Three Natural Ways to Defend Yourself Against COVID-19

Photo by CDC on Unsplash

It is a known fact that viruses mutate rapidly, and these mutations cause the production or release of new variants of that virus. And, the novel coronavirus is no exception to this.

At least three variant strains of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) have been studied.

What’s more? There is a need for people to be concerned about these new strains. There is evidence that these strains may be more infectious than the original strain, resulting in massive spikes in new cases.

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CDC has made some discoveries about the strains

An increase in COVID-19 cases would greatly overwhelm global healthcare systems, resulting in many “preventable” deaths.

Although a lot of studies are still being done on the variants — their ease of spread, whether or not they cause severe illness, and if the current vaccines will be able to protect against these variants, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has made the following discoveries about the new strains of the virus:

· There’s a large number of mutations in the B.1.1.7 variant of the virus. This variant was discovered in the UK and has spread across the globe, affecting industrialized nations like Canada and the United States. Agreed, the B.1.1.7 variant spreads very fast, but it is unknown whether it increases the risk of death or causes severe illnesses.

· The 1.351 strain was discovered in South Africa. This strain is independent of the UK variant, but both share a couple of mutations. Several cases have occurred outside South Africa. However, the 1.351 strain is yet to manifest in the United States.

· The P.1 strain originated in Brazil. It was discovered in four Brazilian travelers who underwent screening at Haneda Airport on the outskirts of Tokyo. The P.1 variant has not been detected in the US. P.1 contains a couple of mutations that may influence its ability to be identified by antibodies.

How can you protect yourself against these new variants?

The best way to defend yourself against the coronavirus's old and new strains is by minimizing your chances of exposure to the virus by naturally strengthening your immune system.

Medical researchers believe that the new strains of the virus have spike proteins that are longer and more open than the original strains. This allows efficient penetration of human cells, thus increasing their level of infectiousness. This means that transmission of infection will not require many virus particles — just a small number can do.

This explains why people should be more vigilant.

Here are a couple of ways to naturally protect yourself and your loved ones from the new strains of SARS-CoV-2.

1. Vitamin D

Research keeps coming out about the effectiveness of having optimal levels of vitamin D and defending against COVID-19. Having adequate levels of vitamin D can reduce hospitalizations and fatalities among COVID-19 patients.

Photo by Michele Blackwell on Unsplash

A recent study published out of India showed that vitamin D supplementation of 50,000 IU reduced the risk for severe COVID-19 outcomes among infected adults. Always consult your primary care physician before supplementing a large dose of vitamin D.

2. Omega-3's

Another new study showed that 21% of critically ill COVID-19 patients given 600 mg of fish oil daily for two weeks had a 1-month survival rate compared to only 3% of the patients given a placebo.

Photo by Anshu A on Unsplash

Omega-3 food sources include grass-fed meats and wild-caught fish. If you do not have access to these food types, then I highly recommend you start supplementing omega-3 that is molecular distilled, and 3rd party-lab tested such as this one.

3. Exercise

It is a fact that exercising boosts our immunity and makes us fit. A new study of nearly 50,000 people shows that being physically inactive doubles the risk of coronavirus death. It is therefore important that you engage in moderate exercise. This will boost your immune function and minimize your risk of respiratory infections. Intensive or vigorous exercise is good, but you should avoid it if you’re not feeling too well.

Photo by Fitsum Admasu on Unsplash

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References

Sallis R, Young DR, Tartof SY, et al. Physical inactivity is associated with a higher risk for severe COVID-19 outcomes: a study in 48 440 adult patients. British Journal of Sports Medicine Published Online First: 13 April 2021. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2021–104080

Oristrell et al., Preprints, doi:10.20944/preprints 202104.0173.v1 (Preprint)
 Association of Calcitriol Supplementation with Reduced COVID-19 Mortality in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease: A Population-based Study

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Disclaimer

Dr. Brett Berner received his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 2015. Dr. Berner is a licensed and practicing Foundational Chiropractor in Lutz, Florida. This article is for general informational purposes only. It should not be used to self-diagnose, and it is not a substitute for a medical exam, cure, treatment, diagnosis, and prescription or recommendation. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship between Dr. Berner and you. It would be best if you did not change your health regimen or diet before first consulting a physician and obtaining a medical exam, diagnosis, and recommendation. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Foundation Chiropractic and Brett Berner, D.C. are not liable or responsible for any advice, course of treatment, diagnosis, or any other information, services, or product you obtain through this article or others.

3 Reasons Why You've Been Wasting Your Money On Fish Oils

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There are just a few supplements on the market that are essential for living a healthy lifestyle. Fish Oil is one of them, but you've been wasting your money this whole time.

