Immunity Boosting

By Ken Adachi (pitari@allvantage.com)

http://educate-yourself.org/immunboosting/

The body's own immune system, if sufficiently strengthened and boosted by natural
means, can resist or surmount an attack by any natural biological organism. Other
deadly organisms exist today which are not natural in origin, but rather have been
bioengineered in genetic engineering laboratories located mostly in the United States.
These pathogens were intentionally designed to circumvent and cripple the body's
immune system and ensure the lethality of the disease. Two well known bioengineered
diseases are AIDS and Ebola. There are some new 'mystery' diseases which have
recently made their appearance and yet other virulent bioengineered diseases which are
waiting in the wings for the 'right time' (see Population Control under New World
Order ). Bioengineered organisms require special consideration and technologies to
defeat them, but they are defeatable.

The main focus of our organization is the promotion of non-pharmaceutical medicine.

We all possess the innate ability to protect ourselves from disease. This wondrous
disease prevention system is the immune system, which has been , much like the value
of proper nutrition, largely forgotten and ignored. Proper nutrition is one of the easiest
ways to boost the immune system.

The overuse of pharmaceutical drugs, and the lack of information concerning immunity
boosting has left the average American's immune system efficiency level at 40% or
50%, at best. Some countries, like Japan, have a traditional diet that creates a stronger
immune system and consequently Japanese people (who embrace the traditional diet)
usually live a longer lifespan. It's no coincidence that Japanese women are among the
longest living people on the planet.

Forbidden Cures

The health innovations discussed on our Forbidden Cures page all provide remarkable
ways to heal yourself of a wide variety of conditions, and boost your immune system.
The following are a few alternative therapies that we currently offer information on (the
"Forbidden Cures" page will be greatly expanded in the near future):
Click on any of the links below to see their respective sections

• Colloidal Silver
• Oxygen Therapies
• Electro Medicine
• Nutritional Therapies

Supplements

[Flax Seed Oil | Sodium Ascorbate | Cayenne Pepper]

There is so much to be said about supplements that we will not even attempt to cover
everything, as there are already a number of organizations who have constructed
websites with a wealth of information on this topic (many of these can be found on our
links page). However, we will provide you with information on a few of the more
extraordinary supplements that we have found to be especially effective for general
immunity boosting, as well as treatment of specific ailments:
Flax Seed Oil
Over-consumption of "bad" highly saturated fats, low in essential fatty acids (EFA's)
results in fat deposition causing obesity and fatty degeneration. When "good"
unsaturated fats rich in EFA's are added to the diet, food utilization and energy
production are enhanced and less fat is deposited. The richest source of Omega 3 fatty
acids is flax seed oil with 55-65% Omega 3 and 15-25% Omega 6 fatty acids. Omega 6
fatty acids are essential but are less likely to be deficient in the American diet.
EFA's and their derivatives serve a number of vital functions including transport and
metabolism of both cholesterol and triglycerides, normal brain development and
function, required in the structure of cell membranes, increase metabolic rate, oxygen
uptake and energy production, slow down growth of cancer cells, candida and other
anaerobic organisms, production of prostaglandins and replenish skin oils to combat
dryness and wrinkling.

Conditions associated with fatty degeneration include cardiovascular disease, cancer,

obesity, diabetes, arthritis, rheumatism, acne and other skin conditions, multiple
sclerosis, cystic fibro-sis, glandular atrophy, asthma, kidney, liver and gall bladder
problems. In addition to general immunity boosting, flax seed oil has proven to be
effective in the following conditions: Cardiovascular disease, Cancer, tumors, Obesity,
Diabetes, Hypoglycemia, Skin conditions, Glandular atrophy, Liver and gall bladder,
Kidney problems, etc.

