Should You Be Worried About the Corona Virus?

With the media blasting us about the spread of Corona virus it is concerning for all of us so that we know our risk and how to protect ourselves. So, let’s look at some actual information about this type of virus.

If you recall there was a similar scare about the SARS virus in 2004. SARS stands for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. The Corona virus is a form of SARS. It appears to have started by jumping from animals to humans in Wuhan, China, and is known to affect bats. Like almost all flu viruses it is most dangerous in the very young and the very old. These age groups are at the greatest risk for developing a respiratory complication such as pneumonia, and that is what causes death.

Viruses themselves are somewhat self-limiting. Unlike bacteria, viruses are not actually “alive”. They act by penetrating the cell membrane in the host and using the machinery of the cell to replicate and make more viruses, which causes the cell to burst, releasing more viruses to spread. They usually come on fast and are resolved in a few days.

Antibiotics don’t work against viruses because the viruses are not living organisms. The best way to prevent viral illness from spreading is to have a strong immune system that does not allow the virus to take hold.

Plant medicines have a distinct advantage over chemical medicines. The body can recognize and incorporate plant medicines easily, and disease-causing organisms do not develop immunity or resistance to natural substances. There are times when antibiotics are necessary because they swoop in. The downside is that they knock out everything in sight, like renegade mercenaries, rather than work with the immune system itself. A healthy immune system is able to target just the disease organisms. Plant medicine can help because it has properties that can actually protect the cells from being taken over by an invading virus, supporting a stronger immune response, but not harming the body or healthy cells.

Red-algae is one type of a virus-fighter and Licorice root is another. These plants have specialized types of lectins that make the cell wall stronger to resist a virus, and also prevent the virus from hiding from the white blood cells in the immune system. Licorice root even works against SARS-type virus, such as Corona virus. https://plantmedicines.org/plant-medicines-fight-wuhan-coronavirus/  Yes, some lectins are helpful, despite what you may have read lately. https://draxe.com/nutrition/lectins/

Mediherb makes a Licorice Root tonic that is very pleasant to use, so if you are concerned about your risk, let me know. Licorice root is also an adrenal tonic, and should be safe for anyone in small doses of 1-2 teaspoons per day. If your immune system is compromise for any reason, or you have to travel abroad, this may be a wise precaution.  Mediherb also makes Viranon, which contains St. John’s Wort, Thuja, and Licorice Root. Echinacea is another powerful preventive herb. For younger kids I recommend giving them Chewable Congaplex daily, from Standard Process. Many kids like licorice, so liquid Licorice Root is easy to add in, with a little Stevia or Monkfruit for taste.

These are just a few of the natural products you can use to keep your body strong, and to improve recovery. Coughs from respiratory infections can be particularly difficult to kick, but natural medicine can end the hacking by supporting the lung tissue. Email me to find out what I recommend.

Meanwhile, there are several ways to make your immune system stronger to fight any infection, viral or not.

·       Limit sugar. Your white blood cells are the “Pacman” that go after disease-causing organisms, eating them for lunch by engulfing and eliminating them, and they become much less active after you eat sugar. Eating sugar throughout the day can really keep your immune system suppressed. Maybe the reason flu spreads in office settings is because of the cookies, candy, and junk foods that are shared among co-workers. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/does-sugar-really-suppress-the-immune-system/

·       Limit and manage stress.  When stress becomes chronic, the immune system is hampered, as well. So, find ways to give yourself a break so you can decompress. Get some mild exercise, spend time with friends, walk in Nature, keep a good joke book handy so you have some belly-laughs, take a tea break and turn off your electronic devices, stop watching the news media, play with your pets. Adaptogenic herbs (tonics to for the adrenal glands to balance stress hormones) like Ashwaganda and Astragalus can help, also. https://www.rn.com/featured-stories/stress-inflammation-immunity/

·      Get plenty of sleep. The body gets a chance to reboot during sleep, and       depriving yourself of this can make your immune system weaker.  Make sure that you are getting good quality sleep, also. If you wake up numerous times, or are not refreshed in the morning take measures to improve your sleep.

·      Avoid toxic environments. Remodeling projects, artificially scented products, and chemical cleaning products can expose you to toxins in your own home environment. There are ways to help your body to handle the exposures, and a good detoxification program is vital for anyone living in a developed country due to the environmental hazards all around us. Toxins weaken the immune system by causing the detox organs like the liver and kidneys to become congested and may even do cellular damage to these vital organs.

·       Take immune support measures. Increase your fruit and vegetable intake to at least 5 servings or more per day. (1/2 cup is a serving size) Avoid trans-fats in fried foods and packaged foods. Eat organic food as much as possible. Include immune support supplements daily. Vitamins A and D, as contained in Cod Liver Oil, have a host of benefits to the immune system. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/9-benefits-of-cod-liver-oil#section1 That’s why Cod Liver Oil has been used medicinally since 1794 by physicians, but mention of its use goes back to Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine.

At this point it seems unlikely that the Corona virus will sweep through the world like a disaster movie scenario, despite the fear-mongering in the media. If you contract flu it probably isn’t Corona. If flu of any kind takes hold rest and stay home so that you don’t spread the virus to others who are sleep-deprived, eating too much sugar, and stressed.

And, feel more secure knowing that, just in case there is a spread of Corona virus, and conventional medicine has no answers, you can turn to natural medicine for help.