Basic Supplement Program Suggestions

Recently, a listener, Wes, asked for a baseline for supplementation, a foundation as it were. That is a good question and this info may help others.

Supplements, as the name implies, are NOT a replacement for a sound diet. They help fill in nutritional holes that are found in even great diets and compensate for a person’s unique metabolic needs. This blog describes a program for an average person. However, YOU are not average and may find from experience and testing that you need more or less. If you have a special health concern, please consult a nutrition-oriented health professional. Laying a solid foundation with high quality supplements may mean that you will need fewer supplements to work on various complaints.

I promise you that I do not profit from any company mentioned here! I may link to respected sponsors to show you examples, but I don’t work for them.

• Probiotics and Digestive Aids. You might be surprised to see this listed first. However, if you think about it, it is obvious that if digestion isn’t good, you cannot make the best use of the nutrients in your food or your other supplements. After reading about all the many jobs performed by your probiotics (friendly bacteria) it is clear why this is at the top of the list. In my book, The Probiotic Cure, I recommended Ohhira’s Probiotics and explained why. Also, as we age, our ability to create important stomach acid (HCL) and digestive enzymes can be impaired. .

• Multi-Vitamin/Mineral – This is a logical and proven way to get balanced nutritional insurance. Agricultural practices have depleted nutrients in food crops so that even a great diet may be incomplete. Health food store multis are way better than those highly advertised products in the mass market. Read my page on how to pick a multi. (The best I have ever seen is Molecular Multi and I explain why.)

• Vitamin D – It has long been known that vitamin D is required to build bone. However, widespread deficiencies of vitamin D (due to lack of sun–less in winter and staying out of the sun year-round and using sunscreen) have called attention to other benefits. According to the non-profit Vitamin D Council, low vitamin D is “a major factor in the pathology of at least 17 varieties of cancer as well as heart disease, stroke, hypertension, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, depression, chronic pain, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, muscle wasting, birth defects, periodontal disease, and more.” Sun is the natural source of this vitamin and food provides very little. So, we supplement, but multivitamin/minerals usually do not contain enough. See this article for a lot more information on D, testing and dosing. Note, magnesium and vitamin K₂ are required for vitamin D to be absorbed and work properly.
• Fish Oil -We must really work at getting enough anti-inflammatory omega-3, especially because there is so much pro-inflammatory omega-6 in the food supply from vegetable oils. Essential omega-3 fat has been shown to be of benefit in prevention of heart disease, cancer and depression. It helps lower of triglycerides, reduces inflammation, improves bone health and aids dozens of other conditions. If you re-taste the supplement after you swallow it, that is a sign it might not be fresh. Sherry Rogers, MD recommends Carlson Cod Liver Oil, lemon, in glass. I respect Nordic Naturals process.
• Magnesium – If the total elemental magnesium in your multi plus the amount in other supplements doesn’t add up to at least 450 mg, you might want to consider a separate magnesium supplement. See the Magnesium page for information on this crucial but often deficient mineral.
• Vitamin C – Even conservative government-sponsored research shows that 500 mg of this basic antioxidant is needed for most people. Other studies show that a person who is toxic or sick may need a great deal more, even up to several thousand milligrams per day. Vitamin C has antihistamine properties, so allergy sufferers may also feel better with extra. If higher amounts produce a loose stool, then reduce the amount and/or change the form. An innovative product, Formula 216, helps the blood levels of C stay optimal around the clock and appear to even boost the level when we need more, such as when the body is under stress either physical or emotional. Read this page for a much more complete picture of vitamin C.
• Vitamin E Complex – Natural vitamin E (d-alpha tocopherol, not the synthetic dL-alpha tocopherol) works much better. It is important to look for mixed tocopherols with the rest of the vitamin E family (gamma, delta and beta tocopherols and 4 Tocotrienols which are also part of the vitamin E family. Research has shown benefit for heart disease, diabetes and various cancers.) This is the supplement I recommend, a product from Jarrow Formulas.

After you’ve laid a good foundation, if you have the resources to take additional supplements, these are supplements to consider because they have broad benefits.

• Glutathione booster – Glutathione is the master antioxidant in the body and restores many of the others as well as being a detoxifier of, for example, pesticides and heavy metals. Unfortunately, we have lower levels as we age. Even expensive oral supplements of glutathione are not well absorbed. I greatly prefer to take a probiotic strain called ME-3. This friendly bacteria makes glutathione and greatly raises levels from inside us! It comes by itself and included in these 3 Reg’Activ combinations along with complementary nutrients to support special purposes: Cardiovascular, Detox / Liver, and Immune / Vitality.
• Longevinex – Longevinex is the only well studied and most beneficial combination for slowing the ravages of aging and for prevention (or even reversal) of many chronic degenerative diseases such as cardiovascular disease and Macular Degeneration.
• Garlic – Garlic has been a popular heath food for thousands of years and any form will bring some benefit. But, there are over 850 scientific studies on Kyolic Aged Garlic. The variety of serious health conditions that show benefit is simply astounding.
• CoQ10 – This is a “co-enzyme” produced by the body and found in the cells of all breathing, living things. It is an essential nutrient that helps support cellular and cardiovascular function. It does this by supplying the biochemical ‘spark’ that creates cellular energy. Our supply of CoQ10 diminishes as we age and takes a dramatic dip when “statin” cholesterol-lowering drugs are used. CoQ10 is one of the most important supplements for anyone with congestive heart failure and for those on a statin drug. Either use a ubiquinol form such as this fine product by Jarrow or at least take care to swallow the less expensive forms along with a meal that contains fat.
• Aloe vera. Along with other important benefits, science has shown that the ‘miracle plant’ (if Lily of the Desert brand) greatly helps absorption of dietary supplements.

