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Nuts & nut butters, coffee & cacao beans, natural fructose/glucose/sucrose sweeteners (honey, agave, cane sugar, maple syrup, rice syrup, etc.), corn, sweet fruits (apples, grapes, pears, oranges, bananas, etc.), dried fruits (raisins, cranberries, especially dried bananas, etc.), a liver-gallbladder cleanse using olive oil with fruit juice, meat & dairy products from animals fed corn, soy and moldy grains, grains themselves and the breads they make (yes, even Ezekiel breads), are all "health foods" that can promote fungal overgrowth, fuzzy brain, memory loss, digestive problems/heartburn, leaky gut, allergies, food sensitivities, inflammation, bacterial overgrowth (sepsis), colds, flu-like symptoms, sugar highs & lows, mood swings, depression, hormonal imbalances, insomnia, skin eruptions or scaliness, and numerous other complaints. Why is this so?
Weakened digestive, immune and sugar regulating systems are very common to our multiple generation users of sugars, alcohol, antibiotics, vaccines and silver-mercury tooth fillings. These health destroyers are just a few of the reasons our generation does not handle some common health foods as well as our ancestors may have.
Genetic modifications to many "organic" foods (especially the wheat berry), along with mineral deficient soils from prior chemical farming & tilling practices, contribute additional factors causing some health foods to be systemically weaker than the same food hundreds of years prior, and therefore prone to foster the growth of bacteria, yeast, molds, and mycotoxins (Nature's way of turning weak & unhealthy plants back into soil).
Another cause of the degeneration of health is dead flesh (meat) traveling through a slow moving, compromised digestive tract (from former antibiotic use) which can result in the development of parasitic worms (whose job it is, in part, to consume dead animal tissue) and mycoplasmas (that feed on oils and fats).
Commonly accepted, but improper, food combining practices among health food enthusiasts is still another reason the health of the enthusiast may not be up to par. While good food combining practices is not the subject of this article, it remains an important factor in reducing pathogenic microbes in the body. Something as simple as: adding raw butter to an organic squash, putting almond butter on a rice cracker, making a raw fruit pie with a nut crust, or adding honey to an olive oil salad dressing, are food combining practices which promote the development fungal overgrowth and other pathogens in the body. To learn more about the subject of food combining, go to: OK, So What Foods CAN I Eat?
The entire human body is wisely composed of numerous microbial support systems, the numbers of which exceed even the number of cells in our body. Some bacteria, yeasts, viruses and fungi in the body are essential to ecological balance and good health, while other strains are used by Nature to break down decaying matter (including living human bodies). The subject is not simplistic, however. While mushrooms and certain bacteria, yeasts and even viruses provide health-protecting properties, mold and mycoplasmas, along with certain viruses, bacteria & parasites have pathogenic strains with a mission to destroy a dying or unhealthy host.
In this article, I am defining pathogens as microbes and parasites whose primary function is to break down unhealthy or dying tissue into soil (a valuable and necessary function). Whereas beneficial microbes support and sustain the balance of life.
Microorganisms or microbes are generally microscopic, with a few exceptions, and may be either a single cell or multicellular organism. Wikipedia describes the world of microbes this way: "Microorganisms are very diverse; they include all of the prokaryotes, namely the bacteria and archaea; and various forms of eukaryotes, comprising the protozoa, fungi, algae, microscopic plants (green algae), and animals such as rotifers and planarians. Some microbiologists also classify viruses as microorganisms…"
The primary groups of microbes we will look at in this article are fungi (mushrooms, yeasts, molds, mycotoxins & protozoa), bacteria (including mycoplasmas), archaea, and viruses. We will also look at a mixed category of microbe/non-microbe species which play a role in pathogenic conditions – internal parasites (parasitic protozoa, bacteria, viruses, worms & flukes).
Understand that all microbes have their own rightful place serving beneficial functions in the grand ecosystem of Nature. They can be found in soils, waterways, oceans, high in the atmosphere and deep within the earth. There are no "bad microbes", other than those currently being manufactured via genetic engineering. Each naturally-occurring microbe serves a purpose when needed.
All microbes feed on their own preferred food source and for good reasons. They support the breakdown of various kinds of matter into bioavailable soil for plants; they also play a role in atmospheric precipitation, weather patterns, and the preservation of life at large. Nature's ecosystem requires all of them in order to remain in balance.
When a human body is in a weakened, toxic or nutrient-deficient state, Nature supports the use of certain fungi, molds, yeasts, bacteria, viruses, & parasites to break down and digest the decaying or diseased parts of the body (thus revealing that diseases do not exist, but a poorly nourished or toxic body will compel Nature to return the body to the soil).
Pathogens are merely microbes with the specific function of consuming excesses (like sugar) and decaying flesh, food or vegetation. The restoration of health can be better achieved if this natural principle is worked with and supported, rather than interfered with (as in taking antibiotics, with all of their harmful side-effects). This means that changes in diet, environment & lifestyle may be necessary to shift an unhealthy or dying body (prone to pathogen takeover) to a life-embracing body (prone to friendly microbe development).
Plant pathogens will naturally develop on chemically toxic or mineral/nutrient deficient food sources, even the "organic" ones, due to lowered plant resistance to disease. This is simply Nature's way of destroying plants and foods which are unhealthy, (partly to prevent them from being consumed by health-conscious individuals)!
Foods grown on mineral and microbially rich soils are more likely to withstand or counter such pathogenic growths due to their inherent strengths.Foods grown on highly nutrient & microbially dense soils, when past the point of ripening, simply dry and shrivel up into a naturally dehydrated specimen without brown spots, mold or fungus growing on the skins. In some cases of extremely healthy soils, even a tomato harvested from such a soil will remain unblemished for 6 months or more on the kitchen table, then begin to sprout through the skin of the fully ripened & unblemished tomato!