Our reccomended dosage is one or two teaspoons daily. Although taking flax seed oil by
swigging it down or by the spoonful is not very palatable, so you may wish to add it to
foods. Here are some suggestions: dip your bread into it, add it to your hot or cold
cereal, or spray it over your popcorn. Here is a simple salad dressing featuring flax
seed oil:

Flax Seed Oil Basic Salad Dressing

4 tablespoons organic flax seed oil
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 medium garlic clove, crushed
Pinch of seasoned salt or salt-free seasoning
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Jazz up this basic recipe to your own personal taste by using your favorite herbs and
spices. Place all ingredients into a bowl and whisk together until smooth and creamy.
This recipe is quick and delicious!

Sodium Ascorbate (Vitamin C)

Sodium Ascorbate powder is a non-acidic form of Vitamin C. Vitamin C has intrinsic

antiviral and antibacterial activity though its main effect is improvement in host
resistance. Sodium Ascorbate (Vitamin C Powder) may be beneficial in: General
immunity boosting, helping to ward off or prevent colds & flus, assisting the healing of
wounds, aiding the body in fighting infection, etc.

Unlike most animals that produce their own Vitamin C, the human body does not
synthesize any. Whether for general immunity boosting or for the treatment of a
specific condition, one requires more Vitamin C than our contemporary diet supplies.
The amount of vitamin C you take daily determines its effectiveness. 60 mg per day is
the RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance for adults). This is easily obtained from fresh
fruits and vegetables. 500 mg to 5 gm (grams) per day has proven to be beneficial in
the prevention of colds, and general immunity boosting. However, Vitamin C dosage of
over 1 gm can realistically only be obtained through supplements.

Sodium Ascorbate provides, on average, between 4 and 5 gm of Vitamin C per

teaspoon. Our reccomendation for general immunity boosting is one teaspoon
(approximately 4.5 gm) daily. If you are experiencing cold symptoms, we suggest a
dosage of 4 to 5 gm (usually one teaspoon) per hour. If this treatment is started in the
early stages of a cold, it will often fail to develop. If the cold has already developed,
this treatment will usually lessen the effect of the cold, and speed recovery. Dissolving
the powder in water (or juice, if you find the taste especially unpleasant) is the
preferred method of consumption.

Sodium Ascorbate appears to be the most well-known Vitamin C supplement, although

there are a number of others available. They are as follows:

• Calcium Ascorbate
◦ This seems to be nearly as well-known as Sodium Ascorbate. If you cannot
find Sodium Ascorbate, this will perform virtually the same effect. The
proponents of calcium ascorbate claim that calcium in this form of vitamin C
is well utilized.
• Magnesium Ascorbate
◦ Magnesium is essential for calcium utilization.
• Potassium Ascorbate
◦ The addition of potassium may lower blood pressure.
• Zinc Ascorbate
◦ The zinc may give an added boost to the immune system.
• Manganese Ascorbate
• Chromium Ascorbate

Cayenne Pepper (Capsicum)

Perhaps the single most wonderful and most beneficial herb in the entire herbal
kingdom is Capsicum, or Cayenne Red Pepper. Many herbalists have said that if they
could have only one herb to work with, they would choose Capsicum.

Cayenne is a pepper well known for its benefits to the circulatory system. It aids the
body to balance pressure levels and resist abnormal bleeding. Cayenne is also used as
an overall digestive aid: It stimulates the production of gastric juices, improves
metabolism, and even helps relieve gas. It appears to have a beneficial effect on blood
fats as well. This plant assists in the body's utilization of other herbs, when used in an
herbal combination. When applied topically, it helps relieve minor discomfort.

According to a 1987 study published in the Journal of Bioscience, rats fed a diet high in
cayenne experienced a significant reduction in blood triglycerides and low density
lipoproteins (LDL), or "bad" cholesterol. Capsaicin, a compound found in cayenne that
gives the spice its "kick," is an antiinflammatory. Recently, cayenne has been used
successfully to treat patients with cluster headaches, a particularly painful type of
headache. Used externally, cayenne liniment can soothe the stiffness and pain of
rheumatism and arthritis.

Cayenne will work nicely as a general immune booster, or as an addition to treatment

of almost any ailment. Our reccomended dosage is as follows 1/4 to 1 teaspoon 3 times
a day, taken with plenty of water or juice at mealtime, unless instructed otherwise. If
using Cayenne capsules, take 2-3 three times a day with with a large glass of water,
unless instructed otherwise.

