Fresh Air and Sunshine - Natural "Antibiotics"?

Nature's Disinfectants

Studies conducted at a United Kingdom Ministry of Defense site provide some answers. Scientists there were trying to establish how long the air would remain dangerous if a biological weapon armed with harmful bacteria were exploded over London. To determine the viability of airborne pathogens, the researchers anchored E.coli microorganism to threads of spider silk and exposed them to the open air.  The experiment was performed at night, since it was know that sunlight kills these bacteria. What were the results?

Some two hours later, nearly all the bacteria were dead. Yet, when the bacteria kept in a closed box in the same location at the same temperature and humidity most of them were still alive past eh two-hour mark. Why? Evidently, something about being in the open air kills germs.  This so-called open-air factor has not been clearly identified. However, researchers point to a compound that occurs naturally in open air and that "acts as a natural disinfectant against pathogens or germs that lurk in the atmosphere."

Sunlight also has natural disinfecting properties. The Journal of Hospital Infection explains that "the majority of microbes that cause airborne infections cannot tolerate sunlight."

How can you take advantage of this? You might want to go outdoors, where you can spend a moderate amount of time in the sunshine and breathe  some fresh air. It will likely do you good. 

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From the jw.org publications