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I’m adding some products that I personally use or know are well liked by patients in general. If you have questions on these things, let me know. I am a fellow patient and this is not medical information / advise. This is just being shared for information. Please make your own choices with your doctor if you need is needed.
Note: Some items may only be on sale Thursday, Friday, or Monday due to limited specials. Items were discounted at the time I placed them here on the list.
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If you have questions on these things, let me know. I am a fellow patient and this is not medical information / advise. This is just being shared for information. Please make your own choices with your doctor if you need is needed.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Are you a thyroid patient who takes T3 on a regular basis? Maybe even a few times a day? Do you take hydrocortisone from your doctor for Addison’s / low cortisol and need to have it available at all times? Did you ever forget your pill bottle at home? Here is a trick that may help.
I’ve found keeping a container like this with us can be very valuable. It can be kept on a keyring, on a backpack or even kept in a pocket. We have had a set of these for around for the last 4 years or so and they have generally stayed sealed as long as we didn’t let it get loose.
Best part is they are dirt cheap for a set and makes it super easy to keep some pills with you for when you need them.
If you know if an additional or container you feel is better, leave a comment and I’ll get it added here. Thanks!
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It’s not too often that I mention a book as our focus is on experience. Dr. James Dinicolantonio has been one of the few doctors we have seen that has consistently put out good health tips that make sense.
His newest book, The Immunity Fix: Strengthen Your Immune System, Fight Off Infections, Reverse Chronic Disease and Live a Healthier Life, is out on hard copy and audible. I’m listening to the audible version. I will updated my notes here if there are any parts I come across that don’t jive with our years of experience, but I expect he will be on point with most of it if it’s anything like his other work.
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On Audible:
On Amazon:
On kindle:
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Let me start by saying I am NOT a medical professional. I am a non-professional who has researched for my own needs as a high risk person.
The products shows here are what I / my family use personally. There may be other excellent products out there. I have no affiliation with these brands. Some product links at the bottle do help support the cost of this web hosting to keep this site available to the community.
I make no claims as to what any of these may or may not do. I have cited sources I got at least some of my research from for each product that gave me reason to want to use it personally / for my family.
It’s up to you to decide what is or is not right for you. I make no claims these will work for any person as I’m just a person using these and researched on my own.
Aloe – Various studies have shown Aloe shows promise with autoimmune disease. There are patient reports of aloe being helpful for a variety of reasons.
Note: Some authors have speculated that there is a possibly autoimmune component to COVID-19 and the cytokine store.
“We conclude that the daily intake of 100 ml ABMJ for 9 months in women with HT-related SCH decreases the burden of thyroid autoimmune inflammation”
Aloe is a little harder to come by with all the people using it to make hand sanitizers, but there are a lot of brands out there. I prefer brands without preservatives.
I also love the product from Aloe1, but it’s perishable and more expensive than what I’ve found many will spend, but it’s an excellent product.
Zinc – Extrapolating from how it is helpful for colds, zinc is a tool to strongly consider. I like Zinc Carnosine as it’s easy on the stomach, but it’s a low dose compared to others.
“The mean common cold duration was 33% (95% CI 21% to 45%) shorter for the zinc groups of the seven included trials. Three trials that used lozenges composed of zinc acetate found that colds were shortened by 40% and four trials that used zinc gluconate by 28%. The difference between the two salts was not significant: 12 percentage points (95% CI: −12 to + 36). Five trials used zinc doses of 80–92 mg/day, common cold duration was reduced by 33%, and two trials used zinc doses of 192–207 mg/day and found an effect of 35%. The difference between the high-dose and low-dose zinc trials was not significant: 2 percentage points (95% CI: −29 to + 32)”
“Zinc is a required mineral for the proper functioning of the immune system. It helps in the formation and development of immune cells such as natural killer cells and neutrophils. Studies have shown that zinc shortens the duration of the common cold and flu. Zinc can be found in pumpkin seeds, legumes, nuts, and animal proteins. “
Selenium- Selenium (and potentially Vitamin E as well) – There is some evidence to support that good levels of these may play an important role in the response to viruses.
I’ve seen wise sources suggest a RBC selenium test be considered prior to much supplementation. Some have theorized that many food sources of selenium are lower than they once were due to modern farming. Studies on brazil nuts for example support this claim.
