Unfortunately with Omicron I have now seen enough post-COVID patients from various strains to write this blog. Good news is if you have gotten COVID and still feel off in any way I have some health tips to help you feel like your old self again. This blog is for those who got COVID and please share with your friends and family so we can help each other post-COVID.
Post COVID or long haul COVID are the terms used when symptoms or signs persist for more than two weeks after COVID-19 onset. I have seen symptoms continue for months after and include fatigue, headaches, poor focus or attention, shortness of breath, and so much more. Symptoms after having COVID-19 continue after the initial infection because the SARS-CoV-2 virus goes into the body causing more inflammation than the average virus. The number one place that inflammation hits is the air ways and lungs because that’s how it gets into the body. The second place this virus hits is the liver. We are aware that it affects the lungs but no one is talking about the liver. So our goal at Healing Arts is to help boost up your immune system to reduce the inflammation while supporting the lungs and liver.
Due to the affect the virus has on the liver DO NOT go for any medical procedures that include anesthesia for 6 months after having COVID-19 even if you don’t have long haul COVID. The liver will not be able to handle the anesthesia and you will have a hard time detoxing it from your system afterwards. So unless it’s life or death, no anesthesia during this time.
The attack that the SARS-CoV-2 virus does on the liver is actually similar to what the Epstein Barr virus (EBV) does to the liver. EBV causes mono and is prevalent in high schoolers and college kids. Besides causing mono and attacking the liver, EBV has a third stage of attacking the thyroid and causing the autoimmune disease known as Hashimoto’s. I am now seeing in patients post-COVID, whether they have long haul symptoms or not, the SARS-CoV-2 virus also in the thyroid. It is supposed to take months to years for the EBV to hit the thyroid and that’s only after having a chronically weak liver. I’m seeing the SARS-CoV-2 virus hit the thyroid in weeks. What takes EBV years, is taking the SARS-CoV-2 virus weeks.
Using muscle testing I pick up on thyroid weaknesses due to an Epstein Barr virus energy a lot in my office even without the patient knowing there is a thyroid issue. It is because we are picking up on it before it becomes an issue. Western medicine has done a lot of studies saying that the majority of Hashimoto’s patients have Epstein Barr antibodies so there might be a correlation and I will tell you that there definitely is from what I see in the office.
Inflammation can happen in any organ due to any pathogen or heavy metal or heavy chemical. Toxins cause inflammation period. That’s why our goal at Healing Arts is to help the body detox and with the right nutrition it can heal. When we start supporting the body to kill pathogens we have to be careful that the body does not have a die off reaction or a herxheimer reaction. It occurs when any immune challenge: virus, bacteria, fungus or parasite, is being killed too fast. When these things die, toxins are released, literally pus and mucus build up and the body releases proinflammatory proteins (known as cytokines) in response. While some cytokine activity bolsters the immune system to fight infections, too many of these chemicals can have adverse effects. An overabundance of cytokines in the body leads to muscle and joint pain, fatigue, a suppressed immune system, skin rash and brain fog. It is with some post COVID patients that 8 weeks later I am still seeing a high level of cytokines in their body and this is even after putting them on a program to reduce the inflammation. Even if your COVID symptoms were mild, less than 24 hours of a slight cold, when I muscle test I am seeing cytokines stuck in the liver or thyroid causing inflammation.
I think SARS-CoV-2 weakens the body to feed off of glutathione and that’s why it loves the liver. SARS-CoV-2 goes into the body through the airways and starts attacking the lungs because that’s where it settles first but as it gets stronger and finds it way to the liver it feeds off glutathione and becomes even stronger. This stage 2 in the liver doesn’t happen for everyone if the immune system is strong enough to fight it off before SARS-CoV-2 makes a home in the liver. Stage 3 is when it burrows itself in the thyroid the same way EBV does. So the stages of EBV and COVID-19 are very similar except SARS-CoV-2 goes through the stages so quickly the body does not have time to recuperate and a lot more inflammation occurs with SARS-CoV-2.
Depending on the body this inflammation can look like a lot of different things. A study was done to show 50 different symptoms post COVID. The majority of symptoms were fatigue and headaches followed by attention disorder and hair loss. Besides supporting the immune system to fight COVID-19, then supporting the lungs, liver, and thyroid depending on what stages the body is going through we also support the headaches or attention disorder or hair loss by doing everything we can to reduce inflammation. What I am seeing in the office that is testing the most often with great results besides the usual vitamin D with vitamin K, zinc and vitamin C are these four supplements: Inflammation Relief , Wellness Blend , Hydroxygen and Glutathione.
Inflammation Relief is a supplement I made to reduce inflammation in the body including the cytokine response. The supplement contains: Curcumin, Gotu Kola, Quercitin, Boswelia, Bromelain, Magnesium, Black Pepper, and Fenugreek which are all amazing herbs to reduce inflammation. This supplement is good for the post COVID patient who is still having headaches or muscle aches.
Wellness Blend is the first supplement I ever formulated to really help boost up the immune system when sick or to take to prevent getting sick. Ingredients include garlic, liposomal vitamin C, mugwort, echinacea, oregano, lysine, eucalyptus and goldenseal. This supplement tests well for patients who just need that extra immune system support.
Hydroxygen are drops of oxygen that the body needs to heal faster. These drops are especially good for the post COVID patient that is still coughing or having trouble breathing.
Besides giving the body the right supplemental support we also want to replenish the glutathione that SARS-CoV-2 used. We muscle test to see if the glutathione supplement will help and here are some ways to increase your glutathione naturally. Glutathione is one of the body’s most important and potent antioxidants. Antioxidants are substances that reduce oxidative stress by combating free radicals in the body. While most antioxidants are found in the foods you eat, glutathione is produced by your body. It is primarily made up of three amino acids: glutamine, glycine and cysteine. There are a number of reasons why your body’s glutathione level may become depleted, including poor diet, chronic disease, infection and constant stress. Glutathione is also known to decrease with age. Maintaining adequate levels of this antioxidant is incredibly important for your health in general, not just post COVID. Here is what you can do to ensure healthy glutathione levels.
1. Consume Sulfur-Rich Foods
Sulfur is an important mineral that occurs naturally in some plant and protein foods. Sulfur is required for the liver to make glutathione. Sulfur is found in beef, fish and poultry as well as cruciferous vegetables. Cruciferous vegetables are a family of vegetables known for their sulfur content and include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, boy choy, arugula, radishes, watercress, collards and mustard greens. Eat too much at once and it can bloat you due to the sulfur. Allium vegetables, including garlic, shallots and onions, also boost glutathione levels also due to their sulfur-containing compounds.
2. Increase Your Vitamin C Intake
Vitamin C is found in strawberries, citrus fruits, papayas, kiwis and bell peppers. This vitamin has many functions, including working as an antioxidant to protect cells from oxidative damage. It also maintains the body’s supply of other antioxidants, including glutathione. Researchers have discovered that vitamin C may help increase glutathione levels by attacking free radicals first, thereby sparing glutathione. They also found that vitamin C helps reprocess glutathione by converting oxidized glutathione back to its active form (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12499341/).
The same study also showed that taking 500-1,000 mg vitamin C supplements increased glutathione levels in white blood cells in healthy adults by 18%.
Another study showed that taking 500 mg of vitamin C supplements per day increased glutathione in red blood cells by 47% (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8317379/).
Vitamin C’s relationship with glutathione is why intravenous Vitamin C drips are helpful when treating COVID. Dr. Andrew G. Weber, a pulmonologist in NYC, has been giving his intensive-care patients who have been infected with the coronavirus 1500mg of intravenous Vitamin C several times a day - as part of an anti-viral protocol.
3. Add Selenium-Rich Foods to Your Diet
Selenium is an essential mineral and a glutathione cofactor, meaning it’s a substance needed for glutathione to work. Some of the best sources of selenium are beef, chicken, fish, organ meats, cottage cheese, brown rice and Brazil nuts. By increasing your intake of selenium, you may help maintain or increase your body’s supply of glutathione.
4. Eat Foods Naturally Rich in Glutathione
The human body produces glutathione, but there are also dietary sources. Spinach, avocados, asparagus and okra are some of the richest dietary sources. However, dietary glutathione is poorly absorbed by the human body.
5. Add Turmeric to Your Diet Which Helps absorb Glutathione
Turmeric is a vibrant yellow-orange herb and a popular spice in Indian cuisine. The medicinal properties of turmeric are likely linked to its main component, curcumin. The curcumin content is much more concentrated in a turmeric supplement, compared to the powder we use to cook with. Just make sure the supplement has black pepper added to it because black pepper contains the bioactive compound piperine, known to increase the absorption of curcumin into the body by 2000% (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9619120/)
Numerous studies have shown that turmeric and curcumin extract have the ability to increase glutathione levels (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15650394/). Researchers conclude that the curcumin found in turmeric may assist in restoring adequate levels of glutathione and improve the activity of glutathione enzymes.
6. Consider Milk Thistle
Milk thistle supplements are another way to boost glutathione levels naturally. Milk thistle is a herb comprised of three active compounds, collectively known as silymarin. Silymarin is well known for its antioxidant properties and shown to increase glutathione levels. Researchers believe that silymarin is able to maintain glutathione levels by preventing cell damage (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1360480/).
8. Get Enough Sleep
A good night’s rest is essential for overall health. Interestingly, long-term lack of sleep can cause oxidative stress and even hormone imbalances (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25945148/). As if that wasn’t bad enough, other research has shown that chronic lack of sleep may decrease glutathione levels. Therefore, making sure you get good, restorative sleep each night may help maintain or boost your levels of glutathione. If you don’t sleep well here are my sleep tips: https://healingartsnyc.blogspot.com/2020/05/sleep-well.html
9. Exercise Regularly
Regular physical activity of course is good for both your physical and mental health. Recent research shows that exercise is also helpful in maintaining or increasing antioxidant levels, especially glutathione. Studies show it is a combination of both cardio and circuit weight training that increases glutathione the most, compared to completing cardio or weight training alone (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17925621/). However, overtraining without a balanced diet and proper rest can deplete your levels because too much exercise can be stressful to the body.
The good news is viruses can only affect us if we have a weak immune system. For the most part, a strong healthy body, virus comes in and virus goes out, creating very little damage, even SARS-CoV-2. The body’s own innate immune system is the strongest thing against any virus or other germ for that matter. Having a strong immune system is dependent on a healthy nutrient dense diet and a healthy lifestyle of exercise and good sleep. The less stress the better for mind and body health, and a body void of as many toxins as possible. We live and breath this concept at Healing Arts. We live this lifestyle, eat healthy and take our supplements for optimal health.
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