In the life of scientific evidence and research, the SARS-CoV-2 virus has only been around a relatively short time, less than six months. When the number of infections across the world began to grow rapidly, scientists scrambled to collect data and make conclusions to reduce the spread and improve treatments. The pandemic has exposed several weaknesses, such as poor preparation with personal protective equipment stockpiles and expired N95 masks, as well as inflexible food distribution processes in the dairy, fish and produce markets. The pandemic has changed the world, potentially for years to come. White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow indicated that health care providers would be influencing decisions related to reopening the economy. He anticipates after returning to work and school, people may have to submit to routine temperature taking, stay home when sick and undergo widespread testing, continuing:1
The government has made moves to reduce your right to privacy, as they engage with large data mining companies like Google, Facebook, Microsoft and Amazon to track your movements. Bill Gates took the next step, suggesting digital certificates should be used to record your vaccinations, medical tests and illness. Yet, scientific evidence hasn’t reached a point to make these types of interventions necessary or potentially useful. It appears that instead of addressing more flexible and responsive solutions, corporations are pouring their time and energy into what serves their specific corporate and financial needs. SARS-CoV-2 Primarily Spreads in Close QuartersThe SARS-CoV-2 virus triggers COVID-19 infections, and how it is spread continues to be investigated. Experts believe most infections are acquired through respiratory droplets that are released when a person speaks, sneezes or coughs.2 These droplets may land on your face, hands or surrounding surfaces. Experts believe you may become infected by touching a surface where the virus was deposited and then touching your face with that same hand. In order to develop recommendations that would reasonably protect people, scientists investigated the environments where the virus appeared to spread more rapidly. In one study from the School of Public Health at the University of Hong Kong, scientists found that the rate of infection with COVID-19 rose in interior spaces.3 The researchers tracked the number of infected from case reports gathered by the Municipal Health Commissions in 320 municipalities in China. They did not include the Hubei province where the virus reportedly originated. The data from January 4, 2020, to February 11, 2020, included 318 outbreaks which met the criteria of three or more cases being involved. In total, there were 1245 confirmed infections in 120 municipalities. Their results support many of the previous estimates that each infected person would spread the virus to two or three others.4 In this study they found 53.8% involved three cases and 26.4% involved four. What was most interesting was that the highest number of infections were spread in the home (79.9%) followed by a variety of methods of transportation (34%), including planes, trains, cars and buses. Only one outbreak of cases — an infection passed from one individual to at least three others — was identified from exposure in an outdoor environment. The researchers wrote this "confirms that sharing indoor space is a major SARS-CoV-2 infection risk." Germany Hasn’t Identified One Transmission From SurfacesGerman scientists are also searching for answers about how the SARS-CoV-2 is spread. Leading German scientist Hendrik Streeck, professor and director of the Institute of Virology at the University Hospital in Bonnhas, is looking for more answers. He told a reporter from the Daily Mail5 that the virus may have a different spread pattern than originally believed. Streeck cultured the home of one family in the district of Heinsberg, a region with 250,000 people and a high number of infected individuals (this is not the city of Heinsberg, which has less than 41,000 citizens). While there were sick people in the home, the scientists didn't find "any live virus on any surface." He will now oversee a team of 40 researchers in Heinsberg seeking more information from multiple homes. The area was estimated to have more than 1,300 confirmed cases and 37 deaths by April 2, 2020. Yet, in the first home that was tested, he didn't find the virus, even on doorknobs or animal fur. Streeck commented:6
The unique study planned for Heinsberg will essentially make the city population a life-sized laboratory for the virus. Streeck was encouraged by the anticipated data, telling parliamentarians:7
The hope is that by having a better understanding of how the virus is spread, it could help reduce infections worldwide. Germany has also begun testing for other countries. Samples tested by Public Health England are taking four days to process, as compared to two days in Germany. As the Daily Mail reports:8
Deaths From Spanish Flu Pandemic Reduced by Fresh AirLong before antibiotics were discovered and widely used, the ocean air was thought of as a cure. It appeared to improve illnesses without drugs or side effects. Dr. Thomas Ferkol, pediatric pulmonologist, spoke with a Wall Street Journal reporter and said there are ample amounts of anecdotal evidence that children with cystic fibrosis respond well to the ocean air.9 This knowledge prompted a study in which researchers evaluated the effects of inhaled hypertonic saline solution over 48 weeks. The results added another tactic in the treatment of cystic fibrosis, as doctors now routinely prescribe 7% sodium chloride nebulizer solution. Of the last three influenza pandemics — 1918, 1957 and 1968 — it was the H1N1 pandemic in 1918-1919 that claimed the most lives.10 It was originally estimated that the flu killed 21 million worldwide, many of which occurred from secondary bacterial infections. However, more recent algorithms suggest the number was likely between 50 million and 100 million. The fatality rate was near that of other flu infections, between 1% and 3%. The idea of getting plenty of fresh air and sunlight began during this pandemic. William Brooks, then Surgeon General of the Massachusetts State Guard, wrote an article in the American Journal of Public Health, detailing the results they experienced after treating flu patients in an outdoor hospital.11 When hospitals were overwhelmed with patients, a tent hospital was set up on Corey Hill for sailors on the Navy ships docked in Boston harbor. While taking histories from incoming patients doctors realized those with the worst infections were from areas of ships with the worst ventilation. Cross Ventilation and Air Flow May Be One Key at HomeIn an effort to help the patients, they were taken outside their tent on pleasant days. The Surgeon General wrote the results on the first day were startling:12
At the end of four weeks the tent hospital was closed as the worst was over for those on the Navy ships. During that time, 351 of the most seriously ill were sent to the tent hospital, yet only 35 died, a far lower number than expected considering how seriously ill they were. Brooks concluded,13 "The efficacy of open air treatment has been absolutely proven, and one has only to try it to discover its value." Richard Hobday, Ph.D., is a strong proponent of the benefits of fresh air and sunshine.14 He continues to educate and inform people that many have experienced benefits without side effects common to drugs and vaccines.15 Those who were treated outside were less likely to be exposed to other infectious bacteria found in hospital areas, a current concern for hospitalized patients.16 At the time, researchers theorized that creating cross ventilation in hospitals may have the same effect. However, it was during this time that antibiotics were introduced and starting to become more common. This movement replaced the idea of investigating the effects of open-air treatment. There is emerging information that most are infected with SARS-CoV-2 in enclosed spaces, such as at home, and the potential the virus is not spread through contact with inanimate objects. Therefore, opening your windows to create cross ventilation, especially if someone is ill, may help reduce the spread. The Sea and Pulmonary InfectionsAs Ferkol explained to The Wall Street Journal reporter, the sea air helped improve the health of patients with cystic fibrosis. There are several explanations which have yet to be investigated. To be clear, none of the research on open air treatments or ocean air for children with cystic fibrosis mentioned or considered the effect of grounding. Yet, it may be an idea worth considering. Simply placing your bare feet on the ground helps reduce free radicals in your body, which in turn reduces chronic inflammation. The effects of negative air ions were discovered 100 years ago; their effect on health and wellness is still under study.17 Interestingly, there are more negative air ions near the ocean than are found in other geographical areas. Exposure to the sun boosts the production of vitamin D, which is especially helpful for those who spend a great deal of time indoors. Boosting your vitamin D levels with supplements will help support your immune system. However, the only way to know if you need supplementation is to test your vitamin D levels. Evidence from the 1918 flu pandemic suggests that sun exposure may also reduce symptoms, along with the severity and length of a viral illness.18 As detailed in "Vitamin D Prevents Infections," research shows that high-dose vitamin D supplementation lowers the risk of acquiring respiratory illnesses and lung infections in the elderly. As noted by one researcher in the study:19