“Recent work has demonstrated that deficiencies in either Se or vitamin E result in increased viral pathogenicity and altered immune responses. Furthermore, deficiencies in either Se or vitamin E results in specific viral mutations, changing relatively benign viruses into virulent ones.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17449602
Beta Glucan – An interesting agent that shows a good response in trials. Cost can be a downside especially with the well recognized brands like transfer point. There is some debate with experts as to if this might make an autoimmune attack worse for those with autoimmunity – there does not seem to be solid science one way or the other.
The product below is a different Beta Glucan that we also use, that is less costly than the version shown above.
“We found that a 2-week oral feeding with glucan mixture significantly reduced the effects of influenza infection in total mortality. Our study was focused on phagocytosis, cytokine levels, antibody response and cytotoxicity assay.”
AHCC — “AHCC has been successfully used to support healthy immune function in a variety of populations, ranging from oncology patients, to those suffering from chronic Lyme disease, fibromyalgia and CFS, to individuals with infections including HPV, Hep-C and the common flu.” – per: https://www.ahccresearch.org/
There are studies that report benefit with AHCC, such as:
“Conclusion: Pre-clinical in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrated durable clearance of HR-HPV infections. The preliminary data from the two pilot studies suggested that AHCC supplementation supports the host immune system for successful clearance of HR-HPV infections.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6435520/
“ The improvement of survival with enhanced viral clearance and NK cell lytic efficiency was also found in influenza virus-infected mice which were supplemented with a low-dose AHCC® (0.1 g/kg/day) [22]. Of note, a transient deficiency of NK and T cells was found in patients with severe H1N1 influenza [41]. Given the increased NK cells in mice treated with AHCC® [24], it would be intriguing to test whether AHCC® could increase NK cells in patients with H1N1 influenza. The effect of AHCC® can be beyond H1NI influenza. The survival benefit by AHCC® supplementation was observed in mice infected with avian (bird) influenza virus H5N1 which could infect humans and poultry although its mechanism is yet to be demonstrated”
Vitamin D – Numerous studies support that good vitamin D levels are supportive of a healthy response to infection, such at the one below;
“However, vitamin D also has an important “non-classic” influence on the body’s immune system by modulating the innate and adaptive immune system, influencing the production of important endogenous antimicrobial peptides such as cathelicidin, and regulating the inflammatory cascade. Multiple epidemiological studies in adults and children have demonstrated that vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased risk and greater severity of infection, particularly of the respiratory tract. Although the exact mechanisms by which vitamin D may improve immune responses to infection continue to be evaluated, vitamin D supplementation trials of prevention and adjunct therapy for infection are underway. Given its influence on the immune system and inflammatory cascade, vitamin D may have an important future role in the prevention and treatment of infection.”
“For example, low vitamin D levels are associated with an increased risk of respiratory diseases, including tuberculosis, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), as well as viral and bacterial respiratory infections (4Trusted Source, 5Trusted Source, 6Trusted Source, 7Trusted Source).
What’s more, vitamin D deficiency has been linked to decreased lung function, which may affect your body’s ability to fight respiratory infections”
Diet – Dr. Vuong is stating there is a strong correlation between poor outcomes and excess weight. Watch this video and see what you think: youtube.com/watch?v=tZTk5PyDSfo
I follow intermittent fasting myself and most days maintain a 2-3 hour eating window. In general the book from Gin Stephens called Delay, Don’t Deny is a good resource on this topic.
Having a REASONABLE amount of food and supplies at home seems very wise. I now strongly suspect people have been hoarding as I’ve witnessed multiple local stores selling out of many items. I suggest getting a hold of what you need, but don’t go crazy with buying so much that others can’t get what they need.
Few among us could argue that focusing on a good quality diet isn’t helpful. The science seems to support that home cooked meals are associated with a lower BMI for one thing and there are a huge correlations between higher BMI and poorer health outcomes. It’s never too late to make positive changes.
“More frequent consumption of home cooked meals was associated with greater likelihood of having normal range BMI and normal percentage body fat.”
”Those consuming home cooked meals more than five times, compared with less than three times per week, were 28% less likely to have overweight BMI (99% CI 8 to 43%), and 24% less likely to have excess percentage body fat (99% CI 5 to 40%).”
“Diet and food supplements exert a great impact on gut microbial composition and its variability through time.”
