My Definitive Guide to the Coronavirus and Protecting Yourself From CoVid-19

In my ongoing quest to find you the most up-to-date and accurate information on the coronavirus (and to help lower your odds of contracting and if acquiring the virus, lowering the severity), I have put together a virus guide that you can use to keep yourself and your family healthy and safe.  First, here are the symptoms that everyone should be aware of:  fever, sore throat, dry cough, fatigue, shortness of breath, muscle weakness and loss of smell.  Advanced symptoms include poor blood circulation, increased inflammation, bone loss, cognitive issues, kidney trouble, pneumonia and acute severe respiratory syndrome.
 
What can you do to prevent or fight off a viral infection?  As far as prevention goes, washing hands and covering mouth and nose when sneezing and coughing is the number one prevention.  The virus can linger on your hands and face touching will give corona to you. Number two, social distancing and wearing a mask when not able to social distance will help contain the viral spread, protecting you and others.  Social distancing means not hanging out in groups of people if you cannot have 6-10 feet between you.  If you are out walking the streets of your town, you do not need to wear a mask unless you are walking towards other people.  If so, pull the mask up until you pass them.  It’s ok to ride a bike or run without a mask.  And, lol, it is ok to be in your car by yourself without a mask! 
 
It is very important if you have underlying health issues, to get them in control.  For instance, make sure you are on top of your diabetes, doing all you can to have normal blood sugar levels (either through diet or insulin monitoring).  The same goes with asthma.  It is important to make sure your respiratory system is taken care of.  If you have lung issues, two supplements work really well to support lung function and could help your lungs through distress.  Nature’s Sunshine produces a product called Lung Support and Standard Process makes Pneumotrophin PMG.  Both products are an important part of my household supplements. They are also essential to have if you do get CoVid-19 as they are helpful to lung function and performance. 
 
Being overweight has been found to be an issue with co-morbidity concerning contracting the virus.  30lbs or more overweight is considered obese.  Obesity is linked to severe viral cases of CoVid-19.  Losing weight has never been more important as this could be the difference between life and death.  Intermittent fasting is the easiest way to lose weight without dieting per say.  And Intermittent Fasting has shown to have other benefits including reducing inflammation and boosting immune function.  Simple to do.  Don’t eat for 15-17 hours after your evening meal and then eat as you normally would (do not binge eat).  Intermittent Fasting performed 2-3 days a week will cause a calorie deficit without dieting and you will lose weight. Naturally, if you have a health condition that requires food (low blood sugar, taking medications, etc), please talk with your doctor.
 
Exercise will not only help you burn more calories to lose weight, but exercise also boosts immune system function.  Therefore exercise is virus prevention.  In addition to exercise, sleeping enough hours a night will help immune function.  Drinking enough water to stay hydrated also helps with immune function and helps to flush toxins out of the body.  Adequate sunshine exposure will boost vitamin D production in the body. Low vitamin D levels are inked to severe cases of CoVid-19 and vitamin D is an important nutrient for immune system function.  Everyone should have vitamin D levels checked with a lab test.  Vitamin D supplementation lowers the risk of respiratory illness and lung infections in the elderly by 40%.  When you take vitamin D3, please take vitamin K and magnesium as these additional supplements help the D to work more effectively. 
 
Vitamin C is one of nature’s most important anti-oxidants.  Study after study shows the value of vitamin C in the daily diet.  If supplementing, 1000mg a day is plenty.  If you feel yourself getting sick, take multiple dosages 3-4 times a day for a few days to boost the body’s viral fighting capabilities. Do not overtake vitamin C if you suffer from kidney stones. Talk with your doctor first.   Like C, Quercetin is extremely valuable for viral protection and active virus fighting.  Quercetin has shown great promise is SARS virus treatment.  Quercetin also acts as an ionophore and pushes zinc into the body’s cells boosting immune function.  Zinc is also a supplement needed to take daily as it is well known for boosting immune function.  The combination of zinc and quercetin are the one-two punch if under a viral attack.
 
Preventive doses of elderberry extract have been shown to lower incidence of viral attack and respiratory illnesses.  Elderberry also has been shown to change the way viral cells mutate and stop the viral spread in the body. You can buy extract concentrate online or buy a bag of organic dried elderberries and make your own.  ½ cup of elderberry to two cups of water.  Bring to a boil and then simmer on low heat for 25-30 minutes. Let cool off.  Then pour the berries and liquid into a colander over a big bowl. Use your mash potato masher to squash the remaining liquid out of the berries.  Add organic raw honey to sweeten.  For added health benefits, put chopped fresh ginger root in your boil.  Much less expensive making your own, though my kids complain of the smell!
 
Lastly, protect your gut health with pre and probiotic bacteria.  The good digestive flora bacteria are vital for immune system health.  Eat fermented foods like sauerkraut, miso, keifer, plain organic yogurt (sweeteners negate the benefits, add your own fruit).  In addition take a pro-biotic supplement to boost bacteria count.
 
Chiropractic care also has immune system ramifications.  Studies show spinal adjustments increases in T-cell production, DNA rate of repair and white blood cell production, all important markers for immune system function and performance and overall health.

Pregnancy and Chiropractic:  In a recent news report, 85 newborns were found to have coronavirus.  It is vitally important that during pregnancy, the mother-to-be takes actions steps as described above to help their body and baby be virus free. Visiting a chiropractor during pregnancy is not only good for pelvic alignment and round ligament relaxation, but has profound health benefits.  Pregnancy chiropractic care is extremely important.

Author

Dr J. Zimmerman, Chiropractor Dr. Zimmerman is a practicing chiropractor from Galloway, NJ with 30 years of chiropractic practice.