For my generation and those younger than me, we have been living through one of the most challenging times as a society. I have deeply struggled with the lack of discussion about health, prevention and early treatment. As a dentist, my daily discussions with my patients are about a healthy diet (reduce sugar and acidic beverage intake), prevention (floss, brush and rinse) and early treatment (restore a cavity before it hurts and root canal or extraction become necessary). I don't believe in the history of medicine there has ever been a time that physicians have ignored their call to do no harm. Telling sick patients to go home with no early treatment and only come to the hospital when you cannot breathe is a complete obfuscation of the Hippocratic Oath . Has there ever been in a time in the history of Public Health that we did not talk about critical methods/treatments for the prevention of disease (wearing a useless piece of cloth over your face does NOT constitute prevention)?!
This newsletter is going to be all about what I have been reading and how to stay healthy this winter. The key is to be prepared, have your immune system ready to fight getting sick this winter. If you do get sick, it is critical to treat symptoms early. We've all heard stories about how hospitals are understaffed and unable to care for all of the sick patients. We've also heard stories about how the unvaxx'd are receiving a different level of treatment. Please do what you can to stay well!
This is NOT an exhaustive list, it is a place to start. I am only a dentist, you should always consult your physician prior to changing any exercise or vitamin protocols--my official disclaimer :). This is my list of recommendations for prevention. Please note, not all supplements are created equal. I would discourage the purchasing from big box or grocery stores. Health food stores likely carry lines that are far more pure and contain the actual quantities listed on the bottle. I am working on putting packages together for prevention and early treatment. Please reach out to me if I can assist you and your family to stay healthy this winter.
In my next email, I will cover suggestions for early treatment and items to have at the ready if you become symptomatic in the upcoming cold and Flu season.
1. Vitamin D This is likely the most crucial vitamin to be taking this winter. There are many, many studies that show that low Vitamin D levels lead to more serious COVID 19 outcomes. Aside from insulin resistance, Vitamin D deficiency as emerged as a primary risk factor for severe COVID 19 infections and death. Many Americans are Vitamin D deficient due to the overuse of sunscreens, our indoor lifestyles and our diets of heavily processed foods (more on this later).
Vitamin D regulates many other cellular functions in your body. Its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and neuroprotective properties support immune health, muscle function and brain cell activity. For optimal health outcomes this winter, I would encourage you to have your Vitamin D levels checked by your doctor.
Prevention protocol Vitamin D3 3000-5000 IU/day
2. Vitamin C We all know Vitamin C is crucial for a healthy immune system. Its basic properties include anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, antithrombitic and antiviral activities. Vitamin C can act as an antiviral drug, actively inactivating viruses when taken in high doses. Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin which means you essentially eliminate the excess in your urine. For best immune stimulating results, it is recommended that you take this vitamin twice daily.
Prevention protocol Vitamin C 500-1000mg twice daily.
3. Zinc This is a key mineral that plays a vital role in our immune system's ability to ward off viral infections. It functions by aiding immune cell production, like T cells and white bloods cells that help our bodies fight off disease. Zinc has been shown to reduce the severity and duration of viral infections such as the common cold. In 2010 Zinc used in combination with an ionophore (Quercetin, see below) was shown to inhibit SARS coronavirus in vitro. Zinc deficiency has been shown to impair immune function.
Prevention protocol Elemental Zinc 15-30mg/day
4. Quercetin I have been studying health, vitamins, minerals, etc for years and I have never heard of this powerful immune booster. Quercetin is known as an ionophore and it is responsible for making Zinc more bioavailable to our cells. This in turn helps reduce a virus's ability to infect cells, it reduces the replication of already infected cells and helps to inhibit platelet aggregation. Abnormal clotting is something COVID patients experience.
Prevention protocol Quercetin 250mg/day
5. Melatonin I have mistakingly always considered this hormone to be something that aids with sleep. Little did I know, that it also functions to assist the immune system in a variety of ways. It serves as an anti-inflammatory, it has anti-oxidative properties and antiviral effects. Melatonin has benefits of reducing inflammation and possibly curbing the cytokine storm caused by SARS-CoV-2. In a preventative protocol it can act as an agent that equips the body to better fight viral infection by decreasing ACE 2 receptor surface expression and decreasing viral replication.
Prevention Protocol Melatonin 6mg before bed
6. Exercise/sleep It is difficult to keep the importance of these two items to just a paragraph or two. We all know how important exercise is for every system in our body, including proper immune function. Exercise can pretty much take on any form of movement that elevates your heart rate and produces a sweat.
Sleep is crucial to bodily repair. Many systems in our body require adequate time and quality of sleep for their proper function. We all lead very busy lives and we often sacrifice sleep to accomplish a little more in our day. Please try this winter to make a regular sleep schedule a priority.
7. Cut out sugar/processed foods Processed foods give you all the calories without all the benefits (lack of vitamins, minerals, live enzymes, micronutrients, healthy fats and quality protein). Eating highly processed foods increases how fast you eat and delays the feeling of fullness that can lead to obesity and metabolic dysfunction. Our gut microbiome, which plays a crucial role in our body's immune response to infection, can be compromised by our unhealthy American diet.
Vitamin D which was mentioned earlier in this list of crucial ways to stay healthy, can be inactivated in the presence of high fructose corn syrup. Highly processed foods are often laden with high fructose corn syrup and can negate the body's number one immune defense.
8. Saline nasal lavage Saltwater washes (saline lavage or irrigation) help keep the nasal passages open by washing out thick or dried mucus. They can also help improve the function of cilia that help clear the sinuses. This can help prevent the spread of infection to the other sinuses and reduce postnasal drip. It also can make the nose feel more comfortable by keeping the mucous membranes moist.
Prevention protocol: once daily saline lavage
9. Mouth rinse/gargle Although I have known of the benefits of a mouth rinse to help fight dental disease, I have to admit that I only recently learned how about the benefits of a moleclular iodine solution mouth rinse that has benefits both for oral health and potentially reduces the viral load in the orapharynx by inactivating the SARS CoV2 virus. This mouthrinse can be used both in prevention and as you will see in my next newsletter, for early treatment.
Prevention protocol: swish/gargle twice daily
https://www.iotechinternational.com/product-page/iorinse-rtu-ready-to-use-mouth-rinse-fresh-mint
10. Positive attitude The CDC has recently listed the third leading cause of death due to COVID as fear/anxiety. Just behind age and obesity, now mental health has outpaced diabetes as a risk factor. With eighteen months of 24/7 fear porn being dumped on the citizens of the world, its no wonder people are literally scared to death.
Try to do something every day that brings you joy! Pray, sing, dance, count your blessings and smile at strangers (yes, even if they are wearing a ridiculous mask).
In my next email, I will cover suggestions for early treatment and items to have at the ready if you become symptomatic in the upcoming cold and Flu season.
Sources:
2. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaotolaryngology/fullarticle/2768627
3. https://www.mercolamarket.com/product/2988/1/the-truth-about-covid-19-by-dr-mercola
4. https://www.listerineprofessional.ca/scientific-evidence/clinical-studies/fine
5.
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8190272/
7. https://www.ijeds.com/doi/IJEDS/pdf/10.5005/jp-journals-10029-1209
Via John Campbell, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbGug3rczx4 , 4-10,000 units of Vit D3-( 3 from Robert Malone) and Vit K2.
All good stuff, much thanks. And much thanks to your friend Joe J that introduced me to your work.