GERMS!

[nuduke]

Whilst I agree with the concept that we over sterilise ourselves these days and a bit of earthy contamination might strengthen our defences, and whilst I absolutely recognise that correlation is not causation....Me and Mrs N haven't had covid and during the pandemic we were very assiduous with washing hands and using antibacterial products on hands and surfaces and have continued that practice post pandemic.  Was our escape from the plague due to better than average cleanliness practices?  That may be a case where cleanliness should be the preferred option. 
John

[Safebare]

There is science behind it all.

Yes! Taking precautions was advisable. The whole idea with COVID was that we had NO immunity. It was an entirely new strain that devastated medical communities worldwide. The solution was a soft, buffered introduction of the virus to the various communities around the globe. To build that immunity.

I took precautions, not to the extent of some, but certainly more than others. We all benefitted from the pandemic response, even those that refused it. Life is not black and white. Many of us dodged a bullet with COVID, but so many made the ultimate sacrifice.

So, to build immunity we need exposure, we need memory, we need microbes.

~Safebare

[jbeegoode]

We took to the same extremes during the Covid, but DF brought it home from work all the same. The only science was a study showing how long the virus could survive on various surfaces at various temperatures.

Then just a couple of months back the guys who told us to wash, wash, wash came out and said that it isn't communicated that way! CDC...

We were all dealing with our own ignorance.

I've always avoided surfaces like public door handles. I don't leave my finger prints around either. Just old habits. I washed my hands with anti bacterial soap. That is about the flu and other viruses. Other than touching in public places, I'm not concerned. If it's me and DF germs around the house are without serious virus. I might wash up when my hands get dirty.

There is so much biodiversity in dirt and within that, balance. It figures that there is medicine and something akin to magic in natural substances. We all come from that and are of that, it helps us to be whole. It makes us strong and gives us resources, a gigantic toolbox to deal with what may also so come out of that. Without it we are defenseless. Overly antiseptic leaves us open to the few bad guys that comes to us from mostly from our fellow humans. I'll wash my hands and whack their biology when they are in contact with modern human stuff.

But, Nuduke, one of the most striking memories that resonates within me of your visit, was being greeted with your heartwarming hug.
Jbee

[Greenbare Woods]

Whilst I agree with the concept that we over sterilise ourselves these days and a bit of earthy contamination might strengthen our defences, and whilst I absolutely recognise that correlation is not causation....Me and Mrs N haven't had covid and during the pandemic we were very assiduous with washing hands and using antibacterial products on hands and surfaces and have continued that practice post pandemic.

 

I can't speak for you John.   I haven't gotten the "covid" either, and I ignored all their fear mongering nonsense. I hope to maintain my natural immunity systems with occasional contact with other people.  I never use any of those chemical antibacterial products. 

Was our escape from the plague due to better than average cleanliness practices?  That may be a case where cleanliness should be the preferred option.  John

Anecdotes don't make valid conclusions.  I avoided all that cleanliness practice and social distancing.  I didn't suffer from their fakedemic either. It never happened among Amish people who don't watch TV or use sanitizer while doing hands on farming. Natural healthy practices have a lot of evidence.  Sunshine is good too.

[jbeegoode]

Well a million Americans dead from symptoms and complications and my own experience of being sick in the middle of nowhere, it certainly was particularly contagious and packed several hospitals emergency rooms.

Still, I lament my talking myself into getting those two injections a year after being exposed and feeling sick again because of it.
It'd still rather trust my own system rather than tweak it with man's manipulations. It is the same, I think, as any intervention, natural is best. We're too complex to keep messing with mother nature, when we were given good food and exercise, and even that is now screwed up.
Jbee

[F.BareSoul]

I think normal precautions are adequate

[nuduke]

Bob,
I entirely agree with you - anecdotes aren't necessarily hard evidence nor does one assertion, such as mine, prompt general conclusions, nor is correlation evidence of causation.  I have lived a work life where good analytical practice and hard evidence were my watchword.  You will note, in my post, I merely posed the question not the conclusion of the correlation of my so far not getting Covid and good hygiene procedures.
I cannot let it ride that your dismissal of the pandemic and your ascribing your freedom from covid to have been the avoidance of recommended hygiene methods - that's an equally anecdotal single case assertion and unsupported conclusion except for your instance!!  Physician heal thyself!
I would also challenge your throwaway fakedemic remark.  Put that to the millions of bereaved families and sufferers of long term after effects of the disease and see if they think it was fake.
It's interesting that the Amish didn't suffer so much, if that's an objectively attested fact.  I would (anecdotally of course!) put that as much down to their relative isolation and lower population density in the fresh air of farming rural country as to lack of TV or a germier, grubbier farming lifestyle.
John

[Peter S]

Greater exposure in daily life to more low-level viruses and bacteria will stimulate an immune response in the body so that when something a bit unusual comes along the body is better prepared to tackle it. When I was working the job involved going to lots of different houses and interacting with lots of different bugs, and for years I never had so much as a cold; since retiring that exposure has slipped and now I'm more prone to the pesky little critters - the human body can only do so much.

There is also an argument - contentious, I'll agree - that man-made bugs need to be tackled by man-made remedies. As we're talking about covid, I'll just let that one hang there.

[jbeegoode]

Interesting idea, that man-made to/for man-made.

There are many man-made toxins in our systems, I'm sure many enter everyday. Detox is a natural occurrence with natural systems that are combating these. If a system is fed nutritiously, exercised regularly, given temperature extremes, even naturally given extra nourishment like prebiotic, probiotic, it better washes out the man-made poisons. 

