon as you grind them.
Organic berry smoothies: there are lots of recipes online.
Organic fresh vegetable juices: there are lots of recipes online.
Minimal citrus-high sugar fruits
Raw oats: soaked overnight with almond milk with added nuts, seeds, spices (cinnamon), apples, etc.
Fermented Vegetables: sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles, etc. Make sure they do not contain any food additives and/or coloring. Organic is best.
Fermented Drinks: kombucha, diluted apple cider vinegar
Organic-grass fed meat: just minimize consumption to 2 or 3 times a week.
Soaked and cooked beans and lentils
Potatoes of all sorts
You will notice that this is a dominantly plant-based food guide. We consume too many acidic foods these days, so it requires a drastic shift to get your body back into balance. You can alter your ratios of what to eat over time and find out what works for you. We are all different, so just listen to your body and it will not steer you wrong. There’s FREE Recipes HERE and even more in our Book!
Now that you have the beginners guide to change your internal environment, here are some questions for you:
What are you ready to do now?
How are you going to get there?
What did you learn in this article?
What did you like best about the article?
What was confusing?
What questions do you have?
We’d love to hear your feedback!
Cheers to living a more alkaline, toxin free lifestyle!
To life, health, longevity and happiness!!
John Nardozzi
Enzyme Nutritionist & Blog Writer
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Great Job John!