“Interaction between food and gut microbiota is also finely tuned by our circadian clock. The disruption of the physiological circadian rhythm increases the likelihood of a gut dysbiosis, possibly contributing to the pathogenesis of several metabolic and inflammatory diseases, including diabetes, inflammatory bowel diseases, and even cancer”
Vitamin C – I put some oranges here (mandarins maybe) because right now there is a huge shortage of vitamin C products and i’m switching around what I’m using. I have some Livon Brand liposomal left I’m using and also some Pure Radiance for whole foods C. There are many strong opinions with Vitamin C. Most research has looked at AA (Ascorbic Acid) or SA (Sodium Ascorbix) vs whole foods versions.
Overall, there has been much talk about the possible benefits with Vitamin C. I am using some personally, but as noted above, have been changing around what I’m using due to limited supplies available at the moment. I’ll give you some info to read to decide on it. More clinical evidence seem to me that it supports its use via IV in the critically ill re: viral infections as I read it.
“DiscussionVICTAS is a large, multi-center, double-blind, adaptive sample size, randomized, placebo-controlled trial that will test the efficacy of vitamin C, thiamine, and hydrocortisone as a combined therapy in patients with respiratory or circulatory dysfunction (or both) resulting from sepsis. Because the components of this therapy are inexpensive and readily available and have very favorable risk profiles, demonstrated efficacy would have immediate implications for the management of sepsis worldwide.” https://trialsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13063-019-3254-2
Light exposure / Sleep hygiene – There are numerous studies and indications that disruption to our circadian rhythm affects our health on multiple levels. Focusing on good sleep and good light exposure (no blue light at night) seems very wise in my experience and has generally been backed by science.
These are things I largely do myself or some that others have reported to me are useful tools. Up to you what may or may not work for you. I pulled this list from a prior post I made, but it’s generally relevant.
1: Treat Cortisol issues ( http://bit.ly/2tIPra5 ) 2: Keep bedroom cool 3. Warm salt bath before bed 4: Lavender in a diffuser 5: Air filter in bedroom 6: Pitch black bedroom 7:No caffeine later in the day 8: Some find CBD or related products helpful 9: Get a comfortable mattress (don’t skimp here if you can help it.) 10: Find soft / comfortable sheets you love. Costco has some great sheets for around $70 even for king. 11: Get a pillow that is comfortable for you ( I like quilless down pillows / comforters ) Again Costco has some great options. 12: Best to avoid TV / electronics in the bedroom, if you can’t / won’t avoid them, use dark orange / red glasses when watching. 13. Keep cell phone out of the bedroom if possible. 14. Wear orange glasses starting a bit after sunset. http://bit.ly/33XwAZi (lots of fancy ones out there for $$, I suggest starting with the dark orange ones) 15: Use Iris on your computer to turn down the brightness / change the color orange. https://iristech.co/ — use sleep mode later in the evening! 16. Use a salt lamp or candle if you need light at night. or even a small red flashlight. 17. Use a screen filter on your phone or use 2 apps if needed to get the screen dark enough. 18. Some sources suggest avoiding EMF by turning off electronics and your router at bedtime 19. Get sun early in the day. Get outside if possible. Use a light box if your in a strongly overcast area or can’t get outside due to weather ( http://bit.ly/35aiCTO ) — I feel strongly getting outside is best 20. If your adrenals can handle it, consider walking in the day as much as your body does well with. 21. Eat earlier in the day if at all possible. You ideally want your food fully digested prior to sleep. 22. Drink enough good quality water throughout the day. 23. Live with purpose and keep focus on that (easier said than done, but something to reflect upon) 24. Eat well – focus on real whole foods 25. Keep working to optimal with thyroid and all that stresses the body. 26. Meditate or just take some time out each day to relax 27. See a therapist if at all is needed for you. 28. Have friends you talk to / trust if at all possible 29. Wake at a consistent time if at all possible – it can do wonders to help with insomnia and adrenals love consistency. 30. Avoid naps late in the day if possible. 31. Get a sloth, they help you sleep well. ( http://bit.ly/2CXQIhP )
See the page below for what we know right now. I found in the doses I experimented with, this disrupted my sleep. So this leaves me with either trying it in the day or waiting until sick to try it. I’m not sure what I’m going to try yet myself.
Copper Zap – This one sounds a little out there, but there is some science and a fair amount of personal reports I’ve seen talking about success with this product. I’ll let you read the reviews and reports on this one and decide for yourself. It’s a small piece of solid copper that is inserted into the nose where viri are thought to collect and it is thought to kill / disrupt them.