Microbes in our food chain can be both friendly (in support of life) and pathogenic (in support of decomposition or death). Both serve a beneficial function within their own realms of expertise. The deciding factor, with respect to which side of this symbiotic relationship between life and death purposes becomes the dominant paradigm within an individual, lies with the host (the human with free will) and what he or she chooses as a diet, lifestyle & life goal.
The function of a pathogenic microbe is to quickly decompose an unhealthy specimen of plant, animal or human to prevent reproductions of defective life forms. Pathogenic microbes (decomposers) are kept in check by life-sustaining microbes (such as probiotics) whose job it is to insure that the strongest of the species survive for replication.
Numerous herbs and their essential oils, along with a few clays, have proven, not only effective against pathogenic microbes, but also to not stimulate resistant strains among the pathogenic microbes (in contrast to chemical antibiotics which promote the development of antibiotic resistant strains like MRSA). Thus, Nature did not leave us as orphans. We left the ways of Nature in our search for "a better way" – and lost our way in that search. All the while, Nature's remedies have simply waited for our rediscovery of them.
The following descriptions provide insights into the balance of Nature's internal ecosystems and how important it is to support this natural balance in our lifestyle & daily food choices.
Fungal cells distinguish themselves from plants, animals and bacteria by having cell walls that contain chitin, whereas the cell walls of plants contain cellulose, and bacteria are without either a nucleus or a cell wall, being encased in a lipid membrane and further clothed by peptidoglycan layers. Parasites are generally visible to the eye, yet some microscopic viruses, bacteria & protozoa are also labeled intracellular parasites, in that they live off of other cells for their sustenance.
Part 4: Eukaryote (Fungi) Family: Mushrooms, Yeasts, Molds, Mycotoxins and Protozoa
Fungi are members of the eukaryote family that includes mushrooms, yeasts, molds and protozoa. Genetic studies have shown that fungi are more closely related to animals than to plants. There are a complex assortment of fungi estimated at over 5 million species.
Numerous mushrooms and yeasts are edible, having immune enhancing effects and other beneficial health properties for both plants and humans. Some are poisonous (yet Milk Thistle Seed has proven to effectively protect the liver from poisonous mushrooms). Others play a major role in the breakdown of decaying or diseased structural/fibrous material (wood, stalks & other fibrous materials), the breakdown of petroleum oil into fertilizer, and the clean up of environmental pollution.
Mushrooms are also effective at drawing heavy metals and chemicals into itself to protect the environment. Non-organic, commercially grown mushrooms are to be avoided due to the chemical pesticides & associated heavy metals used during propagation that concentrate in the mushroom.
Mushrooms are amazingly adaptive, being able to transport nutrients from miles away through their complex mycelial network back to where they are needed most.
A diet that includes an abundance of dried or cooked (but not raw) medicinal mushrooms daily, in addition to their numerous health-building properties, can replace an interest in meat products, being hearty, chewy and filling.
From experience, it seems commercialization and growing methods have diminished the white button and portabello qualities in general, so other, more medicinal/nutritive mushrooms, commonly known to be edible & with highly documented health benefits, are preferable. Some of the more popular nutritive mushrooms include shiitake, maitake, matsutaki, chanterelle, morel, oyster, lion's mane & lobster mushrooms. Chaga and reishi mushrooms require extraction to be edible and are among the most popular and prized for their medicinal properties.
Follow commonly known wisdom in the selection of mushrooms and yeasts (below) for food and medicine. They can be powerful allies in gaining and maintaining health, yet certain species can be detrimental. Mushrooms need to be either dried or cooked to be safe, organic and/or wildcrafted.Do not eat a raw mushroom.
Yeasts
Yeasts are fungi characterized by a mostly unicellular (single celled) growth form.
Nutritional/brewers yeast is produced by culturing a yeast in a nutrient medium for several days. The primary ingredient in the growth medium is glucose, often from either sugarcane or beet molasses.
When the yeast has fully matured, it is sterilized (deactivated) with heat and then harvested, washed, dried and packaged. The most common strain of yeast used for making nutritional yeast are certain species of Saccharomyces cerevisiae which are not prone to pathogenic contamination. These strains are generally different from the strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae used in baking and brewing, which, under certain conditions, are known to support pathogenic microbes which have contaminated fermentation batches.
Nutritional yeast in moderation on veggie dishes can be very nutritious. It also provides immune enhancement properties.
Even though yeasts have nutritional and immune enhancing properties, active yeasts in breads, on decomposing fruit, in kombucha & in alcohol, feeding on the sugars within the grains and fruit, can result in an excess of yeast growth in the body. This is simply due to an abundance of the yeast's natural food source (sugar) being present in the body from the alcohol, bread or other sources. For this reason, breads, alcohol and other sugars can be precursors to an unhealthy body, simply due to yeast overgrowth.
Yeast has a natural function in the body to consume sugar excesses. This function is designed to save your life, yet if the sugar source continues to be eaten, yeast will continue to multiply.
The high estrogen in hops, a common ingredient in beer making, also feeds yeast growth (estrogen acts like a growth hormone), and the result is likely to become the wheat belly/beer belly condition common to bread and alcohol consumers. This excessive belly is composed largely of overgrown yeast and fat cells designed to contain the pathogenic (excessive) condition as much as possible.
