PREVENTION OF CORONAVIRUS

UPDATE 5/23/20: As the pandemic progresses, more research emerges providing information about risk factors and treatment protocols. In summary, this is what has been published in medical journals (none of this update negates my article below that was published on4/2/20—it is still relevant).

1. Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine, with or without the additional antibiotics, is not a worthwhile therapy, and is probably more dangerous for anyone with a heart condition or arrhythmia. Studies in the New England Journal of Medicine, The Journal of the American Medical Association, and Lancet found no evidence of reduced morbidity or mortality. Some studies found increased death from that therapy and were halted earlier than planned.

2. Vitamin D3 blood levels are inversely related to morbidity and mortality—the higher the D3 level, the less incidence of severity of coronavirus. Individuals of any age who had 30 ng/ml and above had a greater level of protection, those with less were more likely to end up in ICU wards and be intubated and die. (Please read my suggestions for supplementation of a minimum of 5,000 IU/day, and better yet, 10,000 IU/day. If worried about those levels as dangerous, please go to PubMed.gov and see for yourself if any danger exists—there is no substitute for real science. Start with “Vitamin D Toxicity: A 16-year Retrospective Study at an Academic Medical Center” in Laboratory Medicine, 2018, March 21. The findings were that of 73,779 patients checked for vitamin D3 levels, 4 had signs of toxicity, 3 of which were due to errors from inadvertent mis-dosing of liquid formulas.)

3. Most transmission infections occur in the individuals’ homes after one family member is exposed in another setting and brings it into the enclosed space with recirculated air. 0.3% of cases are contracted outside, therefore, walking, running, biking, surfing, tennis, golf, etc. are safe as long as you don’t get coughed, sneezed or heavy breathed upon while so exercising. It is easy to remain at a safe distance from possible carriers of the virus.

4. People are contagious and able to transmit viruses for days before symptoms. Therefore, you can be asymptomatic and transmit the virus to others for 2-3 days before you feel sick, if you ever feel sick at all. 35% of all persons infected never have symptoms and never know they are infected, and therefore be a carrier.

5. Testing is sketchy at best. As a health care provider, I was tested 10 days ago for antibodies (blood draw) to find if I had Covid19 a week or two prior (production of antibodies is not immediate) as well as the swab test for current disease. The antibody results were hand delivered to my waiting car in 15 minutes, I am still waiting for online results as to whether I actually had the disease at test time.

6. My conclusions after all I have learned—we will all be exposed within 2020, unless a person truly is isolated from all close contact by having all food and necessities delivered to their residence and left outside the door for pickup. Who can do that? So, the bottom line is that your own immune system the best protection. Please read and heed what I have said about D3, vitamin C, B-complex, zinc, quercetin, curcumin, and magnesium—all are helpful in viral disease immunity. Again, check PubMed.gov if you think that is untrue.

THE FOLLOWING IS THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE

It is obvious that the coronavirus affects different individuals in radically different ways. The great majority experience mild (or even no symptoms) or a condition noted by sore throat, dry cough, fatigue, and possibly gastrointestinal tract pain and diarrhea. This could be similar to the seasonal flu. Unfortunately, a small but significant percentage will be stricken with pneumonia and some of those people will die. Risk factors for serious and fatal outcomes include age above 65/75/80 (pick one), preexisting morbidities, especially cardiovascular, respiratory diseases, cancer, diabetes, and smoking.

The medical and governmental authorities have not always been on the same page, but this much is agreed upon; to minimize your chances of infection, it is imperative to avoid close contact with people in general, as you can not know if a person is already infected. No touching of other persons, keep 6 feet distance, no breathing of possible aerosol or droplets from singing, coughing, sneezing, wipe down everything a person with coronavirus might have touched in the last 2-3 days. In short, avoid all other persons and their residue. But what else can you do to protect yourself from infection and the possible serious effects?

Every person has an immune system that can respond to any pathogen in varying degrees. Some people never get infectious diseases, some seem to be sickened by everything going around. The difference might be their genetic makeup in their DNA that controls the immune system. Or it might be their lifestyle—what they eat, how they exercise, if they smoke, what drugs/medicines they take.