The company has mentioned some additional references related to Corona on a post, but I can’t find it at the moment.
They clearly state this is NOT a cure once ill, this is a potential tool for prevention.
The company says:
“CopperZap® is a solid copper nasal wand and personal touch surface. It is designed to apply the touch of solid copper to the nose and skin. Extensive research demonstrates that solid copper kills bacteria and viruses by touch in minutes. Hospitals using solid copper touch surfaces have greatly reduced the spread of infectious illness. CopperZap® is designed for people to easily apply copper to their own hands, faces, and nostrils, whenever they want. Application of copper is suggested in the nose at the first sign of cold or flu, and on the fingers, hands and face after visiting a hospital or doctor’s office, or a day care or elder care facility, or after being in public or handling money.”
““Preliminary in-vitro studies with Coxsackie A9 virus, influenza A virus and herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) have already shown that (Humic Substances) are effective against both naked and enveloped DNA viruses (Klocking and Sprosig, 1972, 1975; Thiel et al., 1977).”
“Further investigations corroborate the ability of (Humic Acid) to inhibit selectively viruses for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and type 2 (HIV-2), cytomegalovirus (CMV) and vaccinia virus (Schols et al., 1991; Neyts et al., 1992).””
The website below mentioned humic and fulvic in relation to antiviral activity.
“It’s thought that humic substances may interfere with the early stages of the viral replication process by preventing attachment to host cells or by inhibiting a new generation of viruses from attaching to host cells (12).Humic and fulvic acid supplements are becoming more widely available as their whole body benefits are finally being understood. While we only touched on the antiviral potential of monolaurin, beta glucans, and humic substances, these compounds have a wider range of health benefits such as detox capabilities, anti-inflammatory properties, broad spectrum antimicrobial properties, and digestive support that we encourage you to explore.” –https://drclarkstore.com/blog/natural-substances-with-amazing-antiviral-potential/
Sea Buckthorn – We don’t have a ton of data on this, but investigating this more. The above image in a stock photo. I will list a product below that I’ve used in the past that is from Sea Buckthorn, but I don’t know if this would do the same thing as what they mention in this study.
“A recent study is drawing the attention of the medical community, claiming that sea buckthorn berry’s lactic acid bacteria can contain the spread of the new coronavirus by inhibiting the activation of its energy source, purine.
According to a research team at Ehwa Womans University Medical Center, it has confirmed probiotic bacteria extracted from fermented sea buckthorn berry had lots of lactobacillus gasseri (L. gasseri), which represses the activation of purine, an energy source required for the mutation of new coronavirus.“
Dr. Perlmutter mentioned – Using things that activate nrf2 and control inflammation like broccoli sprouts or supplements that do the same
Curcumin – Dr Perlmutter again mentioned Curcumin being supported by some animal models for help in taming inflammation and possibly aiding in relation to cytokine storm.
Watch this video for more details on what he says. I’m making up a fresh batch of broccoli sprouts now and will try to keep up with taking those.
“Results: Of the 250 patients, 125 returned the questionnaire at an average of 75 days on fish oil. Seventy-eight percent were taking 1200 mg and 22% were taking 2400 mg of EFAs. Fifty-nine percent discontinued to take their prescription NSAID medications for pain. Sixty percent stated that their overall pain was improved, and 60% stated that their joint pain had improved. Eighty percent stated they were satisfied with their improvement, and 88% stated they would continue to take the fish oil. There were no significant side effects reported.
Vitamin A- Multiple resources discuss the value of Vitamin A:
Monolaurin – I have this if I get sick, I don’t use it daily right now
“Monolaurin is a fat found in coconut oil that is also available as a dietary supplement. It exerts some interesting antiviral effects with confirmed activity to viruses similar to coronavirus. Many viruses, as well as bacteria and protozoa (parasites) are enveloped by a protective membrane composed of fatty substances (lipids). Current research indicates that monolaurin dissolves lipids in the fatty envelope, basically disintegrating the organisms’ protective shield and causing them to be easily destroyed by the immune system. Though monolaurin has not been studied on coronavirus, it may have some benefit. The typical dosage of monolaurin in 1,000-1,500 mg twice daily. “
“As we write this, the World Health Organization has declared a global emergency over the novel coronavirus, nCoV-2019, that has spread beyond China. There is still no cure for nCoV-2019. nCoV-2019 has been shown to be related to SARS (Zhou et al., 2020), a coronavirus which caused an outbreak in 2003. Several researchers have been designing drugs to specifically target protease enzymes in coronavirus, but testing for these drugs is many months away. What if there is a treatment candidate against the coronavirus that might already be available and whose safety is already established?Lauric acid (C12) and monolaurin, its derivative, have been known for many years to have significant antiviral activity. Lauric acid is a medium-chain fatty acid which makes up about 50% of coconut oil; monolaurin is a metabolite that is naturally produced by the body’s own enzymes upon ingestion of coconut oil and is also available in pure form as a supplement. Sodium lauryl sulfate, a common surfactant that is made from lauric acid, has been shown to have potent antiviral properties. Lauric acid, monolaurin, and sodium lauryl sulfate (which is also known as sodium dodecyl sulfate) are used in a wide range of products for their antiviral properties.”
Prebiotics – It’s great to get a huge variety of prebiotic fiber from our foods. We don’t need a lot of most plant foods for them to supply prebiotic bacteria. I’m also using a product called IsoThrive.
Take a look at their studies and see what you think:
Beef Liver – I take Beef liver from Ancestral Supplements. Good source of copper.
NAC – N-Acetyl-Cysteine.
“Cysteine is a semi-essential amino acid.
It’s considered semi-essential because your body can produce it from other amino acids, namely methionine and serine. It becomes essential only when the dietary intake of methionine and serine is low.
” Frequency of seroconversion towards A/H1N1 Singapore 6/86 influenza virus was similar in the two groups, but only 25% of virus-infected subjects under NAC treatment developed a symptomatic form, versus 79% in the placebo group. Evaluation of cell-mediated immunity showed a progressive, significant shift from anergy to normoergy following NAC treatment. Administration of N-acetylcysteine during the winter, thus, appears to provide a significant attenuation of influenza and influenza-like episodes, especially in elderly high-risk individuals. N-acetylcysteine did not prevent A/H1N1 virus influenza infection but significantly reduced the incidence of clinically apparent disease. “
I’m investigating using Curcumin and also use Black Seed Oil.
Please remember these are things I / my family use. It’s up to you to decide what is or is not right for you. I make no claims expressed or implied these will work for any person for any purpose, as I’m just a person using these and researched on my own.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Please remember these are things I / my family use. It’s up to you to decide what is or is not right for you. I make no claims these will work for any person as I’m just a person using these who and researched on my own.
I’m not a medical professional, I’m more of a patient researcher. The information I preset here is gathered from other sources / medical research. It’s up to you to make your own decisions.
The theory we explore below is if Melatonin levels in children have a protective effect and if this benefit may be conferred to adults with supplementation – we will see what several authors say on the subject.
Update: Adding a new video from Dr. Ben Lynch on this topic:
” Recently it has been theorized that the reason why children under the age of 9 have been largely protected against COVID-19 is that they produce up to ten times the amount of melatonin than someone over age 60. “
They go on to state:
” . This is one of those supplements with a very strong safety record that may really show some benefit. It is thought that it works even better when the vitamin C blood levels are are good. We take vitamin C in the morning, try to eat at least one serving of low sugar fruit with lunch or dinner (as well as vegetables) and then take 3mg of melatonin right before bed. “
However multiple other sources have suggested potentially much higher doses of Melatonin be used
“Melatonin is the reason why children under the age of 9 seldom exhibit severe symptoms. In fact, children may exhibit mild or even no symptoms at all, even though they have been infected by SARS-CoV-2 [73]. How significant is the difference in melatonin production between children, adults and the elderly?
For most people, peak melatonin production is between the hours of 2 am to 3 am. The maximum melatonin levels measured in healthy adults between the ages of 65 to 70 years appeared to be around 49.3 picograms/ml (pg/ml). Adults more than 75 years of age only have maximum production levels of 27.8 pg/ml [74]. “
In terms of dosing this site suggest MUCh higher dosing than the first author proposed:
“Melatonin COVID-19 Infection Dosage: 5 milligrams to 50 milligrams
The lower range is for people with mild or no symptoms. The higher range is for older people or those with more severe symptoms.
IF you are taking ACE inhibitors, have cardiac conditions, hypertension, you need to consult your physician before taking high doses of melatonin. Melatonin may lower blood pressure and cause hypotension at higher dosages. “
“What’s a huge difference between youth and adults? The day and night sleep hormone, melatonin. Kids have a lot more melatonin.
The rise of melatonin starts in the third trimester of pregnancy[47] and continues to be highest at ages one through five. Then melatonin blood levels start to slowly decline[48] and become very low in the elderly. Low melatonin levels in adulthood cause many to suffer with insomnia. The most severe cases are in nursing homes where elders suffer with the “sun-downers” syndrome: they are awake at night and sleep during the day.””
The author points out: ” I have been using high-dose melatonin in breast cancer survivors for years. It tamps down the nasty actions of estrogen and acts like a natural aromatase inhibitor. So much so, a number of drug companies tried to get it added to pharmaceutical aromatase medications. This has become a well accepted functional oncologic protocol. So we know one can take high doses of melatonin safely. I wrote about melatonin’s amazing job descriptions in Safe Hormones, Smart Women[55]. Now melatonin’s usefulness shines again. “
In terms of usage directions, they propose:
” Melatonin: 10 to 20 mg time-release for adults. Kids make their own. If your child gets ill with a documented case of coronavirus, ask your doctor about adding in 1 mg of melatonin to their mix. “
Commentary on the above:
I’ve always been an advocate of doing all we can to encourage the body to produce more melatonin naturally, however based on a variety of resources, it seems as though using supplementation for a while may be a wise consideration.
I question how well time release anything works for thyroid patients as we have seen over the years many report issues with time release medications, so consider if this is right for you. I will include one of these options at the bottom of the list of products I’ve explored.
At the moment, I’m leaning into the higher doses of Melatonin personally, in the 30-40mg range around age 40.
If you find other respectable resources on this topic, please comment below. Please remember many things related to this virus are speculative by professionals and there is much to learn still.
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These are some things i’m using / looking at using. For your consideration. This is not a recommendation. Just sharing what I use / am exploring.
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Note that purchasing from some select links on this website help support the site and help cover the web hosting cost. You do not pay an increased cost when you shop via the site.
Disclaimer: This is coming to you from fellow patients offering an educated opinion and is not medical advice. I am citing pubmed or similar professional resources whenever possible. I inject a bit of my own commentary at points – take this as you will. Please consider working with a doctor when you feel is appropriate.
The following are some things that are wise in our opinion and experience.
1: Know this is a rapidly evolving situation and things can and will be learned and change. Study what is happening in other countries, outside the US or even in Washington state to see what is actually happening and the statistics of what is happening in the real world. Look at data from John Hopkins, WHO and the CDC for guidance.
2: Getting a good night’s sleep! Do your best to wind down at night and get to bed at a good time.
“Sleep and the circadian system exert a strong regulatory influence on immune functions. Investigations of the normal sleep–wake cycle showed that immune parameters like numbers of undifferentiated naïve T cells and the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines exhibit peaks during early nocturnal sleep whereas circulating numbers of immune cells with immediate effector functions, like cytotoxic natural killer cells, as well as anti-inflammatory cytokine activity peak during daytime wakefulness. Although it is difficult to entirely dissect the influence of sleep from that of the circadian rhythm, comparisons of the effects of nocturnal sleep with those of 24-h periods of wakefulness suggest that sleep facilitates the extravasation of T cells and their possible redistribution to lymph nodes. Moreover, such studies revealed a selectively enhancing influence of sleep on cytokines promoting the interaction between antigen presenting cells and T helper cells, like interleukin-12. Sleep on the night after experimental vaccinations against hepatitis A produced a strong and persistent increase in the number of antigen-specific Th cells and antibody titres. Together these findings indicate a specific role of sleep in the formation of immunological memory. This role appears to be associated in particular with the stage of slow wave sleep and the accompanying pro-inflammatory endocrine milieu that is hallmarked by high growth hormone and prolactin levels and low cortisol and catecholamine concentrations. “
3: Wear blue light blocking glasses starting around sundown. Limit or avoid electronics at night. Sleep in a dark room. Get out into sunlight during the day, watching the sunset can be valuable.
” Mammals receive light information through the eyes, which perform two major functions: image forming vision to see objects and non-image forming adaptation of physiology and behavior to light. Cone and rod photoreceptors form images and send the information via retinal ganglion cells to the brain for image reconstruction. In contrast, nonimage-forming photoresponses vary widely from adjustment of pupil diameter to adaptation of the circadian clock. nonimage-forming responses are mediated by retinal ganglion cells expressing the photopigment melanopsin. Melanopsin-expressing cells constitute 1–2% of retinal ganglion cells in the adult mammalian retina, are intrinsically photosensitive, and integrate photic information from rods and cones to control nonimage-forming adaptation. Action spectra of ipRGCs and of melanopsin photopigment peak around 480 nm blue light. Understanding melanopsin function lets us recognize considerable physiological effects of blue light, which is increasingly important in our modern society that uses light-emitting diode. Misalignment of circadian rhythmicity is observed in numerous conditions, including aging, and is thought to be involved in the development of age-related disorders, such as depression, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and cancer. The appropriate regulation of circadian rhythmicity by proper lighting is therefore essential. This perspective introduces the potential risks of excessive blue light for human health through circadian rhythm disruption and sleep deprivation. Knowing the positive and negative aspects, this study claims the importance of being exposed to light at optimal times and intensities during the day, based on the concept of the circadian clock, ultimately to improve quality of life to have a healthy and longer life. “
Contact your healthcare provider to ask about obtaining extra necessary medications to have on hand in case there is an outbreak of COVID-19 in your community and you need to stay home for a prolonged period of time.
If you cannot get extra medications, consider using mail-order for medications.
Be sure you have over-the-counter medicines and medical supplies (tissues, etc.) to treat fever and other symptoms. Most people will be able to recover from COVID-19 at home.
Have enough household items and groceries on hand so that you will be prepared to stay at home for a period of time.
Take everyday precautions
Avoid close contact with people who are sick
Take everyday preventive actions
Clean your hands often
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing, or having been in a public place.
If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
To the extent possible, avoid touching high-touch surfaces in public places – elevator buttons, door handles, handrails, handshaking with people, etc. Use a tissue or your sleeve to cover your hand or finger if you must touch something.
Wash your hands after touching surfaces in public places.
Avoid touching your face, nose, eyes, etc.
Clean and disinfect your home to remove germs: practice routine cleaning of frequently touched surfaces (for example: tables, doorknobs, light switches, handles, desks, toilets, faucets, sinks & cell phones)
Avoid crowds, especially in poorly ventilated spaces. Your risk of exposure to respiratory viruses like COVID-19 may increase in crowded, closed-in settings with little air circulation if there are people in the crowd who are sick.
Avoid all non-essential travel including plane trips, and especially avoid embarking on cruise ships.
If COVID-19 is spreading in your community, take extra measures to put distance between yourself and other people to further reduce your risk of being exposed to this new virus.
Stay home as much as possible.
Consider ways of getting food brought to your house through family, social, or commercial networks
Stay in touch with others by phone or email. You may need to ask for help from friends, family, neighbors, community health workers, etc. if you become sick.
Determine who can provide you with care if your caregiver gets sick
Watch for symptoms and emergency warning signs
Pay attention for potential COVID-19 symptoms including, fever, cough, and shortness of breath. If you feel like you are developing symptoms, call your doctor.
If you develop emergency warning signs for COVID-19 get medical attention immediately. In adults, emergency warning signs*:
Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
New confusion or inability to arouse
Bluish lips or face
*This list is not all inclusive. Please consult your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning.”
5: As mentioned above form the CDC; It may be a very wise choice to obtain extra prescription meds and important supplements as soon as possible.
6: Practice meditation or other self-relaxation methods to help reduce stress.
7: Avoid non-critical travel such as vacations. Now do I think you can still go out to walk at a park or similar, I suspect that is totally fine and even good for us to be outdoors. But going into crowded places like planes seems to be very unwise at this point.
8: Science is finding that fresh air and sunlight may have a positive effect.
” In the past, hospitals were designed with south-facing glazing, cross-ventilation and high ceilings because fresh air and sunlight were thought to reduce infection risk. Historical and recent studies suggest that natural ventilation offers protection from transmission of airborne pathogens. Particle size, dispersal characteristics and transmission risk require more work to justify infection control practices concerning airborne pathogens. Sunlight boosts resistance to infection, with older studies suggesting potential roles for surface decontamination. “
9: Supplements that have research showing there may be benefit to using:
Zinc – Extrapolating from how it is helpful for colds, zinc is a tool to strongly consider. I like Zinc Carnosine as it’s easy on the stomach, but it’s a low dose compared to others.
“The mean common cold duration was 33% (95% CI 21% to 45%) shorter for the zinc groups of the seven included trials. Three trials that used lozenges composed of zinc acetate found that colds were shortened by 40% and four trials that used zinc gluconate by 28%. The difference between the two salts was not significant: 12 percentage points (95% CI: −12 to + 36). Five trials used zinc doses of 80–92 mg/day, common cold duration was reduced by 33%, and two trials used zinc doses of 192–207 mg/day and found an effect of 35%. The difference between the high-dose and low-dose zinc trials was not significant: 2 percentage points (95% CI: −29 to + 32)”
“Zinc is a required mineral for the proper functioning of the immune system. It helps in the formation and development of immune cells such as natural killer cells and neutrophils. Studies have shown that zinc shortens the duration of the common cold and flu. Zinc can be found in pumpkin seeds, legumes, nuts, and animal proteins. “
Selenium (and potentially Vitamin E as well) – There is some evidence to support that good levels of these may play an important role in the response to viruses.
I’ve seen wise sources suggest a RBC selenium test be considered prior to much supplementation. Some have theorized that many food sources of selenium are lower than they once were due to modern farming. Studies on brazil nuts for example support this claim.
“Recent work has demonstrated that deficiencies in either Se or vitamin E result in increased viral pathogenicity and altered immune responses. Furthermore, deficiencies in either Se or vitamin E results in specific viral mutations, changing relatively benign viruses into virulent ones.”
Beta Glucan – An interesting agent that shows a good response in trials. Cost can be a downside especially with the well recognized brands like transfer point. There is some debate with experts as to if this might make an autoimmune attack worse for those with autoimmunity – there does not seem to be solid science one way or the other.
“We found that a 2-week oral feeding with glucan mixture significantly reduced the effects of influenza infection in total mortality. Our study was focused on phagocytosis, cytokine levels, antibody response and cytotoxicity assay.”
Vitamin D – Numerous studies support that good vitamin D levels are supportive of a healthy response to infection, such at the one below;
“However, vitamin D also has an important “non-classic” influence on the body’s immune system by modulating the innate and adaptive immune system, influencing the production of important endogenous antimicrobial peptides such as cathelicidin, and regulating the inflammatory cascade. Multiple epidemiological studies in adults and children have demonstrated that vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased risk and greater severity of infection, particularly of the respiratory tract. Although the exact mechanisms by which vitamin D may improve immune responses to infection continue to be evaluated, vitamin D supplementation trials of prevention and adjunct therapy for infection are underway. Given its influence on the immune system and inflammatory cascade, vitamin D may have an important future role in the prevention and treatment of infection.”
Having a REASONABLE amount of food and supplies at home seems very wise. I now strongly suspect people have been hoarding as I’ve witnessed multiple local stores selling out of many items. I suggest getting a hold of what you need, but don’t go crazy with buying so much that others can’t get what they need.
There are numerous studies and indications that disruption to our circadian rhythm affect our health on multiple levels. Focusing on good sleep and good light exposure (no blue light at night) seems very wise in my experience and has generally been backed by science.
Few among us could argue that focusing on a good quality diet isn’t helpful. The science seems to support that home cooked meals are associated with a lower BMI for one thing and there are a huge correlations between higher BMI and poorer health outcomes. It’s never too late to make positive changes.
“More frequent consumption of home cooked meals was associated with greater likelihood of having normal range BMI and normal percentage body fat.”
”Those consuming home cooked meals more than five times, compared with less than three times per week, were 28% less likely to have overweight BMI (99% CI 8 to 43%), and 24% less likely to have excess percentage body fat (99% CI 5 to 40%).”
“Diet and food supplements exert a great impact on gut microbial composition and its variability through time.”
“Interaction between food and gut microbiota is also finely tuned by our circadian clock. The disruption of the physiological circadian rhythm increases the likelihood of a gut dysbiosis, possibly contributing to the pathogenesis of several metabolic and inflammatory diseases, including diabetes, inflammatory bowel diseases, and even cancer”
Gut Health – I’m using a prebiotic called ISOThrive right now. It can be used with other prebiotics as well. It’s well researched and some studies point that it may aid in functions related to the immune system.
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