from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2020/04/27/coronavirus-spreads-at-home-public-transportation.aspx
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Chaga goes by several names. The botanical name for the fungus is Inonotus obliquus. The Chinese call it Hua Jie Kong Jun or Bai Hua Rong.1 While it is often referred to as a mushroom, it grows as a dense black colored mass on the outside of trees. Most commonly it infects birch trees. Chaga does not form a fruiting body the way most mushrooms do, but rather a mass of mycelia that incorporates decaying bits of the birch tree it grows on. Mycelia are microscopic vegetative fungi parts that combine to create a whole growing organism.2 As they grow out from the center they consume the nutrients, leaving an open ring. As the growth spreads, it consumes what's around it. This classifies most fungi as parasites and decomposers. The inside of the chaga is a rusty, yellow brown color that may be mottled or have cream-colored veins.3 A chaga infection doesn't usually show up on a tree until it's reached 40 years or more. The tree can usually withstand the infection for about 20 years before it ultimately dies. Those who harvest chaga chop it from the tree and then allow it to regrow for three to 10 years before it is harvested again. However, harvesting does not stop the infection. When compared to other medicinal fungi, research has shown chaga has strong antioxidant activity. However, it was the infrequently found fruiting body in one study that exhibited the highest potential.4 History of Medicinal ChagaUntil the 1990s, just a few countries in Southeast Asia and Russia5 were using chaga as folk medicine.6 One of the first recorded clinical trials was done in the 1950s at the Moscow Medical Institute.7 Studies have continued with scientists evaluating chaga's uses in immune regulation, digestion, nervous system functioning, cardiovascular activities and respiratory system support. There is also research into its potential to help slow the growth of tumors in patients with cancer. While the early history of chaga is not well documented, we do know indigenous people in Russia used it to help their digestion. They wrote that it made them feel full and helped with internal cleaning, a process Westerners call detoxification. The anti-inflammatory properties likely made chaga useful as a soap when combined with lard and ash to help soothe skin sores.8 Chaga was often prepared as a tea (and still is) and taken until the individual felt better. Another group of people living on the Kuril Islands just off the northeast coast of Russia used it for stomach pain and inflammation.9 Some also smoked pipes filled with powdered chaga during religious ceremonies. There are no known medicinal effects from smoking the powder, but it is clear that inhaling burning material, such as tobacco, can damage your lungs. Chaga Demonstrates Antiviral PropertiesMany of the health benefits may be the result of immune support and anti-inflammatory properties, as shown in several studies. The polysaccharides found in fungal growths are the primary component used to support the immune system.10 In a review of the literature, researchers found extractions or aqueous solutions of chaga at different concentrations11 demonstrated effectiveness against herpes simplex virus 2, influenza virus H3N2 and HIV-1. They also found it has antiretroviral activity and wrote:12
In one lab study13 using the BELYU1102 strain of Inonotus obliquus, researchers found the active polysaccharides from chaga improved production of IgM antibodies, but didn't have an effect on the expression of several other types of immune cells, including T cells. Extracts from chaga fungus demonstrate anti-inflammatory properties in the lab14 and in animal studies15 as well as pain reduction response in vitro and in vivo in an animal study.16 In mice, oral administration specifically reduced the inflammatory effects of colitis.17 Does Chaga Affect Cancer Growth?Two compounds unique to the chaga fungus are betulin and betulinic acid.18 The fungus gets these from the birch trees on which it grows. The leaders of one study19 evaluated the effectiveness of these two compounds, plus inotodiol, which is also found in chaga in the treatment of cancer cells in the lab. The researchers used growths from a stand of trees discovered in Normandy, France. They compared those to concentrations found in chaga harvested in Ukraine and in Canada under colder conditions. The goal was to explore potential cytotoxicity against cancer-derived cells and compare the concentration of metabolites using chaga from three locations. Human lung adenocarcinoma cells and human bronchial epithelial cells were used, with researchers finding that the French stand of trees had more betulin and betulinic acid than the other two. However, the Canadian trees had higher levels of inotodiol. In an animal study using the whole chaga fungus, researchers demonstrated daily intake reduced primary tumors by 60% and metastatic growth by 25%.20 The fungus appears to have in vitro and in vivo effects against tumor cells in animals. While investigating the mechanism of action, some scientists have found the compounds do not appear to have a direct effect against tumor cells, but rather an indirect effect by stimulating the immune system.21,22 Another animal model23 was used to examine different components against colon cancer cells; researchers found ergosterol peroxide was the most effective of all chaga's components in inhibiting growth. They found the compound also suppressed proliferation and inhibited colitis-like symptoms by down-regulating a signaling pathway that increased cancer cell death. Results from lab studies24 demonstrate an ethanol extract of the chaga mushroom could inhibit human colon cancer cell proliferation. Chaga also contributes to improved quality of life during and after chemotherapy and radiation treatments by reducing side effects from a compromised immune system.25 Researchers have also found that the antioxidants in the fungus can prevent the development of cancer cells26 and that they may be active against human prostate and breast cancer cells.27 Polysaccharides in Chaga May Help Control Blood GlucoseIn 2018, 26.8 million people in the U.S. had a diagnosis of diabetes. The American Diabetes Association28 estimates there were another 7.3 million who were undiagnosed. It is the seventh leading cause of death and a contributing factor in others.29 To impact this devastating condition, researchers continue to seek out nutritional supplements to help stabilize blood glucose, as uncontrolled blood glucose is a symptom of diabetes but not the cause. The polysaccharides found in the fungal growth of chaga had a therapeutic effect on blood glucose levels in a study involving animals.30 After diabetes was induced in rats, they were fed chaga polysaccharides. The intervention restored abnormal indices, including blood glucose and it alleviated oxidative stress. Additionally, the treatment lowered proinflammatory cytokines and aided in the partial recovery of pancreatic beta-cells responsible for producing insulin. The authors of a literature review found similar results.31 In another animal study, researchers found the water-soluble and water-insoluble polysaccharides had a hypoglycemic