COVID-19 Herbal & Nutritional Recommendations
There has been a tremendous amount of discussion on COVID-19 and I'd like to speak to it.
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that get their name for spikes on their surface, resembling a crown (or “corona”, in Latin). Coronaviruses can cause mild illnesses, such as the common cold, and occasionally, coronaviruses are associated with more severe illnesses. We have had a few coronaviruses transmit across the globe, including SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), first recognized in 2003, and MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) in 2012-14, and now COVID-19.
Most of what you're hearing includes limiting exposure to the virus by hand washing, not touching your face, avoiding close contact, and disinfecting surfaces. While I agree, I want you to know that you have more options.
Here are my top 4 recommendations:
1) Respect your body and be very mindful of what you're EATING.
The more nutrient dense foods that you consume, the stronger your barrier. In Chinese Medicine, wei qi is your immune system - this is literally your body's physical barrier to exposure. If you stay hydrated, avoid sugar and dairy, eat plenty of fruits and veggies, you are improving your immune system (or wei qi) exponentially.
2) Build up your gut flora and maintain good digestive health.
If possible, take a probiotic supplement that includes a prebiotic and probiotic. The prebiotic feeds the innate (or existing) gut bacteria while a probiotic introduces new flora that has been previously depleted from antibiotics, birth control, etc. A good digestive health supplement should have both. Here are some of my family favorite options.
3) Detox the liver.
Your liver cleanses your blood, therefore it cleanses your body's entire system. When building your immune system, your body needs a clear path to remove toxins. Drink dandelion tea and green juice, cook bitter greens and use garlic and turmeric when possible. Take burdock, milk thistle, and oregon grape supplements to boost the liver detoxification process.
4) Supplement where deficient.
Hospital staff in China are being given herbal formulas for prevention. One of the first lines of defense is a readily available formula called Gui Zhi Tang. This will help to build the immune system and fight off a hot pathogen or fever producing virus or bacteria.
If testing positive for the virus, many traditional Chinese formulas are being used depending on symptoms. A clear front runner that is available in the US is called Shuang Huang Lian (shuanghuanglian). Derived from honeysuckle, Chinese skullcap and forsythia, it is anti-viral, anti-bacterial and great for the immune system. Widely used to relieve symptoms of fever, cough and sore throat, Shuang Huang Lian was successfully utilized to treat the SARS and MERS outbreaks.
In addition to Chinese herbs, medical personnel and patients in China are being treated with high dose Vitamin C IV therapy to combat the COVID-19 virus. This liposomal Vit. C is a great alternative to IV therapy.
Other readily-available supplements that help boost the immune system: Echinacea, Olive Leaf Extract and Vit. D. When purchasing you will find the most affordable options at your local health store.
Of course, if you think you're exhibiting any symptoms, please call your primary physician to discuss next steps.
For more information on how Traditional Chinese Medicine is being used to treat Coronavirus, click here and here. We also found this article to be incredibly informative.
With Love and Optimism,
Angela