Water

"Medical professionals of today do not understand the vital roles of water in the human
body. Medications are palliatives. They are not designed to cure the degenerative
diseases of the human body." - Dr. F. Batmanghelidj

Pure and simple, water is an essential part of a healthy diet. And to a much greater
extent than most would imagine. While unknown to the orthodox medical community,
dehydration is an extraordinarily common cause of an astounding number of diseases.
One of the leading researchers in this field, F. Batmanghelidj, M.D., has explained this
subject in great detail in his book, Your Body's Many Cries for Water. The following are
a few short excerpts from Dr. Batmanghelidj's book, which should help convey the
significance of water in one's diet:

"The simple truth is that dehydration can cause disease. Everyone knows that water is
"good" for the body. They seem not to know how essential it is to one's well-being. They
do not know what happens to the body if it does not receive its daily need of water."

"In advanced societies, thinking that tea, coffee, alcohol, and manufactured beverages
are desirable substitutes for the purely natural water needs of the daily 'stressed' body
is an elementary but catastrophic mistake. It is true that these beverages contain water,
but what else they contain are dehydrating agents. They get rid of the water they are
dissolved in plus some more water from the reserves of the body!"

Currently, practitioners of conventional medicine are unaware of the many chemical

roles of water in the body. Because dehydration eventually causes loss of some
functions, the various sophisticated signals given by operators of the body's water
rationing program during severe and lasting dehydration have been translated as
indicators of unknown disease conditions of the body. This is the most basic mistake
that has deviated clinical medicine. It has prevented medical practitioners from being
able to advise preventive measures or offer simple physiologic cures for some major
diseases in humans."

"With the appearance of these signals, the body should be provided with water for these
rationing systems to distribute. However, medical practitioners have been taught to
silence these signals with chemical products. Of course they have zero understanding of
the significance of this most gross error. The various signals produced by these water
distributors are indicators of regional thirst and drought of the body. At the onset, they
can be relieved by an increase of water itself, yet they are improperly dealt with by the
use of commercial chemical products until pathology is established and diseases are
born."

We urge you to read Dr. Batmanghelidj's book, Your Body's Many Cries for Water, for
further information. Dr. Batmanghelidj recommends drinking 8 - 10 glasses of water
daily, and more if you are suffering from an illness.
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Fiber

Fiber, or roughage, has been a popular topic in the media of late. While advertisers try
to sell us many things we don't need, they're right when they say high fiber cereals are
important for good health. Lack of fiber has been implicated in the development of colon
disease, heart disease and numerous other conditions. Dr. Denis Burkitt was the first to
advance the idea of fiber as an important contributor to health. He based his beliefs on
his research of African tribes. Dr. Burkitt found that African tribal residents suffered
from almost none of the modern diseases of the West such as colon cancer and heart
disease. However, when the Africans moved to the West and adopted our eating habits,
they quickly succumbed to our most common illnesses.

Dietary fiber is as important to children as it is to adults. Foods high in fiber are high in
vitamins, trace minerals and essential fatty acids. Take wheat for example. Almost all
of the essential nutrients are bound in the germ portion of the grain. During milling, the
germ is separated from the endosperm. The germ is sold separately as wheat germ
(long known as a high nutrient food) while the endosperm is further milled to make
flour. Milling of whole grain to make refined flour results in loss of 85 percent of the
magnesium, 86 percent of the manganese, 40 percent of the chromium, 78 percent of
the zinc, 89 percent of the cobalt, 48 percent of the molybdenum and 68 percent of the
copper, in addition to comparable losses of selenium, vitamin E and essential fatty
acids. Moreover, heavy metals such as cadmium (which are concentrated in the
endosperm) remain in the flour. (Unfortunately, the body's antagonist to cadmium--
zinc--has been removed.) Since nutrients are required to properly utilize all calories we
consume, the intake of refined food leads to a gradual deficiency of nutrients. This is a
strong argument for the use of whole-grain products.

