How are you handling all the coronavirus news? Worried? Anxious? Fearful? Or are calmly watching and listening and making sure your immune system is in good shape and you have natural antivirals on hand if necessary?
There are still many unknowns but I’ve been gathering some articles and resources for my own personal use. I’m not an expert in infections but since folks in my community are asking I promised to share my first-aid kit and rationale in a blog post.
I can help with the anxiety and fear aspect if all this doesn’t put your mind at ease. I cover how I use individual amino acids with my clients at the end of this blog post.
Vitamin C and other foundational nutrients
This newly published blog by Andrew Saul PhD, Vitamin C Protects Against Coronavirus, offers sage foundational advice that resonates with what I already know:
The physicians of the Orthomolecular Medicine News Service and the International Society for Orthomolecular Medicine urge a nutrient-based method to prevent or minimize symptoms for future viral infection. The following inexpensive supplemental levels are recommended for adults; for children reduce these in proportion to body weight:
Vitamin C: 3,000 milligrams (or more) daily, in divided doses.
Vitamin D3: 2,000 International Units daily. (Start with 5,000 IU/day for two weeks, then reduce to 2,000)
Magnesium: 400 mg daily (in citrate, malate, chelate, or chloride form)
Zinc: 20 mg daily
Selenium: 100 mcg (micrograms) daily
Vitamin C, Vitamin D, magnesium, zinc, and selenium have been shown to strengthen the immune system against viruses.
Additional rationale for vitamin C
In another blog by Andrew Saul PhD, Nutritional Treatment of Coronavirus, offers additional rationale for vitamin C: “Abundant clinical evidence confirms vitamin C’s powerful antiviral effect when used in sufficient quantity” and states that the “physicians on the Orthomolecular Medicine News Service review board specifically recommend at least 3,000 milligrams (or more) of vitamin C daily, in divided doses. Vitamin C empowers the immune system and can directly denature many viruses.”
It’s very encouraging to read that just 200mg a day“given to the elderly resulted in improvement in respiratory symptoms in the most severely ill, hospitalized patients.”
This statement from the above blog puts much of what is considered to be media hype and fear-mongering into perspective: “The common cold is a coronavirus, and SARS is a coronavirus, so they are the same viral type” ~ David Jenkins, MD, Professor of Medicine and Nutritional Science, University of Toronto.
Vitamin D, olive leaf extract, oregano oil, elderberry, NAC and diet
Here are some additional links that I have found or were shared with me (thank you if you shared one of these with me!):
- Vitamin D and the anti-viral state “These results support the hypothesis that vitamin D … may play a major role in the inhibition of viruses.” I’m very aware of the immune-boosting properties of vitamin D.
- Olive leaf extract “decreased the duration of upper respiratory illness in high school athletes.” We always have this on hand and it appears to work well for me and my family so I’ll make sure to keep this in mind.
- Oregano oil – per this article on Holistic Primary care “A number of preliminary in vitro or animal studies have shown that compounds in oregano oil are virustatic and virucidal against several viral pathogens.” I always have oregano oil on hand (and especially when flying) and it always works well for me at the first sign of any bug. I was pleased to come across this research even though we don’t yet have a human study.
- Black elderberry liquid extract “displays an inhibitory effect on the propagation of human pathogenic influenza viruses” and has antimicrobial effects against bacteria responsible for infections of the upper respiratory tract. This is also a firm favorite in our household in the winter months and I seldom need more than one or two doses at the first sign of the sniffles.
- N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) “antioxidants like NAC represent a potential additional treatment option that could be considered in the case of an influenza A virus pandemic.” I’ll be giving NAC more consideration.
- Here are some well-balanced perspectives from Peter D’Adamo on Facebook mentions drinking plenty of water, stocks, garlic (freshly crushed), onions, leeks, elderberry and Andrographis paniculata. He does say “Keep in mind these are just my opinions and observations over a thin veneer of facts.”
Consider lomatium and homeopathy?
Lomatium and homeopathy are not my first choices but I’m listing them here out of interest
- Lomatium by Barlow Herbals “During the flu pandemic of 1917-1918, the root came into extensive use by the two Washoe Indian tribes near Carson City, Nevada.” I have yet to try this one but have heard Jane from Barlow Herbals talk about lomatium on a number of summits and I’m intrigued.
- Joette Calabrese shared her homeopathic remedies in a Facebook live here. She prefaced her advice with this: “Let’s talk Coronavirus. I have no specific experience with it of course, but I’ll give you my take as to how we approach this kind of illness in the world of homeopathy.” Her recommendations are all too new to me to be able to comment one way or the other but I’m sharing in case you are well-versed in homeopathy or are working with a homeopath. I have personally had success with Boiron Cold Calm, Roxalia (to stop losing my voice) and Oscillococcinum. And the government of India has homeopathy (together with Ayurveda and Unani) on their coronavirus advisory
My first-aid kit
In summary, here is my first-aid kit: Vitamin C, zinc, extra selenium, vitamin D, magnesium, oil of oregano, olive leaf extract, black elderberry and Biocidin Throat Spray and Xlear Nasal Spray (the latter two are always on hand and I always also travel with them).
I also always have essential oils on hand: tea tree oil, eucalyptus, rosemary, lavender and others.
This is pretty much what I always use other than adding in extra selenium, so it was very affirming to gather all this research.
GABA or tryptophan: if worried or overly anxious or fearful
If you’re feeling worried or overly anxious or fearful, the best way is to be informed and prepared. Interestingly, some of the very same nutrients mentioned above also help ease anxiety – vitamin C, zinc, vitamin D, magnesium and selenium and B vitamins – because they are co-factors for making neurotransmitters like serotonin, GABA and dopamine.
If all this information and being prepared isn’t enough to calm you down, then don’t forget the individual amino acids for quick relief. I use GABA for clients who are feeling physically tense and tryptophan or 5-HTP for worry-type of anxiety and if they are imagining the worst and can’t switch off their busy mind off.
We use the trial method to find the ideal amount for each person, starting low and titrating up based on symptoms and then down if not added benefits are seen.
You can find my most popular amino acid products on the supplements blog here (and with details for how to set up an account for my online store)
I’d love to hear what your plans are and what resources you have found. And what has worked well for you in the past in terms of immune support?
How anxious and worried are you? Hopefully less anxious as you become more informed?
As I mentioned above, these are resources I’ve gathered for my own personal use, and are in no way intended to be recommendations.