Man-made bugs are often natural occurrences that have been tweaked by man's interference with nature. Anti-biotics have certainly been misused, compounded problems, while saving lives. Chemo radiation, a tweaked natural, takes lots of natural health practices to readjust a body from it. Covid and it's newfangled answer and other the conclusion is open debate and not a solid verdict. The unnatural cellular effects may not be known, until time is given to time. Weird chemical compounds in processed food has certainly caused health problems, but the cure is a natural prevention...and stopping the chewing swallowing of the garbage...

...jus' thinkin'.
Jbee

[Greenbare Woods]

There are many man-made toxins in our systems, I'm sure many enter everyday. Detox is a natural occurrence with natural systems that are combating these. If a system is fed nutritiously, exercised regularly, given temperature extremes, even naturally given extra nourishment like prebiotic, probiotic, it better washes out the man-made poisons. 
Jbee

I watched some interesting medical discussions on You-Tube lately.  Some Neurologists and doctors have been having good effects treating degenerative nerve diseases including ALS, Dementia, Alzheimer's, etc.  All of those have previously been though to be fatal and not treatable. 

The Neurologist has concluded that degenerative brain and nerve diseases are bacterial caused.  All the severe cases he treated happened after the patient took a lot of antibiotics for some other symptoms. These bacteria thrive on common antibiotics.  The nerve destroying bacteria also thrive on carbs and sugars.  He puts his patients on ketogenic diets.  Ketones inhibit their growth.  One treatment that seems to help a lot is hyperthermia, raising body temperature.  Bacteria doesn't like high temps, which is why our bodies cause fevers when when are sick.  I think that must be related to the health benefits of saunas. 

[jbeegoode]

Yes, I've been finding lots of this, too. Ketosis helps the bacteria to re-balance when the bad guys get too plentiful and start taking over, or destroying the gut lining. That's why I fast. It creates a reset there, starves the bacteria that feed off of the crappy foods that I may have been feeding them.

Diabetes has been controlled by a plant based diet, or wiped out in Type 2. They are calling dementia and alziemers, Type 3, now. But there is more to that statement and effective protocols.

Yea, we were sitting in 180F sauna and Covid starts dying about 130 to 150. Yep, lots of good study out of Finland about this sauna thing. Skin is the largest detox organ. That hot air is also breathed into the lungs. Makes people live significantly longer, too. And the brain deterioration issues decrease.
Jbee

[Greenbare Woods]

Yea, we were sitting in 180F sauna and Covid starts dying about 130 to 150. Yep, lots of good study out of Finland about this sauna thing. Skin is the largest detox organ. That hot air is also breathed into the lungs. Makes people live significantly longer, too. And the brain deterioration issues decrease.
Jbee

According to what I saw, the brain eating bacteria needs an internal temperature of around 103 to 104. Like a high fever.  It feeds on sugars and becomes plentiful after antibiotics, so known antibiotics can't attack it.  Hyperthermia kills bacteria but not body cells unless it gets too high.  I could see where you could get that in a sauna.  Does anyone take or record body internal temps in you sauna?

[jbeegoode]

I tried a thermometer in the sauna to get my inner body temps, but the other heat threw the reading off the moment that I pulled it out of my mouth. I just got a new thermometer, a better one. I'll try it next sauna...Sunday.

The infrared saunas heat the body from the inside out and are getting raves for health benefits, but I don't like them. I reminds me of a microwave, or a McDonalds burger under a heat lamp. It has limited range and very intense, different from the wood burners and steam.

Jbee

[Greenbare Woods]

I don't think I would like an infrared sauna either. 

[jbeegoode]

Yea, I find flicking a switch and sitting quietly in an infrared box quite boring. Variety is the spice of sauna.

The slow gradual heating. The dry, the wet, the just right. That moment when you realize that that extra board of pine just kicked it up and you are sitting hotter than you ever thought that you could. The body awareness. The gathering and processing of wood is so earthy, and good exercise. That chop that splits a round log perfectly is satisfying, like a perfect approach shot on a golf course.

Then, there is the social community, family, interactions. Sitting naked with your friends exercising the vagas nerve cleansing with song and drum, flute and didgeridoo, or anything that can stand the heat. Pouring essential oils over rocks, or granules of exotic scents from the woods. Knowing that we are sharing health together.

Veniki beatings are just not the same, without the sting and fog of hot steam.

The layers of heat as elevation rises, where you get a full mindful sense of you comfort zone as you search and switch. Then, the smell, the quiet sense of solitude as the room dries and the temperature fades after the excitement dies and its restfulness.

The prayer and cleansing contemplation and sometimes ritual of the Native influences practiced for millennia. Just the flash and change from taking a large spoon from a bucket and tossing it on the rocks, the rhythm.

A body craves and thrives with adversity, and variety of environmental exercises that strengthen in.  The more natural are the influences, the more organic and unpredictable and diverse. A body comes from a history in this world. It has been there and done it, and is ready for anything natural that you throw at it. A body is complex beyond comprehension. Throw in the unnatural and you are playing Russian roulette.

AND the way to augment the effects is to naturally do it naked!

Last night was Solstice New Years. We had 20 or so packed cheek to cheek in the sweat. Each was cleansing. Each had a piece of Yule wood, a nail and pencil with paper. As we cleansed, we wrote what we intended to let go of to make us better ready for the coming year. Together, we drummed whooped and hollered, and let it all out, then tossed it away to be taken by the fire and spirit.

Some didn't come in, afraid of covid. Who's going to be be healthier?
Jbee