Yeast Solutions:
1) Eliminate from the diet foods that trigger high sugar levels like breads, alcohol, sweet fruits (pear, grapes, bananas, apples, etc.) Stick mostly to berries, watermelon & papaya in the fruit world.
2) Avoid combining starches or sweets with an oil or fat (OK, So What Foods CAN I Eat)
3) Consume clays known to counter fungus (Sacred Clay, Deep Earthen Cleanse)
4) Wash your food with Sacred Clay water to absorb surface chemicals and reduce pathogen presence
5) Build the immune powers of the body so strong that it can effectively counter pathogenic invasions (Immune Power, Spleen Builder)
Molds
Molds grow as multicellular filaments called hyphae (in contrast to a yeast that is unicellular). This network of hyphae, which can appear in colorful arrays on fruit, vegetables and other decaying matter, is considered a single organism called a mycelium. All molds require moisture for growth.
Characteristic of the entire fungi family, molds derive their life energy from the organic matter they consume rather than from photosynthesis like most other living species.
Molds are, for the most part, strictly pathogenic to humans and animals (redefined, in my opinion, to mean "dedicated to the decomposition of life"). Molds are fungi whose main function is to break down decaying matter. Their function of decomposition is essential to the recycling & buildup of nutrients in garden soils.
Given that mold's function in Nature is one of decomposition; their usefulness in upgrading the health of humans is limited to the nutrients they provide to the soil. When we consume foods grown in soils enriched by mold's ability to convert plant matter into nutritious soil, our bodies are nourished in a non-pathogenic way by mold's contribution to the ecology of life.
Molds, and their mycotoxin by-products (below), can remain active in decaying vegetation for a year or more, unless buried in extremely bioactive, moist soils. Young, immature composts (which will still have active mold by-products in them) should not be used as a fertilizer for plants as they are likely to promote disease among plants, more so than life. Unless your compost piles are enhanced with clays and various microbes (like bokashi), known to accelerate decomposition, and have been well visited by worm populations, most compost soils will need to be no less than 2-3 years old before being added to the garden.
Moldy foods need to be buried in soil as soon as the mold begins to form, so as to preserve the health of people and animals nearby.
Molds, and their by-products, mycotoxins, pose a serious threat to human and animal health when exposed to them in abundance, especially when health is already at a low ebb. Due to medical treatments, antibiotics, the high prevalence of sugar use, chemical farming practices and environmental pollution, the current generation of animals and humans are systemically weaker than most previous generations, such that even low levels of mold exposure can result in debilitating or life-threatening conditions.
House mold, moldy grains (especially rice), grain flours, fruit mold and decaying food in refrigerators & composts left uncovered with soil are the most common sources of mold exposure for humans and animals.
Several vaccines are derived from molds,which is only one of the many reasons immunizations and flu shots are so detrimental to human health, (heavy metal contamination is another).
Mold in buildingsfrom roof leaks, basement moisture or flooding, kitchen/bathroom leaks, and contaminated ventilation systems pose serious health risks for those living in such environments. Daily mold exposure can overwhelm the immune system resulting in allergies, sinus infections, fungal overgrowth, chronic fatigue, migraines, fuzzy brain, and an ongoing recurrence of illnesses.
The human immune system is capable of countering the effects of mold exposure, yet must be strong enough to begin with, or supported heavily after exposure, in order to overcome their toxic effects.
Given that the purpose of mold is to convert decaying matter into soil, a toxic, nutrient-deficient human body is a perfect host for mold development within the body, once exposed. These are the very conditions Nature targets for conversion of living matter back into soil.
Mold Solutions:
1) remove moldy sources in the home's structure, garden or living environment
2) bury the moldy sources under soil
3) detoxify & nutrify one's body (to strengthen health) (Earth & Sea Greens, Deep Earthen Cleanse, and Sacred Claybaths)
4) improve the diet by eliminating the most common food sources prone to mold/mycotoxin development (OK, So What Foods CAN I Eat?)
5) Wash your food with Sacred Clay water to absorb surface chemicals and reduce pathogen presence
6) build the immune powers of the body so strong that it can effectively counter pathogenic invasions (Immune Power, Spleen Builder)
Mycotoxins
Mycotoxins are a secondary toxic metabolite (by-product) produced by molds (whether in the walls of your home or on the foods that you eat), and are implicated in numerous severe health problems. Their function in Nature is to disrupt cellular structures, preventing critical cellular processes necessary for growth & replication, like RNA & DNA synthesis, and thus aid in the breakdown of tissue in preparation for becoming soil. Molds and mycotoxins generally require moisture to grow and play a significant role in the conversion of systemically weakened plants, animals and humans into soil.
Mycotoxins are most commonly found in animal by-products (milk, butter, eggs, cheese, meats, etc.) after the animals have been fed moldy feed. Mycotoxins can be highly prevalent in cereal grains, corn, rice, nuts, seeds, dried or rotten fruits, beans, coffee beans, spices and cotton, and can contaminate wine, beer and other fermentation processes (although fermentation has been shown to reduce or eliminate mycotoxins in some cases).
Mycotoxins are also resistant to stomach acids, heat and freezing.
Ochratoxins are a group of mycotoxins produced by some Aspergillus species and some Penicillium species. Ochratoxin A is commonly found in cereal grains & rice, coffee, dried fruit, and red wine. It can also be accumulated in the meat of animals. Exposure to ochratoxins through diet can cause acute toxicity in human & animal kidneys, and numerous studies have shown them to be carcinogenic.
Baking & alcohol brewing yeasts are known producers of uric acid which degrades to oxalic acid (Costantini [1989]), a commonly found component in lung & breast tumors, indicating a fungal cause. The high sugar levels in the blood from breads and alcohol, complicated by the acid condition in the body produced by these sugars, creates an environment for yeast & bacterial overgrowth.
