Public Health Disclaimer
Much of the information disseminated during our current health crisis concerns the virus and how limit your exposure. Much less has been written about the other side of the infection – us and our immune system. As a Naturopathic Doctor with expertise in natural medicine and the immune system, I will be writing a series of articles to empower individuals with an understanding of immune health and measures they can take to optimize their immune function preventatively and acutely.
I previously wrote a naturopathic overview of the immune system
I am not an epidemiologist or virologist and do not have expertise in public health. I encourage you to listen to the advisories and guidelines set forth by public health officials at the CDC.. These measures are only effective if everyone listens and follows them. These times require collective efforts to help curb the spread of the virus if not only for ourselves, then also for alleviating stress from the hospital system, and our friends and family who are more vulnerable to the virus.
A Naturopathic Medicine approach to The Coronavirus
A virus is a peculiar life being. The virus hijacks the cellular tools of its host – animal, plant, or human – to reproduce. Because the virus lives inside its host’s cells, medicines like antibiotics cannot kill the virus. The virus becomes a part of the host cells. Viral treatments must work with our innate immune system; fortunately, our immune system is able to regularly work through viral challenges with an intelligence and sophistication that modern medicine will forever be chasing to comprehend.
The virus responsible for the current pandemic belongs to the coronavirus family that also includes many of the strains that cause common cold. This virus has much in common with the Sudden Respiratory Distress Syndrome (SARS) coronavirus epidemic of 2002-2003 in the East Asian region. SARS-CoV-2 is a more accurate name for the current pandemic virus as CoVid-19 signifies only the virus’ family and the year of its spread. SARS-2 shares 80% of it genetic information with SARS-1, and they share the same ACE II receptor site to enter and infect our cells1.
If ACE sounds like a familiar acronym to you, that is because it is a class of antihypertensive medications that utilize the same receptor. These targets cells are predominate in the organs that control our blood pressure, and more broadly our cardiovascular system: blood vessels, lung, and kidneys*.
In addition to having a chemical profile, a virus also has an energetic profile. Clinical reports emerging from China indicate the SARS-2 virus is energetically Damp2. What is Damp? Close your eyes and imagine a thick heavy swamp. The air is thick, the water not moving. The image creates the sensation of stagnation and heaviness in your body.
In an naturopathic / integrative medicine setting, we account for both the chemical and energetic profile of the virus in our treatment recommendations. Certain nutrients are proven optimize the chemistry of your immune system. Vitamins A3 and D4 are both known to support immune balance. The hormone melatonin, often used as a sleep aid, has been correlated with reduced SARS-2 viral severity5, meaning quality sleep is important.
Energetically, there are home remedies and lifestyle choices that you may implement to reduce the chance of being a friendly host to a Damp pathogen
- Over-worrying worsens Dampness. Instead, trust that you, your family, and the world at large will do its best on a daily basis to work through this crisis together.
- Physical exercise at least three times per week is necessary for circulation of body fluids.
- Replace intake of Damp sticky foods such as white sugar, breads and milk, and replace them with fruits, vegetables, and salty soup broths such as miso.
- Apply a dab of essential oil such as eucalyptus or tea tree below your nostrils before going out of the house
- Cleanse your upper respiratory tract on a daily basis using neti pots the nasal cavities and gargling salt water for the throat.
While these are useful home remedies to follow, they are not a cure. They do not directly kill the virus. They are hygienic techniques for reducing transmission or supporting your immune function. The overall goal of proactively improving your immune health at home is to reduce the burden on our medical system; however, this is informational and not medical advice. Should you have individual concerns, contact a medical professional. Should be facing life threatening symptoms, seek emergency care.
Over the next few weeks, I will be producing more detailed information about how to implement these home remedies. Should you desire individual treatment suggestions:
Contact me via: Mikael.brucker@gmail.com to schedule a donation based telemedicine consult
*A discussion is underway within the international medical community whether ACE and ARB drugs worsen or protect from symptomology of the viral infection6. What is known is that patients with heart disease are particularly vulnerable to the more severe forms of the infection.
Work Cited
1. Coronavirus WI. ACE-2 : The Receptor for SARS-CoV-2. 2020:19-21.