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There’s no cure for novel coronavirus, but there are many good ways to help the body fight it off. ~Tony Salamay, D.C.
How to Win Against COVID-19 by Tony Salamay, DC
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t this moment of crisis, when the United States and the world at large are in upheaval due to a global pandemic of COVID-19, it’s more essential than ever that we stay well informed about factors that may affect our health. To that end, this article represents the frequently absent but all-important natural and holistic perspectives on staying healthy and supporting the immune system during these trying times. The purpose of this article is not to instill fear or panic, but to allay concerns by empowering people to fight this disease both medically and holistically. This article does not claim to represent any official or proven treatment or cure for COVID-19. Readers should consult with their primary care physician before pursuing any new course of medication or supplements.
Symptoms of COVID-19 The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever (appearing in 98 percent of cases); dry cough (76 percent), and muscle aches or pain (30 percent). Less-common symptoms include headache and diarrhea. People can have the virus for up to two weeks before they show any symptoms, although the average incubation period is five days. Statistics have shown that each infection results in at least 2.2 20
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new infections, and that the majority of infected patients are males. Currently, the average fatality rate in the United States appears to be 3 to 4 percent (that number varies widely, from 0.5 to 20, depending on the patient’s age and risk factors). Fortunately, COVID-19 itself is not terrifically fatal, although it can frequently lead to other conditions that are much more immediately dangerous. The most important signs to watch for are shortness of breath, which occurs in 40 percent of cases, and pneumonia, which must be verified by lab work and a chest x-ray or CT scan. Alarmingly, up to 17 percent of infected people and 42 percent of hospitalized patients have developed Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)—swelling in the lungs that makes sufferers feel like they’re choking. Beating COVID-19 means preventing these dangerous complications from happening. What follows are some natural methods for achieving this goal.
Prevention Because COVID-19 is most likely spread by people coughing or sneezing, the most effective way to prevent transmission right now is through social distancing or avoidance. The Centers for Disease Control recommends staying at least six feet from other people in public places, as well as washing hands thoroughly and often and self-monitoring for symptoms. One area in which people may not be defending themselves adequately is by failing to properly disinfect surfaces exposed to COVID-19. Even medical-grade alcohol can leave traces of the virus and other microbes, so standard disinfectants don’t provide sufficient protection against them. Research published in Biocontrol Science suggests that a weak solution of hypochlorous acid, which is safe on the skin, is much more effective for preventing microbial transmission.
Pharmaceutical Treatment While researchers are hard at work developing a treatment for COVID-19, at the moment there is no proven medication or cure available to the public. When azithromycin has been added, hydroxychloroquine has demonstrated good potential as a treatment— though larger-scale testing is still needed to determine whether and how it can be used safely and effectively in coronavirus patients.
The Battle for Our Lungs Recent research has revealed new information about how COVID-19 affects the body. The virus can activate a component of the immune system, the NLRP3 inflammasome, which in turn triggers a phenomenon known as a “cytokine storm”: the increased secre-
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