ENERGY AND STAMINA

I could not help thinking about this protein theory and how it could have gained a foothold among sportsmen. It reminded me of a Remkon conference in London. In questions of nutrition England had been lagging behind and was now to be conquered by the awakening business world. A Mr. Hofmann from the United States spoke• as though protein as a muscle builder and energizer was an athletic be-all and end-all. This gave the impression that success depended on the intake of protein. The views the speaker advocated were perhaps not absolutely wrong as far as muscle building is concerned. When I was in Japan I was able to study the nutrition of wrestlers. Other more or less brutal sports demanded the same nutrition. From childhood some of these athletes had been on a protein-rich fattening diet, making them muscular athletes of the colossal type as found in Japan. Such a fattening diet is not in harmony with my way of thinking, although I know that momentarily a fattened bull can be powerful, strong and dangerous. However, if its powers are compared with an animal that was not fattened, and is therefore not as heavy, but truly leaner, it will come as a surprise to see that the fattened animal is no match in stamina for the one fed a normal diet.

A muscular giant from Japan would find it difficult to keep up with me on a skiing trip. Going constantly uphill on skis is too much for an overweight person to reach a height of 4,000 meters (12,000 feet). It will be difficult for him to arrive at the top with a normal heart beat, whereas a man of my build can do so without any special effort, reaching the summit before the muscular giant does. Weight and overdeveloped muscular strength are no guarantee for stamina and endurance, the decisive factors in many sports. Each person can find out what is best for himself in the way of nutrition. Experience can usually benefit the athlete, and he should change his way of thinking if he would attain his goal more easily.

THE MIRACLE OF GERMINATION

Spilanthes, in appearance an insignificant but nevertheless interesting little plant. Upon first setting eyes on it you would think it to be a worthless weed rather than a plant with a strong antibiotic quality. It can kill insects and cold-blooded creatures, as well as fungi and lichen. For warm-blooded animals and man it is, however, not only nonpoisonous and harmless but serves as an excellent remedy for those lichen, fungi and parasites that can be reached by contact poison.

This plant’s effect was important enough for me to bring home, although with some difficulty, intent upon growing i using it here. I knew of course that it only grows in a hot dir but still I attempted the experiment and planted it in my plant garden in acid marshy soil. It proved to be the right tion of soil for Spilanthes, and since the summer was hot the tropical plant, to my delight, grew almost as well as native habitat. Unfortunately, in early autumn a considerable c wave set in and although the plant had developed well, it cumbed to the first frost. This circumstantial failure nature made me sad. However, it turned out to my advantage that I 1 the dried-out, partly rotten plants lying on the ground all winter.

In the spring, in early May, I noticed some small shoots tha were quite different from weeds. How great my surprise when found that it was in fact a nice number of my African medicine plant. in the autumn, when the frost came, some of the plant’s rip seeds had evidently already fallen onto the ground where the patiently waited out the cold of winter. They did not serve as food for the birds during this time, and were thus able to germinate the warmth of spring. This was to me striking miracle ol germination, and a second miracle was to be seen in the resistance shown by the seeds which were after all not used to our harst winter weather. The seedlings, replanted in acid marshy soil, c now grow and by dropping their seed produce new plants ea year, until they finally get used to our less favorable climate, wi our tropical plant will then yield the desired crop without fail. It is amazing how extremely great the resistance of seeds can be. Wheat grains were found in the tomb of Osiris, and although they were 3,000 years old, they germinated when sown. They produced a strain of wheat entirely unknown in our region and in neighboring countries. One grain resulted in many stalks with about 2,300 grains. The arrangement of the grains was extraordinarily beautiful, like an open fan. It is no wonder that in the ancient world the Nile valley produced rich grain crops. But that seeds are capable of retaining their power to germinate over such a long time — from the ancient world to the present — is an eloquent miracle of creative ability and wisdom. In South American forests I also found confirmation for the 1vIstance offered by various kinds of seeds. On a spot completely i1nrcd of trees, where the full force of the sun could reach the gipuiid, various seeds had found their way and in time could p1 in mate and sprout. All kinds of strange trees and shrubs, even pnjnya plants, were growing in place of the usual forest trees, ghhough no seed-bearing tree or bush of that species was anywhere to be seen. They must have been dropped by birds that had iflen the fruit and all kinds of seeds, and that flying hither and lbiihcr had left undigested seeds on their short stops on the jungle floor. Since the seeds do not lose their germinating power, even