Why isn’t calcium on the list by itself? That mineral has been virtually crammed down our throats and is now often consumed to excess by those in middle age and beyond. I don’t recommend supplementing calcium unless there is a documented reason and it is combined with magnesium and vitamin K₂ to make sure it goes into bone, not the arteries. Here is an important book on Vitamin K₂ and another on the problems with excess calcium.

I am not embarrassed to take a handful of supplements because that has allowed me to get pretty old without having to take a handful pharmaceuticals and worry about their side effects.

Breathing is a powerful FREE health boost IF we do it PROPERLY

This is a guest post courtesy of Andrew Shepherd, DC of Parker Wellness Centers.
[brackets are Martie Whittekin, CCN additions]

Proper breathing decreases the risk of disease AND improves immune system strength! However, many people are “shallow breathers” as a reaction to environmental stressors.

Breathing in a shallow way keeps the body in a stress cyclical—stress causes shallow breathing and shallow breathing causes stress. This cycle activates the sympathetic nervous system which keeps the body in constant [debilitating] “fight or flight” mode.

Long term shallow breathing can have serious health consequences!

According to John Luckovich, an Integrative Breathwork Facilitator in Brooklyn, NY, “the chronic stress that is associated with shallow breathing results in lower amounts of lymphocyte, a type of white blood cell that helps defend the body from invading organisms, and lowers the amounts of proteins that signal other immune cells. The body is then susceptible to contracting acute illness, aggravating pre-existing medical conditions, and prolonging healing times. It is also a precursor for cardiovascular issues”. (Source: Headspace)

This is important information with all that is going on right now. [It is too bad that the “experts” in the media don’t mention that proper breathing is a free defense against covid-19 that has only positive side effects.]

Working on proper breathing techniques calms the sympathetic nervous system and will keep you less susceptible to illness and disease.

Not only that, but the other exciting benefits of paying attention to your breathing include:

✅ Reduce stress levels in your body
✅ Lower your heart rate
✅ Lower your blood pressure
✅ Reduce diabetic symptoms
✅ Reduce depression
✅ Better manage chronic pain
✅ Better regulate your body’s reaction to stress and fatigue

It’s also important to note that chiropractic adjustments will help reduce the stress on your nervous system and facilitate relaxation in the body which will allow you to take fewer [and deeper] breaths per minute.

Practicing proper breathing techniques AND getting adjusted regularly are two of the best things you can be doing for your health right now. [For important virus protection, also remember the vitamin D, vitamin C, zinc and selenium that we often discuss here and on the radio show.]

Take charge of your health and get a chiropractic adjustment. Practicing “breath focus” can combat stress AND help keep you healthy.

See what Harvard has to say about breathing and stress and relaxation techniques to fight stress!

[ Martie found an interesting site with 5 breathing exercises.]
…………………………………………..

Sources:

• Front Hum Neurosci. 2018; 12: 353
• Am J Hypertens. 2009 Dec;22(12):1326-31. doi: 10.1038/ajh.2009.184. Epub 2009 Oct 1.
• JAMA Intern Med. 2014 Mar;174(3):357-68. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.13018.
• Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2005 Nov;1056:242-52.

Crucial Vitamin—the Rodney Dangerfield of nutrition

It is ironic that a nutrient essential to life seems to “get no respect”. (Hence the reference in the title to the comedian who made that line famous.)

The average person might know that vitamin C can help prevent colds. While that’s true, that is actually one of its least impressive benefits. A very thorough US National Institutes of Health fact sheet on vitamin C notes that as far back as the mid-1700s it was known that a sailor could die of scurvy without sufficient vitamin C. At the time the British Navy did not yet know that it was the vitamin C in the limes that cured scurvy and thereby saved untold numbers of lives. Because of that, British sailors became known as “limeys”.

The US government claims that scurvy is no longer a problem. Okay, we no longer hear about people in Western countries dying of scurvy. However, I think the feds forget that, like most diseases, scurvy does not appear suddenly like a light switch turned on. Victims gradually develop the symptoms of low vitamin C and so their deaths may well be given a different label such as “infection” or one of the other maladies listed below. For example, bleeding gums (which are very common) are an early warning sign of scurvy. Gum disease develops because vitamin C is needed to build connective tissue such as the kind that holds gums to the teeth. Once that gum connection is weakened, bacteria can enter, and real trouble begins. (Oral bacteria are a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Of course, a coroner will list the death as heart attack, not a vitamin C deficiency.)

My vitamin C file folder weighs about 2 pounds, so, to keep this from becoming a book, I’ll just pull a few representative factoids from it:

• Vitamin C (also known as ascorbate) is required for the repair of all body tissues including joints (think arthritis) and eyes (as in cataracts and macular degeneration).
• Vitamin C helps refresh other antioxidants and even is protective for smokers. (It’s still better to quit.)
• Vitamin C is a detoxifier.
• Vitamin C levels are 10 times higher in the brain than anywhere else—likely providing antioxidant protection for the delicate tissue.
• Because C is vital to the immune system, it has been found helpful not only against colds and flu, but even cancer and AIDS.
• Vitamin C helps eliminate the stomach bacteria that cause gastric ulcers.
• During the 2020 covid-19 crisis, many medical facilities around the world used intravenous vitamin C to keep patients from needing ventilators. Vitamin C calms the immune system’s runaway inflammation in the lungs — the real killer of most COVID-19 patients. (For the same reason, that procedure has already been saving lives from sepsis which is the immune overreaction that is the leading cause of death in hospitals.)
• Vitamin C protects the cardiovascular system as antioxidant, but it also lowers blood pressure and may help cardio health in other ways.

Bill Sardi wrote a great post about vitamin C. Here is an interesting highlight:

• Heart disease. We know that Vitamin C is required for the synthesis of collagen, the protein most critical in the maintenance of vascular integrity. Some scientists, like Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling, believe that “lipoprotein(a), [a dangerous form of cholesterol] takes the place of vitamin C in the inner arterial wall when C is in short supply. That switch leads to plaque formation.

Why do we need to supplement? Besides inadequate intake from fruits and vegetables and the lower amount in today’s diet, we may have increased need. For example, toxins from our increasingly polluted environment and food supply create free radicals that use up our vitamin C. Emotional stress also uses up C. With the excess of fast-acting carbohydrates in the diet, we should remember that blood sugar competes with vitamin C because it is a somewhat similar molecule.

How much to take? Everyone’s need is different. However, it is instructive to compare us to animals that make their own vitamin C from blood sugar. A goat the size of a 150 lb. human would make over 13,000 mg a day if under slight stress. The average produced by other animals would suggest we may need 3,500 a day. The government says that 2,000 mg a day is safe. We certainly need more than the pitiful RDA which is below 100 mg. I think a great solution is to take Formula 216 because this unique supplement seems to allow the body to increase its blood level to its need.

Vitamin C may not be a flashy new supplement, but the more you read, the more you will realize it is important to appreciate this basic.

Would you like some food with the plastic you eat?

National Graphics had this to say: “Your family might use plastic straws, water bottles, and bags for just a few minutes, but those items don’t disappear when they’re thrown out. Single-use items like these account for more than 40 percent of plastic waste, and each year about 8.8 million tons of plastic trash flows into the ocean. This waste endangers wildlife, pollutes the water, and puts human health at risk.”

The photo above is of just a teensy bit of plastic rubbish that has not yet found its way to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. That patch is floating island of trash the size of Alaska! (By the way, when visiting Alaska, we were told not to say that Texas is the biggest state. Natives warned, that they could divide Alaska in half and make Texas the 3^rd largest state!). Plastics can take thousands of years to break down. (The pleistocene era of the earth’s history is notable for ice ages. I shudder to think how the “plastocene” or “plastobscene” will be remembered.)

Hopefully, by now, our readers are aware that plastic waste is also a lethal environmental disaster for wildlife. They get tangled in it and mistakenly eat it. Fewer folks are aware that plastic chemicals and microplastics can cause health trouble by remaining in the seafood that we consume. Also, plastic in many other foods and beverages cause health problems.

I was inspired to blog about this topic by a Consumer Reports (CR)* June 2020 Magazine article entitled “How to Eat Less Plastic”. Oddly enough, the article did not tell us how to  eat less plastic. However, the article did make few a excellent points about plastic risks.

• Apparently, each week we eat about the amount of plastic that is in a credit card!
• As just as just one example of the many plastic pollutants, in a previous blog and a radio interview with Dr. Anthony Jay, we talked about Bisphenol A (BPA) which disrupts hormones. Among the risks of BPA are: early puberty, prostate cancer, low sperm counts, breast cancer, heart disease, diabetes, liver toxicity, developmental problems with the immune system and brain. A mother’s exposure can reduce testosterone in a male baby.
• Common sources of this plastic include plastic beverage bottles, the lining of canned foods and most cash register receipts.
• According to the Environmental Working Group, BPA has even be found in baby formula. (I encourage readers to follow news from that group and to donate to support their important efforts.)
• In 2012, the FDA banned BPA from baby bottles and sippy cups. Unfortunately, manufacturers typically just substitute “BPS” or other plastics in that family. It is often called chemical “wack-a-mole” and it will take years for these substitutes to be banned. Newer ways of measuring BPA indicate that we might have 44 times as much of it as previously thought.
• Styrene plastic has been linked to nervous system malfunction, hearing loss, cancer and more.
• One reason why it is so difficult to get the FDA to eliminate toxic chemicals is that the toxicologic studies are only required to show what happens if there is an acute major exposure, but not the effect of small amounts continuously over years.

Here are some ideas for eating less plastic:

• Do not microwave foods in plastic.
• Do not store leftovers in plastic. Instead use a glass or silicone container. (I linked to examples but there are many more.)
• Likewise, when you bring home food sold in plastic wrap, remove it from the plastic and put in one of the safer containers. You can also wrap it in wax paper to provide a shield and put it back in a plastic bag. (By the way, avoid putting anything acidic in aluminum foil because it will transfer the aluminum to the food. Aluminum is a nerve toxin.)
• Use refillable stainless steel or glass water bottles.
• Even “paper” coffee cups are lined with plastic, so it is best to take your own cup to the office or coffee house.
• This green website lists 17 ways of reducing plastics in the environment.

*I’ve been very impressed by the testing Consumer Reports does on toasters, lawnmowers and the like. Their reporting of data on automobiles and the dangers from chemicals is also usually good. However, when it comes to vitamins and other dietary supplements, they don’t seem to review the science or get a balanced view with functional and nutrition experts. (They rely on a medical “expert” who has actually admitted to a bias against supplements.)

Sherry Rogers, MD – Interview Review

Over the past few months, Dr. Rogers has spent 4-6 hours a day digesting all the scientific studies that relate to covid-19. I believe that we should listen to Dr. Rogers–not just because of her impressive credentials and stellar history, but also because, at age 77, she plays tennis two hours a day and is as mentally sharp as ever!

Dr. Rogers brings new ideas because she objectively investigates many prestigious journals like the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Shockingly, she discovered that when autopsies are done on patients who died from covid-19, the lung tissue cells seemed to have suffered from a unique fast-growing type of cancer. The May 16, 2020 interview was very dense with important information (you can listen to it again in the archives at that link), but regrettably, I cannot make this review blog short.

Dr. Rogers reminded us that the US fares worse with covid-19 because we are #43 in world in health. (Let that sink in…never mind we spend twice as much on sickness care, 42 other countries are healthier!)  Unfortunately, we are probably #1 in the prevalence of “underlying conditions” (e.g. high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, etc.) that make people at much higher risk of a serious covid-19 outcome. In her opinion, two of the reasons for our poor standing in the world is that the medical system hasn’t trained docs to dig for and fix the root causes of disease. She also points to the problem that every part of the body is treated by a different specialist and they cannot see the big patterns that link issues.

Back to covid-19. Dr. Rogers lists these stages:

1. Virus attaches to the outside of our cells. Coronavirus cannot attach if the cell is healthy and has adequate cytokines. It is most fundamental to general health and maintaining protective cytokines to get rid of the 7 Toxic M’s.
2. Virus enters the cells. A strong, effective cell membrane is the barrier to entry as well as to normal cell function. (Nutrients can get in and wastes can get out). For more on that, we talked about cell membranes and covid-19 during Rogers’ March 7, 2020 interview. She recommends cod liver oil (Carlson in glass bottle), Phosphatidyl Choline Powder, vitamin E complex with all 8 forms and Phosphatidyl Serine. (Her newsletters give more details, but, in general, I would say to take those per label instructions.)

Dr. Rogers said the viruses get inside the cell through ACE2 doorways. If a person is taking blood pressure medicines, statin cholesterol drugs, medications for a-fib or heart failure, or many other meds, their cells create 2, 3 or even 4 times more of these ACE2 doorways!  That effect of the very common medications is an often-overlooked reason that people with “underlying conditions” are at higher risk for covid-19. (CAUTION: don’t create a cardio problem by getting off the drugs without first solving that problem with safer natural remedies for most of those conditions.) Vitamin D closes those ACE2 doorways! Dr. Rogers warned that vitamin D Blood Test Result forms incorrectly list 32 ng/ml as “normal”, but it is much safer to be in the ideal 80-100 ng/ml range.

3. Virus Reproduces (i.e. it uses our cell machinery to replicate itself and spread) That replication is stopped by zinc. (Zinc is in 200+ enzymes. Signs of its deficiency can mimic any) Incidentally, the much-debated drug, hydroxychloroquine works by helping zinc get into cells. That is why President Trump has said several times that he is taking zinc. Bill Sardi taught us that the herbal extract, quercetin, naturally found in onions and apple peel does the same thing but without the side effects of hydroxychloroquine . (Will someone please tell President Trump about quercetin?)
4. Virus Hides (hibernates). Like many other viruses, it hangs out in the nooks and crannies of the intestinal tract. There it is not detected by the immune system, has a steady food supply and its wastes can be removed. Dr. Rogers pointed out that half of the body’s detox system is in the gut and repeated what I often mention that three fourths of the immune system is also there. When the gut becomes too toxic, it is no longer a useful place for the virus to stay and it comes out of hiding in big numbers.
5. When it does come out of hiding, the virus can cause “leaky lungs” (she coined that term) and blood clots which is the body trying to repair the damage. It is similar to “leaky gut” and “leaky blood brain barrier” that we have discussed on the show.

Grapeseed extract. Dr. Rogers says that if you were going to take just one thing to keep the virus from multiplying in the gut and causing leaky gut (and it helps insulin resistance and reduces heavy metals), take Grapeseed extract. Mix ¼ tsp powder in a little water and put the cup on the nightstand to take when you wake up during the night. (She suggested you have extra water handy to chase its icky taste.)

Tocotrienols. This is a major component of the vitamin E family mentioned above regarding cell membranes and has many amazing benefits especially for heart disease and cancer. Dr. Rogers says it can be a good test when auditioning doctors. If he or she does not know what Tocotrienols are, you probably won’t be healed by that one.

Callers had more questions than we had time for. I said on air that I would ask her later. But she prefers to come back on the show to answer them. So, I’m making a list—let me know what you want me to ask. By the way, when you subscribe to Dr. Rogers 2020 newsletter you receive any issues that you missed earlier in 2020 (at least that is the case with the emailed version).

Stay safe!

Bill Sardi’s Covid-19 SUMMARY

The photo of the ceramic cat with the mask was taken at our favorite Mexican restaurant, El Norte in Plano. Son Andy Hopkins named it “Catvid-19”.

Investigative Health Journalist, Bill Sardi, has been relentlessly studying all aspects of the pandemic and has written many articles about it. For the convenience of his legions of followers, he produced a “Consolidated Report” reviewing the previous works. Click here to read the entire report which includes links to a lot of the health evidence he acquired. (It also has information and opinions about the politics, greed and power grabs that may be associated with the pandemic and lockdown.) In my blog, I’ve simply cherrypicked from his 21 page report some of the health action points that we can implement. [The brackets below are my comments.] I also added some bonus points of my own at the end.

• “The virus is still there in summer but the immune system is primed to deal with it in summer when sunshine vitamin D activates the immune system to produce white blood cells like neutrophils that literally blow up infected cells and macrophages that engulf them.”
• “…blacks who need 6-10 times more sunshine to produce the same amount of vitamin D as Caucasians because of their melanin skin pigment are at greater mortal risk.” [help spread the word about vitamin D supplements.]
• “All this viral mayhem could be halted if just one hospital started to require vitamin D blood tests upon admission to serve as a public demonstration.” [Apparently not yet in the US, but at least internationally, attention is being paid to vitamin D and covid-19. Bottom line—make sure you have sufficient vitamin D year round.]
• “The symptoms of COVID-19 coronavirus infection match symptoms of zinc deficiency.” “…zinc being an essential mineral required for the thymus gland to produce T-cells and life-long antibodies.” [Sardi explains why zinc helps the very young and the elderly who do not respond well to vaccines. I found this study specifically on zinc and covid-19.]
• “The widely touted hydrochloroquine drug that is being used to successfully quell coronavirus infections is a zinc “ionophore”, meaning that it facilitates entry of zinc into virally-infected cells. The herbal extract quercetin, naturally found in onions and apple peel, mimics hydrochloroquine.“ [Once in the cells, zinc inhibits virus replication.]
• “Be aware when selecting zinc supplements: zinc oxide is poorly absorbed. Antacids reduce zinc absorption.” [Any type of zinc but oxide is better. The acid-blocking heartburn drugs cause other potentially lethal problems. That is why I wrote a book about them.]
• “The provision of selenium + zinc releases more zinc.” [besides benefits of its own, the mineral selenium unbinds zinc so it can be used.]
• “Selenium halts viral mutations. It is yet another natural life saver that public health agencies ignore.  Selenium demonstrably reduces the lethality of COVID-19.”
• “High carbohydrate foods (bread, rice, pasta, cereal) and refined sugars, as well as alcohol and polyphenols in tea and coffee, block absorption of vitamin B1 (thiamine), which acts as a super antibiotic, and a B₁ deficiency can result in signs of lung disease seen in coronavirus infections.  The lack of B₁ is associated with viral infections.“ [Vitamin B₁ helps oxygen get into the blood and may help reduce the need for ventilators.]
• “Some high-risk individuals take drugs that deplete the above-mentioned nutrients, such as ACE-inhibitors for blood pressure that deplete zinc, or aspirin and corticosteroids that deplete vitamin C. Vitamin C works like a fire extinguisher, pouring electrons on the flames of COVIC-19-induced inflammation.”  [A recent review of studies confirms that Aged Garlic Extract (AGE) effectively lowers blood pressure. The only AGE is Kyolic. I recommend Kyolic Formula #109 because it contains AGE and other nutrients that support healthy blood pressure.]
• “Licorice root extract completely eradicated the virus in a lab dish” [Unfortunately, they were not talking about the licorice candy. DGL (Deglycyrrhizinated) lozenges are good for cough or sore throat, but only take them when ill, not every day for prevention.]
• “If you begin to experience shortness of breath, this means you must take immediate action. Call your doctor (do not run to the hospital as a third of the healthcare workers have active COVID-19 infection).” 
• [One of the biggest risks from covid-19 is excess inflammation in the lungs caused by our own immune systems responding too strongly.] “Resveratrol, quercetin, vitamin D, vitamin A and zinc serve to normalize the immune response and therefore curb the inflammation in the lung; and the use of natural blood thinners (fish oil, resveratrol, garlic, vitamin E) to prevent diffuse blood clots and inositol supplementation to serve as a surfactant (lower surface tension) may be an early remedy for shortness of breath that could delay or avert having to be placed on a ventilator. Inositol…can be used when shortness of breath occurs. [Natural anti-clotting agents such as fish oil, resveratrol, garlic and vitamin E, can be taken without concern of over-thinning the blood even when all are consumed together.]
• Review: “Dietary Supplements To Fight Viral Infections (typical daily doses): Vitamin A. 2500-5000 IU, Vitamin D 8000 IU, Vitamin C 500-1000 mg 3x/day; 1000 mg per hour if actively infected, Zinc: 15-30 mg, Selenium: 100-200 mcg, Vitamin B1 as benfotiamine, take as directed, Licorice root extract per label, Quercetin 250 mg, Resveratrol 250 mg, Inositol: 2000 mg.” [Don’t forget to account for the amount that is in your multivitamin or other combinations.]

Other odds and ends.

• One reason that obesity is a risk factor for a more severe case of the coronavirus is that the obese store vitamin D in their fat instead of the liver where it can be used.
• If you take oil-based vitamin D capsules, for best absorption, take them with a meal that contains fat.
• The nutrients recommended by Bill Sardi above fight the infamous “underlying conditions” as well as the virus.
• Joseph Mercola discusses hydrogen peroxide as a virus therapy.

Taming Allergies

A listener’s question about allergies reminded me that it might be time to shift gears from covid-19 and talk about a different source of misery.

Spring is prime time for seasonal allergies. These are usually caused by sensitivity to pollen released from trees and weeds. A great many folks suffer stuffy noses, sinus pressure, coughing, sore throat and irritated eyes. The following is from a new Library page about allergies which also discusses food reactions.

REMEDIES for seasonal allergies:

• Bee Pollen is a folk remedy that I have found very effective if used correctly: Buy LOCAL bee pollen as loose granules available from a health food store or farmer’s market. It is crucial to begin with only ONE single granule to make sure you aren’t super sensitive to pollen. The next day eat TWO granules. Then continue doubling the number of granules each day until you are taking a teaspoonful. (Note that the grains are different colors indicating different sources, so ideally take a variety) Besides imitating the gradual buildup of tolerance that we gain from allergy shots, pollen is quite nutritious.
• Vitamin C has great antihistamine properties without the unpleasant rebound effect often seen with antihistamine drugs. Environmental medicine doctors keep intravenous Vitamin C handy to use as a powerful antihistamine in case a patient has a bad reaction during allergy testing. Vitamin C obviously has many other benefits like helping the immune system fend off opportunistic infections that can arise when there is a lot of mucous and inflammation. 500 mg seems to be a minimum daily dose. However, depending on a person’s chemistry and diet, the optimum dose might be 10 times that or even more—especially during illness or an allergy attack. If you experience a loose stool, reduce the dose.
• Quercetin is well known for its help with allergies as well as balancing immune reaction in other ways.
• Stinging Nettles is a plant that hurts if your skin brushes up against in the woods. But, as an herb, it has a long-held reputation for helping calm allergic reactions. Some modern science confirms how it works.
• Combination. This product combines the 3 previous supplements and I found it useful in the past under its previous name, “Allergy Support”.
• Vitamin D. Vitamin D is good for so many things, I’m not surprised to find that it has been shown to be useful for allergies.
• Homeopathy. The homeopathic method is very effective because it is so specific. Dr. Frank King has wisely created seasonal allergy remedies based on the threat in the area where you live.
• Negative ions. A negative ion generator causes pollen and other allergens to drop out of the air. Having one (especially in the bedroom) is helpful. This negative ion generator is what I use because it is small, effective and inexpensive.
• Neti pot. Flushing out the mucous and along with it the irritants seems to help. Read more.

Inflammation–“Adding insult to injury?” It seems that the more inflammation that you have in your body, the more the seasonal allergies will bother you. Therefore, eating a healthy anti-inflammatory diet may help. One example; omega-6 fats from vegetable oils like corn oil are in general pro-inflammatory and omega-3 fats such as from fish are anti-inflammatory.

Other airborne irritants. Reducing other insults may also make it easier for your body to cope with the seasonal attack. Smog and industrial chemicals in the air are toxic to everyone but some people are simply better able to handle them. Allergy to dust mites is very common. Mites are microscopic arthropods (a type of insect) that feast on flakes of human skin and so are at home in the bedroom. This site has a good list of ideas for getting rid of them.

Chronic sinus issues. If the sinuses are stuffy all year, the cause may be that yeast has taken up residence there. This short article has helpful ideas. Taking antibiotics will only make matters worse, but unfortunately, they are often prescribed. Consumption of dairy creates stuffiness for some people. I found this very surprising and free remedy for chronic sinus congestion—Strong humming!

BAD News vs GOOD News – Part 2

NOTE: In Part 1, we discussed the age connection with covid-19; gut health; research showing that the disease is less lethal than we’ve been told; mental health during confinement; and that pets and zoo animals can get the virus. We continue today…

Bad news. Some experts say that we may have a second wave of coronavirus next fall, likely at the same time the seasonal flu appears.

Good news! That gives us time to at least improve our immune function. Bill Sardi said, “Doctors aren’t familiar with nutrients that normalize the immune response, namely vitamin A, vitamin D, zinc and resveratrol. (Learn more about those from these Library articles on vitamin D, resveratrol and zinc.)  Then there are the now infamous “underlying conditions” (such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular problems) which increase the risk of a serious case of the covid-19 disease. We did not likely develop those conditions overnight, and so, it may take more than a few months to kick them completely. However, we can surely make significant progress in that direction which should help our resistance to viruses. Fortunately, there is a natural approach for each and a natural substitute for virtually any medication.)

