Archives for April 2020

Hello again: Recently I was informed of a natural substance that has significant anti-viral, anti-biotic, anti-inflammatory and immune modulating effects that seem important, especially for the oral cavity (where viral infections enter/start). Bee propolis has a long history of assisting the health of the oral cavity, including teeth and gums and this is due to the multiple properties and abilities to improve healthy function and anti-infective capacity. Read more

Hello again everyone: As care givers get more experience with this virus, there are intriguing details emerging that may assist treatment and prevention. In this MEDPAGE TODAY article, you will learn about the discoveries of several types of COVID infection and that the lung changes can vary. This is helping to explain why ventilators may or may not work, depending on the type of lung problems. Part of it is due to micro-emboli (tiny clots) that block the lungs from exchanging air. https://www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdisease/covid19/86046 Bottom Line: The good news is that this does not change any of our supportive and preventive measures that we previously outlined. The reason for this is that the nutritional supportive care has components that reduce the risk for blood clots. It is important to ... Read more

Hello again everyone: Did you know that the first phase of all healing involves inflammation, and that this is inherently an immune process? What that means is that there is inflammation that is needed and purposeful at the start of any infection, wound or any type of tissue injury. It also means that there is inflammation that is NOT needed. Furthermore, without adequate inflammation, the immune process to defend us from infection cannot get sufficiently off the ground if we do not allow purposeful inflammation to progress. With COVID-19, later in the infectious process there can be an overwhelming inflammatory ‘storm’ by the immune system, and this can lead to organ failure and death. So the trick is initially to allow some inflammation and then later on to tamp it down to some extent. You can support this mechanism in the following way: part of the natural immune and tissue ... Read more

Hello again: I think it is important for everyone to be up to date with news and information about this pandemic we are living through, which is why I am sending the latest news from the Institute for Functional Medicine where I study and have a membership. This link even includes a Webinar that is worth listening to if you want a deeper dive into the reasons and rationales for their approach. There is also a link to a two-page list of supplements with dosages and benefits. You will see that it is pretty much like the one I published several weeks ago with two exceptions, one of which I did not know about. They talk about Elderberry being beneficial, however, I still feel that this herb requires caution in that those with autoimmune issues should not take it for very long (less than 2 weeks) as it can aggravate autoimmune conditions. Also, taken later in a viral illness, there is ... Read more

Hello again: Part of a prevention strategy contains the pertinent information of how to best advantage your immune system components that naturally search for viral infections. This would be the Th1 lymphocytes and NK (natural killer cells) primarily. Keeping this aspect of the immune system primed and ready to go needs to recognize that the part of the immune system that creates allergy can suppress the NK and Th1 cells. What this means is that if you have allergies of any kind, it can be very important to consider strategies that lower Th2 activity. To be clear, Th2 activity can and does significantly alter/reduce NK and Th1 activity which thus renders one more susceptible to infections of any kind. When Th1 and NK cells are activated, they release IFN-gamma, and this cytokine can serve as a negative regulator of Th2 activated immunity, which if you have allergies is something that ... Read more

Hello again everyone: While it is important to realize that no human trials exist validating the efficacy of natural therapeutic approaches for COVID-19, there is substantial thought and interest in these approaches to the support of public health in general. There is a large amount of evidence informed data that would be reasonable to consider in efforts to build resilience and resistance to disease (including viral pathogens), and people are seriously interested in learning about such possible strategies. In other words, there are two approaches to this pandemic that are possible and we need both: 1. Direct medical care, which because there is no effective vaccine yet or specific medical treatment other than the acute disease management, medical care currently is deemed to be primarily supportive. If you become sick with COVID-19 then you will absolutely need medical care and ... Read more

Hello everyone: In the closing days of World War I, a deadly form of influenza ("flu") appeared. The influenza pandemic of 1917-1918 claimed more lives than the war. During this crisis, doctors of chiropractic noticed that their patients seemed to have a lower fatality rate than the general population. Although this chiropractic observation remains unpublished in the peer-reviewed literature (since no scholarly journals were willing to publish chiropractic data in those days), a study was published by the osteopathic profession.1 Among doctors of osteopathy of the time, it was routine to check patients' spines for "osteopathic lesions" (what we know as "subluxations"), and to correct them with manipulation. Due to this similarity, the osteopathic publication effectively verifies the chiropractic experience. The death rate among influenza patients under conventional medical care ... Read more