Wasting my money? What does that even mean?

Hate to tell you this, but you should just throw away what you have in the fridge as what you have maybe rancid and causing your body more harm than good.

You see, fish oil is BIG business for supplement companies. When you have hundreds and hundreds of brands that compete against each other on the price, the overall quality of the fish oil is reduced to help with costs. This doesn't benefit you, the consumer.

Let's learn why you've been wasting your money:

#1. Your fish is in the ethyl ester form, and you had no idea.

Most of the fish oil you see on store shelves is in the ethyl ester (EE) form instead of the natural triglyceride (TG) form, which is the most beneficial and most bio-available for us. In processing and removing the toxins from the fish oil, the TG is broken into EE. 

This type does not exist in any food source in the world as it is biochemically altered. It is expensive for companies to convert the EE back to the natural TG form so this step is almost always skipped. Nature knows best, so converting it back to the natural form is essential. Always, always, always look for Triglyceride Form on your fish oil bottle. If it isn't there, then DON'T BUY IT!

#2. Your fish oil is under-dosed and won't even benefit a toddler.

A common trick most supplement companies use is boldly printing 1,000 mg on the front of the bottle. Then you go to flip it over and discover there's only 300 mg of EPA/DHA, and the rest is 700 mg of soybean oil. This is unhealthy and definitely not good to consume.

Also, the EPA/DHA isn't even broken down, so you don't have the correct ratio that is needed.

Correct ratio?

Yes, there is a correct ratio, and it should always be 3:2. Nowhere in all the vast oceans of planet earth will you find a high DHA fish swimming around or even a high EPA one. This is yet again another clever marketing technique by companies to maximize profits. How so? Well, they make more money if they can sell three separate products as opposed to just one with the correct EPA/DHA.

#3. Lastly, you get fish burps and think it's normal.

Wrong. Just wrong. Believe it or not, you don't have to go through life with daily fish burps. Just take quality fish oil that isn't rancid. That's right rancid, rotten, spoiled. You see, fish oil is very easily oxidized, which means it can spoil very quickly. That explains why you will never see anyone cooking with it.

Next time you go fishing, try this experiment: reel in the fish and leave it sitting out in the sun for a couple hours and report back to me on how it smells. If you bought cheap fish oil at a CVS/Walgreens and got a case of the nasty fish burps, then you got yourself a bottle of rancid fish oil. Probably explains why it was $9.97.

Rancid fish oil actually promotes inflammation which is the exact opposite of what we wanted in the first place! By saving a few bucks, you literally paid to cause your body harm. So, take this post with you when you go shopping and invest in real fish oil.

5 Reasons Why Chia Seeds Are Good For You

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What Exactly Are Chia Seeds?

These taste-less, tiny things called “Chia seeds” come from a plant in the mint family (Salvia hispanica L.) cultivated in Central and South America. They were once a major food source for the Aztecs and Mayas back in their heyday. In fact, ‚ 'chia' is Mayan for 'strength.' 

They sport two different varieties—creamy white and grey-black—which can be used interchangeably. The weird brown-colored chia seeds are not fully mature. But don’t worry, they’ll reach puberty soon and change color.

The content in these little things is extravagant. They contain a high amount of fiber, protein, antioxidants and are literally packed full of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). ALA is the plant form of omega-3 fatty acids. But unlike flax seeds, chia seeds don't get rancid as quickly. People with celiac disease need not fear as chia seeds are gluten-free. 

Can Chia Seeds Help With Fat Loss?

Chia seeds are also thought to help keep your waistline trim by sucking up 10‐12 times their weight, forming a gel in your stomach that can curb vicious simple carb cravings by making you feel full longer. They also slow the digestive process that breaks down carbs and converts them to sugar, which means fewer carbs feeding the fat cells around your midsection. Oh, and for you, vegans out there, don't you fret. These seeds can act as an egg-replacer with their gelatinous-like binding powers. Go ahead, try it, you green thumbs you.

What Does the Research Show Us?

In animal testing, rats who were fed chia seeds saw significant reductions in LDL ("bad") cholesterol and triglycerides, while blood levels of HDL ("good") cholesterol and omega‐3s increased. The mechanism for such effects is unknown, as EPA and DHA do not cut LDL cholesterol. 

Another randomized trial tested a beverage consisting of chia seeds, soy protein, oats, and nopal (cactus) versus placebo in 67 patients with Diabetes. After two months, those assigned to the tested beverage lost weight and improved triglyceride and blood-sugar levels. 

Other small trials showed reduced post-meal glucose levels and raised ALA and EPA levels. Some evidence suggests that consuming milled chia seeds, rather than the whole, allows much more ALA to reach the bloodstream. This results in a higher conversion to EPA.