Oxalic acid is a mycotoxin which can be produced by several different fungal species. Bacteria can also produce oxalates from oxidation of carbohydrates. These oxalic acid mycotoxins are recognized carcinogens.
Mycotoxins from mold exposure in general, have been implicated in numerous other health problems including severe effects on the immune system, the nervous system, the liver, spleen, pancreas, kidneys & urinary tract, diarrhea, internal hemorrhages, lungs, tremors, depression, fuzzy brain, migraine headaches, rashes, and infertility.
Human breast milk is also a primary source of passing mycotoxins on to children if the mother consumes contaminated foods.
The animal industry is known to add clay to animal feed to counter the known presence of mold/mycotoxins in the feed. Pyrophyllite clay (Sacred Clay) is our preferred source for this purpose.
Mycotoxin Solutions:
1) Eliminate from the diet animal products from sources that feed their animals grains or other potential mold sources
2) Eliminate from the diet the most common sources of mycotoxins, even if organic, (nuts, bananas, dried fruit, corn, alcohol, etc.)
3) Speed the digestion and elimination of contaminated food sources so they have less time to multiply in the body (Digestive Bitters)
4) Consume clay to counter the potential effects of suspected foods (Sacred Clay or Deep Earthen Cleanse)
5) Empower the spleen's natural immune enhancement functions (the spleen can produce over 100 trillion kinds of antibodies to protect your health) (Spleen Builder)
6) Strengthen the remainder of the immune system, derived largely from the intestines (80%), the liver, the adrenals and the thymus gland (Immune Power)
Medical research indicates that a regular diet including apiaceous vegetables, such as carrots, parsnips, celery and parsley, are helpful in the reduction of mycotoxins. Included in this family are the well-known plants: angelica, anise, asafoetida, caraway, carrot, celery, gotu kola, chervil, coriander (including cilantro ), cumin, dill, fennel, lovage, Queen Anne's lace, parsley, parsnip, sea holly. The Apiaceae (or Umbelliferae), commonly known as carrot or parsley family, are a family of mostly aromatic plants with hollow stems.
Protozoa
Protozoa are single-celled organisms of the eukaryota family along with fungi, yet with an ability to self-propel. Some feed on bacteria, controlling their populations. Others are parasitic to red blood cells (resulting in malaria). Others are the cause of giardia, and still others feed on algae, microfungi & cellulose, then become a food source for larger invertebrates, playing a beneficial role in the transfer of micro-nutrients up the food chain (including in the gut of insects, animals & humans). There are an estimated 30,000 protozoan species.
Protozoa Solutions:
1) Herbs and clays provide the best protections known from malaria, giardia & other pathogenic protozoa invasions. (Immune Power and Sacred Clay or Deep Earthen Cleanse)
2) Wash your food with Sacred Clay water to absorb surface chemicals and reduce pathogen presence
3) Add Sacred Clay to your water source if in the wild or in a foreign country, or if you suspect chemical or pathogen presence in the water.
Part 5: Prokaryote Family: Bacteria, Archaea, and Mycoplasmas
Bacteria
Bacteria ('bacterium' being the singular term) appear in a broad diversity of shapes and sizes typically about one-tenth the size of a fungi cell. Bacteria microbes are prokaryotes, shared only with one other family member, archaea, neither of which have a membrane bound nucleus. Bacteria replicate through cell division. Under ideal conditions, bacteria can double in numbers as quickly as every 9.8 minutes. The number of bacteria in the human intestines exceed that of even human cells in the body and play major roles in immune response, radiation mitigation, heavy metal chelation, pathogen reduction and the digestion of food.
Within the world of bacteria are found both beneficial and pathogenic strains. Depending on the biological environment each one is growing in, either the pathogenic strains or the beneficial strains will thrive and multiply. If the human host is in a degraded state of health, pathogenic bacteria will multiply with the express purpose of decomposing into soil a threat to the human race. If, on the other hand, the human host eats clean, lives clean, and lives with positive, life-giving beliefs, probiotics (biotics that give life) will thrive and multiply with the express purpose of insuring that the strongest of a species survives to reproduce.
Probiotics are "live micro-organisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host", according to the World Health Organization. Commonly known bacterial probiotics include Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacteria.Certain yeasts are also gaining popularity today as probiotics, including Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii and common strains of nutritional yeast within the Saccharomyces family. Fermented foods, like miso, whey, cultured cabbage and other vegetables (my favorite being fermented jalapeños), also contain probiotics (beneficial gut flora).
Antibiotics which destroy or inhibit life, specifically, microorganisms, kill both beneficial and pathogenic bacteria resulting in numerous health problems including digestive complaints, allergies, leaky gut, subsequent susceptibility to fungal overgrowth, and the development of resistant super-bacteria strains against which antibiotics no longer work.
The human immune system is perfectly capable of rendering harmless any and all pathogenic bacteria, without the use of antibiotics, providing the host has fed the probiotics in the body more so than the pathogens and has developed a strong, clean state within the body through wise living and eating practices.
Sugar excesses from fruits, honey, agave, organic cane sugar, maple syrup, breads, starches and other common sources in the health food diet can quickly depress the human immune system.
Unmanaged sugar in the body is a favorite food source for pathogenic microbes. The sugars in these foods, consisting mainly of glucose, fructose & sucrose, feed pathogenic microbes into a state of explosive growth. A by-product of many bacteria is lactic acid. As lactic acid builds in body tissues & blood an acidic condition is formed throughout. This body acidity prepares the way for inflammation and numerous diseased conditions to progress. Arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis, yeast overgrowth, bed sores, organ failure, impaired digestion of proteins resulting in toxicosis, fuzzy brain and ultimately delirium, coma & death are among potential side effects.