effect, most notably from "β-glucan, heteroglucan, and their protein complexes."32 Future Use of Chaga Has LimitationsChaga produced in Russia is under strict directions for the valuation of the individual harvest and production of derivatives, which are different from the rest of the world.33 Russian law limits the extraction to a hot water process that reduces or eliminates the bioavailability of terpenes, such as betulinic acid. The research data on chaga outside of Russia demonstrate these components have powerful health benefits. Like most medicinal plants, the health potential in the fungus is also related to the conditions under which it is grown. The highest quality chaga comes from harsh climates with larger swings in temperature, such as Siberia, Finland, North Korea and parts of the North American continent. Russia has a long history of commercially harvesting chaga, which had mostly stayed within the country until recently. Wild-harvested chaga is in greater demand but needs years to fully develop. However, while the source of wild-harvested chaga is immense, one researcher concluded it may not be economically feasible to travel deep into the Siberian forest to harvest it commercially. Wild grown chaga in natural environmental conditions have the highest levels of medicinal bioactive compounds, but some benefit has been derived from the melanins extracted from cultured biomass.34 Chaga is most commonly used by Westerners as tea. Brewing the tea correctly yields an earthy, natural tasting tea with hints of vanilla. Fresh chaga is susceptible to mold, so storing it correctly is vital. Discover how to properly brew and store chaga tea in "Chaga Tea: Benefits of This Unusual but Health-Boosting Beverage." from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2020/04/27/chaga-mushrooms-support-immune-function.aspx Francis Boyle, a former advisory board member for the Council for Responsible Genetics, is a professor of international law at the University of Illinois College of Law. His educational background1 includes an undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago, a juris doctor (lawyer) degree from Harvard and a Ph.D. in political science. For decades, he’s advocated against the development and use of bioweapons, which he suspects COVID-19 is. In fact, Boyle was the one who called for biowarfare legislation at the Biological Weapons Convention of 1972, and the one who drafted the Biological Weapons Anti-Terrorism Act of 1989, which was passed unanimously by both houses of Congress and signed into law by George Bush Sr. In our first, March 8, 2020, interview, Boyle shared his views on the origins of the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. Here, we continue our discussion, as more details have emerged about this virus. One of the criticisms raised since our last interview is that Boyle has no formal training in virology. When asked what makes him qualified to speak about this particular virus, he says:
SARS-CoV-2 — A Biological Warfare Weapon“Novel coronavirus” means it is a new virus not previously known to previously infect humans. The currently held conventional view is that SARS-CoV-2 was transmitted through animals (zoonotic transmission), specifically bats. Boyle dismissed this notion in our initial interview, and still refutes the idea. While a widely-cited paper,2 published in the Nature journal on February 3, 2020, claims to establish that SARS-CoV-2 is a coronavirus of bat origin that then jumped species, the work of one of the authors of that paper, Shi Zhengli, actually involved the weaponization of the SARS virus. (Another Nature paper3 published that same day reiterates the idea that the COVID-19 pandemic is zoonotically transmitted.) However, according to Boyle, other scientific literature establishes that this is indeed an engineered synthetic virus that was not transmitted from animals to humans without human intervention. For starters, a Lancet paper4 published February 15, 2020, by physicians who treated some of the first COVID-19 patients in China showed that patient zero, the one believed to have started the transmission, was nowhere near the Wuhan seafood market. What’s more, there were no bats sold in or even close to the market. At least one-third of the patients reviewed also had no exposure or links to that market. This data supports the counter-hypothesis that SARS-CoV-2 was not zoonotically transmitted but is in fact an engineered virus. Even U.S. politicians and intelligence agencies are starting to say they believe the virus leaked from the Wuhan BSL4 lab.5,6 In our first interview, Boyle discussed published research establishing that the novel coronavirus is SARS, which is a weaponized version of the coronavirus to begin with Wuhan BSL 4 lab, with added gain-of-function capabilities that increases its virulence (makes it spread easier and faster).
The Origin of SARS-CoV-2While Boyle made the origin of SARS-CoV-2 clear in our initial conversation, as I started reading some of the literature it really was shocking because one of the primary investigators on the 2015 paper8 from the University of North Carolina — “A SARS-like Cluster of Circulating Bat Coronaviruses Shows Potential for Human Emergence” — was Dr. Shi Zhengli, a virologist who in 2010 had published a paper9 discussing the weaponization of the SARS virus. Normally, while the coronavirus found in bats may be SARS,10 it typically does not infect humans as it does not target the ACE-2 receptor. The infectious agent causing the current pandemic is called SARS-CoV-2 — SARS standing for “serious acute respiratory infection” and CoV-2 indicating that it’s a second type of SARS coronavirus known to infect humans. SARS-CoV-2, of course, contains the genetic modification to attach to ACE2 receptors in human cells, which allows it to infect them. Zhengli’s publications show that she engineered this bat coronavirus into one that crosses species and infects humans. She has in fact been working on this for more than 10 years.
In addition, an Indian paper11,12 that ended up being withdrawn due to intense political pressure, shows a specific envelope protein from the HIV virus called GP41 was integrated in the RNA sequences of SARS-CoV-2. In other words, the implication is that the HIV virus was genetically engineered into SARS. So, in summary, SARS-CoV-2 appears to be a bioengineered bat coronavirus13 — which was initially benign and nontransmittable to humans. Zhengli then genetically modified the virus to integrate spike proteins that allows the virus to enter human cells by attaching to ACE-2 receptors. That was the first modification. The second modification was to integrate an envelope protein from HIV called GP141, which tends to impair the immune system. A third modification appears to involve nanotechnology to make the virus light enough to remain airborne for a long time, apparently giving it a range of up to 27 feet.14 Nanotech Expert With Wuhan Connection ArrestedWhile the BSL4 lab in Wuhan may have leaked the virus, its creation does not appear to be limited to the Chinese. As noted by Boyle in his comment above, the chairman of the Harvard department of chemistry, nanoscience expert Dr. Charles Lieber, was arrested earlier this year by federal agencies, suspected of illegal dealings with China.15 Lieber has denied the allegations. The Wuhan University of Technology (WUT) allegedly paid him $50,000 a month from 2012 to 2017 to help establish and oversee the WUT-Harvard Joint Nano Key Laboratory. He also received another $150,000 a month in living expenses from China’s Thousand Talents program. The problem was, Harvard officials claim they had not approved the lab and didn’t know about it until 2015. Boyle comments:
Researchers Working on Gain-of-Function to Spanish FluIf you think SARS-CoV-2 is bad, be glad it’s not the weaponized version of Spanish flu, which has also been in the works, according to Boyle. He says:
Disturbingly, while the NIH halted funding of this kind of gain-of-function research on lethal pathogens in 2014, it reauthorized it in December 2017,19 and Boyle suspects Kawaoka’s work may have been restarted as well, although he’s not found proof of it yet.
Can Violations of Biowarfare Treaty Be Enforced?As mentioned, Boyle is a professor of international law and drafted an international treaty on biowarfare agents and weapons. That law is still in force, and would provide life imprisonment for everyone involved in the creation and release of SARS-CoV-2, were it officially concluded to be a biowarfare agent.
