by
Maria Teresa De Donato, PhD, RND, CNC, CMH, CHom
To know more about my holistic health practice and my coaching activity, please feel free to visit also the following sites:
After
having spent most of his life studying and fighting germs as 'cause
of diseases', Louis Pasteur, the famous French chemist founder of
microbiology and immunology, ended up stating – just before dying -
“The germ is nothing; the terrain is everything.” How was
it possible for a man of science to reach such a conclusion which
appeared right away as denying all his previous convictions and
beliefs? The answer, contrary to most people expectations, is quite
simple.
Millions
of microorganisms living all around us, such as bacteria, virus,
parasites and fungi, try, at any single moment throughout our lives,
to penetrate our body by means of the air we breath, the food we eat
and our skin, and this, without even considering all
those which already live inside of us, in our body's cavities. (1)
However,
not all of them are harmful to our health. This is, for instance,
the case of the beneficial bacteria we all need to make our digestive
system work properly. We can help this kind of bacteria to grow and
stay in balance by regularly eating foods containing probiotic
bacteria such as traditionally fermented foods in the form of yogurt,
kefir, sauerkraut and pickled vegetables, just to name a few.
But
what about the microorganisms which can harm us? Howe do we take
care of them?
Our
body is provided with an amazing self-defense mechanism, also known
as immune system, able to recognize any pathogens which may cause an
infection and a disease as consequence of it. Infections
are colonies of either bacteria, viruses or fungi which might have
penetrated and invaded our body and multiplied. In some cases these
colonies can represent a serious threat to our health by releasing
toxins and by causing allergic reactions. Usually antibiotics are
prescribed by allopathic physicians to restore health. However,
though they can be appropriate when dealing with life-threatening
situations, their overuse is not recommended for several reasons: a)
antibiotics are not effective in case of “viruses or inflammatory
conditions”; b) they destroy indiscriminately both harmful and
beneficial bacteria, this also causing “digestive and intestinal
problems”; c) they can generate – as they have already done in
many cases - “multiple-drug-resistant bacteria strains” which may
pose a serious risk when dealing with certain issues and when
attempting at restoring health in case of life-threatening
conditions. (2)
When it works at its
best, the immune system rarely fails, but is rather in a constant
state of alert to identify potential enemies and destroy them. This
includes cancer cells as well which, according to our actual
knowledge and understanding of the matter, regularly form in our
body. (1)
The main reason why the
immune system sometimes fails is because it has been weakened, when
not even seriously compromised, for instance by the above cited use
and/or overuse of antibiotics, pharmaceutical drugs in general,
vaccinations and improper nutrition. To the contrary, whenever we
take all these factors into account and act consequently, we allow
our self-defense mechanism to function correctly and, therefore, to
fight all sorts of diseases and restore health. In so doing, we
prove – according to Pasteur's words - that “The germ is
nothing; the terrain (= our organism and immune system) is
everything.”
If you want to know more
about what can harm your immune system and how to keep it healthy you
can also read the following articles:
References
- Huch R. & Bauer, C. (2003). Mensch Körper Krankheit. Kapitel 6: Infektion und Abwehr. (p. 80). Munchen-Jena, DE: Elsevier/Urban & Fisher (English: Man Body Disease – Infection and Defence)
- Trivieri, L. Jr., Anderson, J. W. (2002). Alternative Medicine – The Difinitive Guide (Second Edition). Health Conditions. Infection. (p. 1033). Berkeley, CA: Celestial Arts.
Disclaimer
The
information above are for educational purpose only and not intended
as a medical advice. If you want to know more about my activity and
how I can assist you, you can check my web site at
www.dedoholistic.com
and contact me at info@dedoholistic.com
To know more about my holistic health practice and my coaching activity, please feel free to visit also the following sites:
