Hello Dear Friends -
I would like to offer some of my thoughts on what we all can do to stay as healthy as possible during this time with the COVID-19 virus among us.
Yes, it is incredibly important to wash our hands (20 seconds), use hand sanitizer, be social isolating and social distancing when we are out in public.
AND there are also many more things we can do to support and nourish our bodies minds and souls.
First, let me say that the COVID-19 virus is new to all of us and so treatments that specifically target this virus are still not definitively known. Therefore, the following advice is based on what has proven to be helpful for viruses and pathogens in general. (At the end of this writing I do speak of herbal formulas that have been specially designed for the COVID-19, based on research for other corona viruses ).
Our bodies have an innate intelligence and when balanced and strong, our immune systems can do an incredible job at fighting off pathogens.
So, lets look at what we can do to support our immune systems:
GET PLENTY OF SLEEP - at least 8 hours/night. Lack of sleep depresses our immune system.
EAT A HEALTHY DIET - eat lots of veggies (eat the rainbow) - have veggies at every meal and fruit and veggies for your snacks -they are chock full of antioxidants, anti inflammatory and full of vitamins and minerals and phytonutrients. Eat fermented foods - miso, kimchee, saurkraut, etc. - to support the good bugs in your gut that are essential for us to break down and absorb our food and and needed for our immune system to function properly. Cut way down on sugar and white flour -these suppress our immune system. If you feel an infection then stop eating any sugar or white flour.
STAY HYDRATED - drink at least 8 cups of water a day. Our cells need to be hydrated to function properly. Being hydrated will thin the mucus that our bodies produce during an infection and the thinner the mucus, the easier it will be too get it up and out of the lungs.
REDUCE STRESS - stress hormones have an inhibitory effect on our immune systems. Make it a priority to spend some time every day relaxing your body and mind - meditate, do yoga, take bath, do artwork, whatever helps you relax, calm your thoughts and decrease anxiety. Here’s a link to many wonderful, guided meditations - https://www.tarabrach.com/guided-meditations/
USE MEDICINAL HERBS:
Herbs can help so much!!!!
What do most of us have in our kitchens that we can use to help us support our health?
GARLIC - potent antimicrobial (including antiviral), immune boosting, supports CV health, breaks up lung congestion, is pungent and warming. You must chop it up first - then can just take like a pill and swallow with water OR
*can mix in OLIVE OIL (which is ANTIVIRAL & PROTECTS THE CILIA - which are the little hairs that line our respiratory tract and move in wavelike motions to sweep the mucous out - the CORONA VIRUS attacks our cilia cells - so its important to eat lots of OLIVE OIL to protect our cilia)
So -can add the chopped up garlic to olive oil and eat it on bread or over veggies - do this everyday!!! And add extra olive oil to your veggies, soups, rice, pasta, etc…
or you can mix the garlic with raw honey and swallow a spoonful.
Take 1 clove a day for prevention - take 3-5 if feeling any infection.ALWAYS TAKE WITH FOOD SO DOESN’T HURT YOUR STOMACH
ONIONS - antimicrobial and break up lung congestion.
Can make an onion poultice if you have lung congestion and this will help kill the pathogens and break up the mucus so you can get it up and out - here’s a link on how to make poultice :https://planetherbs.com/blogs/michaels-blogs/onion-poultice-for-deep-seated-coughs/
GINGER - antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, great for GI tract too, warming - put into soups, stir Frys, makes lovely tea - chop up and put about 1/4 cup into 8 cups water , bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add honey if you like.
Or you can go all out and make your own Chai tea - by adding to the ginger: cinnamon sticks, black pepper, cloves and cardamom pods (not necessary but yummy) - simmer all for 15 minutes. Chaga can be added too, if you have it - about 1/4 cup per 8-10 cups water. If you want black tea - add that after you have simmered the rest. ( I would not recommend black tea if you have a cold/flu/infection).
THYME , SAGE, ROSEMARY, OREGANO -all these common cooking herbs are antimicrobial, great for colds and flus and support upper and lower respiratory and lung health. Can make a tea with one or all of them and drink a few cups a day - put tsp-TBS of the herb in mug, fill mug with hot water and cover (keep the volatile oils in) let sit 5-10 minutes, strain, add honey if you like and enjoy.
AND WHAT ABOUT HERBS THAT WE CAN GATHER OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW?
USNEA LICHEN - antimicrobial, antiviral, affinity for the lungs (and urinary tract ) - can simmer for 15 minutes and drink as tea, can also just eat little dime-sized balls of it.
WHITE PINE NEEDLES - very high in Vitamin C - chop up, put handful in pot of water, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain and drink 1-2 cups/day.
Soon there will be many more medical herbs to use and I’ll write about them as they start growing out there !
OTHER HERBS THAT BOOST IMMUNITY:
ECHINACEA
ELDERBERRY - there has been concern that these 2 herbs can cause a cytokine storm - here is an article responding to this - https://www.herbalremediesadvice.org/elderberry-side-effects.html - by herbalist Rosalee de la foret.
There is no evidence that the herbs do this - but, if you are worried about this, then just take them for prevention and discontinue use if you get an infection (bc a cytokine storm will not happen when you don't have an acute infection).
BONESET
ELEUTHERO
MEDICINAL MUSHROOMS (reishi, turkey tail, shittake, cordyceps) -
Local source of shittake mushrooms - amanda.narowski@gmail.com
SUPPLEMENTS that I highly suggest for now:
VIT C - 1000 3X/DAY
D3 - 2000-5000/DAY
ZINC - 30-50 MG/DAY
In regards to Vit C- and COVID-19
: https://www.worldhealth.net/news/official-statement-china-recommended-treatment-covid-19/
The official statement from Xi’an Jiaotong University Second Hospital reads: “On the afternoon of February 20, 2020, another 4 patients with severe new coronaviral pneumonia recovered from the C10 West Ward of Tongji Hospital. In the past 8 patients have been discharged from hospital. . . [H]igh-dose vitamin C achieved good results in clinical applications. We believe that for patients with severe neonatal pneumonia and critically ill patients, vitamin C treatment should be initiated as soon as possible after admission. . .
Early application of large doses of vitamin C can have a strong antioxidant effect, reduce inflammatory responses, and improve endothelial function. . . Numerous studies have shown that the dose of vitamin C has a lot to do with the effect of treatment. . . [H]gh-dose vitamin C can not only improve antiviral levels, but more importantly, can prevent and treat acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress (ARDS).”
“We need to broadcast a message worldwide very quickly: Vitamin C (small or large dose) does no harm to people and is the one of the few, if not the only, agent that has a chance to prevent us from getting, and can treat, COVID-19 infection. When can we, medical doctors and scientists, put patients’ lives first?” (Richard Z. Cheng, MD, PhD, International Vitamin C China Epidemic Medical Support Team Leader).”
ESSENTIAL OILS - local VT store where you can order essential oils - https://aromedessentials.com/collections/essential-oils
-are highly anti microbial (caution - too strong to put directly on skin undiluted)
When you go out into a public space, wear a mask and treat it with any 2-3 of these essential oils: eucalyptus, frankincense, tea tree, thyme, oregano and rosemary. Put a few drops of these on your mask to protect yourself and others and it also treats your entire respiratory system as well.
If you do feel any cold or flu-like feelings (or for prevention or if you have been out in the public) - great to do a steam and use any of the above essential oils - will go deep into your lungs and kill pathogens, thin mucous secretions, open nasal passageways….boil water in pot, put on table, put head over pot with towel over head to make like a tent - CLOSE EYES (oils will hurt eyes), put one drop oil in water, breathe deep…..when no more scent, add another drop…..do for at least 5 minutes, the longer the better.
FEVER SUPPORT:
It is really important to understand that a fever is purposefully created in our body in order to kill off pathogens. When our internal body temperature is raised, this denatures and destroys pathogens. Therefore, even though it is uncomfortable, it is important to allow yourself to have a fever, as this will help to kill off the pathogens and shorten the duration of the infection. If your fever is under 104, then let it do it’s thing and don't suppress it with fever-reducing drugs or this will prolong the illness.
There is a class of herbs called ‘Diaphoretics” which are very helpful during fevers. Diaphoretics open the capillaries on our skin, open our pores and help us sweat and help to break the fever. Some diaphoretic herbs are: yarrow, peppermint, thyme, ginger, boneset, black pepper, fennel, elder, don quai, baikal skullcap.
If you have a fever and you are cold - drink some ginger tea (a stimulating diaphoretic) - this will warm you up and support the fever process, as you feel hotter (and achey and miserable) then go for a relaxing diaphoretic like fennel or peppermint tea - these will help to release the internal heat and break the fever.
Great podcast on flus and fever - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/holistic-herbalism-and-influenza/id1243181579?i=1000459820051
Herbal products I have to offer :
My Immune Booster blend contains herbs that boost our body’s immune system and also herbs that directly kill off pathogens. This is a helpful blend for prevention of infections including colds and flus.
My Lung Support has herbs that support lung function, support the mucous membrane of the lungs, fight off lung infections and thin mucous secretions.
My Sinus Oil has essential oils diluted in herbal oils that heal and soothe the mucous membranes of the sinus passageways. The essential oils are antimicrobial and open up the nasal passageways. This oil is great for preventing and healing sinus infections PLUS it is a great oil to put up your nostrils before you go out into public spaces to further protect yourself and others from pathogens in the air.
(I am sold out of my Elderberry Syrup Plus)
I am also making up some herbal blends that have been specifically formulated for the COVID-19 virus based on research of other Corona Viruses (like SARS). These formulas were created by Stephen Buhner - a well-known herbalist, researcher and author. Buhner has an amazing ability to research and understand pathogens and herbs and then put together protocols that are very effective.
Here is the link to the PDF by Buhner where he goes into detail about the “SARS-group of viruses” (COVID-19 is in this group) and why he is proposing the use of certain herbs to help deal with this pathogen. -https://www.stephenharrodbuhner.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/coronavirus.txt.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0agIt512xkQBev4l5IqkJnCi2xDNZPp48N1EbcbXGoLMTPqXUspF2Kdlc
I am not claiming that these formulas will cure a COVID-19 infection but theoretically, if the COVID-19 virus behaves similarly to other SARS-group viruses, then these herbs have many actions that could greatly deter this pathogen and support our bodies to fight off this infection.
From his PDF - “There are perhaps a dozen or two known corona viruses, only seven or so (at this time) are known to infect people. The first one that raised serious international concern was SARS (Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome). The new, pandemic coronavirus is a very close relative which is why it’s called SARS-Cov- 2. As with the original SARS organism, it is a serious pathogen when it begins to spread among large numbers of people.
The rationale here is to find plants that will counteract the actions of the SARS- group of viruses, then to cross correlate those in order to choose the plants that are present in most categories of action and that have a tradition of use for these kinds of infections.”
If you would like some of these herbal blends please email me at rootvinehealing@gmail.com
Email with any questions.
Sending warm and healthy wishes to all.
Love, Kimberly