The vast majority of the public believes that some big, bad germ or virus is what makes them sick. While modern science has skillfully shown us that these organisms do indeed trigger the infection, the truth is that they in no way, shape or form actually cause the infection.

The cause is our weakened and compromised immune systems, which are nearly always under our control via our lifestyle. Typically, eating grains and sugar, not getting adequate sleep and living with stress are the major culprits for impairing your immune system.

On his deathbed, Louis Pasteur, the father of the germ theory, was said to have uttered these final words, in effect recanting the theory behind his life's work:

"It's not the invading organism that's important. It's the terrain."

The above study provides a perfect illustration of Pasteur's final piece of advice. Organisms like bacteria, viruses and fungi can be looked at as the oxygen that allows a smoldering fire (the infection) to burn.

While they are a necessary part of the equation, the fire will have a much more difficult time getting going if the wood being used (your body or "the terrain") is still fresh, green and full of life. However, if the wood is bone-dry and lifeless, the fire will consume it in a matter of seconds.

On the same token, part of the reason why poorly managed diabetics develop infections more readily than others is because the high levels of sugar in their blood creates an environment that can promote the growth of organisms like fungi, bacteria and viruses. In essence, they lose the ability to resist infection just as a dry piece of wood has lost its ability to withstand being burned.

So, while practicing good hygiene is always important in avoiding infections, I believe it's of equal, if not greater, importance to make sure you maintain normal blood sugar levels. Doing so requires two important steps:

1. Getting started on a regular exercise plan that includes resistance training to build muscle.

2. Consuming a healthy diet that is appropriate for your unique nutritional type, and that will help normalize the levels of insulin and leptin in your blood.

Gary Craig’s Comment:

In addition to Dr. Mercola’s well taken recommendations above, it would also be helpful to reduce the daily stresses, resentments, fears and other negative emotions that serve to tax the body’s resources. Applying the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) for a few minutes a day can make a major difference over time. It not only helps reduce those health-robbing negative emotions, but it also tends to balance the body’s subtle energies. A move toward calm and internal peace is the reward.

Those without an EFT background can receive an orientation by getting the free EFT Get Started Package, including a free download of the 79-page EFT Manual (it includes all the basics). Those wishing to save time and dive right in can get our very affordable training videos.

Gary Craig is a pioneering developer of EFT, a profoundly effective emotional/mental healing approach. Dr. Mercola attributes much of the incredible and permanent patient successes at his clinic, The Optimal Wellness Center, to the fact that EFT is used with every patient to address all three levels of healing: mind, body and spirit. Of the thousands of natural treatments Dr. Mercola has studied and used in his 20 years of practicing medicine, he feels that EFT is the greatest healing technique that exists. Read more about Gary Craig's EFT Course.

Related Articles:

Early and Tight Control of Blood Sugar Levels Can Save Your Life

How Diabetes Can Impact Your Health, and What You Can do About It

More Evidence That Stress is Major Factor for Infections