when they lie dormant in the ground perhaps for decades, when aforest is cleared allowing the sun to warm the earth these seeds ornc to life. This certainly proves that nature’s germinating power 1* ii providential miracle. In the deserts and semi deserts the seeds of many annual grasses begin to germinate after a rainfall and develop before the dry period comes. The grasses die, but their seeds ensure that in the rainy period of the following year, by the process of germination, They will grow again, turning everything green and colorful and blossoming two or three weeks later. But if such areas are overgrazed there is no seed-bearing vegetation left, and the following year’s rain falls in vain, because there is no seed anywhere to germinate and sprout. There will be no grass there and the growing cattle herds will lack food, spelling famine for them.Cutting down all the trees is a disadvantage in many ways. This lack of any possibility to produce and spread the seed can contribute to bringing inestimable damage and hardship upon the primitive peoples. They often do not recognize the basic causes for their plight and are inclined to ascribe it to evil spirits. They may also place the blame on the white race, rather than recognizing that it is only their own short-sightedness that has given rise to the disaster.People used to thinking and drawing right conclusions will appreciate the miracle of germination and propagation of life. The inconceivable variety of life presents unexpected surprises to botanists, zoologists and researchers of human life. It is certainly stimulating to explore nature’s manifold mysteries, for its treasure trove is inexhaustible for the studious .spirit of grateful men.

THE VALUE OF FEVER

 It is now known that fever stimulates the production of interferon in the body. Interferon is the substance the body itself produces to fight viruses. It is thus not wrong to artificially induce fever in cases of bad viral infections, in order to cause the body to produce interferon, because the viruses will then be faced by active fighters. If in the case of a bad and serious infection there is no fever, the body is at the mercy of the virulent viruses. In such instances baths warmer than the body temperature slowly being brought up to 40 degrees Centigrade or more if the patient can stand it (Uberwarmungsbäder), are recommended. Done the right way, they are able to induce fever with all the benefits it can bring.

Professor Lampert was able to prove that these baths (Uberwarmungsbader) are beneficial even in cases of cancer, because cancer cells can be destroyed at the high temperatures reached. A healthy cell can stand more heat than a cancerous one or other pathological cells. So when a therapist skillfully takes advantage of this fact he can assist the body in curing severe illnesses without harming itself, which is not the case when strong medication is taken. Fever should be appreciated and made the most of as being the body’s best, most effective and cheapest healing reaction. Years ago people always helped a fever along by applying hot packs, but nowadays many see an advantage in suppressing it. They would do well to change their views.

Radio activity

I communicated my observations to doctors in Japan and they were able to confirm my findings. Because of their greater sensitivity some Japanese developed leukemia after a very short time while others who were subjected to the same intensity of radiation fell victim to the disease only many years later. And there are some cases on record of persons who were subjected to the same exposure and intensity of radiation through the powerful atom bomb, but with whom no symptoms of leukemia have ever been found. The effects of radiation from nuclear power plants are similar to the harm done by other environmental damage. Taken individually, everyone exposed to it will doubtlessly be harmed, but not every one will get sick at the same time. So if we take all these damaging agents together, the pollution in the air, in our food and through radiation, it can be said without exaggeration that not only weaker individuals but also strong and healthy people are under attack and can fall sick. For this reason we must find a solution, or else the sum total of all these harmful influences will destroy us. Four thousand years ago, the Deluge wiped out mankind, except eight survivors, faster than our struggle for survival today does. Scientists who are not materialistically inclined but are sincerely concerned about the welfare of suffering mankind, time and again have added support by appropriate signals to the warning already given. However, it is considerably easier to discover what to us in today’s world may be harmful than it is, despite earnest endeavors, to find a way to prevent or remedy the situation. In spite of all efforts, unfortunately we have to reckon with detrimental influences based upon vested interests. Each one of us should therefore follow sensible advice in order to benefit from the reasonable protection that is still possible nowadays.

