Ross Walter Nutritionist and Naturopath health articles and blog

COVID-19 and coronavirus lies and statistics

30/3/2020

Scientists can only make good conclusions and recommendations after testing or using good quality data from good sources. There’s an old IT saying of “garbage in, garbage out” – if you put garbage data into a program, it will give you garbage results!

Similarly, doctors, politicians and the general public can only make good decisions based on good quality data. But sadly the data we are seeing in this pandemic is not of good quality, and yet the governments of the world are making massive decisions (and many new restrictive laws) which have a significant impact on people, people’s health and stresses, peoples’ livelihoods, jobs, businesses, education, companies, our rights and freedoms, and the economy (which sadly seems to be a more important factor in their eyes).

In science, the data is everything! Or more correctly, the quality of the data is everything. Without good quality data, we are only guessing. Guessing is not good enough. We need accurate information in order to justify the decisions our politicians and medical experts are making.

Dr John Ioannidis, a Professor of Medicine and a world leading expert in health research and policy, has given the following statements:

“In the coronavirus pandemic, we’re making decisions without reliable data.”
“The current coronavirus disease, Covid-19, has been called a once-in-a-century pandemic. But it may also be a once-in-a-century evidence fiasco.”
“At a time when everyone needs better information, from disease modellers and governments to people quarantined or just social distancing, we lack reliable evidence on how many people have been infected with SARS-Co-V-2 or who continue to become infected.”
“The data collected so far on how many people are infected and how the epidemic is evolving are utterly unreliable.”
“If we had not known about a new virus out there, and had not checked individuals with PCR tests, the number of total deaths due to “influenza-like illness” would not seem unusual this year.”
“Adding these extra sources of uncertainty, reasonable estimates for the case of fatality ratio in the general U.S. population vary from 0.05% to 1%.”

There are many reasons why we cannot believe the statistics (ie data) about this pandemic:

China is a secretive communist country, and they didn’t give out accurate or realistic statistics of incidences and deaths when the infection broke out there. Their official data showed a nice linear growth rate of incidences and deaths, but as we know with the coronavirus, it has a much higher transmission rate than the flu, and infected people are transmitting the virus to 2-3+ more people, which actually causes an exponential increase in numbers, not a linear increase. We are seeing that now the exponential growth in the “official’ statistics, since the infection spread to other countries. China’s data sucked.
Other countries have different testing criteria, with some testing more people and some testing not many at all
In Australia, there is a specific criteria which is used to determine if you get tested or not. Testing isn’t being done on everyone who shows with a respiratory infection
There is a lack of test kits, or laboratory staff or equipment to process all the tests, which has lead to the restriction of those who can actually get tested
There is no central register of case incidences and mortality
Recording of cases is open to bias or assumption
People who die with one or more chronic health conditions are being classified as dying as a primary result of the virus and not of their existing health conditions
The COVID-19 PCR testing used to confirm infection isn't accurate!

Governments and health authorities have also made very basic (ie, pathetic IMHO) recommendations for reducing your risks of getting the virus and transmitting it, based on NO accurate scientific data whatsoever. They are only using the above inaccurate and biased reporting data.

Here’s some more data from Australian officials as at March 26 2020: (Australian Government Department of Health, 2020)

Australian NCOVID-19 Incidences             3966 (as at 29 March, 2020)
Australian NCOVID-19 Deaths                    16
Australian Mortality Rate                              0.4%

Are these statistics worth shutting down the entire country for?

Let's compare our statistics to that of the country with the highest mortality rate - Italy:

Italian NCOVID-19 Incidences     92,472 (as at 29 March, 2020)
Italian NCOVID-19 Deaths            10,023
Italian Mortality Rate                      10.8%

What did Italy do, or what other factors have lead to such a high mortality rate, compared to other countries?

A report by the Centre for Evidence Based Medicine (2020) investigated the incidence and mortality rates in Italy compared to other countries and found a higher aging population (2nd highest in the world), a high prevalence of men who smoke (28% compared to 15% in UK), the highest rate of antibiotic resistance deaths in Europe, and how deaths are recorded. Their ministry of health reported that only 12% of deaths being reported as being caused by the coronavirus had any direct causality to the virus. Hence more people are dying WITH the coronavirus, but not OF the coronavirus.