The real test of the value of refined (fortified) foods would be to put a group of lab
animals on a diet of white bread and compare them to a group fed a diet of whole-grain
bread. In one such experiment, two thirds of rats kept on a diet of enriched white bread
died before the experiment was finished.

Fiber is also important because it helps keep the intestinal contents moving through to
their ultimate fate--elimination as stool. If the intestinal contents move too slowly, toxic
by-products of digestion and bacterial fermentation remain in the bowel too long and
are reabsorbed back into the body. Over time, this can contribute to illness.

When one consumes a diet low in fiber, attachment of parasites such as Giardia lamblia
is easier. When fiber is present in the diet, the intestinal contents move through more
quickly and prevent the attachment of such parasites. Recall that G. lambilia is one of
the most common parasites found in the United States. It contributes to immune
suppression, poor digestion, food allergies and numerous other problems. The ability to
decrease the likelihood of infection by this parasite by simply increasing the intake of
fiber is significant.

While fiber is necessary for children and adults, too much fiber can be a problem as
well, since excessive fiber can cause nutrients to be leached out of the digestive tract.
The problems for most of us, however, is not too much fiber, but too little. (Never put a
child on a high fiber diet without consulting a health care professional.) Good sources of
fiber include fruit, vegetables, legumes and grains (oats, wheat, rice, barley, etc.).
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Juicing

Juicing, and the benefits of a juicing program have long been recognized around the
world. Since the early part of this century, researchers such as Norman Walker, D.Sc.,
and Dr. Bernard Jensen have investigated the effects of juice as part of the daily diet.
Their studies show that juice can provide all the basics of human nutrition, including
carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals.

Juicing adds to the benefits of vegetables and fruits. By juicing, rather than eating the
produce whole, the important nutrients and phytochemicals found in plants are absorbed
more easily by our bodies--sometimes within minutes--without too much effort on the
part of the digestive system. In addition to this, more of the nutrients are absorbed.

Fresh vegetable juices are also rich in enzymes. Enzymes spark the hundreds of
thousands of chemical reactions that occur throughout the body; enzymes are essential
for digestion and absorption of food, for conversion of food into body tissue, and for the
production of energy at the cellular level. In fact, enzymes are essential for most of the
building and rebuilding that goes on in the body every day. When foods are cooked,
enzymes can be destroyed; that is why raw foods and juices are so important. They
provide an excellent source of all-important enzymes.

◦Carrot's beta carotene and the ellagic acid found in fresh apple juice are
clinically proven anti-cancer agents.
◦ Limonene from lemon's white pith is recognized as a potent anti-cancer
nutrient and is also effective in dissolving gallstones.
◦ Apple's soluble fiber, ellagic acid and vitamin C, combined with celery's
healthy dose of minerals and electrolytes can cleanse and rebalance your
system.
◦ Digestive enzymes found in honeydew, papaya, and pineapple reduce
inflammation and energize the body.
An advantage of juicing over buying commercial juice is that when you make your own
juice you know exactly what it contains. You can be sure to avoid adding sugar,
sweeteners, and other additives. Also many commercial juices are heat treated to
extend shelf life, which can destroy nutrients.
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Recommended Diet

For those of you looking for a suggested diet, we recommend the following:

◦ Consume a diet that focuses on whole, unprocessed foods (whole grains,

legumes, vegetables, fruits, seeds, etc.)
◦ Reduce (or eliminate, if possible) your intake of refined sugar.
◦ Drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water daily.
◦ Avoid animal products, with the possible exception of cold water fish
(salmon, mackerel, herring, halibut, etc.).
◦ Eliminate dairy products, caffeine, and alcohol.
◦ Eliminate coffee (besides caffeine, there are a host of other chemicals
poisoning your body). Try the many varieties of herbal tea available.
◦ Avoid soft drinks completely.
◦ Avoid white bread and refined flour products. They are devoid of essential
nutrients, including omega-3 essential fatty acids and others.
◦ Avoid margarine and all commercial cooking oils. Use Butter and Organic cold
 pressed Olive oil instead.
◦ Consume organic Flax Seed Oil and cold fish oil (MAX EPA) daily.
◦ Consume Miso soup, kelp, and shitake mushrooms regularly.
◦ Brown Rice is better than white rice.
◦ Buy organic foods (especially produce) whenever possible.
◦ Get regular exercise.
◦ Perform a relaxation exercise (deep/focused breathing, meditation, tai chi,
visualization, prayer, etc.) 10 to 15 minutes each day.
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Suggested Reading