What is important for your immune system? Nutrition, stress, and exercise sums it up. Nutritional deficiencies (or insufficiencies) definitely weaken an immune system and make diseases more likely. I suggest for an improved immune response the following: fruits and vegetables, either raw or lightly cooked (steamed/baked), fish and nuts/seeds, minimal to zero meat, dairy, and eggs (animal fats). Do I expect many people to alter their diets to that plant-based one? Since that is the same diet plan (similar to the Mediterranean) urged to reduce obesity, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and dementia, it would seem rational that Americans might swing that way. But, there is little evidence that we have, as people are not rational, but emotional.

In a similar fashion, exercise helps to prevent all disease conditions. Again, there is little evidence that Americans do enough exercise. Research indicates that moderate exercise, or intense exercise in short time frames enhances the immune system, whereas intense over a longer time (think marathon race) weakens the system for a few days to 2 weeks.

ANTI VIRAL NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS

I suggest everyone take an easier action, one that is more immediate in the immune response: take nutritional supplements, vitamins, minerals, plant nutraceuticals and herbs. Many of these are anti-viral agents that have efficacy against a wide variety of viral diseases, everything from common colds and flu to zika, ebola and polio. So, here they are, with suggested amounts:

vitamin A or plant-based beta-carotene, 5,000 IUs (or more if B-carotene, no real limit but you can turn orangish)

vitamin B-complex, about 50 mg of each with B12 300 mcg

folate 400-800 mcg

vitamin C, 1,000 to 5,000 mg

vitamin D3, 5,000-10,000 IU

Zinc, 25-50 mg

Curcumin, 400-800 mg

Quercetin, 25-250 mg.

Probiotics are the good bacteria that live in your gut and are a real influence on your overall health. Probiotic supplements should be of several varieties with one or more meals per day. I take all of these and more every day and have for years. All of these are available through mail order from LEF.org.

You might want to research those supplements online at the following websites: PubMed.gov, LEF.org, Mercola.com, grassrootshealth.org. Each is fully referenced with original research. It never hurts to learn the truth about something important.

MEDICATIONS FOR THE TREATMENT OF CORONAVIRUS?

What about medications? First, it is not a good idea to take any drug that reduces fever, UNLESS the temperature approaches a dangerous level, usually thought of as 103 or higher. Aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxyn, acetometaphen — read the labels of brand names! — will reduce fever. But, high temperature is an immune system response that enhances effectiveness. Reducing fever makes worsening of the disease more likely. (Remember, at 103, IT IS time to take steps to reduce using those drugs and cool baths.)

How about chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine? I researched them thoroughly and came to the conclusion that 1. hydroxychloroquine is more effective than chloroquine and not as likely to kill you; 2. it should only be taken if a person is in respiratory distress as either can have serious and life-threatening side effects; 3. research is minimal and incomplete —think about it— Covid-19 has been endemic in several countries well before it arrived in the US, but no other government has come out positively for these drugs’ use as a cure. (I asked a pharmacist I know well what his thoughts were — he said he would take hydroxychloroquine only if he were to go into respiratory distress.)

There is evidence that massive doses of vitamin C have been used by the Chinese, most by intravenous injection. Some reports highlight near perfect results, even of those patients with pneumonia. Prior research about viral diseases and vitamin C is positive about its effectiveness. Again, more studies need to be done, though nobody has ever died from vitamin C overdose as far as I know.

TO SUM UP MY ADVISE FOR PREVENTING THE CORONAVIRUS:

1. take the recommended supplements daily in divided doses, as they are more effective in a steady state (and 4,000 mg or higher vitamin C taken at once is likely to cause diarrhea)

2. exercise moderately, not intensely

3. do all of the suggested social distancing, hand washing, surface cleaning, etc.

4. read some real research on anti-virus nutrients in PubMed.gov, LEF.org, Mercola.com, grassrootshealth.org.