Water Tonic: Nature's Mechanism
[A technical Discussion]

By examining natural waterways, along with human and animal immune systems, we have developed a concept duplicating nature's ability to balance and purify aerobic (oxygen using) water systems. These natural water systems require circulation, filtration, oxygen and a healthy bacterial base in an environment not contaminated by manmade chemical toxins. The healthy bacteria use naturally secreted enzymes to induce natural oxidation, which breaks down or degrades organic waste. The result is a food source that sustains healthy bacteria and harmless byproducts: water, carbon dioxide, and simple salts. Nature has completely removed the organic waste!

When humans enhance or accelerate this age-old process, it is called bioremediation. One successful bioremediation effort cleaned up Alaskan Coastal areas contaminated by Exxon Valdez oil spill using healthy bacteria. Scientists knew that healthy bacteria would biodegrade the oil without having a negative effect on the ecosystem or humans in the area. If toxic oxidizers or chemicals like chlorine or harsh detergents had been used, the entire natural ecosystem would have died. Harmful bacteria and other life forms that could survive and grow in a toxic environment would replace the natural ecosystem, possibly spreading to infect both man and wildlife.

To better understand the Water Tonic System, let's examine a few naturally controlled ecosystems:

1. Lakes and Streams
   A clear mountain lake or stream uses circulation, aeration and healthy natural bacteria to balance and cleanse itself. Manmade toxic chemicals introduced through accidents or runoff reduce the healthy indigenous bacteria. Too many chemicals may overload the surviving healthy bacteria with natural organic waste they normally biodegrade, reducing ecosystem purity. If continued, the entire natural system will fail, and the water cannot support life in any form.
   
   The same results occur in streams or lakes overloaded with nutrients from fertilizers or waste discharged from an upstream factories or sewer treatment plants. In this case the natural system is overloaded with too much waste and the oxygen is depleted as healthy aerobic bacteria work on the waste overload. Oxygen will start to disappear from the bottom of the lake or stream, starving any remaining aerobic bacteria; they are replaced with inefficient, slower acting anaerobic bacteria, and oxygen is reduced from upper levels of water as well. Soon the entire body of water is devoid of oxygen, killing essential bacteria that purify the water. The natural ecosystem is destroyed.
   
   Adding circulation equipment and air diffusers is the most common way to combat this type of problem. Introducing oxygen feeds aerobic bacteria, allowing the biodegradation to keep up with the nutrient overload. This is why many golf courses use air diffusers, circulation pumps and fountains to balance the nutrient overload created by fertilizer runoff in their ponds.

2. Aquariums and Fishponds:
   Fish require healthy bacteria such as nitrobacters and nitrosomonas that will break down ammonia from fish waste and fish food by inducing natural oxidation. The waste is reduced to nitrogen gas and escapes into the air. This process, known, as nitrification is also dependant on oxygen, so air is pumped into the tank or pond to insure this natural biodegradation is complete. The result is a healthy ecosystem that protects the fish from disease and toxic buildup.
3. The Human System: 
   Proper diet, environment and exercise result in a healthy bacterial balance. This allows the aerobic bacteria in our digestive tract to produce enzymes and break down our food so it can be used effectively. As in all natural systems, our bodies also contain aerobic bacteria that produce antibiotics to destroy disease or infectious bacteria that we come in contact with. This is why health professionals stress the importance of a proper diet, free of toxins and aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise is important because it insures our bodies have enough oxygen to promote the activities of digestion, immune response and overall good health.
   
   People who have undergone radiation or chemotherapy lose healthy bacteria along with the disease they are fighting. Worst of all, the natural bacteria that produce antibiotics to fight common infections are also depleted. They lose the ability to cope with a minor cold, scratch or simple health condition that normally would not be life threatening.
4. Food Production and Salmonella: 
   The EPA, USDA and FDA along with chicken producers have tried to stop salmonella bacteria from killing 5,000 people every year. The traditional control methods have paralleled the pool and spa, medical and health industries. The use of toxic sanitizers (chlorine etc.), ozone, UV radiation, manmade antibiotics and radiation has never been completely successful.
   
   It was recently discovered that traditional (unnatural) breeding practices and chemicals have left newborn chickens with little or no natural immune system destroyed. Scientists found 26 types of healthy bacteria and their enzymes missing from new hatchlings. In nature these missing bacteria are essential to the immune system, used to fight infectious bacteria like salmonella and other diseases. With this knowledge the solution was at hand! As the chicks hatch they are sprayed with a mixture containing the 26 missing natural bacteria. The mixture is ingested as the chicks preen their feathers. In turn, their natural immune system is restored.
   
   This process controls salmonella the way nature intended, with a naturally balanced immune system, instead of manmade toxic chemicals. A big benefit is the fact that manmade treatments like chlorine, bromine, and antibiotics actually promote the mutation of the disease bacteria to a new form that is resistant to the initial treatment. Natural bacteria and enzymes do not promote this mutation.