For more information on nutrition, we recommend the following books:

◦ Diet for a Poisoned Planet, David Steinman

◦ Diet for a New America, John Robbins
◦ Your Body's Many Cries for Water, F. Batmanghelidj, M.D.
◦ The McDougall Program, John A. McDougall
◦ Eat Right 4 Your Type by Peter D'Adamo

Peace & Relaxation

[Meditation | Yoga | Tai Chi]
One of the best ways to lower your immune system and make yourself sick is stress.
Similarly, negative emotions like worry and anger will also lower your immune system.
So as you might expect, one good way to boost your immune system, as well as to
improve the general quality of your life, is to eliminate these negative emotions.
The following are methods of doing this which we have found to be effective:

Meditation
[General Meditation | Focused Breathing | Visualization | Transcendental Meditation]

Meditation has become increasingly popular in the western world. It provides a simple
way to relax yourself, relieve stress, boost your immune system, and create more well-
being and happiness in your life. The method of meditation you choose is not so
important as achieving the desired result--a quiet mind, which promotes inner peace
and relaxation. There are many different types of meditation, and our suggestion to you
is to choose whatever you enjoy and feels right. If you're not very familiar with
meditation, here are a few techniques we reccomend:
General Meditation:
"There's nothing to it!" is something I often here when someone is describing general
meditation, and franky, it's absolutely true. General meditation is as simple as quieting
your mind. Find a quiet place and time when you won't be disturbed, close your eyes,
and clear your mind of any thoughts. Sit like this, attempting to eliminate all thoughts
and experience total peace, for whatever period of time feels comfortable. Often
beginners find it difficult to meditate for more than five or ten minutes. If you find
yourself in such a situation, don't despair. You will find yourself able to sit for longer
and longer intervals as time progresses. If you have never meditated before, consider
starting your meditations in intervals of five minutes. When you feel comfortable,
increase your intervals to ten minutes. When you feel comfortable with that, try to
move to fifteen minutes, and continue like this until you feel a length of time that suits
you. Many experienced meditators, including Deepak Chopra, meditate for thirty
minutes in the morning and at night, as well as for thirty minutes in the afternoon if
they feel stressed.
Focused Breathing:
Focused breathing is another very popular, yet tremendously simple, meditation. As in
general meditation, find a quiet time and place where you won't be disturbed, close your
eyes, and clear you mind of any thoughts. From there, focus on your breathing. Focus
on the in-breath, and the out-breath. This is also commonly known as conscious
breathing, because as opposed to our normal breathing which we do not focus on or
attempt to control, "focused breathing" is consciously monitored and controlled. You
simply "watch" yourself breath, so to speak, and attempt to bring your breaths to a
slow, rhythmic pace (whatever pace feels comfortable to you). By focusing on your
breath, you draw your attention to that, and eliminate random thoughts, which creates a
feeling of inner peace. To help focus on their breath, people will often draw their
attention to the air entering their nostrils, and the air leaving their mouth. You may also
wish to draw your attention to the rising and falling of your chest. Use whatever method
you feel comfortable with. As for controlling the pace of your breath, some people count
a certain number of seconds between each breath and attempt to maintain this slow,
rhythmic, controlled pace. Others prefer not to count. Other use different techniques
still. We suggest you use whatever feels comfortable to you.