But this situation is not new in Italy, with studies published on flu infections and mortality in previous years, showing that Italy (because of a high aging population) has a much higher mortality rate amongst the elderly compared to other European countries (Rosano, A. et al, 2019).

And lastly, since the medical authorities and governments of the world are making vast changes to laws and restrictions to your rights and freedoms to try and reduce your risk of the virus, why don't they know that the COVID-19 test is only 20% accurate?!

Yes, a recent published study shows that the COVID-19 pathology test is reporting up to 80% false positive results in asymptomatic people (those showing no symptoms at all) (Zhuang et al., 2020). In many cases, people have tested positive for COVID-19, but a day or so later, testing negative, then positive again. This shouldn't happen.

All this disruption to our personal and work lives, to our families, finances, companies and the economy, and more, are based on a VERY low mortality rate in healthy people, and on a test that is only 20% accurate, and data which is totally inaccurate...

If an infection, like this coronavirus, gives only mild symptoms in healthy people, then it is a MILD infection! If it causes more serious symptoms in some people, it's because of something else going on with that person. As we now know, those other reasons include having one or more chronic health condition which has already weakened their immune system and their body's ability to deal with the infection.

In short, the testing for coronavirus is inadequate as well as inaccurate, the reporting of cases is inaccurate, the reporting of deaths being too quick to lay blame at the virus, and therefore the overall statistics are essentially useless, but they make for great fuel for the fire that is the media coverage of this infection. Don't buy into the media scare campaign!

Heed the warnings, but do more to support your immune system as well, as per my previous articles.

Stay healthy!

References:
Australian Government Department of Health. (2020). Coronavirus (COVID-19) current situation and case numbers. Retrieved 29th March 2020 from https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert/coronavirus-covid-19-current-situation-and-case-numbers
Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine. (2020). Global Covid-19 Case Fatality Rates. Retrieved 29th March 2020 from https://www.cebm.net/covid-19/global-covid-19-case-fatality-rates/
Rosano, A. Bella, A., Gesualdo, F., Acampora, A., Pezzotti, P., Marchetti, S., Ricciardi, W., Rizzo, C. (2019). Investigating the impact of influenza on excess mortality in all ages in Italy during recent seasons (2013/14-2016/17 seasons). International Journal of Infectious Diseases 88: 127-34. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2019.08.003
World o Meter. (2020). COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic statistics. Retrieved 29th March 2020 from https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
Zhuang, G.H., Shen, M.W., Zeng, L.X., Mi, B.B., Chen, F.Y., Liu, W.J., Pei, L.L., Qi, X., & Li, C. (2020). Potential False-Positive Rate Among the 'Asymptomatic Infected Individuals' in Close Contacts of COVID-19 Patients. Zhonghua Liu Xing Bing Xue Za Zhi, 41 (4), 485-488. DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.cn112338-20200221-00144.

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Why are there huge differences in coronavirus incidences & deaths between the northeRN and southern hemispheres?

26/3/2020

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In a previous article I crunched some numbers on the statistics of coronavirus incidences and deaths, and identified a large disparity between the incidences of the infection in the northern vs southern hemispheres.

In many studies on respiratory infections like the common cold, flu, asthma and pneumonia, there is a significant seasonal fluctuation with most incidences being in the cooler and drier months of the year (Fagbo et al., 2017). The causative link of much higher respiratory infections in winter is due to a vitamin D deficiency. In fact, some studies have shown that a vitamin D deficiency is THE cause of epidemics of respiratory infections in winter (Cannell et al., 2008).

I have crunched the numbers again on the coronavirus statistics, again to look at the differences between the hemispheres. With more data available, I get a similar picture to before, but showing an even more significant outcome. My findings are:

North                    Equator                South
No. countries affected                  67.5%                    8.1%                      24.3%
No. COVID-19 incidences 96.8%                    1.7%                      1.4%
No. COVID-19 deaths                     98.8%                    1.0%                      0.22%

Note the huge difference in incidences and deaths between the northern hemisphere and the south. Yes 88-90% of the world’s population live in the northern hemisphere, which can account for some of the difference, but certainly not all of it.

Some more statistics and more differences in the seasonal influence of coronavirus:

  Northern Hemisphere                  Southern Hemisphere
Average mortality rate* 2.04% (range: 0 - 10.10%) 0.57% (range: 0 – 2.07%)
Australian mortality rate 0.39%

* Using data from countries with over 100 incidences (as at 26/03/2020)

There is a 400% increase in coronavirus mortality rates in the northern hemisphere compared to the south. And a 500% difference in the maximum mortality rates between the hemispheres. Australia's mortality rate is very low overall, and when compared to other southern hemisphere countries, and far less than those in the north.

Why is there such a difference between the north and south? The northern hemisphere is coming out of their winter, the traditional season of the highest seasonal respiratory infections, and into spring, another time for seasonal respiratory issues with asthma and hayfever. The attached table shows the differences in the amount of time needed in the Aus capital cities to make the same amount of vitamin D in winter vs summer! In summer, there's not much of a difference, but a huge difference in time needed in the sun in winter to make vitamin D, especially the further from the equator you are located. This is the problem that the northern hemisphere countries are having.

Low vitamin D levels, from low sun exposure in the colder months, is a cause of low immune system function in winter, and a major cause of respiratory infections and outbreaks like we are seeing (Cannell et al., 2008). Vitamin D is THE key! Vitamin D is the key to prevention and treatment in this pandemic. Conversely, as we in the southern hemisphere are coming out of our summer, our vitamin D levels should be optimal (if we don't use sunscreen every 5 minutes and don't avoid the sun!) to keep us healthy and our immune systems strong going into the colder months. That's the ideal situation, but I see very low vitamin D levels in many clients, even in summer in Qld!

As I keep saying, in order to fix health issues, you must “FIND THE CAUSE AND FIX THE CAUSE”! Normally I would recommend getting your vitamin D levels tested first to check, and then see if you are deficient and need to supplement. At this time with pathology labs working overtime to do coronavirus testing and more on those in hospital, there’s a delay for waiting on pathology results. I don’t think you should wait – get more sun time daily (without getting sunburnt!) AND take a good quality vitamin D supplement daily. You need vitamin D3 (NOT vitamin D2, so check the product label) from a good source, in a capsule form, or oral drops or oral spray, or in cod liver oil! There’s very little harm or risk in taking a vitamin D supplement daily at the moment and continue this while this pandemic is still around or until after winter (for those of us in the southern hemisphere).

Keep up with good hygiene practices, but more importantly, support your immune system better to help it prevent and fight this or any other infection! If you have to isolate yourself, through government mandates or due to infection, DON’T just stay inside! Get outside in the sun in your garden! Get some direct sun exposure on your skin to make more vitamin D (remember that glass blocks the UV-B light needed to make it), as it is the most powerful immune system booster we have!

Stay healthy!

References:
Cannell, J.J., Zasloff, M., Garland, C.F., Scragg, R., & Giovannucci, E. (2008). On the epidemiology of influenza. Virology Journal, 5 (29). DOI: 10.1186/1743-422X-5-29

Fagbo, S.F., Garbati, M.A., Hasan, R., AlShahrani, D., Al-Shehri, M., AlFawaz, T., Hakawi, A., Wani, T.A., Skakni, L. (2017). Acute viral respiratory infections among children in MERS-endemic Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 2012-2013. Journal of Medical Virology, 89 (2):195-201. doi: 10.1002/jmv.24632

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Why the germ theory focus of coronavirus prevention is wrong

24/3/2020

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In the late 1800s, and earlier, the popular belief of the time was that diseases and infections were caused by evil spirits, or a "miasma" in the air. This was until Robert Koch, a German doctor, using a microscope found "germs" (ie, bacteria) in the blood of cows who died from anthrax. He suspected that these "germs" caused the anthrax, so he transferred them into mice, who then developed anthrax. Koch proved that these microorganisms were the cause of diseases (National Academy of Sciences, 2004).

Koch then developed his famous 4 "postulates" (MedicineNet, 2019), being:

The microorganism must be present in every case of the disease (or infection)
The microorganism must be isolated from the host with the disease and grown in pure culture
The specific disease must be reproduced when a pure culture of the microorganism is inoculated into a healthy susceptible host
The microorganism must be recoverable from the experimentally infected host.

Koch's postulates are still used somewhat today, despite having some limitations, in that they don't always apply to all types of bacteria or even for viruses.

This germ theory was not universally accepted even after the discoveries of Koch and Pasteur. One of the reasons was that, according to Koch's Postulates, a pathogen must cause the disease in EVERY case. But this doesn't happen! Some more recent experiments have been conducted and results published, after deliberately infecting individuals with a flu virus - even with a strain that was similar to the one which allegedly caused huge mortality rates in the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic. In this study, researchers found less than 40% of those who inhaled the virus actually developed symptoms! And of those who did develop symptoms, they were very mild to mild, and none had any serious symptoms at all (Cannell et al., 2008). Other research investigating the transmission of respiratory viruses amongst people in close proximity, again where some human participants were deliberately infected with a flu virus, found that only 20% of people developed symptoms of an infection. Up to 80% of people who were exposed to the virus did NOT actually develop the infection (Cannell et al., 2008).

Results from this research and other viral infections show that there are many more factors involved in an outbreak than it just being caused by a virus. We are seeing this in the current pandemic too - of symptoms being very individual in severity and duration, and many people being exposed but not getting symptoms at all. There are many reasons for this that have been known for a long time (Stewart, 1968):

Genetic constitution - your inherited genes, and your how they are expressed (turned on or off) to contribute to your health or ill-health
Susceptibility - your existing health
Behaviour - including hygiene and lifestyle practices
Socioeconomic determinants - income and expenses, and how the income is spent.

All of these factors are host-based factors, meaning they are related to YOU, your body, your choices and your immune system. However, the germ theory of disease believes that infectious disease is primarily caused by transmission of an organism from one host to another. This is a gross oversimplification. The germ theory has become a dogma because it neglects the many other factors which have a part to play in deciding whether the host person/germ/environment complex is to lead to infection (Stewart, 1968).

In this current coronavirus pandemic, the media scare campaign has everyone overly anxious and fearful about everything, but pretty much the only guidance from your elected officials and health departments have given you to date for the "prevention" of this virus has been to "wash your hands" more.
I said in a previous post that the recommended advice by these "experts" of just washing your hands was pathetic advice, in terms of all the other things you can do for prevention. Similarly, the belief that sanitising everything in sight, distancing yourself from others in schools, cinemas, shopping centres, restaurants and any other public place, again, may only slightly reduce your risks of getting this infection or reducing its severity. All of the current prevention strategies being recommended are trying to avoid or target the virus itself, when we can neither completely avoid all pathogens, and we certainly cannot kill them all with hand sanitiser or antibacterial wipes! Not to mention (again) that there is no evidence that washing hands, or using sanitisers or removing oneself from others, will actually reduce your risks of this particular infection. It's pure speculation!

Instead, or perhaps as well as improved hygiene, some better things you can do to prevent and reduce your risks of this pandemic are to work on your immune system! After all, as mentioned above and shown in studies, if your immune system is strong, it can deal with any virus without you developing symptoms or the infection. If for many reasons, your immune system isn’t so strong, then there are many natural things you can do regarding your food intake, lifestyle, environment, to quickly improve its function to protect you and reduce your risks of this infection. It's not too late to start!

I'm sure some readers will take this article the wrong way. I'm not saying to not wash your hands or not improve your hygiene. Keep doing this every day, regardless of whether there is a pandemic or not! But I'm also highlighting that the recent focus on killing the virus or attempted restrictions on movement or isolation is NOT ENOUGH! You MUST also work on your immune system defences to help prevent the virus getting into your body, and to help it fight any infection so that you can recover more quickly, without progressing to pneumonia that can be very dangerous.

Louis Pasteur, one of the leading figures in the early germ theory, said on his deathbed "The microbe is nothing, the terrain is everything" - meaning that infections are nothing compared to the host or the body , or that an infection is more the result of host-based factors, and not the microbe. A strong immune system will prevent the infection more than any other factor. Antoine Bechamp, a rival of Pasteur, said to "treat the PATIENT, not the infection"! Just like Koch and Pasteur, the focus on prevention and treatment in this pandemic is wrong. It must be changed to help people and their immune systems instead.

Please refer to my other articles on the coronavirus prevention strategies for more information. You CAN improve your immune system function to better reduce your risks of this virus!

Stay healthy!

References:
Cannell, J.J., Zasloff, M., Garland, C.F., Scragg, R., & Giovannucci, E. (2008). On the epidemiology of influenza. Virology Journal, 5 (29). DOI: 10.1186/1743-422X-5-29

MedicineNet. (2019). Medical Definition of Koch's Postulates. https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=7105

National Academy of Sciences. (2004). A theory of germs. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK24649/

Stewart, G.T. (1968). Limitations of the Germ Theory. The Lancet, 291 (7551): 1077-1081. Doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(68)91425-6

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Coronavirus outbreak is affected by season and vitamin D

16/3/2020

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A few days ago I investigated the statistics of the coronavirus incidences and deaths around the world to check a suspicion. This article is based on what I found. You can use this information to help protect yourself during this outbreak.

Looking at the statistics of the countries with tested and apparently confirmed coronavirus incidences, there are:

83% are in the northern hemisphere, and
only 17% is the southern hemisphere.

In addition to these stats, out of the countries with coronavirus deaths:

91% are in the northern hemisphere, and
just 9% in the south or on the equator...

This is extremely significant, but why?

Well, the northern hemisphere countries are just coming out of their winter.

From past experience and reading relevant research, I know that the rates of respiratory infections like the common cold, flu and pneumonia are higher in the cooler and drier winter months, and not in summer. So it didn't surprise me to see the coronavirus taking hold during the 2019-2020 winter in the northern hemisphere.

But why do we see this seasonal variation of respiratory infections?

It's quite simple really! During winter, and especially coming out of it, it is very typical of most people to have low vitamin D levels! Vitamin D is made by our bodies from direct sunlight on exposed skin. In summer we are outside in the sun more, exposing more skin to the sun and making more vitamin D. In winter the reverse is true.

Vitamin D is a massive immune system booster! Vitamin D also reduces inflammation, reduces the rates of viral respiratory infections and influenza, and reduces lung conditions like asthma (Hossein-Nezhad & Holick, 2014; Martineau et al., 2017). Vitamin D can also offer antiviral and antibacterial actions as well as stimulating the innate immune system (which identifies and deals with unknown or new infections) (Martineau et al., 2017).

Our summer vitamin D levels should be good enough to keep our immune systems functioning well through winter and into spring when it warms again (then we start going outside with less clothes on again!). But I see more clients than not are vitamin D deficient even in summer in Qld, which is crazy!

Vitamin D deficiency, especially in winter, can be a major cause of respiratory infections (Fagbo et al., 2017) and a vitamin D deficiency amongst a large percentage of the population (which occurs in winter) is the cause of influenza respiratory infection epidemics (Cannell et al., 2008).

Flu and respiratory infection epidemics are caused by a deficiency of vitamin D! Regardless of whether you are located in the northern or southern hemisphere, get out into the sun (without getting sunburnt!) daily to make more vitamin D, and/or start getting onto your vitamin D supplements NOW for prevention! And also look at some of the other immune system supportive nutrients and herbals, and antiviral products too, as mentioned in my earlier articles!

References:
Cannell, J.J., Zasloff, M., Garland, C.F., Scragg, R., & Giovannucci, E. (2008). On the epidemiology of influenza. Virology Journal, 5 (29). DOI: 10.1186/1743-422X-5-29

Fagbo, S.F., Garbati, M.A., Hasan, R., AlShahrani, D., Al-Shehri, M., AlFawaz, T., Hakawi, A., Wani, T.A., Skakni, L. (2017). Acute viral respiratory infections among children in MERS-endemic Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 2012-2013. Journal of Medical Virology, 89 (2):195-201. doi: 10.1002/jmv.24632

Hemilä, H., & Chalker, R. (2013). Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 1: 1465-1858.

Hossein-nezhad, A., & Holick, M.F. (2014). Vitamin D for Health: A Global Perspective. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 88 (7): 720–755. doi: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2013.05.011

Leary, P. F., Zamfirova, I., Au, J., & McCracken, W. H. (2017). Effect of Latitude on Vitamin D Levels. The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, 117 (7), 433. doi:10.7556/jaoa.2017.089

Martineau, A.R., Jolliffe, D.A., Hooper, R.L., Greenberg, L., Aloia, J.F., Bergman, P., Dubnov-Raz, G., Esposito, S., Ganmaa, D., Ginde, A.A., Goodall, E.C., Grant, C.C., Griffiths, C.J., Janssens, W., Laaksi, I., Manaseki-Holland, S. Mauger, D., Murdoch, D.R., Neale, R., Rees, J.R., Simpson, Jr, S., Stelmach, I., Kumar, G.T., Urashima, M., & Camargo, Jr, C.A. (2017). Vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory tract infections: systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data. British Medical Journal, 356: i6583. doi: 10.1136/bmj.i6583

Tamerius, J., Nelson, M.I., Zhou, S.Z., Viboud, C., Miller, M.A., & Alonso, W.J. (2011). Global Influenza Seasonality: Reconciling Patterns across Temperate and Tropical Regions. Environmental Health Perspectives, 119 (4). doi: 10.1289/ehp.1002383

van der Mei, I.A.F. Ponsonby, A-L., Engelsen, O., Pasco, J.A., McGrath, J.J., Eyles, D.W., Blizzard, L., Dwyer, T., Lucas, R., & Jones, G. (2007). The High Prevalence of Vitamin D Insufficiency across Australian Populations Is Only Partly Explained by Season and Latitude. Environmental Health Perspectives, 115 (8): 1132–1139. doi: 10.1289/ehp.9937

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why is washing your hands not enough to prevent the coronavirus?

10/3/2020

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I've had a lot of questions about what would I recommend people do to reduce their risks of either getting the coronavirus, or treating it. I will give more advice here!

As I've said in my previous articles on the topic, our medicines and supplements regulator (the Therapeutic Goods Administration or TGA) has warned all health practitioners to not recommend any products or therapies or make any claims that they can either prevent or treat the coronavirus, unless there is published evidence of their effectiveness against this specific virus.

But of course with this virus being very new, there is NO evidence of any therapy, either natural or pharmaceutical, that can claim to prevent or treat this infection. There is NO evidence that washing your hands will prevent this coronavirus! Yet the TGA, and health departments and doctors are happy to be hypocrites and recommend this and basically nothing else, because they have nothing else to help you.

I find their lack of advice to you, and the public in general, to be pathetic and next to useless. Their lack of acceptance of natural preventatives or treatments based on PAST evidence on all other types of coronaviruses, is insane and likely to cost a lot more people their lives. They SHOULD be recommending more preventative strategies based on past evidence. But they aren't...

Since I can't apparently give you advice or recommendations, I will tell you what I would do!

But firstly, since there is no vaccine for this new virus, you are totally dependent on your immune system for protection, prevention and recovery for this infection. Your immune systems have developed over millennia to protect you 24/7 from any and all known and unknown infections. Your immune systems are amazing! They know exactly what to do whenever a new bacteria or virus comes along that it hasn't seen before. That's why you need to help your immune system to do its job!

Washing your hands won't help much at all, especially when you can simply BREATHE in the virus from being in close proximity to others who are infected.
I started recommending strategies and products for immune system support weeks ago, when the virus first started making the news. I need to actively support my immune system, because if I don't, I can get infections easily. That's just my dodgy genetics combined with not looking after myself at times in the past!

The main strategies and products I use for prevention include:

• Vitamin C at a higher dose - vitamin C is a proven immune system stimulant, effective against most infections in research studies and including against other forms of the coronavirus (the common cold virus and SARS). However, a 100mg, 250mg or 500mg daily dose of vitamin C is nowhere near enough! This is a deficiency-preventing dose, not a therapeutic dose. I am taking at last 2000mg daily for prevention at this time.

• Vitamin D at a higher dose - Vitamin D is a huge immune system booster, anti-inflammatory, and many other benefits. Low vitamin D levels are the cause of seasonal flu outbreaks and other respiratory infections. We usually see such respiratory infection outbreaks in winter, when vitamin D levels are lowest! Many studies show improving vitamin D levels by supplementing in the cooler months can reduce incidences and severity of colds and flu! All the more reason to start getting onto this now that summer is over! I am taking 4000IU daily now.

• Zinc - I find that a large percentage of my clients are deficient in this essential mineral, which is needed for good immune system function against infections, and a lot of other uses and benefits. Dose - once daily (avoid zinc oxide products). I take 1x 25-30mg dose daily.

• Probiotics - Your probiotic bacteria in your digestive tract make most of your immune system proteins, hence its importance in improving your immune system function. A good quality multi-strain probiotic is good, or regular fermented foods, together with a healthy variety of foods can greatly help your immune system. I would take one capsule once daily to start.

• Herbal medicines - many herbal medicines have immune system boosting effects as proven in published research, as well as some having antiviral effects, even against other coronavirus species! One very well tolerated (and tasty) one is elderberry - which has immune stimulating actions as well as being an antiviral herb. Also, garlic has potent antiviral and antimicrobial effects! Both elderberry and garlic have been shown effective against other coronavirus strains in research. Licorice (the real licorice, not the sweet lolly form!) also has antiviral effects against other coronaviruses. There are a lot more herbs which can help your immune system and have antiviral effects. I can't recommend more here or their doses, as other factors need to be taken into account, such as medication interactions and personalised dosing etc. See me for more advice on these.

• Water intake - keeping up your water intake is very important! Sufficient water will keep your mucus membranes in your nose and respiratory tract nice and moist, which will trap and stop viruses and bacteria from infecting your cells there.

• Good hygiene - This is the only thing that you are being told to do - wash your hands regularly with soap and water, and stop touching your face, eyes and nose etc. Sneeze or cough into the crook of your arm/elbow, and not into your hand!

• Sleep quality and quantity - this is needed for cellular and tissue repair, detoxing, and immune system functions. So make sure to get sufficient quantity and quality sleep!

• Reducing stress - Stress not only depletes some essential nutrients needed for your immune system, but stress reduces your immune system function on its own. Hence reduce your stress exposure, or improve how you deal with stress. Exercise, meditation, breathing exercises, and more can help reduce the effects of stress.

• Improving your nutrient intake - your immune system is reliant on a variety of nutrients to make your white blood cells (your infection-fighting cells). Avoid sugary foods and drinks, as these can reduce your vitamin C levels, increase inflammation and weaken your immune system. Similarly, reduce intake of high carbohydrate foods, such as grain-based products like cereals, breads, pasta, bakery products and alcohol, as these have the same effects as sugar. Eat more vegetables, more protein and healthy fats too!

I'm not concerned about the coronavirus, because I have been doing the above to reduce my risks, as well as supporting my immune system. However, I am concerned for others who have chronic health issues who are much more at risk of this infection. But if you know friends or family who are at risk, getting them to use the above recommendations will greatly reduce their risks of getting this infection or reducing the severity of it.

The media are beating up this issue far more than necessary, causing much stress and panic. Remember that the infection has at least a 97% survival rate! We need common sense to prevail, not knee-jerk government reactions such as lockdowns or restrictions on rights and freedoms.

Buying more toilet paper won't prevent or treat this coronavirus! The above points can!

Don't rely on your government or health authorities to protect you, because they are next to useless at the moment on this issue.

Stay healthy!

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COVID-19 and coronavirus lies and statistics

Why are there huge differences in coronavirus incidences & deaths between the northeRN and southern hemispheres?

Why the germ theory focus of coronavirus prevention is wrong

Coronavirus outbreak is affected by season and vitamin D

why is washing your hands not enough to prevent the coronavirus?

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