The poor water Rhine

I once read an anecdote about a university professor and his young son, a clever little boy. They were standing on a bridge over the River Rhine and the child wanted to know what the river was called. His father told him that it was the Rhine. (In German, Rhine is pronounced like the word “rein” which means “clean.”) Now the boy asked whether it was called Rhine because it was “reining” (clean). His father had to answer “no,” since in fact the river was not “rein” (clean) at all, but was named after its source in the Rhine valley. The boy was not satisfied with this explanation, however, and repeated his question why the river was not “rein” (clean). Now his father put him off, saying that he would explain the whole matter to him when he was older.

The journal of the World Health Organization for January 1977 published an article entitled “Water, the Key to Health.” The Germans, it said, spent three thousand million dollars just on various purification systems alone in the course of four years. This was for no other reason than to prevent increasing pollution of the river from getting worse. France was said not to have contributed as much, but rather added hundreds of thousands of tons of waste salts to the river.

weed

While I was away for a while visiting England, Scotland and Ireland, my garden in Switzerland was without supervision. Ground ivy took advantage of ny absence by taking rweedoot on the compost heap, from where it spread undisturbed, an aromatic, fast-growing weed. It enmeshed the entire compost heap like a green net, and when it was removed eventually, it was too late to prevent the dreaded evil of seeding, since the plant had already shed its seeds. This meant I would now have the unwanted pleasure of pulling out all the germinated seeds from among the medicinal plants, like Echinacea and others. So I learned my lesson that even if one is busy, to be on the safe side, at least the compost heap should be covered with straw, hay or some other protective material, so that weeds will not spread and go to seed. When this happens we have unnecessary trouble and it is time- wasting because we must pull out each little weed. Seeds carried by the wind can be dealt with effectively by using the right ground cover. It cam be seed-free grass, peat, chaff, or some other decomposable organic material. It is very difficult for seeds blown in by the wind to germinate and grow roots in such a ground cover.

SOIL & FERTILIZER

I found from experience that it is best for my plants when I plough the ground only in the autumn, and no more. I use a mixture of new, sieved compost with about 5 percent seaweed meal as fertilizer for the seedlings of my vegetables and my medicinal plants. The mixture is put in the hole made for the plant, which must be a little deeper than usual because after the seedling has been planted in the mixture, there should still be a hollow of 2 to 3 cms to catch rain water or water from yoar watering can. Immediately after planting, surround each seedling with a layer of about 5 cms of freshly cut grass, covering the: entire bed, leaving no bare earth visible, only the seedlings.

 Of course, you must not plant them too shallow or too deep. They must be quite happy, in a way of speaking. After planting, water plentifully, and then leave the seedling to itself even in sunny weather, because by having planted it in this caring way, it is not likely to wither, the green manure protecting it from drying up, and the moist compost giving it a good start to grow. Having gotten this far, the seedling will be almost out of danger, unless it is very hot for a few days, in which case the plants will have to be ‘watered again late in the evening. It may be advantageous to use a sprinkler system.

After two to three months most of the grass will have disappeared, in which process small organisms have had a hand, mainly worms that have pulled it into the earth. Next we put on a further top dressing of calcified seaweed, spreading it around the plant. Bone meal can also be used. At the same time, everything is covered once again with freshly cut grass that has not yet gone to seed. This care may seem involved, but it is very advantageous because the plant will grow excellently without any further effort, as a rule, within two to three months.

Besides, time-consuirting weed control is virtually nonexistent. Treating strawberries this way, by covering the ground with grass or straw, you can expect a bigger crop. In heavy rain the fruits will remain clean and will not go bad so easily. Regular manuring with calcified seaweed meal, spread around the plants, has the additional advantage of making the fruits sweeter and tastier. At the same time it will keep slugs and snails away, so that one will have less work and bother with them.

Organic planting as here described is good for the ground bacteria and will therefore provide a fine biological balance. The result is healthy soil, which in turn makes for healthy growth, and only by means of healthy plants will food become a remedy, and remedy, food.