Visualization:
Visualization can be used to achieve a variety of results. One simple visualization for
general well-being and stress-reduction is to first quiet yourself and begin as you would
in general meditation or focused breathing, then visualize yourself inhaling golden or
white light/energy, and exhaling gray, stale, old energy. The white or golden light
represents new, fresh, rejuvenating energy, while the gray energy represents any
stress, unhappiness, worries, anger, or other negative emotions you may be holding
inside you. This visualization is a great way to release the stress and tension of the day,
and give yourself more energy. If you have a specific ailment you are trying to relieve
yourself of, visualize the same white or golden energy surrounding the area of your
body which is in need of healing. Focus on that white or golden light/energy healing and
energizing that area of your body. Continue focusing this healing energy on the afflicted
area of your body for whatever time period feels comfortable to you. Try to repeat this
procedure daily or multiple times daily if you feel compelled to do so. As always, do
what feels right for you.

Transcendental Meditation:
There is much to be said about Transcendental meditation, but I will just cover it briefly
here, as there are many sources of information on this topic. Transcendental meditation
uses a "mantra"--a word or phrase which is repeated throughout the duration of the
meditation--to focus oneself on that one word or phrase, thereby allowing all random
throughts to be released. To begin, prepare yourself as you would doing any of the
other meditations listed here, then find a mantra which feels good to you (you should be
able to find many of these if you do a little searching) and repeat it either aloud or
silently for whatever period of time feels comfortable to you. The following are two
well-known mantras which you may care to experiment with:

• "ON-NAMA SHIVA YA" (OHN NAH MA SHE VAH YAH)

• "OM MANI PADME UM" (OHM MAH NEE PAHD MEH UM)
Of course because these are traditional they are not English mantras, so you may or
may not wish to use them. If you can think of an English word or phrase, such as "Love"
or "Peace" or "God", which feels good to you, by all means, don't hesitate to use it.

Yoga
Yoga Means Union. Although many people think this term refers to union between body
and mind or body, mind and spirit, the traditional acceptance is union between the
Jivatman and Paramatman, that is between one's individual consciousness and the
Universal Consciousness. Therefore Yoga refers to a certain state of consciousness as
well as to methods that help one reach that goal or state of union with the divine.

Yoga increases strength and flexibility, improves circulation, promotes well-being, and
provides relief for common postural and chronic pain problems. Anyone can practice
yoga. You don't have to be young, fit or supple. You start from where you are at this
moment. Each individual works within her/his own level of comfort listening to their own
body's messages.

Yoga is completely non competitive. Each person is coming to Yoga for their own health
and well being. There is pressure on us to be competitive in all sorts of areas, and it is
a great relief and pleasure to find a style of exercise that is loving and nuturing, that
connects us to a source of stability and peace within, that truely gives us a "time out", a
break from the cares of the day, time to just be ourselves. One comes away from
practice feeling energized, but calm and ready to deal situations on any level.

If you would like more information Yoga, please see the links page.

Tai Chi

Tai chi is a Chinese martial art that is primarily practiced for its health benefits,
including a means for dealing with tension and stress. Among the martial arts, there are
two basic types: the "hard" martial arts and the "soft" martial arts. The latter are also
called internal arts. Examples of the hard martial arts are karate and kung fu (or
wushu). Examples of the soft martial arts are ba gua and tai chi.

Tai chi emphasizes complete relaxation, and is essentially a form of meditation, or what
has been called "meditation in motion." Unlike the hard martial arts, tai chi is
characterized by soft, slow, flowing movements that emphasize force, rather than brute
strength. Though it is soft, slow, and flowing, the movements are executed precisely.

There are several organizations and individuals who have constructed wonderfully
detailed websites on this topic. Rather than duplicate their efforts, please see their
websites for more information on this topic:

• The Patience T'ai Chi Association

• Yang Style Tai Chi Homepage
• Qi - The Journal of Traditional Eastern Health & Fitness
• Knud Erik Andersens Tai Chi Chuan Institute Homepage

For more information on meditation, yoga, or tai chi, please see our links page.

