We are, in fact, descended from bacteria. Within our body cells are 'organelles', micro-organisms each with specific functions.

By: Patrick Holford

Bacteria:
Biologists now believe that the complex cells that make up our body may have developed from smaller micro-organisms like bacteria 'working together'. In time, this co-operation led to the development of the complex cells from which we are made. The energy factories within our cells, called mitochondria, are derived from bacteria and still contain their own special DNA.

A single course of antibiotics can wipe out benefitial strains of bacteria for six months or more

Pesticides:
Like pesticides, the purpose of antibiotic drugs is to kill life (anti-bio). But as well as destroying pathogenic bacteria, antibiotics also destroy friendly ones. The more 'broad spectrum' the antibiotic, the more strains of beneficial bacteria will also be killed. A single course of antibiotics can wipe out beneficial strains of bacteria for six months or more. "When you take antibiotics, you are doing to your body what a farmer does when he sprays his fields with pesticides", says medical researcher Geoffrey Cannon, author of the book Superbug.

More harm than good?
According to microbiologist, Professor Richard Lacey, the widespread overuse of antibiotics is the major cause of changes observed in the last decade in the balance of bacteria in the gut. Overuse of antibiotics, in particular ampicillin and tetracyclines, is resulting in a generation of new strains of 'superbugs' - bacteria which have become resistant to the very drugs designed to destroy them. Medical researcher Dr Stuart Levy from Tufts University says that these changes are "unparalleled in recorded biologic history". So serious is the problem that now there are new drug-resistant versions of every disease-causing bacterium. Drug-resistant tuberculosis, for example, now accounts for one in seven new cases.

Overuse of antibiotics is resulting in a generation of new strains of superbugs

Ill effects:
Antibiotics also have acute, short-term ill effects, ranging from rashes to diarrhoea, and chronic long-term ill effects. The long term effects are more worrying. Anyone taking broad spectrum antibiotics continually over a period of years becomes extremely vulnerable to invasion by other bacterial species, fungi and viruses. According to Cannon "antibiotics are implicated as a cause of new diseases that are in some way identified with bacteria not normally present in the body. Bacteria that have evolved with us are our outer immune defences, so it follows that anything you do that damages what is a very complex microbial ecology in the body must lay you open to other diseases." He believes it is unwise to use antibiotics except in cases where there is real reason to believe a bacterial infection is life-threatening or could lead on to more serious illness if left unchecked.

Infection: Epidemic Predicted
It's not just antibiotics, but the whole mentality of developing drugs to kill bugs that needs to be questioned. After all, vast improvements in sanitation in the Western world have been achieved this century, and in the last twenty years, medicine has doled out billions of anti-biotic, anti-viral and anti-fungal medicines. If this approach was working you'd expect less overall deaths from infections and less cases of food poisoning. In fact, exactly the opposite has occurred.

NEW colloidal silver - Nature's super antibiotic

It is very unusual for us to introduce new products, the system works so well as it is, however we have recently discovered the merits of a wonderful natural antibiotic which we have incorporated into the programmes for our clients with extremely sensitive skin problems - it is called "Liquid Silver".

Colloidal silver appears to be a powerful, natural antibiotic and preventative against infections. Acting as a catalyst, it reportedly disables the enzyme that one-celled bacteria, viruses and fungi need for their oxygen metabolism. They suffocate without corresponding harm occuring to human enzymes or parts of the human body chemistry, The result is the destruction of disease-causing organisms in the body and in the food.

Colloidal silver was in common use until 1938. Many remember their grandparents putting silver dollars in milk to prolong its freshness at room temperature.

Early Research:
At the turn of the century, scientists had discovered that the body's most important fluids are colloidal in nature; suspended ultra-fine particles. Blood, for example, carries nutrition and oxygen to the body cells. This led to studies with colloidal silver. Prior to 1938, colloidal silver was used by physicians as a mainstream antibiotic treatment and was considered quite 'high-tech'. Production methods, however, were costly. the pharmaceutical industry moved in, causing colloidal research to be set aside in favour of fast working, more toxic and potentially dangerous drugs.

The Food and Drug Administration today classifies colloidal silver as a pre 1938 drug. A letter from the FDA dated 13 September 1991 states: "These products may continue to be marketed.... as long as they are advertised and labelled for the same use as in 1938 and as long as they are manufactured in the original manner." Some of the manufacturing methods used before 1938 are still used today. An electro-colloidal process, which is known to be the best method, is used.

*from The Wonders of Colloidal Silver by Coburn & Dignan

What Really Works * NEW

Colloidal Silver - a natural antibiotic that is completely safe to use both inside and outside the body.

I was first prescribed it for a persistent candida infection after a long stay in hospital and although I have since heard it rubbished as "snake oil" there is no question in my mind that it worked.

While most antibiotics destroy only about half a dozen germs, silver can eradicate well over 600 different strains. Even better, infections which can become resistant to antibiotics cannot do the same with colloidal silver.

Nobody really knows how it works but one theory is that it disables enzymes which many forms of bacteria, fungi and viruses need for their survival.

Colloidal silver is brilliant for treating skin problems

* from Complimentary Medicine by Susan Clark ( The Sun, July 21 2000) Read: What Really works by Susan Clark winner of Health Journalist of the year Award (www.thorsons.com)