The Coronavirus Pandemic need not cause Panic! As there are no treatments or vaccines as of yet, your best bet for smooth recovery from this infection is to ensure optimal Immune functioning!
Here are the basics:
1. Ensure frequent hand-washing with soap and water. Alcohol and hand sanitizers will not do the trick in ensuring 100% eradication of the virus on your skin. Simply due to the molecular structure of viruses, the BEST and strongest agent that will destroy COVID19 is actually plain soap and water!
2. Children have not been shown to suffer greatly from the virus and mostly recover without any signs or symptoms. Although a relief for most parents, it is still essential that they maintain good hygiene as they can be silent carriers! They may appear well and healthy but be quietly transferring the virus if great care in hygiene is not taken!
3. Those at risk for severe symptoms and complications are the elderly and immune-compromised! Now, more than ever, it’s essential that we put away our individualistic ways and begin to think and behave in ways that are conducive to the health and well-being of our family members, our community and the planet at large. Ensure you are practicing good hygiene, keep your physical distance from those most at risk, wipe down surfaces frequently (see point 4), and refrain from unnecessary travel.
Obtained from: https://www.healthline.com/health/immunosuppressant-drugs
4. Wipe surfaces with a 5:1 solution of water:bleach as frequently as possible. Be it in your home or office! And if you so wish, ANY shared spaces! I’ve seen news of individuals who have taken it upon themselves to wipe down elevator buttons and other communal surfaces to help ensure everyone’s safety!
5. Boost your Immunity (see steps below)
6. If you are on any of the listed immunosuppressant medication (typically used for auto-immune conditions) talk to your prescribing physician regarding alternatives and ways you can optimize immune functioning even if you must be on them. If you are immune-compromised DO NOT go in for a doctor’s visit and ask if a phone consult can be offered instead! Just like SARS, hospitals and clinics are to be avoided as best as you can!
See PUBMED summary on COVID19 and CDC’s Plan, Prep and Response Guidlines for more information!
Here are some basics to ensure Optimal Immune System function:
- Vitamin D: there’s not a single vitamin or nutrient more essential than this when it comes to Immune Function. As most North Americans are deficient in the Winter season, it’s essential that you supplement and ensure your vitamin D status is optimal (best way is to test and supplement as needed: a $35 blood test in Ontario).
- Certain herbs have been shown to have significant anti-viral properties. Some of the well studied ones include Elderberry, Androghraphis, Goldenseal/Berberine. And others help boost immune fighter cells so that your body can fight these infections. They include: Medicinal Mushrooms like Reishi, and Echinacea, and Astragalus.
- Vitamin A has also been shown to elicit powerful anti-viral properties in high doses. However, due to its’ potential for toxicity in such doses, it should only be taken under the care of a health professional and never during pregnancy.
- Other essential nutrients for optimal immune function include: Zinc, Selenium, and Vitamin C.
- N.A.C. is neither a vitamin, mineral nor herb. It’s an amino acid that the body uses to make Glutathione – a VERY powerful anti-oxidant ESPECIALLY for the lungs. As COVID19 can sometimes lead to respiratory distress, it becomes an absolute necessity to ensure that your lungs are well supported with this powerful anti-oxidant precursor! If, you so wish, you can even use oral Glutathione -although very difficult to come by as it is not well absorbed in any form except in the liposomal form. Unless you have access to Liposomal Glutathione (available to my patients), best stick to N.A.C.! The beauty of NAC is that it can be found anywhere (health food stores & local pharmacy and some grocery stores too) and it’s mostly safe to follow the instructions on the bottle on this powerful Over the Counter Medication/Nutritional Supplement.
If you need further support, don’t hesitate to book a Virtual Consult by using the Online Booking Calendar ) or by Calling Reception ((226) 289-7344) to do so!
Yours in Health,
Dr. Negin
Naturopathic Doctor in London Ontario serving the local & wider Ontario communities (virtually)
March 15, 2020 EDITS:
1. About BLEACH:
a few have commented that bleach is too strong and they don’t like it, and others have been surprised that a Naturopath would even consider recommending bleach. Here is why: 1. Bleach is strong and I don’t like it either so if you can find a mask, wear a mask while you use it to wipe surfaces and turn on all vents and fans while you work. 2. It is the only thing second to Alcohol that is effective in disabling/killing COVID19 and is what’s been recommended by the CDC (how to clean & disinfect). 3. A Naturopath will recommend what works! I’ll not give you a recipe of vinegar and ginger juice with a few drops of Eucalyptus oil as a disinfectant (I just made that up btw…)! This is no time to be experimenting with alternatives. If there’s no evidence for anything BUT alcohol and bleach, I would never recommend it. Most definitely, not during a Pandemic!
2. Regarding Anti-Inflammatories:
French Medical authorities have advised against the use of Pain Killers and Fever medication that contain Corticosteroids and Ibuprofen (Advil/Motrin) as these anti-inflammatory agents dampen the body’s natural immune system and lower our defenses against the virus. They recommend that you instead use Paracetamol or Acetaminophen (Tylenol) for fevers. As the virus can have a lengthy incubation period (i.e. you have the virus but show no signs or symptoms), I’d recommend that even when needed as painkiller for headaches/cramps/etc. you only use Tylenol for the next couple of months! Or speak to your Prescribing physician for alternatives to steroids and ibuprofen…the French have gone to great lengths in ensuring that pharmacies caution anyone buying these products. We should too! Read the full article HERE.
3. Self-care practices
a. Drink warm fluids regularly through-out the day – a sip every 15 minutes would ensure that any virus that may have entered your throat would get washed down into the stomach where the stomach acid would then kill the virus. I don’t know if there’s any actual evidence for this, but no harm done by drinking a light herbal tea throughout your day!
b. Get plenty of sunshine and fresh air and expose yourself to nature both to boost your immune system (trees give off chemicals that have been shown to boost immunity) as well as reducing your stress response (which then also boosts immune system function).
c. Get plenty of sleep! There’s nothing more essential in terms of self-care than ensuring you’re gettting a minimum of 7.5-8 hours of sleep nightly. A deep restful sleep is what the body needs to build its defenses. If needed, melatonin is safe to take for most! Melatonin can also help fight off infection as it has potent anti-oxidant potential! See this.
d. Eat balanced nutritious meals of whole foods with majority being from plant sources.
e. Enjoy the down-time and get productive on all the projects and activities outside of “work” that you have been putting off. If anything, COVID19 is showing us that there’s more to life than work, paying the mortgage, buying the gadgets, investing in the latest trends/fashions. And that what matters at the end of the day are the basics of loving relationships, enjoying time with friends and family (sad that you cherish it once you’ve “sort of” lost it), and all the more deeper, meaningful spiritual work and service that we may be involved in.
as always…
Yours In Health,
Dr. Negin Misaghi
Naturopathic Doctor in London Ontario serving the local & wider Ontario communities (virtually)
