"Sweat it out"

Sweating is just a nasty annoyance to many modern day people.  Sweating keeps one from overheating while exercising or if you're exposed to hot weather.  But most often, perspiration is seen as a negative body secretion to be stopped whenever possible with chemical-laden antiperspirants. On the positive side, many traditional cultures have used induced sweating (such as sitting in sweat lodges) to benefit health.  It's been mostly assumed that the physical benefits from sweating are the result of toxins released in sweat...

But now comes information of how incredible the human body uses sweating to help protect health in another way - Sweat contains amazing disease fighting chemicals.  An international team of scientists has discovered how a natural antibiotic call dermcidin, produced by our skin during perspiration can destroy tuberculosis germs and other dangerous pathogens.

Their study, just published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shows that sweat spreads highly efficient antibiotics onto skin to protect our bodies from dangerous disease-causing "bugs".  For instance, if you scratch yourself or get a mosquito bite, antibiotic agents secreted in sweat glands, including dermcidin, immediately and efficiently kill invading germs if perspiration reaches them.

What's even more impressive is scientists say theses natural substances (dermcidin), know as antimicrobial peptides (AMP's), are more effective in the long-term than traditional antibiotics.  The reason?  Germs are incapable of quickly developing resistance against them.  Unfortunately, germs are capable of mounting resistance to many antibiotics created by Big Pharma (if not used properly) and this has caused the development of the so-called "super-bugs".

This brings a whole new meaning to; "If you're sick, sweat it out!".