Exercise
Exercise stimulates circulation, improves muscle tone, improves cardiac function and
boosts immunity. It is also a way to eliminate toxins from the body. Exercise is a
critical component in the elimination of "poisons"--such as myriad toxins that build up in
the body as a result of regular bodily processes in addition to man-made chemicals--
from the body for three simple reasons. First, when we exercise we breathe more
deeply, more forcefully and more often. In doing so, we release toxic by-products
through the lungs. Second, when we exercise we also perspire. Perspiration is another
means to eliminate metabolic waster material from the body. Finally, muscular activity
is the only way to move waste material through the lymphatic vessels. If we don't
sweat, don't breathe heavily and don't move our muscles, these toxins must find
another way out. Unfortunately, they usually remain in the body, only to foul the
biochemical machinery that makes our immune system operate efficiently. The result:
susceptibility to illness.
An article published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine illustrates the effect
exercise can have on infections. In this study, only 45 minutes of brisk walking per day
was shown to lower the incidence of upper respiratory symptoms, cut the duration of
illness in half and increase natural killer-cell activity in people prone to upper
respiratory tract infections.

The exercise credo of the eighties, "no pain, no gain," has fortunately given way to a
more realistic notion that moderate exercise confers as many health benefits as
strenuous exercise. Moderate exercisers have the added benefit of suffering fewer
injuries as well. In fact, highly strenuous training can temporarily weaken immune
function. While such intensive training is what some prefer, rest assured that something
as simple as a daily walk will provide your body with health and immune benefits. If
you enjoy sports, or other physical pastimes such as dancing or hiking, that will provide
a more than adequate way to get the exercise your body needs. The key is, no matter
how you get your exercise, to do it regularly and make sure it's fun! (If you have an
existing medical condition, see your doctor before embarking on any exercise plan.)

Non-pharmaceutical antimicrobials
A wide range of chemical and natural compounds are used as antimicrobials. Organic acids are used widely as antimicrobials
in food products, e.g. lactic acid, citric acid, acetic acid, and their salts, either as ingredients, or as disinfectants. For example,
beef carcasses often are sprayed with acids, and then rinsed or steamed, to reduce the prevalence of E. coli O157:H7.

Traditional healers long have used plants to prevent or cure infectious disease. Many of these plants have been investigated
scientifically for antimicrobial activity, and a large number of plant products have been shown to inhibit the growth of
pathogenic microorganisms. A number of these agents appear to have structures and modes of action that are distinct from
those of the antibiotics in current use, suggesting that cross-resistance with agents already in use may be minimal. So, it is
worthwhile to study plants and plant products for activity against resistant bacteria.

[edit] Essential oils

The antimicrobial properties of 21 plant essential oils and two essences were investigated against five food-borne pathogens,
Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella enteriditis, Escherichia coli, Staphylococus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes. The oils of
bay, cinnamon, clove and thyme were the most inhibitory, each having a bacteriostatic concentration of 0.075% or less against
all five pathogens. ( A. Smith-Palmer, J. Stewart and L. Fyfe. Antimicrobial properties of plant essential oils and essences
against five important food-borne pathogens. Letters in Applied Microbiology 1998. 26. 118-122)

Many essential oils are included in pharmacopoeias as having antimicrobial activity, including:

• Sideritis or Greek Mountain Tea

 • Oregano oil
• Tea tree oil - in cosmetics, medicine
• Mint oil - in medicine, cosmetics (tooth paste etc.)
• Sandalwood oil - in cosmetics
• Clove oil - stomatology etc.
• Nigella sativa (Black cumin) oil
• Onion oil (Allium cepe) - phytoncides, in phytotherapy
• Leleshwa oil
• Lavender oil
• Lemon oil
• Lemon myrtle oil
• Neem oil
• Garlic
• Eucalyptus oil
• Peppermint oil
• Cinnamon oil
• Thyme oil
[edit] Cations and elements

Many heavy metal cations such as Hg2+, Cu2+, and Pb2+ have antimicrobial activities, but are also very toxic to other living
organisms, thus making them unsuitable for treating infectious diseases. Colloidal silver is commonly used as an antimicrobial
in alternative medicine without clear scientific proof of effectiveness.