So, just how would we get that process of justice going? Boyle explains:
Time to Shutter All BSL4 Laboratories?Boyle is adamant that all BSL3 and BSL4 laboratories must be closed down and all biowarfare work with lethal pathogens ceased. “They are all existentially dangerous,” he says. “This is a catastrophe waiting to happen. And it is now happened. Here we are. It's staring us in the face.” Certainly, COVID-19 is nowhere near as devastating as the Black Death or the Spanish flu of 1918, both of which exacted a shocking death toll, all without the aid of synthetic molecules and nanotechnology. The very idea that any of these horrific illnesses might be brought back in turbo-charged form should be terrifying enough for the world to unite in saying “No thanks; we don’t want or need that kind of research going on.” What value have these dangerous laboratories provided to date compared to the risk they are exposing all of us to? In closing, while Boyle believes COVID-19 has the ability to become a serious pandemic killer, I strongly disagree. Based on all the data I’ve seen so far, I believe he’s wrong on this point, and I suspect the death toll due to economic hardship and emotional stress will be far worse than the disease itself. from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2020/04/26/is-coronavirus-a-biological-weapon.aspx Dr. Mercola Interviews the Experts This article is part of a weekly series in which Dr. Mercola interviews various experts on a variety of health issues. To see more expert interviews, click here. Alex Tarnava, whom you may not have heard of before, is the inventor of the open-container molecular hydrogen tablets — my favorite supplement — thus making it widely available in a convenient form. In fact, I now carry Tarnava’s molecular hydrogen tablets in my store. What Is Molecular Hydrogen?Molecular hydrogen (H2) — two hydrogen atoms combined together — is a gas with very unique and selective antioxidant effects that specifically target the most harmful free radicals. It works primarily by improving and optimizing the redox status of the cell when needed. As a result, you see improvements in superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione levels, for example. Not only does hydrogen selectively reduce the most toxic radicals, but it can help prevent an excess (which becomes toxic) of the free radicals from being produced in the first place. This is a very powerful prevention mechanism. H2 also activates the Nrf2 pathway when needed. Nrf2 is a transcription factor that, when activated, goes into the cell’s nucleus and binds to the antioxidant response element in the DNA. It then induces the transcription of further cytoprotective enzymes such as glutathione, superoxide dismutase catalase, glutathione peroxidase, phase II enzymes, heme-1 oxygenase and many others. A landmark paper1 on molecular hydrogen came out in Nature Medicine in 2007, showing 2% hydrogen gas was effective at preventing brain damage from ischemia reperfusion and, as an antioxidant, has powerful therapeutic applications. Hydrogen is the smallest molecule in the universe, and is neutral and nonpolar, which is why its bioavailability is so great. Tarnava’s Journey of DiscoveryAs is so often the case, Tarnava’s interest in molecular hydrogen and his subsequent invention was born out of a personal health challenge that required him to dig deeper for a solution. He explains:
Your C-reactive protein should ideally be below 1 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), so Tarnava obviously had massive inflammation going on. He was also iron-deficient and anemic, despite eating a lot of red meat and leafy greens.
Inventing Molecular Hydrogen TabletsThe problem was, the hydrogen water machine was only producing a very small amount of hydrogen gas. When he tested the water for its hydrogen content, Tarnava found it had a concentration of 0.03 parts per million (ppm), which is virtually nothing. In the end, this is what spurred Tarnava to develop molecular hydrogen tablets that can deliver a consistent concentrated dose when dissolved in water.
Poor Quality Hydrogen Tablets May Be High in ContaminantsTarnava’s tablets are also tested and compliant for heavy metals. Tarnava tells the tale of a competitor who did not bother going through the intricate certification processes Tarnava has followed and purchased magnesium from a fireworks reseller, which resulted in tablets that were high in lead.
The Problem With Molecular Hydrogen Water GeneratorsBefore molecular hydrogen tablets, one of the most commonly used ways to generate molecular hydrogen water was through the use of water ionizers that purport to make hydrogen. However, they won’t work unless you have total dissolved solids (TDS) such as minerals in the water. You cannot use reverse osmosis or distilled water. They will also stop working once the plates used to split the water get calcified from the TDS. Tarnava explains:
Pulsing and DosingMolecular hydrogen is best taken cyclically or pulsed. If you take it continuously — say you’re drinking hydrogen water all day long — the effect seems to dissipate and can actually vanish altogether. As noted by Tarnava, your body naturally produces about 10 liters (L) of hydrogen gas each day through bacteria that break down carbohydrates in your digestive system. It may seem odd that taking a relatively small amount of supplemental hydrogen gas can make a difference, but when you look at the cellular response between ingestion and inhalation, drinking hydrogen water can double your cellular concentration of hydrogen gas. For about five minutes, your blood level peaks, and this is when beneficial changes in cell signaling and gene expression occur.
In the interview, Tarnava discusses hydrogen gas dosing using both ppm and mg. To clarify, ppm and mg/L are identical and both refer to the concentration of hydrogen in the water. The mg refers to the actual dosage. As noted by Tarnava, getting the correct acute dosage is important for optimal benefits. When you dissolve two molecular hydrogen tablets in 1 liter of water, you get 8 to 10 ppm of hydrogen gas concentration, which translates into an 8 to 10 mg dose if consumed while the water is “white.” Ideally, you’d want to drink the full liter all at once. If it’s too much, you can divide it into two doses, with one tablet in half a liter of water taken in the morning and another half-liter (with one tablet) again in the afternoon. While it may be tempting to simply put two tablets in half a liter of water, this will not give you the ideal dose. In essence, you’re getting a higher concentration of hydrogen, but at a lower dose. The problem with this is that the effects are not linear, and simply raising the concentration but reducing the dose will not provide you will the full effects. How to Drink Your Hydrogen for Best ResultsSo, for best results, place two to three tablets in 1 liter (about 32 ounces) of water and drink it all in the morning. This will give you a very strong pulse, which will produce better results than a lower pulse twice a day. Keep in mind that once the tablets are fully dissolved and the water has turned white — which can take anywhere from 30 seconds to a couple of minutes, depending on the temperature of the water — you’ll want to drink it as fast as possible. Room temperature water is best, allowing the tablets to dissolve in about 90 seconds. Between 45 and 90 seconds, the water will have a stable concentration of hydrogen at or above 10 ppm. Between one and six minutes, it’ll drop from 10 ppm to 1.6 ppm. So, the faster you drink it the better. However, even if you let it sit for a few minutes, you’re still getting 1.6 ppm, which is far higher than what you’ll get from water ionizers that cost thousands of dollars. As an added bonus, you’re also getting highly available magnesium — about 80 mg of elemental magnesium per tablet, which goes straight to where magnesium is needed. The elemental magnesium does not dissipate, so you’re getting that even if you forget to drink it before the hydrogen dissipates. Blowup Leads to a Surprising DiscoveryAs Tarnava was creating the tablets, he was also using them on himself. Once he was able to make a tablet that provided 3 ppm in half a liter of water, his shoulder unfroze and the arthritis in his hip eased.
