Functional Medicine looks at root causes and thus root solutions and while at a recent educational program this information on COVID 19 virus protection was shared. Our immune systems are remarkable if we support their maintenance and function. I attended a trip in the San Francisco Bay area with fifty five 22-30-year-old students and was armed with most of the products listed below. I reassured them that this is more a concern for the medically frail so the focus should be on your weaker older loved ones and those with severe medical conditions. There are emerging reports of a subgroup of younger population with preexisting heart problems that are also at risk to get quite sick, so the information is fluid and evolving. We should make sure we are not the vector or path of spread to these high-risk groups. Social distancing for most of us and avoidance of all at risk groups needs to be enforced to mitigate the rapid escalation modeled.
If visiting some medically frail family or friends, and there is a chance of you being a carrier (exposure plus some early symptoms), then reconsider the visit. If not sure, wear a mask as a possible carrier, wash your hands, and limit contact via social distancing of 6 feet minimal. If there is a possibility of a medically frail or elderly loved one being infected, support them with strategies such as below and be quick to get them to an ER if there is suggestion of deterioration in normal walking, breathing, mental, eating, drinking or elimination function. Many times, these viral infections foster damage by stressing the cardiorespiratory system and bring out existing cardiac or respiratory diseases. Oxygen support for anyone with these risks would be beneficial either by home O2 if available or by Medically Certified Oxygen Plus. A few oxygen boost blasts for times when shortness of breath is encountered. A finger O2 saturation meter is easy to use to monitor someone in question but if there is any doubt, the hospital is the next stop.
Current Notes on Intensive Care Strategies Used in Seattle where many cases have Presented:
Offered at Functional Medicine Conference as things that may help, generally safe, and low cost:
Wash your hands. Use regular soap and water when possible and take your time. Carry a good essential oil blend in your bag like Thieves or Immune Boost and use a couple of drops on your hands. Surgeons have done studies on essential oils for antibiotic-resistant wound infections and found almost all of them to have anti-microbial action, even more so in combination.
If you start feeling sick, don’t wait to see if it gets worse. Start your regimen ASAP. The sooner you mobilize your immune system, the less severe your symptoms are likely to become.
Eat less sugar and more green veggies. Sugar suppresses your immune system. Bitter compounds in dark leafy greens mobilize it.
Drink ginger tea. It’s fine if you use teabags, but for the real medicinal effect, cut up a thumb-sized piece of ginger root and bring to a boil, then simmer for 10-20 minutes. Add raw honey (none for babies below a year!) and drink non-stop.
Take healing and antiviral supplements and herbs. Make sure you have these in your home, as many of them are not easy to get quickly.
As prevention, most people can safely take:
Vitamin D 5,000 to 10,000 IU and Vitamin C 5,000 to 10,000 mg per day
Elderberry Syrup 1 teaspoon daily
Stamets-7, 2 caps daily
An idea of regimen to take if you get sick:
Vitamin D 30,000 iu as a big immune boost ONCE.
Colloidal silver 1000 ppm 1/2 teaspoon three times a day *only* for as long as symptoms persist.
Elderberry Plus Syrup 1 teaspoon or 2 caps once a day as prevention or three times a day if you’re symptomatic.
Stamets-7, 2 caps three times daily
Olive Leaf Extract 2 dropperfuls or 2 caps three daily
Cinnamon caps 2 cap daily
Japanese Knotweed 2 cap twice daily
Homeopathic Oscillococcinum 10-20 pellets every 3-4 hours while awake
Homeopathic Arsenic Album 30C 2 pellets twice daily
Stay Strong and OXYGENATED,
Chuck
Disclaimer: This information is not meant as direct medical advice. Readers should always review options with their local medical team. This is the sole opinion of Dr. Meakin based on a literature review at the time of the blog and may change as new evidence evolves.