Sepsis (a state of whole body putrefaction and inflammation) is a potentially fatal condition caused by excessive sugar consumption, resulting in an explosion of pathogenic bacteria, fungi, viruses & parasites, systemic acidosis, blood coagulation, septic shock and multiple organ dysfunction or failure. Even organic raw honey has been implicated in recent cases of life threatening sepsis!
Sepsis affects millions of people each year globally, with over 25% resulting in death.
High sugar consumption (and grains that elevate sugar levels higher than even white sugar) is the number one dietary cause of disability & disease in the world, posing the greatest threat to human health today.
Diet is primary in creating an environment which supports probiotic developments over the pathogenic conditions.
Foods that contain sucrose, glucose or fructose, and foods that raise sugar levels in the blood (like breads and starches), are prime food sources for both pathogenic and beneficial bacteria. Fermented foods rely on these sugars to multiply friendly yeasts and friendly bacteria. Yet, when an excess of sugar flows in the bloodstream, all microbes, both beneficial and pathogenic, begin to grow.
Under normal conditions friendly bacteria would readily out-compete pathogenic bacteria. But we do not live in a world of "normal conditions". Former antibiotic use, mercury tooth fillings, sugar-laden processed food and environmental pollution have compromised the human biological terrain (internal chemistry) to such an extent that the internal fight for physical health is being overtaken by the pathogenic side of this struggle.
The increasing quantities of sugar being consumed by today's generations (resulting in hi & low blood sugar swings, immune impairment & acidosis) has magnified the quantity and severity of diseased conditions throughout the world (obesity, childhood diabetes & osteoporosis, heart disease, etc.).
An unhealthy biological terrain (internal chemistry), created by unhealthy lifestyle habits, diet & pollution, has set the stage for pathogenic microbes of all the kinds mentioned above to perform their natural function of reducing diseased & dying bodies to soil. From the soil, life can begin anew.
This is simply the preservation of the healthiest & strongest in a species, according to Nature's own rules. Cull the weak, nurture the strong for reproduction. We each have a choice regarding which side of that equation we choose to live on.
Bacteria Solutions
Apart from a serious improvement in diet and food combining practices, there is no long term solution. Immediate correction of a pathogenic condition can be made with natural herbs & clays, yet long term health is dependent on permanent dietary and lifestyle changes which restore the biologic terrain to one supportive of ongoing health.
Numerous herbs and a few clays have proven to build a natural strength in the immune system and effectively assist the body in gaining the upper hand against pathogenic overgrowth conditions. Here is an article which discusses how to build a strong immune response: Secrets to Building a Powerful Immune System – 20 Ways to Balance & Empower Your Immune Response
Archaea
Archaea, like bacteria, are prokaryotes, meaning they have neither a cell nucleus nor a cell wall.
Archaea are involved in the nitrogen fixation & removal processes of nature, the breakdown of bark & other cellulose materials in anaerobic conditions (in the human, animal & insect gut, as well as in compost piles & sewage treatment). Archaea also play a role in the oxidation of sulfur compounds into bioavailable forms. They are involved in the breakdown of chemical pollutants into harmless elemental forms and the consumption of petroleum oil spills during environmental clean up processes.
Methanobrevibacter smithii is the predominant archaean among human probiotics, making up about one tenth of the combined population of the anerobics in the human intestinal tract. M. smithii plays a role in the digestion of complex sugars, the reduction of body fat, and the harvest of nutrients & energy from food.
There are no clear examples of known pathogens or parasites in the Archaea family, seemingly having only beneficial properties, thus no reference is made to archaea solutions here.
Mycoplasmas
Mycoplasmas are not to be confused with mycotoxins, even though they may also produce a lowered state of health when invading a weakened body. Mycoplasmas are bacteria cells without a cell wall, thus immune to antibiotics that target cell wall synthesis.
Mycoplasmas are believed to be the smallest organism capable of independent growth. They are gram-negative and depend on sterols such as cholesterol for growth. They are found in higher concentrations among citrus fruits, and pose a serious problem in non-organic citrus agriculture due to the prevalent use of chemical sprays.
Mycoplasmas are behind some of the lung conditions like pneunomia and other inflammatory conditions throughout the body, especially the joints. They are commonly passed via the breath of both humans and animals, as well as via sharing fluids or consuming infected animal products or fruits.
Being immune to antibiotics (but not herbs, clays and essential oils), mycoplasmas are highly proliferated in humans and animals following antibiotic use. Antibiotics kill off competing beneficial microbes, and thus make room for mycoplasmas to replicate rapidly due to reduced interference by their countering friendly microbes (Soil Based Organisms/SBOs) and reduced competition for their favorite food sources (starches and oils) in their hosts.
Mycoplasma Solutions:
Given that mycoplasmas feed primarily on starches (which convert to sugar) and oils/fats, a commonsense solution for the reduction of mycotoxins in the body is to increase bile production (which is necessary to emulsify/digest oils & fats). Bitter herbs and digestive spices are the most effective bile stimulants in Nature. Thus the importance of the Digestive Bitters herbal formula to decrease transit times and to help purify the blood of mycotoxins & other pathogens naturally. Blood Sugar Balance is designed to keep sugar levels in check, thus indirectly reducing pathogenic overgrowth. A cleansing approach which employs the detoxification/blood purification powers of bile is in this article: A Liver Flush with Bitters Program
Part 6: Viridae Family: Viruses
Viruses are by far the most abundant biological entities on Earth, outnumbering all species of life put together. Viruses can be found in almost every ecosystem on Earth. Viruses are Nature's own organic nanoparticles, capable of crossing the cellular barriers of their host. They play pivotal roles in the balance of life and our global ecosystem. While science often portrays viruses as solely pathogenic (harmful), the truth is, they are more central to the preservation of life on earth than even friendly bacteria.
Viruses in the Ecology:It is known that a teaspoon of seawater can contain about one million viruses. Most of these are bacteriophages (which infect bacteria). They help plants, animals & humans destroy pathogenic bacteria. Bacteriophages are essential to the regulation and balance of saltwater and freshwater ecosystems. They infect and destroy pathogenic bacteria colonies in oceans, lakes and rivers, and play the most central of all roles in the recycling of carbon in the marine environment. By increasing the amount of photosynthesis in the oceans, viruses are indirectly responsible for reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by approximately 3 gigatonnes of carbon per year.
Viruses also play a significant role in destroying excessive algal blooms (which consume oxygen and threaten marine life). In doing so, they leave behind dead bacterial cells as a food source for new algae and friendly bacteria.
While the above applies to the ecosystems of saltwater and freshwater, it may be of interest to note that the human body operates within a saline (saltwater) ecosystem.
Viral Replication:The average virus is smaller than a mycoplasma and about 1/100th the size of the average bacterium. While mycoplasmas are self-replicating (but without a cell wall), and bacteria self-replicate through cell division, viruses (also without a cell wall) do not grow through cell division, they assemble themselves within the host cell using the inner components of the living cell itself. Viruses are found in all types of cellular life forms, from humans to animals and plants to bacteria, fungi and archaea, with both beneficial and pathogenic functions within each. The constitutional strength of the host is the determining factor regarding how pathogenic a virus needs to get in performing its fundamental balancing purpose.
How Viruses Benefit the Immune System: Viral infections in humans and animals provoke an immune response that usually eliminates the infecting virus overloads, providing its food source, pathogenic bacteria, are also brought under control at the same time. Bacteria feed primarily on sugars. So if the host is consuming sugars, fruits, breads and starchy foods, bacteria can grow out of control, thus provoking further viral growth. It is for this reason that it is advised not to consume sugars, fruits, breads and starchy foods if you have a cold or flu. Stick to salad veggies, ocean vegetables, non-soy miso soups, teas, fibrous foods like chia & Vitamix juices (rather than fiberless juices).
Antibiotics have no effect on viruses, yet the spleen & the lymphatic system are able to produce over 100 trillion antibody forms to match any and all invading microbe types. Spleen & lymphatic antibodies are Nature's true vaccine, capable of making the body immune to a growing variety of pathogens (including viruses) for life.
Bone marrow stem cells, the thymus and the spleen are intimately involved in the body's natural production of antibodies, B-cells, T-cells and the memory of pathogens (immunity), all of which are aspects of the body's own immune response mechanisms. Supporting the strength & health of these organs is central to an effective defense against all forms of pathogens.
Virus Solutions:
When plants are infected, they often produce natural disinfectants internally that kill viruses. Such disinfectants include:
1) salicylic acid – (also found in White Willow Bark (Salix alba) and Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria),
2) nitric oxide – (L-Arginine is a precursor to nitric oxide and is high in sesame, pumpkin, squash & watermelon seeds, seaweeds & spirulina)
3) reactive oxygen molecules – Glutathione is the king of reactive oxygen molecules. Sulfur containing foods promote the synthesis of glutathione in the body. Such foods include raw goat & cow whey, asparagus, avocados, garlic, onions, turmeric, the brassica family, bilberry, watermelon, rice bran (which has Alpha Lipoic Acid that boosts glutathione), and Brazil nuts still in the shell (to prevent rancidity) which have selenium that boosts glutathione.
Bitter herbs stimulate the production of bile. If the system is also alkaline, the bile will run freely from the liver through the gallbladder and into the intestine when oils and fats roll down the tract. An acidic system thickens bile causing sluggish movement and the development of liver & gallstones. The liver uses bile to purify blood, encapsulating toxins & pathogens of all kinds (viruses, bacteria, molds, mycotoxins, mycoplasmas, parasites, chemicals, heavy metals, etc.) in bile fluids and flushing these from the system safely.
Numerous immune supportive herbs are bitter (turmeric, lomatium, osha, andrographitis, gentian, etc.), thus cleansing of the liver, bile stimulus, and building a healthful immune response to pathogens are directly connected to bitter herbs. (Digestive Bitters, Immune Power, Herbal C, Lung Support, Spleen Builder)
Keeping the body alkaline is crucial to the success of bile stimulus using bitter herbs. (Earth & Sea Greens, Thyroid Balance, Ancient Mineral Blend)
Part 7: Parasites
Parasites, in relation to human health, come in many forms living both outside the body (like mites & lice) and inside the body (like parasitic protozoa, bacteria, viruses, worms & flukes). The primary function of a pathogenic parasite is to derive its sustenance from an unhealthy living host to further diminish its ability to survive. Pathogenic parasites do not survive well in mammalian hosts with high levels of health due to the stronger body's ability to produce antibodies.
In mammals, parasite immunity is developed by Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies. IgE and numerous other antibodies are an integral part of the human immune system. When the immune system is compromised (by sugars, alcohol, breads, GMO foods, heavy metals, chemicals, radiation, antibiotics, etc.), the immune system is less empowered to respond to threats, thus parasites are more free to deprive their host of life. When the immune system is strong (empowered by a clean, healthy, fully nourished body) it is capable of producing trillions of antibodies to counter any form of pathogenic threat.
Parasite Solutions:
1) Cleanse polluting substances from the body. Some parasites, like hookworms, cannot survive in clay. Clay is also known to neutralize common toxins (heavy metals, chemicals, radiation, etc.) which have compromised the immune system. (Sacred Clay or Deep Earthen Cleanse)
2) Build a strong immune system with herbs & alkalizing superfoods. The spleen is central to the reduction of mucus in the body (a preferred habitat for some parasites) and is a prime manufacturer of antibodies (Immune Power, Spleen Builder, Earth & Sea Greens)
3) Maintain balanced blood sugar levels. The human immune system is depressed by sugar, sweet fruits (like oranges & bananas) and starchy foods (like breads) which convert to sugar. Certain herbs, along with minerals in clay & seaweeds are keys to the regulation of blood sugar levels, thus providing support for a stronger immune response to parasitic invasions. (Blood Sugar Balance, Kidney & Adrenal Builder, Earth & Sea Greens, Thyroid Balance)
4) Improve the digestive powers of the body (previously compromised by antibiotics) so hard-to-digest foods (meats, nuts, eggs, cheese, etc.) that can easily stagnate and putrefy in the gut, do not become food sources for parasites, fungus, bacteria, viruses & protozoa. (Digestive Bitters, Ancient Mineral Blend)
Part 8: Health Foods Most Likely to Contain or Promote the Growth of Pathogens in the Body
In general, pathogen prone foods include the liquid & granulated sweeteners, sweet fruits, starchy foods, beans, grains, nuts & nut butters, & oily seeds any of which can pose threats to human health, particularly if grown with chemicals, or grown in nutrient deficient soils, or picked green. The threat to health increases based on:
1) the quality of the produce,
2) if consumed regularly, and
3) if consumed in quantity.
Home grown produce, grown in nutrient dense, microbially dense soils, and harvested ripe, then eaten the same or next day, prevents the likelihood of these same foods developing pathogens. Store bought produce grown on nutrient deficient soils, picked green, then sitting for days or weeks before you take it home to store in your refrigerator, has plenty of time to grow pathogens.
The following are all common food sources of pathogenic bacteria, yeasts, mycoplasmas and the mycotoxin precursor, mold, given common growing and storage conditions. This is particularly true of non-organic grown produce, yet the definition of "organic" today has been so watered down that it in no way guarantees "conscious growing methods" were employed. Big Ag has corrupted the organic world of today, so every store bought food is suspect. Not all organic farmers spend the extra time and money necessary to upgrade the mineral and microbial content of their soils. Growing your own food, and knowing your local farmer, are the only ways to be sure of optimal growing methods for the foods you love to eat.
An Important Note:
During a cold or flu, those who consume nuts, sugars, grains/breads, dairy, starchy vegetables, alcohol, kombucha, coffee, sweet fruits or fruit juices (to gain their "Vitamin C"), will only find the cold or flu to drag out for weeks and weeks, due to the fact that bacteria, mycoplasmas, molds & yeasts, are simply being fed or introduced to the body in higher quantities. These same foods can also increase inflammation & swelling in various places of weakness throughout the body.
The sweet fruits most prone to growing pathogens, or promoting pathogens in the body due to their extra sweetness, include bananas, apples, pears, oranges, grapes, mangos, peach, strawberries, etc.
Organic berries in general, are less prone to raise sugar levels excessively in the body, especially the bitter medicinal berries (schizandra, trifala - amlaki, haritaki & bibhitaki, elderberry, current, cranberry, acerola, etc.)
Starches convert to sugar, a favorite food source for bacteria, fungi & mycoplasma. Starchy vegetables most prone to growing pathogens include corn, root vegetables (carrots, potatoes, beets, turnips, rutabaga, etc.), most beans (beans are treated as a starch) & grains, especially rice.
Cereal grains and rice are typically stored in large silos prior to delivery to stores. This is where much of the mold growth begins, particularly if the grain is picked slightly green (therefore still moist). Mold requires moisture to grow. Some countries will add neem leaf to their silo storage tanks along with their grains to inhibit mold development.
Nuts - including the coffee bean (not a starch, but prone to mold like other nuts), cacao nut, and all other nuts & nut butters once the nut is removed from its shell, begin to produce mold, mycotoxins & mycoplasmas. Once churned into a nut butter or nut milk, mold development progresses at a faster rate if allowed to sit for more than a day. Mycoplasmas feed off of the oils in the nuts.
Oil-bearing seeds are more likely to grow pathogens once they are pressed to release their oils, or if removed from their shells, if encased in one. (sunflower, sesame, hemp, rapeseed (canola), pumpkin seed, cotton seed, etc.). Their oils will generally also grow pathogens if exposed to air, light and warmth for any length of time.
Farm animals are commonly fed the seed meal left over after the oil is pressed out of it. It is a by-product of the oil industry. Farmers found a way to use it as feedstock. The main problem with it is, the time it is stored before the animal consumes it, the oil seed meal will only naturally begin to grow mold, mycotoxins and mycoplasmas. This is simply Nature at work doing its natural job of converting dead seed material into soil. Animals that consume this seed meal then take in the pathogens, which are then consumed by those who eat their meat or by-products. Large scale compromise of health is the net result in both animal and human.
Coconut oil is one of the least affected by these and is therefore safer to use in general than most other oils. Oil seeds, pressed, then used the same day, will generally pose no risk depending on the cleanliness and dryness of the environment in which the fruit or seed was stored prior to use.
Here are a few more considerations to keep in mind:
Non-organic bananas, coffee berries & potatoes are some of the most chemically doused foods in the industry due to their high tendency to decay, wilt, mold & fungal growth (signs of poor soil health). Some organic varieties will fair much better providing they are grown on volcanic, mineral dense soils and are picked ripe.
Bananas contain all three natural sugars – glucose, fructose and sucrose, and are prone to pathogenic growths in both the banana and the consumer due to their moisture content and higher than average sugar levels. If they survive the growing process mold-free, their sugar content alone, once consumed, will tend to promote bacterial & fungal overgrowth in physically weakened or nutrient-deficient bodies.
Dried fruitscan grow molds, thus mycotoxins, due to the moisture content and extended drying time. This will be particularly true for fruits when they are grown with chemicals or in nutrient-deficient soils.
Growers and roasters of coffee that take the time to hand select the ripest coffee berries, and remove the broken coffee beans (prone to mold development, thus mycotoxins) prior to roasting, will produce a better tasting coffee (mold can add an unpleasant taste to the brew). Such varieties will naturally be more expensive. Rest assured, the cheaper varieties will not take the time to remove the moldy beans from the mix, will not be as careful regarding the moment of ripening before harvesting, and will require chemicals during the growing process due to the poor health of the coffee plant itself, so you risk your health when you consume questionable non-organic coffees. The more expensive organic coffees grown in high altitude volcanic soils are preferred varieties, if coffee is to be consumed, as the stronger health of such beans will be less prone to pathogen development.
Nuts taken from their shells, beans & oil seed butters (like Tahini butter, hemp seed, canola, etc.) tend to grow molds & mycotoxins after just a few days. Store bought nuts are typically high in rancid oils, mold, mycotoxins and mycoplasmas. They are also very hard to digest in today's world of poor digestion from former antibiotic use. Pathogen growth is more pronounced if a fresh (or old) nut or seed is converted to a nut butter or nut milk and let stand for more than a day or so.
Nuts and fruits eaten together, a common raw vegan/health food diet combination (raw pies, granola trail mixes, fruit smoothies, etc.), produce an impact on sugar levels that is magnified, thus contributing to high & low sugar swings, depression, constipation, joint problems, and an overgrowth of bacteria/fungus/yeast/viruses & mycotoxins throughout the body. The mechanics of this is related to the impaired function of bile under the influence of sweets. Bile is used by the body to detox and digest oils/fats. When this mechanism is impaired, sugar levels climb. Bacteria & yeasts are fed by these sugars, resulting in pathogen overgrowth throughout the body.
The natural sugars (sucrose, fructose and glucose) within fruits, natural sweeteners and grains (barley, rice, wheat, corn, oats, rye sorghum, triticale, amaranth, buckwheat, quinoa, etc.) commonly stored in silos for weeks before delivery, make the food source a haven for molds, mycotoxins, bacteria and pathogenic fungal development.
Kombucha is made of sugar, black or green tea and a mushroom. When made at home, a batch is easily contaminated with pathogens from animal or human breath, hair, skin cells, refrigerator mold going into a room upon opening the door, trash can mold, and numerous other accidental contaminants. In many cases the friendly bacteria will out-compete the pathogens, but there is a more obvious reason why kombucha can keep one's health on a precarious edge: the sugar and the tea tannins essential for the growth of the mushroom and a successful batch.
Daily consumption of kombucha can lead to excesses of sugar in the body which feed bacteria and yeasts in the bloodstream and intestines. Remember, we are not of an age where our bodies balance blood sugar levels without effort. We are 4th, 5th, 6th generation sugar consumers with compromised digestive systems from former antibiotic use. Daily infusions of sugar can suppress our immune response powers and keep us susceptible to opportunistic illnesses and inflammation. Sugar, even the partially digested sugars in kombucha, can inhibit spleen performance, resulting in spaciness, reduced antibody production, loss of drive, depression, poor digestion of mucus (clearing the throat often), lymphatic sluggishness, cold extremities, and other problems.
Tannins in green & black teas, in moderation are helpful in reducing viral and bacterial conditions developing in the throat or digestive tract. However, daily consumption of tea tannins, especially if concentrated by boiling (in the typical fashion common to India and other parts of the world), can wreck havoc on the digestive tract, killing probiotics and pathogens alike. This devastation of digestive flora (similar to taking antibiotics), can result in intestinal inflammation, compromised digestive powers and the blocking of nutrient uptake in the gut.
Foods that are picked green for longer shelf life (thus no real nutritional value since many nutrients do not enter the food until the last four days prior to full ripening), increase the problem of pathogenic development by being nutritionally deficient, thus are inherently weaker and more prone to decay following harvest.
A human body in a toxic or nutrient deficient state will be a perfect host for the development of these pathogens if they choose to consume these sugar laden sources, nuts, seeds and grains in almost any amount. The stronger one's immune & digestive systems are, the more capable one is to overcome the effects of such food sources. The more clay one consumes with their food, the more likely they will be able to counter such effects. Clay is commonly fed to animals specifically to offset the known mold in the grains and straw they are being fed.
Cheese:Molds used in the production of cheese are of the commonly known, non-toxic varieties; however, they can become contaminated by other forms of mold which produce the mycotoxin during the ripening stages and storage. Cheese molds, and their mycotoxins, have been implicated as carcinogens.
There are a number of other surprising health foods that diminish (or increase) our health which are discussed here: OK, So What Foods CAN I Eat?
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A Private Consultation Transcript on the April 8, 2024 Solar Eclipse
How to Heal Your Life and Change the World
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The Gentle Art of Self-Healing