The reason for this is because the molecular hydrogen converts to gas, which increases the pressure in a closed container. This eventually led Tarnava to develop an open-container tablet. Most hydrogen tablets require using a closed container, or else the gas will simply escape. Tarnava’s product, on the other hand, can be dropped into an open glass, and the gas still stays put in the water and doesn’t escape.
From Illness to Health With Molecular HydrogenAs Tarnava continued using the hydrogen water, his frozen shoulder and arthritic joints continued to improve to the point where he can now play soccer and work out. He also implemented better sleeping habits, which probably played a role as well, seeing how he was only sleeping about four hours — half of the recommended amount of sleep you need for optimal health. He’s also doing my cyclical fasting protocol. “I’ve been doing that for months,” he says. “I fast 43 to 48 hours a week every week. Every fourth, I’m pushing it to 72 [hours]. I dropped 40 pounds from February to August.” This brings up an important point: While molecular hydrogen is a fantastic supplement — I take it every day — it’s not a magic bullet by itself. It needs to be integrated with other elements of a healthy lifestyle. Tarnava was not doing that initially. Now that he’s sleeping more and doing time-restricted eating, and some longer fasting as well, his health is starting to significantly improve.
The Importance of CyclingAs just mentioned, hydrogen works by a process called molecular hormesis, so there’s a delayed impact. If you’re going to go through oxidative stress, such as flying domestically across the country, for example, you’ll want to take it several hours or even days beforehand. The reason for this is because it has to go through the process of activating your antioxidant genes. Tarnava also recommends cycling your use of hydrogen in order to keep its effectiveness. He explains:
Molecular Hydrogen Is a Powerful Health AidAccording to Tyler LeBaron, one of the preeminent experts on molecular hydrogen, more than 1,000 peer-reviewed scientific publications have collectively demonstrated that H2 has therapeutic potential in over 170 different human and animal disease models. In fact, hydrogen is shown to benefit virtually every organ of the human body, and the reason for this is because hydrogen actually targets and mitigates the root causes of inflammation and oxidation. As mentioned at the beginning, hydrogen has the ability to selectively target the most toxic radicals, and helps prevent their creation in the first place, which is a very powerful prevention mechanism. For example, clinical studies have shown molecular hydrogen effectively prevents liver damage (fatty liver) caused by a high-sugar diet and metabolic syndrome. 2,3 Animal research4 suggest hydrogen may actually induce GLUT4 translocation by a similar mechanism as insulin. To learn more about molecular hydrogen, check out the Molecular Hydrogen Institute’s website. There, you’ll find research, video lectures and a variety of other resources, including a number of different certifications for those interested in working with and administering molecular hydrogen. from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2020/04/26/molecular-hydrogen-tablets.aspx Molecular hydrogen (H2 gas) has powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects,1 making it potentially useful for COVID-19, as explained in this video by Tyler W. LeBaron, founder of the science-based nonprofit Molecular Hydrogen Institute. In his video, LeBaron reviews the pathophysiology of COVID-19 and explains why H2 is being clinically investigated by discussing the proposed mechanisms of how molecular hydrogen might ameliorate this particular disease. In fact, several Chinese investigators are using H2 therapy in COVID-19 patients,2,3 and preliminary results4,5 are encouraging enough that Dr. Zhong Nanshan, the epidemiologist who discovered the SARS virus (SARS-CoV-1) in 2003, is now recommending H2 therapy for COVID-19.6 While more research is needed to confirm benefits and beneficial outcomes in COVID-19 cases, the latest COVID-19 treatment guide7 by the Chinese National Health Commission includes hydrogen inhalation. LeBaron includes a video clip of Chinese patients given a hydrogen-oxygen inhaler mix, who say it eliminated chest pain and cough, and allowed for deeper breathing without discomfort. That said, LeBaron notes:
Pathophysiology of COVID-19As explained by LeBaron, the SARS-CoV-2 virus responsible for COVID-19 enters the lungs, where it attacks the type 2 pneumocytes,8 alveolar cells responsible for the secretion of surfactants that reduce the surface tension of fluids in your lungs and are thus important for elasticity. The SARS-CoV-2 virus uses a spiked protein to anchor itself to the ACE-2 receptor9 of the cell. This is how it gains entry and releases its positive-sense single-strand RNA into the cell. By inserting its RNA, the virus essentially hijacks the cell, as it triggers viral replication to occur inside the cell. In response, macrophages (white blood cells) are activated to combat the infection, and they in turn release a variety of cytokines, including interleukin-6 (Il-6), IL-1 and TNF-alpha, into your blood plasma. Once the cytokines enter your plasma, neutrophils are recruited, thus increasing vasodilation (expansion of your blood vessels) and capillary permeability. Inside the cell, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are also created in an effort to kill the infected cell and prevent viral replication. This is an essential part of your body's defense system. However, as the process progresses you end up with increasing amounts of ROS and inflammation. Worse, as the virus continues to attack your type 2 pneumocytes, your lungs cannot work correctly. As the surface tension of the fluids in your lungs is reduced, your alveoli can no longer maintain the proper gas exchange, and your oxygen requirement goes up. Declining elasticity of the lungs also makes breathing more difficult. Add in high amounts of ROS, and the whole alveoli ends up dying. This is part of what's causing the cough. As inflammation and vasodilation progresses, you can end up with low blood pressure, which is why you feel fatigued and weak. Lower blood pressure also causes low blood perfusion, which in turn means your cells will not get the oxygen and nutrients they need for optimal function. It also impairs metabolic waste removal. The low oxygen levels (hypoxia) result in feeling short of breath. Unless successfully treated, this chain of events leads to cell death, multi-system organ failure (lungs, liver and kidneys), acute respiratory distress (ARD) and, ultimately, death. Stopping the Destructive CycleTo save the patient, something needs to be done to stop this destructive cascade of events. How do we inhibit viral replication and boost immune system function? As explained by LeBaron, most of the destruction occurs by ROS and systemic inflammation. ROS are molecules that cause oxidative damage. However, they're not all bad all the time. Neutrophils that produce ROS also produce nitric oxide and superoxide, which are crucial. Superoxide helps kill the pathogen, but you also don't want too much of it, so it needs to be regulated. Nitric oxide also needs to be regulated. While it can inhibit viral replication and helps boost your immune system, you don't want too much. As levels of superoxide and nitric oxide rise, they start forming peroxynitrites, which are extremely damaging, which in turn form hydroxyl radicals, the most cytotoxic ROS. Normally, when superoxide has done its job, it's converted by superoxide dismutase into hydrogen peroxide, which in turn is converted into water and oxygen. This process is regulated by a transcription factor called Nrf2/keap1. When this transcription factor is activated, it goes into the cell's nucleus, where it binds with the antioxidant response element (ARE), which triggers your body's natural antioxidants such as glutathione and catalase. As noted by LeBaron, Nrf2 — which is involved in phase 2 detoxification — regulates more than 200 protective proteins and enzymes. The problem is that when ROS is overabundant and out of control, the Nrf2 system is depleted and can no longer regulate the inflammatory process. Understanding Molecular HydrogenMolecular hydrogen or H2 has the ability to activate the Nrf2/keap1 pathway, thereby replenishing your endogenous antioxidants. In so doing, H2 helps regulate and maintain homeostasis in the whole system, preventing the infection from getting out of control and causing cell death. Hydrogen can also downregulate NOX and NOS enzymes, thus lowering superoxide and nitric oxide production respectively. This is good, as when these two molecules are increased too much they instantly combine to create the pernicious peroxynitrite molecule. H2 also supports your mitochondrial function. Importantly, H2 selectively reduces peroxynitrites and hydroxyl radicals. This gives H2 a significant advantage over other antioxidants such as vitamin C, which act indiscriminately with superoxide and nitric oxide — both of which also have important and beneficial functions. H2 does not interact with either superoxide or nitric oxide. The only thing H2 can react with are the most dangerous ROS such as peroxynitrites and hydroxyl radicals.10 As a result, your superoxide and nitric oxide are left to perform beneficial functions while the H2 eliminates the most dangerous byproducts of superoxide and nitric oxide, while simultaneously increasing your body's natural production of antioxidants and regulating the enzymes that produce superoxide and nitric oxide. To get a clearer picture in your mind of how H2 steps in to break the destructive chain, see LeBaron's video. H2 also steps in to prevent a cytokine storm from occurring. A cytokine storm occurs when the upregulation of cytokines is greater than your body can handle. Cytokines are regulated by transcription factors, and ROS regulate these transcription factors. Inflammatory transcription factors, in turn, create more inflammation, which stimulate more ROS production. This is a vicious cycle that results in increased cell death, which leads to multiorgan failure, which leads to death. H2 has been shown to regulate these transcription factors in several animal and human studies, thus breaking the vicious cycle. This is what makes H2 so anti-inflammatory. As summarized by LeBaron at the end of his video:
Dosing and AvailabilityAlthough the specific clinical studies on COVID-19 are being conducted with H2 inhalation, H2 dissolved in water has been shown to be more effective than inhalation in other animal disease models.11 Additionally, another article12 suggests that the H2-infused nitric oxide-producing beverage from H2Bev called HydroShot, should also be clinically investigated for its reported preliminary effects. However, while there are various ways of getting H2, the simplest and most practical delivery system is molecular hydrogen tablets that are dissolved in water. They are portable and can be taken anywhere, including travel and on airlines, and they consistently provide a high H2 concentration. When using the tablets it's important to drink the water as soon as the tablets are dissolved and the water is still "white," as the H2 dissipates quickly. The molecular hydrogen tablets have the additional advantage of providing 80 mg of ionic elemental magnesium with each tablet. Magnesium can serve as a natural calcium channel blocker to help regulate high intracellular calcium levels that can wreak havoc in your body. Also, the absolute quantity of H2 is far less important than pulsing or creating an acute elevation of H2 in your system over a short period. That acute elevation is what activates the Nrf2 pathway. When exposure is continuous, even if elevated, it has virtually no effect. Clearly, we need more research to be better able to answer dosing questions, but in the interim, it seems customizing the dose to your personal circumstances would be most appropriate. So, if you're in normal, non-stressful circumstances at home, not really doing anything very stressful and not exercising much, maybe taking H2 once a day is sufficient. However, if you exercise a lot, you may want to take it two to three times a day to help reduce the oxidative stress from your exercise. Ditto if you're traveling and exposing yourself to free radical stress from ionizing radiation at 35,000 feet. In such a circumstance, it might be appropriate to take it every two hours while you're in the air. Considering their safety, ease of use, and beneficial effects on immune function and health, molecular hydrogen tablets are a no-brainer solution in my view, and they could be quite helpful for many conditions, including COVID-19, which is why H2 is being clinically investigated. from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2020/04/25/coronavirus-pathophysiology.aspx Many of the headlines and predictions in the past few weeks have been dire. The fear and panic they spread can be paralyzing, making it difficult to adapt and develop a constructive plan for the future. Yet, in order to think clearly and identify the steps you can take to protect your health, it’s important that you control fear. While it is helpful to stay up to date with changes, it isn’t necessary to get sucked in by the stylistic exaggerations of the media headlines. Instead, look for the facts and seek out your own answers. Whether life returns to the way it was one year ago or not, the reality is that any return to “normal” is months away. When the shelter-in-place orders have ended, the repercussions to the food supply chain shutdowns may mean some industries won’t fully recover. Dairy Farmers Incentivized to Close Their FarmsWhile milk is flying off the shelves in some stores, dairy farmers are being asked to dump hundreds of gallons of milk and sell their cows.1 With restaurants and schools closed, the industry is sending all their supplies to grocery stores. However, when the shelter-in-place orders were first announced, grocery stores were limiting milk to one or two gallons per customer. Those limits left dairy farmers with a glut of milk on the farm, while contending with plummeting prices. Richard Conrad, co-owner of Conrad Farms in New Holland, Ohio,2 spoke with CNN. His farm supports 500 cattle and sales of milk account for two-thirds of their income. In the first few weeks it seemed the issue would be a short-term problem, but by the time of the interview, he realized he was wrong. The Wisconsin Dairy Alliance said there is milk ready and waiting for processing, leaving food banks and pantries with a desperate need for dairy products.3 Several dairy groups have sent letters to the U.S. Department of Agriculture including a statement from the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin:4
The Ice Age Farmer published a letter on Twitter5 from the Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery in Wisconsin, in which the coop encouraged farmers to quit their dairy farms. In a stroke of irony, the letter was dated April 1, 2020. Channel 7 news in Wisconsin ran a story on the letter April 3, 2020.6 Several people the reporter spoke with called the move “unprecedented.” Specifically, the letter encouraged dairy farmers who were unable to sell their milk, to sell their cows in the next 15 days. In exchange, the cooperative promised the farmers a 100% equity payout in the coop from 2010 to 2019. The coop was trying to reduce production because grocers had begun limiting sales. Produce Is Rotting in the FieldsThe pandemic has also affected produce distribution. Strawberries, zucchini and tomatoes are just some of the fruits and vegetables left to rot in the field in Florida and California as farmers don’t have an outlet to sell their produce.7 Tony DiMare, tomato grower from south Florida, spoke to WTSP News 10, telling the reporter:8
Shay Myers is a large onion producer who recently posted a video describing losses on his farm in millions of pounds of onions.9 The onions were destined for restaurants and the food service industry but with the pandemic, demand has fallen. Myers aptly describes the disconnect in the ability get the produce to the end user during the pandemic, likening it to bridges being destroyed:10
Florida farmers had expected a huge bumper crop in spring, but for some, 80% or more of the crops are still in the field. It costs more to pick and pack the vegetables than what they’re being paid.11 Some farmers have developed direct-to-consumer services and are experiencing a boost in sales, however. Evan Wiig, from the Community Alliance with Family Farmers, told The Guardian:12
Meat Packing Plants Shutting DownSeveral meat processing plants around the U.S. have closed after multiple employees tested positive for COVID-19.13 While CNN14 tells their readers not to panic shop, Smithfield chose another tactic, warning the country’s meat supply is “perilously close” to15 being depleted. Although the closings are devastating to some producers and could result in animals being housed in inhumane conditions, Steve Meyer, with commodity firm Kerns and Associates, believes consumers won’t notice the shutdowns. He said,16 "We have a lot of pork, we have a lot of chicken, we have a lot of beef in cold storage. We can draw on that should we have some shortages." Some of the plants are diverting the work to other meat processing plants. Christine McCracken, analyst with multinational Rabobank, said the plant closures from staffing shortages may mean fewer options in the short-term, but not less meat on the grocery store shelves. Seafood Industry’s Efforts to Keep Supply Chain OpenThe fishing industry has also felt the pinch from dwindling demand as two-thirds of the seafood in the U.S. is consumed in restaurants.17 Fishing is a billion-dollar industry, paying the salary of 34,000 people. As the market for lobster, oysters and other shellfish has taken a downturn it’s left many without an income. Much of the fish caught off the U.S. coastline is sent overseas where monkfish and dogfish are more popular. This has led to 90% of the seafood eaten in the U.S. being imported, while much of what is caught in the U.S. is exported. Red's Best is a wholesale company that purchases solely from small fishermen. It is led by founder and CEO Jared Auerbach. Along with Marder Seafood, another wholesaler, they are buying, cutting and freezing fish to keep the fishermen in business and hedging their bets they'll have inventory to sell when the market opens in the coming months. Auerbach is using another tactic to sell more fish to the U.S. market, partnering with a top chef from Boston, Jeremy Sewall, to shoot videos showing how to prepare fish at home. The objective has been to keep the supply chains open and functioning since restarting may be challenging if businesses must close their doors. Supply Chain Interruptions Have Dangerous ConsequencesThe pandemic has exposed underlying problems within the fishing industry: Warming ocean temperatures have changed the fish population; overfishing has nearly extinguished some species;18 and U.S. supplies go to foreign markets while imports are sold to U.S. consumers. Jason Delacruz, fisherman and wholesaler in Florida, spoke to Civil Eats about the current situation. One concern has to do with the snapper and grouper caught in the Gulf of Mexico. The fish are expensive but considered important to restaurants. Losing just 20% of that market could change the way they sell fish. Meat is currently stable, but prices may rise if farmers go out of business.19 One of the largest meat processors, Tyson, put an exit plan in place nearly four years ago. In 2016, the company launched Tyson Ventures with $150 million. By 2018 they had partnered with four emerging food companies, owning less than 20% in each. Speaking to the Chicago Tribune, Juston Whitmore, the head of the Tyson Ventures team, acknowledged there had been a shift in corporate goals after the new CEO took over. Tyson's new mission is to be a protein company, not just a meat company. He went on to say:20
Beyond Meat is one of the food startups that is moving plant-based products (which resemble meat) into mainstream consumer purchasing outlets.21 Other backers for the plant burger that bleeds like meat are Bill Gates, General Mills venture capital organization and the Humane Society. The company had its sights set on the fast food market when they named McDonald’s past CEO to their board of directors.22 By 2018, Beyond Meat burgers could be found at Epic Burger in Chicago, TGI Friday's and several grocers. As if bleeding, plant-based, meat-like burgers isn’t enough, Reese Schroeder, the managing fund director for Tyson Ventures, said the company had a particular interest in automated food technology, which may include:23
Is It Time to Grow Your Own Food?This short spoof published in 200924 was one way of preparing the public for the new “cool tech” in edible food, including GMO food and “green alternatives” with documented evidence it uses more resources than regenerative farming.25 Glitches in the distribution of food products compounded by a food supply covered in pesticides and herbicides may be the impetus you need to plant your own garden at home. There are a wide range of personal and community benefits including increasing your activity, strengthening environmental health using organic principles and realizing significant stress reduction. You don't need a big yard or farm to grow some of your own food. In fact, you can grow sprouts in an apartment near a window and potted vegetables on a balcony. Discover more in, "Is It Time to Start Growing Your Own Food?" from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2020/04/25/farmers-stop-farming.aspx Blood pressure is the measurement of the force your blood exerts on your arteries as it moves throughout your body. Normally this pressure rises and falls throughout the day. But when it stays consistently elevated it may damage your heart and cause other health problems. When the American Heart Association (AHA) and other health organizations changed the definition of high blood pressure,1 a large influx of people who had once been considered healthy were suddenly diagnosed with high blood pressure. Using the new measurement of 130/80, the AHA estimates 103 million American adults have high blood pressure.2 It's called the "silent killer"3 since the only way to know if you have it is to have it measured. Getting it under control may be one of the best ways to protect your health. High blood pressure increases the force against large and small blood vessels, which is one explanation for the damage it causes. It is linked to the development of heart disease, cognitive decline and dementia,4 kidney disease, vision loss and stroke.5 Fasting Has a Positive Effect on Blood PressureIn the early 2000s, scientists investigating the health benefits of fasting found that the fasted state not only reduced blood pressure in a group of 174 study participants, but that the effects lasted longer than anticipated. Those whose blood pressure measured higher than 140/90 underwent an intervention of a medically supervised water-only fast for an average of 10 to 11 days.6 For two to three days before the fast began, their diet was limited to fruits and vegetables. Following the fast the researchers found 89% of the participants had a blood pressure measuring less than 140/90, which was the cutoff for high blood pressure at the time of the study. The average reduction was a large jump of 37/13 and those who had the greatest reduction were those with the highest blood pressure. Participants whose pressure was higher than 180/110 experienced an average reduction of 60/17 by the end of the study. A further reduction in blood pressure was experienced after the participants began eating, suggesting the fast may have started normalizing pressure that could be sustained. The researchers followed up with 42 of the participants after 27 weeks and found the mean blood pressure for the group was a healthy 123/77. They concluded that while no generalizations could be made, the results do suggest those with high blood pressure may enjoy sustainable benefits when they continue to eat a balanced diet. Fasting Affects Lipids and Insulin RegulationIn another small pilot study7 from 2017, researchers published similar results in people with Type 2 diabetes. Participants underwent a one-week Buchinger fast — a type of fast where participants burn their own fat as their body's fuel8 — during which they were allowed 300 calories per day of liquids only and then they were allowed a stepwise reintroduction of foods. There were 32 who completed the trial. After four months the mean weight of those in the fasting group decreased by 7.7 lbs. (3.5 kg) versus 4.4 lbs. (2.0 kg) in the control group and there was a decrease in measured blood pressure. An earlier study involved moderately obese women with borderline high blood pressure; they experienced a rapid reduction in blood pressure in the first 48 hours of fasting.9 Researchers have also found that short-term intermittent fasting reduced blood pressure taken in the office, but it did not affect central pressure or measurements taken at home.10 Research on fasting hasn't been limited to measuring only blood pressure changes. The authors of one study11 found that those who were obese benefited in several ways. A group of 110 people were hospitalized for three weeks for a fasting intervention. They found, over the course of a three-week medically supervised fasting diet, that the participants experienced a reduction in blood pressure and lipids and an improvement in their glucoregulation, including insulin sensitivity. Fasting Raises the Potential for Positive ChangeAlthough there are some factors to living a long life that may be out of your control, the types of food you eat and the timing of your meals both play a significant role. Fasting may be one of the best ways to switch on your body's ability to promote cellular protection and regeneration.12 As it turns out, fasting may also reset your senses of smell and taste.13 Your sense of smell has an impact on food choices. Researchers found that rising levels of insulin reduced the sense of smell in participants and it changed how they experienced the taste of their food. This improved after a 24-hour fast. Fasting has a positive impact on your gut microbiome. There's evidence your microbiome has an impact on your immune system, weight management and the development of chronic disease. Results from animal studies indicate that a life-long calorie restriction "significantly changes the overall structure of the gut microbiota" to help promote longevity.14 These changes:
One chronic condition affected by fasting and by changes to your gut microbiome is Type 2 diabetes. The basis of the disease is insulin resistance, which is affected by fasting. Improving your insulin sensitivity15 helps your weight management efforts and helps reverse diabetes.16 Dementia is another health condition positively impacted by fasting and time-restricted eating. More than 5 million in the U.S. have Alzheimer's, just one type of dementia.17 It's important to remember there are simple steps that have a powerful impact on reducing these numbers, such as fasting that helps upregulate autophagy — the necessary process for optimal cell renewal and function. Discover more about how fasting affects cognitive function in "Time-Restricted Eating — A Powerful Way to Prevent Dementia." Impressive Metabolic Intervention Fraught With MythsIn this interview with Dr. Jason Fung you'll discover some of the benefits of fasting to your overall health. In his book "The Complete Guide to Fasting: Heal Your Body Through Intermittent, Alternate-Day, and Extended Fasting," he details how to implement a fasting program and overcome some of the challenges. One of those challenges is unlearning the myths that have surrounded the practice. A common one is that you burn muscle when you fast. In his book, Fung clearly explains the process of protein catabolism and how the down-regulation of it and the up-upregulation of growth hormones in response to fasting does not lead to muscle loss. He says:
The second common myth that may keep people from fasting is the belief their body will go into starvation mode and hold on to every calorie. However, this is the one effect that doesn't happen with fasting. Instead, it's an efficient way of accessing energy:
Insulin Plays a Crucial RoleThe primary hormone your body uses to determine whether energy is stored or burned is insulin. Each time you eat your insulin levels go up, and the higher they go the more they tell your body to store energy. The reverse happens when insulin falls, it tells your body to release energy. During insulin resistance your levels remain high and so your body is constantly storing fat. Now, without a signal to burn energy, you feel tired and sluggish. This is one reason it's so difficult to lose weight when you're insulin resistant. To break this cycle, you have to sustain lower levels of insulin, and this is where fasting is beneficial. While fasting, your insulin levels lower and allow stored energy to be burned. Fung describes the surprise his patients express when they return to the office and tell him they're not really hungry while fasting. The reason is because the body has turned to burning fat and doesn't need extra calories because it has enough. There's more to the story in a relationship between insulin resistance and high blood pressure.18 However, it has been a question of which came first, the chicken or the egg? Researchers have been seeking an answer, and while they know the conditions happen together frequently, it's remained unclear which comes first.19 Thus, one pathway fasting may activate your body to lower your blood pressure is by reducing your insulin resistance. Certain Foods Can Help Lower Blood PressureFasting can help reduce your blood pressure, and so can the foods you eat. The quality of your health is directly impacted by what you feed your body. Since your blood pressure is not an isolated aspect of your health but rather tied closely to other functions of your body, it's important to pay attention to normalizing it. There are foods you should steer clear of and those you should begin eating to help maintain normal blood pressure. It's worth noting that those living in the Mediterranean region have some of the healthiest, longest-living people in the world. The Mediterranean diet is known for rich olives and olive oil, fresh vegetables, fruits, seafood and, infrequently, red meat. The diet is low in sugar with moderate amounts of protein; it is high in fresh fruits and vegetables and includes healthy fats. Dr. Stephen Sinatra promotes the Pan-Asian Modified Mediterranean (PAMM) diet which highlights avoiding "foods that contain sugar, refined white flour, partially hydrogenated oils, processed fruit juices, and omega-6 oils such as corn, safflower, soy, and canola."20 KetoFasting, which combines a cyclical ketogenic diet and intermittent fasting with cyclical partial fasting is another way to optimize your health. My KetoFast protocol incorporates healthy fats that help with satiety and to accelerate autophagy. Some foods that are heart healthy and tasty can easily be integrated into your daily routine. Arugula is high in potassium, magnesium and calcium; all of these are important for heart health. Pistachios, olive oil, tomatoes and celery are foods that help keep your arteries flexible and your blood pressure down. Discover more foods and why they're so helpful in my article, "Top Foods to Help Lower Blood Pressure." from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2020/04/24/could-fasting-lower-high-blood-pressure.aspx Early in 2020 a novel coronavirus, reportedly originating in China, began aggressively spreading throughout the world.1 By March, the epidemic caused by the coronavirus, named COVID-19, had caused a pandemic, according to the World Health Organization.2 By April, there were 1.6 million cases worldwide in 177 countries, according to The New York Times.3 Did the pandemic "just happen" as did other pandemics of the past, like plague or AIDS? No, says an alarming documentary from The Epoch Times, "Tracking Down the Origin of the Wuhan Virus." Produced and narrated by award-winning investigative reporter Joshua Philipp, an expert on espionage and unconventional warfare,4 "Tracking Down the Origin of the Wuhan Virus" unearths facts that mainstream media have largely ignored. Why, for example, were the cases of many COVID-19 patients ignored during scientific investigations? Why were researchers who disagreed with the COVID-19 party line explanations silenced5 and important academic papers withdrawn and buried?6 Why were National Institutes of Health-funded gain-of-function (GOF) experiments with deadly coronaviruses, including those in China, ceased?7 "Tracking Down the Origin of the Wuhan Virus" presents disturbing evidence that COVID-19 did not naturally develop as widely believed, but may well have been engineered in a Chinese laboratory to be used as a bioweapon. While the world is succeeding in defeating this ominous virus, its murky origins must be explored. Did COVID-19 Originate at the Wuhan Seafood Market?One of the most well-accepted "facts" about the COVID-19 pandemic — that the virus originated at the Wuhan Seafood Market — may not be a fact at all, says "Tracking Down the Origin of the Wuhan Virus." A bat virus connected to the seafood market, which also contained wildlife and game mammals, was widely indicted as the source8 but the conclusions may be too hasty, says Philipp. Quickly attributing the outbreak to the market and shutting it down on January 1, 2020, felt like "destroying a crime scene" and had the effect of stopping further investigations though many questions remained, he says. