CORONA VIRUS

The solution to pollution is dilution. You have all heard it right. Become a plum not a prune. Dehydration causes a lot of issues. It changes the pH of the blood, makes you more acidic. It causes stress in the entire body including your cardiovascular system and especially your immune system. Less fluid means less flow and less flow means stagnation and stagnation means breeding ground for all kinds of things to grow on. And you become the perfect environment for micro organisms to breed in.

Water is the source of all life form. A drink that gives life to the entire lifeform should be intuitively our first rescue agent. That is the first thing we typically start a patient on in our rescue efforts to preserve life in hospitals too. So, drink water to flush your system.  

Drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water per day.

Go for quality, not quantity. Eat vegetables and fruits. Make sure that you follow the dirty dozen and clean fifteen list https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/ and also eat alkaline foods https://www.drrusselljaffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/dr.-russell-jaffe-alkaline-chart.png  Foods high in phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals support the proper functioning of a healthy immune system. Avoid refined sugars, processed foods and refined oils. Avoid pro inflammatory foods in the diet- Gluten, dairy, caffeine and sugar. A diet high in sugar can deplete important immune-supportive nutrients such as Vitamin C and Zinc. Vitamin C and Glucose both require insulin to enter the cell so they compete with each other. So, whichever element is higher in concentration will win. If glucose wins then you deplete yourself of Vitamin C which is a potent anti-oxidant.

Another important element especially in terms of corona virus as it has been seen in studies to inhibit the replicase RNA dependent RNA polymerase enzyme that multiplies the corona virus inside the cell cytoplasm. Zinc is an ion. Zinc cannot get through the cell membrane unless a transporter allows it inside cell. Ionophores are compounds that allow zinc to get inside the cell. Chloroquine is an ionophore which has been shown in studies to open the ion-gates and increase the intracellular concentration of Zinc. This has been objectively studied in the SARS virus epidemic. Chloroquine is a prescription drug but natural quinine and quinine derivatives have been used for two hundred years, and the bark from which it is extracted for far longer. Their safe usage and potential side effects are well established. Chloroquine was used in Korea and China in the beginning of the pandemic with promising results. At present medicines like Ivermectin IV are showing a lot of promise in the pre-exposure/post-exposure/incubation period as well as symptomatic phase as well as Pulmonary/Inflammatory phase. Vitamin D has also been shown to have an extremely beneficial effect.

We are designed for starvation. Fasting reduces insulin resistance, reduces inflammation, lowers lipids, improves memory, prevents neurodegeneration, may aid in cancer prevention and increases the effectiveness of chemotherapy, delays aging and increases longevity. Most of all fasting promotes autophagy– a process by which the body repairs itself. A fundamental process for degrading and recycling cellular components. Autophagy originates from the Greek words auto-, meaning “self”, and phagein, meaning “to eat” denoting “self-eating”. Autophagy is designed to regulate the balance of protein composition in a cell, prevent the buildup of toxic waste products, maintain cellular organelle function, remove invading pathogens (hint, hint-Corona Virus), and sustain cells during periods of low energy input due to fasting or starvation. This phenomenon won Yoshinori Ohsumi the 2016 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discoveries of the mechanisms for autophagy.

Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” said Benjamin Franklin.

It is true. Sleep repairs and rejuvenates the body. Sleep deprivation increases stress response, higher cortisol levels, poor glucose balance and hence reduced immune coordination. One should aim for at least 8 hours of good quality sleep per night.  The body likes a routine so it’s best to sleep by 10 pm since your body makes the most melatonin from 10 pm to 2 am. So, it’s true when some wise sage in Elizabethan times called Thomas Dekker said, “Sleep is the golden chain that ties health and our bodies together.”

Movement can replace many drugs, but no drug can ever replace movement – Avicenna (Ibn Sina) Movement is life. Stagnation is death. Get up and move. Movement promotes circulation, stimulates lymphatic drainage, enhances tissue oxygenation, releases enkephalins and endorphins that enhances mood and mental clarity, reduces stress. The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Let us take one step into movement.

Immersing yourself in nature is inspired by the Japanese practice of Shinrin-Yoku, which translates to “forest bathing.” Studies have demonstrated a wide array of its’ health benefits, especially in the cardiovascular and immune systems, and for stabilizing and improving mood and cognition. Did you hear Immune System? Yes! Get the immune system stronger by connecting with nature and its phenomenon.

A byproduct of this practice is sun exposure which gets you free Vitamin D. Vitamin D in high doses promotes a natural anti-microbial peptide that kills unfriendly microorganisms http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/712847. Vitamin D has other roles in the body, including modulation of cell growth, neuromuscular and immune function, and reduction of inflammation. Many genes encoding proteins that regulate cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis are modulated in part by Vitamin D.

Gratitude is an attitude. Gratitude turns what we have into enough. A glass half empty turns into a glass half full! One negative thought will raise your inflammatory cytokine like IL6!! There is strong evidence of increased circulating concentrations of interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein in patients with major depressive disorder. So, stay away from negative thoughts consciously. Gratitude opens the door to more relationships. It improves physical health. It improves psychological health. It enhances empathy and reduces aggression. Grateful people sleep better. It improves self-esteem.

The first principle of medicine is to do no harm. So, please don’t kill your friends. The ones that reside on your skin. Your skin microbiome is not your enemy. They are your commensals, your host friendly bacteria, your brethren and are meant to do good for you. The skin is an ecosystem that support a wide range of microorganisms. The primary role of the skin is to serve as a physical barrier, protecting our bodies from potential assault by foreign organisms or toxic substances. It is colonized by a diverse collection of microorganisms — including bacteria, fungi and viruses — as well as mites. Many of these microorganisms are harmless. Symbiotic microorganisms occupy a wide range of skin niches and protect against invasion by more pathogenic or harmful organisms. These microorganisms may also have a role in educating the billions of T cells that are found in the skin, priming them to respond to similarly marked pathogenic cousins. Wash your hands but don’t use alcohol incessantly which may kill these good guys unnecessarily and also dry up your hands causing irritation and dysbiosis of skin. Wash hands with soap and water before eating and after responding to the call of nature.

“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows; it empties today of its strength.”  Corrie ten Boom.

Worrying about a potential future that has not happened as yet is a futile exercise. Don’t worry, be happy. Listen to the Happy song! Believe it or not Left Cervical VNS is an approved therapy for refractory epilepsy and for treatment resistant depression. Right Cervical VNS is effective for treating heart failure in preclinical studies and a phase II clinical trial. Regulate yourself. It’s complementary. Comes inbuilt prepackaged at birth. Stimulate your Vagus nerve that promotes a rest and digest state through parasympathetic stimulation at no cost by the following maneuvers.

• Gargling                                 3 times a day
• Humming                              3 times a day
• Deep belly breathing          3 times a day

Heart Centered Breathing:

The qualities of the heart have become a scientifically proven source of intelligence. New science is mapping the influence of the heart on the brain and body and how the heart communicates an amazingly wide spectrum of information from health and wellness functions to higher qualities like wisdom and compassion. Here is a quick way to achieve coherence.

Step 1. Focus your attention in the area of the heart. Imagine your breath is flowing in and out of your heart or chest area, breathing a little slower and deeper than usual. Suggestion: Inhale 5 seconds, exhale 5 seconds (or whatever rhythm is comfortable)

Step 2. Make a sincere attempt to experience a regenerative feeling such as appreciation or care for someone or something in your life. Suggestion: Try to re-experience the feeling you have for someone you love, a pet, a special place, an accomplishment etc., or focus on a feeling of calm or ease e.g. eye sight

Be hopeful. Every cloud has a silver lining. This shall pass too.

Keep your ears and eyes open for updates and follow the general precautions. I will not recommend common sense as it is a rare phenomenon these days! 😊