| I really couldn’t believe I got covid again for yet a third time after attending a hyperbaric oxygen therapy session I’d been going to to to try to help heal my lungs (this is one treatment that’s widely shown promise for long- haul covid sufferers experiencing a range of symptoms, from nervous system dysregulation, to aches and pains, lung scarring, and much more). This was concerning considering my last two experiences, with the second round being markedly more intense. Since I had more impaired lung function, I thought it could only get worse. This time, I was vaccinated (with pfizer, about 6 months prior). In retrospect, that that made a huge difference. Symptoms were nowhere near as severe as the two times. Unlike last time, I was able to continue doing small tasks like simply putting away dishes, cleaning up, and taking out the garbage without it setting me back. I was more cautious this time, however, so I didn’t take any risks pushing myself too far. This is why you haven’t heard from me for about two months. It’s very surprising how taxing such small tasks can be in this case. Additionally, with the knowledge I’ve accumulated on covid by now, I had a lot of the things on me that were vital last time, in addition to some other things I knew about but didn’t invest in before. The things I added this time and made a marked difference included: Alka seltzer and sprite. Alka seltzer contains baking soda as well as aspirin which is helpful against the coagulation covid’s notorious for as well as the cytokine (inflammatory) storm. Baking soda provides the body with alkalizing agents so that the body doesn’t have to be robbed from (via minerals in the bones if necessary) in order to keep an optimal, sufficiently alkaline, pH. There are some anecdotes from survivors of the Spanish flu where people would take baking soda to alkalize the body, creating an unfriendly environment for the virus with good results. Here is a quote from the 1924 booklet published by the Arm & Hammer: “The proven value of Arm & Hammer Bicarbonate of Soda as a therapeutic agent is further evinced by the following evidence of a prominent physician named Dr. Volney S. Cheney, in a letter to the Church & Dwight Company: “In 1918 and 1919 while fighting the ‘Flu’ with the U. S. Public Health Service it was brought to my attention that rarely any one who had been thoroughly alkalinized with bicarbonate of soda contracted the disease, and those who did contract it, if alkalinized early, would invariably have mild attacks.” The sprite is helpful because, well, it tastes better than coke or other sodas with the baking soda; and functionally, the carbonic acid from the carbonation acts as another buffer in addition to bicarbonate in baking soda. Eating raw garlic (a protease inhibitor. Drug- based protease inhibitors have shown effective for covid. Additionally, the sulfurophane is incredible at helping the liver to release the virus from the body and detoxify, as well as contribute to glutathione– the master antioxidant in the body which contributes to dampening inflammation, supplies our immune system with what it needs, and recycles vital nutrients like vitamins C and A) also made a huge difference and brought instant relief to my sinus pain almost every time I ingested it. I also took oil of oregano every day and noticed a big difference when I did and I didn’t take it. Liposomal vitamin C also made a huge difference. I took a serving every hour in the beginning and this consistently seemed to keep the chest congestion, which would otherwise lead to coughing, at bay. I used this brand but many are available. There were multiple times, when I’d started getting better and laid off on some of the intense supplementation too soon I would feel a cough coming on (like a lot of coughing very frequently at one point) and as soon as that happened I started using my Aerobika Oscillating Positive Expiratory Pressure (OPEP) device. This challenges exhales and opens the bronchioles (these are given to patients in the covid ward). This made a bigger difference than I even thought possible. I also used this device in the beginning as soon as I could feel chest congestion. I give this a huge amount of credit for stopping my symptoms from progressing into an actual cough; quite the feat given my previous experience. I took an “immunity” shot mostly made up of fresh ginger and turmeric juice, as well as Cayenne and black pepper, by the brand Vita, as well as the brand Suja which contained probiotics. During this time I learned how beneficial probiotics are for many aspects of covid and long covid– from immune function, to inflammatory regulation, and ameliorating bad bacteria, especially in the lungs (found in long covid patients as well as acute– and known to cause life threatening ARDS that so often leads to ventilation). This study showed probiotics actually helped patients avoid ventilation and cut both acute long- covid short. I also took andrographis, an herb which has been very prominent in studies of natural bioactives against covid. Here’s an example of one. I noticed a difference when I began to slack on supplementing with this any time within the first 3-4 weeks of contracting it. I was sure to use a neti pot to rinse my sinuses daily to avoid my nasal drip getting into my lungs and causing congestion like it did before. Covid, like no other illness I’ve experienced, caused very thick mucus in the back of my throat and in my lungs that– upon systemic dehydration and dehydrated sinuses– was impossible to get out, which became frustrating and scary. I used a tiny amount (less than a teaspoon) of hydrogen peroxide as well as a drop of iodine in my saline sinus rinses to add more antiviral, antibacterial components. I also used my nebulizer which helped loosen up the congestion. Using a very carefully proportioned amount of food-grade hydrogen peroxide diluted with distilled water in the nebulizing cup always brought my oxygen up, which is always reassuring when you’re dealing with covid and it’s effect on the lungs. A sodium ascorbate nasal spray was helpful to use as often as I needed (1/2 tsp sodium ascorbate in a sterilized nasal spray bottle of distilled water) to keep my sinuses from getting inflamed and hopefully prevent a loss of taste and smell. I never lost either but am not entirely sure of why. With covid, I get very inflamed, stinging) nasal passages to the point that they even bleed (which has never happened otherwise). When it got bad I used pure, food grade aloe and that soothed the areas immediately. What helped more preemptively was an ayurvedic application called Nasya which includes dropping 3-5 drops of herbal infused oil down the nostrils with your head tilted back and giving a sniff. This helped the inflammation and is recommended to be done during the winter to help prevent the sinuses from microbial infiltration, which is more likely when the sinuses are dried out and lacking the protection they have when they’re healthier. There are studies showing a nasal spray called Taffix is highly effective against protecting against covid due to the barrier it creates in the nostrils. I took high doses of pre- emulsified vitamins A and D (pre- emulsification is important especially if you’re not well because this does the gallbladder’s work for it since when the gb is inflamed). These I took before but not in as high of doses for as long as this time and they definitely made a difference. I took 10 drops of lugols iodine in coffee or another beverage, as an antimicrobial which also supports the metabolism, which last time I included as well. If you haven’t taken iodine in these amounts, you need to make sure you’re not sensitive to it and you work up from a small dose (of 1 drop or less, from a natural source like kelp if you haven’t tried that first. Cofactors need to be taken like vitamin C, adequate (non iodized) salt, and selenium are required with isolated, high dose iodine like Lugol’s, and a binder is wise to take with it to capture any toxins you might release as a result). Everyone has unique requirements and it’s best work with a practitioner. At the very least, read up on this carefully before trying it and, as discussed, taper upwards slowly. Studies show an iodine nasal spray is effective for helping protect against covid and reducing symptoms in covid patients due to it’s antiviral nature (working in the nose, helping to neutralize anything that drains from the nose into the lungs). Iodine also thins mucus. Of course, I took doses of 50 mg of zinc as well as quercetin (an ionophore that allows zinc to get into the cells). Quercetin is also an anti-histamine which proves important given that poorer covid outcomes as well as long covid have shown to have a connection to mast cell activation (aka excess histamine). I also took NAC which supplies the precursors of glutathione for immune support and anti- inflammation. This has been a must since long covid and I’ve learned not to run out of it. It seems to be a game changer for breaking up thick mucus as the sulfur breaks the bonds in the mucus. I hope this can help you or someone you know, or even better, that you don’t wind up needing any of this information. Be well. And Merry Christmas/ happy holidays 🙂 I’ve included some links for products that I’ve tried and found effective. If you choose to buy the product from the link, I can make a small percentage from the commission at no additional cost versus the cost if you found it on your own. |