Bad news. We’re #1 the world. Sadly, that record is not coveted because it is for the greatest number of cases of covid-19. We also have the greatest number of deaths from it.

Good news!  One reason for this unappealing record is that the US has a larger population than any of the other hotspots except China. (Many suspect that China’s reporting of cases has been inaccurate and is probably much higher.) We also rank higher in the # of cases because we have done more testing by far than any other country. (You count cases you did not look for.) Besides the greater size of the US, I think there are other reasons for the higher number of deaths.

• We have apparently been calling nearly every death from a respiratory infection, “covid-19”. The death certificate form basically says to do that unless it has clearly been confirmed to be pneumonia, TB, COPD, etc. (If someone dies with covid-19, he or she is considered to have died from) Hospitals are incentivized with 3 time more money for putting coronavirus patients on ventilators (which some experts say damages lung tissue and increases death risk).
• China used traditional Chinese Medicine (e.g. herbs) to improve outcomes and has been testing intravenous vitamin C, while the US uses just pharmaceutical drugs for symptoms.
• Other countries have better diets and lower levels of underlying health conditions.
• I’m guessing that we have more seniors exposed in crowded environments like nursing homes where in Europe for example, the elderly may still be in family homes.

Bad news. It is recommended that everyone wear masks while out of the house—e.g. going to the grocery.

Good news! If everyone is wearing them, we will not feel so silly. Since the N95 masks are still in short supply and are needed for healthcare workers, here is a link to instructions for making your own. Also, here is a good source of ready made comfortable Organic Cotton Masks.

Bad news. CDC guidelines have us washing our hands…constantly it seems.

Good news!We have at least learned the correct way to do it—i.e. standard soap (NOT anti-bacterial) is best and it takes 20 seconds of rubbing. If we develop a habit that lasts, in the future we will experience fewer cases of other infectious diseases and food-borne illness.

I am looking forward to soon writing a blog that is ONLY good news.

BAD News vs GOOD News – Part 1

Reading the front page of the newspaper and watching the evening news, with their “daily dose of depressing data”, can easily get a person down. Happily, Healthy by Nature routinely offers good news to balance all that and help keep you in the healthy section of the covid-19 graphs.

Bad news. The coronavirus seems to be very contagious and can be extremely dangerous especially among the vulnerable populations such as seniors and those with underlying conditions.

Good news! Covid-19 survivors include a US woman who is 104 years of age and one in Brazil age 97! The facts are that up to 80% of people who contract the virus experience either no symptoms at all or very mild ones. Folks in that 80% group are not simply lucky—they have more effective immune systems! On the radio show and in this blog, we talk about natural ways to improve immune function and to avoid those worrisome “underlying conditions”.

Another key statistic is that 70% or more of our immune function is in the gut—which means that our good bacteria (i.e. Probiotics) are critically important. Besides crowding out bad guy organisms, some probiotic strains directly attack them (e.g. TH10 strain in Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics)  and other bacteria communicate with our immune cells (e.g. directing them to eliminate cells with viruses hidden inside). The good bacteria perform most of their magic via Postbiotics. Postbiotics, are a wide variety of crucial substances created by our friendly bacteria from the foods and even the herbs we consume. Probiotics and their postbiotic output provide many other benefits, including protecting us from leaky gut and its very scary counterpart, leaky brain barrier. Note: Alzheimer’s research is studying possible bacterial causes of the disease and are showing that the gut/brain connection is very strong indeed.

Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics is fermented for at least 3 years so that their 12 carefully selected bacterial strains can make postbiotics from the wonderful diet of vegetables, herbs, seaweeds, etc. that they feed the organisms. I don’t know of any other probiotic supplement that contains postbiotics, and certainly not naturally-occurring ones. That is why Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics is so effective and works so quickly to restore a healthy balance.

Bad news? Stanford University tested 3,330 people that are representative of the population in Santa Clara County, CA. Their results suggest that actual cases of COVID-19 are as much as 43 times greater than the number of previously confirmed cases.

Good news! That is good news because, when you divide the number of deaths by a much higher number of cases, it means that the odds of a fatal outcome are dramatically lower than what has been publicized. If we want the death rate to go even lower (of course we do) we need to have more attention paid to natural methods such as these documented by the Institute for Functional Medicine.

Bad news? Because wearing masks over the mouth and nose has been shown to protect the wearer from contracting and spreading the coronavirus, we are encouraged or even mandated to wear them in public. The problem has been a shortage of the N-95 type mask.

Good news! It has been found that simpler cloth masks are also very helpful. Naturepedic Mattresses, past sponsor of our show, has been helping fill the gap in the supply chain. Click here to see their comfortable Organic Cotton Masks.

Bad news? Staying at home and social distancing can be boring and worse yet can be harmful to our emotional stability.

Good news! Check out this guest post on our website “How to stay mentally fit during the covid-19 quarantines.”

Bad news. This news report said, “orangutans [are] on lockdown to avoid catching covid-19 from humans”. The article also noted that “a tiger in captivity in New York tested positive for Covid-19.” (I find it interesting that they wrote that the tiger was “in captivity”…that clarifies the tiger wasn’t casually walking down 5^th Ave.)

This news, reported by veterinarian, Shawn Messonnier, DVM, is of more immediate concern: “Yesterday, it was reported that the first confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) infection in two pet cats had occurred. These are the first pets in the United States to test positive for SARS-CoV-2. The cats live in two separate areas of New York state” [Near the tiger?].

Good News: Both cats had mild respiratory illness and are expected to make a full recovery. Dr. Shawn said “SARS-CoV-2 infections have been reported in very few animals worldwide, mostly in those that had close contact with a person with COVID-19. He went on to say that pets, like people need to be kept healthy in general and protected from exposure to sick people.

 More good news to come next week.

Sardi Answers (#2) and More

In last week’s blog, I promised to finish up Bill Sardi’s answers to questions that came up in connection with his April 4th interview on the radio show. By the way, the photo above is just for fun. The restaurant has been a New York theater district landmark for 90 years and is not named for our guy. It was the answer in a recent NY Times crossword and therefore on my mind. Now, onto the mission of empowering you to beat covid-19 without creating more problems. [Note: Text formatted like this is my two cents.]

Debbie: “will we get lifetime immunity if we get the corona virus?”

SARDI:  Lifetime immunity usually emanates from fever.  Some people are infected but exhibit no symptoms, and hopefully still developed antibodies.  The US plans to distribute antibody tests, but probably as a pre-requirement for anybody wanting to get back to work prior to end of lockdown.  There is so far no hard data on how long immunity lasts.

Debbie: Or can we get it again?  E.g. does it stay dormant like Epstein Barr Virus or Varicella? will it reoccur??

• “ Well, we can get ‘it’ again because like Bill Clinton said [in the context of his 1998 impeachment], ‘It depends upon what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is.’ ‘It’ can mean tuberculosis, which is a bacterial.  TB can remain in the body in a latent (dormant) form and erupt again.”  [note, there is a growing belief in some quarters that a lot of what has been assumed to be covid-19 is really TB which has similar symptoms.]

Judy: “Is there a test to see if a person has been exposed and built up an immunity to Covid-19?”

[MW = As implied above, the immune system creates antibodies to go after a very specific threat. The type of test you asked about is called an “antibody” test. The tests exist and have been in the news, but so far are not entirely reliable or widely available in the U.S. We certainly hope they will be prevalent soon so that we can know much more accurately about how the virus has spread and the numbers of folks who have recovered…we can only hope that if we are able to show that we have long-lasting immunity to covid-19, we won’t be forced to get a vaccine.]

SARDI: “Britain skipped COVID-19 diagnostic tests (unreliable anyway) and instead tested for antibodies and found 68% of their population had already been exposed.  This means they don’t need future vaccination.  The US has issued a much lower estimate regarding antibody levels (titers).”

Sarah: “My question is about the virus going to the lungs. The mucus gets thick and makes it hard for people to breathe. Wouldn’t Mucinex help if people used it before it got too bad? 

SARDI: It is not mucin itself that is the problem. [The real problem is an overly aggressive immune process that fills the lungs with fluid. In one of Bill Sardi’s articles, he states “To normalize the immune response so that white blood cells called neutrophils don’t over-respond producing inflammation which then results in your lungs filling up with fluid and risking pneumonia, vitamin D and the red wine molecule resveratrol combined normalize the immune response.”]

Sarah: “Also, isn’t NAC good for clearing the lungs? Isn’t that available through an IV? Has anyone tried that?”

SARDI: “For reasons beyond explanation here, I would NOT use NAC [N-Acetyl Cysteine].  A lab dish study showed that it produced a counter-effect. I would use inositol, orally.  I would supplement with coenzyme Q10 and magnesium to activate macrophage white blood cells to digest away the dead cells, or infected cells that macrophages destroy.   Magnesium and CoenzymeQ10 help produce ATP [the energy molecule] in healthy cells which is then shuttled outside the cell where most viruses run rampant.  ATP itself destroys viruses via macrophages.  This is a new understanding. This is a study in which inositol reduced ventilator use in preterm infants.”

Bill Sardi discussed Zinc in the news: “On April 8, President Donald Trump, speaking from the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in his daily press conference said: ‘You should add zinc” to any COVID-19 treatment regimen.  I want to throw that out there because that’s where they seem to have the best result,’ likely referring to Dr. Vladimir Zelenko’s online posting that the use of the medicine chloroquine plus zinc and an antibiotic remedied 100% of hundreds of cases of COVID-19 coronavirus infections occurring in a [hard hit] village of Hasidic orthodox Jews in New York. The President added: ‘So, you add the zinc and the antibiotic, and it’s been – we’ve had a lot of good stories.’ [as you know, on the show and this site, we’ve repeatedly discussed the crucial nature of zinc for immune function. Click here for the rest of Bill’s story and scientific references that support our belief in zinc.]

Colostrum. I’ve been a fan of colostrum for immune health for a long time. Read my article for details. Very exciting for these times is this study that showed that colostrum is 3 times more effective for preventing influenza than vaccination.

Postbiotics. On the show last week, I said that today I’d discuss postbiotics, the important substances made by our friendly bacteria. However, this blog is already longer than you’d probably like or that husband Bill typically wants to proof. So, I’m calling an audible and moving it to next week where I can do a better job. Meanwhile, there is some information in this article in the Library.