Nature's Virus Killers

160 Pages·2000·1.95 MB·English

by  Mark Stengler

Nature’s Virus Killers
NATURE’S VIRUS
KILLERS
Mark Stengler, N.D., CHT, HHP
“The Natural Physician”
with Arden Moore
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Chapter 1
Viruses: Natural Born Killers
Chapter 2
Immune System: The Body’s Virus Killer
Chapter 3
Herbs: Nature’s Top Virus Weapons
Chapter 4
Digestion and Detoxification
Chapter 5
Nutrition: Supercharge with Food
Chapter 6
Hormones: Body Guards
Chapter 7
Vitamins and Minerals: Antiviral Agents
Chapter 8
Homeopathy: Placebo or Potent Virus Destroyer?
Chapter 9
Complementary Therapies: Acupuncture, Hydrotherapy, and the Mind-Body Connection
Chapter 10
Common Viral Infections and Natural Solutions
Recommended Reading
Appendix I
Hydrotherapy Guidelines
Appendix II
Herbal Medicine Guidelines
Appendix III
Selecting a Holistic Health Practitioner
Notes
Glossary
Index
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
A special thanks to my very patient and supportive wife, Angela. To our son,
Mark Jr., who gave me lots of much needed breaks by running into my office
while working on this book. To Dr. Jason Schneider, for his research assistance
on the first two chapters of the book. To my talented editor Arden—thanks for
the great work. Mel Schoenberger for his great cartoon drawings. To my
patients, from whom I learn every day.
INTRODUCTION
This book is about power. And control. And fighting back. You can gain all
three through knowledge.
How many times have you found yourself sitting on that cold stainless steel
table inside a doctor’s exam room feeling miserable from a cold, the flu, or other
health condition? After the exam, the doctor tells you, “It’s a viral infection.
There’s really nothing I can do except tell you to get some rest, drink plenty of
fluids, and wait it out.”
You exit the office feeling powerless—and still miserable.
In Nature’s Virus Killers, I’ll teach you about all the formidable weapons you
possess that can duel—and often, defeat—viral invaders. I’ll guide you into a
program to get your immune system in super shape, so that you can dodge the
latest “bug” hitting your co-workers at the office.
Yes, the enemy is out there. Thousands of viruses are floating all around you
every minute of every day. They are constantly searching for weak prey to
penetrate. Some viruses wiggle inside bodies, but are soundly defeated by armies
of immune cells. Other viruses victoriously overtake bodies whose armies are
too busy fighting other fronts triggered by constant stress, poor diets, and lack of
exercise. The most mighty and stubborn fleet of viruses can initiate cancer cells
or develop into AIDS inside some victims.
A few viruses may actually deserve a welcome mat into the body—like
chicken pox. You may be surprised to learn that antibiotics have no effect
against viruses. Resaon for concern? Read on.
So, what are your allies in this war on viruses? Nature. Amazingly powerful
and effective natural therapies stand ready to assist you. Many of these therapies
have been used successfully for centuries in European and Eastern cultures but
are only now being hailed as “the latest cure” by conventional doctors in
Western cultures like North America.
Every day, I witness these amazingly powerful and effective therapies work
their magic on my patients. A debilitating flu can be knocked out within hours
using natural remedies. Acute ear infections can be cleared in minutes. A chronic
viral infection like herpes that has nagged a person for years can disappear
within weeks of treatment.
The allies that answer your body’s call to arms include herbs, foods,
homeopathy, acupuncture, hydrotherapy, vitamins, minerals, visualization, and
mental imagery. They work with your body’s immune system to not only relieve
the symptoms, but dig down and treat the underlying cause of the problem.
Let me illustrate. A common reason why some people are prone to colds is
because they eat too much refined sugar in their diet. Large quantities of refined
sugar are anything but a sweet deal for your body. They rob your immune
system of needed nutrients, making it unable to fend off an invasion by cold
viruses.
Conventional medicine calls for taking over-the-counter medications or
prescriptions, but the cold virus doesn’t budge. The person sneezes, coughs, and
wheezes for days.
The natural remedy game plan is much more complete. By reducing the
intake of refined sugar and adding more organic foods and vital supplements to
the diet, the person is better equipped to stop the symptoms and the cold virus.
The next time the cold bug is going around, the body now has an impenetrable
shield.
Natural therapies work at the cause and they do so with little to no harmful
side effects. Think about that. How many times have you read sentence upon
sentence of cautions and warnings on the label of a prescription bottle or over-
the-counter medication packet? You feel like you’re trading off one aspect of
your health for another. Why resolve one crisis at the price of harming various
organs and structures in your body?
In this book, you will discover how natural therapies can give you more of a
role in your health care. Instead of feeling helpless, you can become a partner
with your natural healthcare practitioner to customize a battle plan that meets
your specific health needs.
Most of the recommendations in this book are compatible with conventional
therapies. They work with—not against—conditions that require prescriptions.
In summary, all therapies addressed in Nature’s Virus Killers are designed to
enhance—not weaken—your immune system. Not only do they help you in
times of need, but they also help prevent you from being infected.
It all goes back to power. And control. And fighting back. This book arms
you with the knowledge to take charge of your own health and harness the very
power of nature for your own personal use.
Yours in good health and vitality,
Mark Stengler N.D., CHT, HHP
“The Natural Physician”
Chapter 1
VIRUSES: NATURAL
BORN KILLERS
What is a virus?
How does a virus invade a cell?
What’s the difference between a virus and bacteria?
What are some common viruses?
Why are antibiotics powerless against viruses?
What are antiviral agents?

In their earliest forms, viruses were harmless messengers delivering hereditary
information from newly developed life to its offspring in plants, fungi, protozoa,
animals, and eventually people.
As viruses evolved and adapted to environmental changes around them, they
ceded their messenger roles to cells and took on a more sinister role of infecting
genes. In fact, virus is the Latin word for poison.
Some viral infections are short-lived: colds, the flu, sore throats. Others are
lifelong: hepatitis and AIDS (caused by the human immunodeficiency virus).
Collectively, viral infections represent the prime reason people visit doctors for
medical care.
Throughout history, viral epidemics have plagued mankind and proven more
powerful than the mightiest of armies. A flu epidemic wiped out Charlemagne’s
army in 876 A.D. Thousands of American colonists in the 1720s died after being
exposed to a flu virus. The Spanish flu of 1918 killed more than 22 million
people worldwide. The Hong Kong flu killed more than 70,000 Americans in the
late 1960s. In the early 1980s, a new viral disease surfaced that still plagues us
today: AIDS. In the late 1990s, a lethal, fast-killing virus garnered headlines:
Ebola. Like AIDS, there is still no cure for Ebola. Today hepatitis has become a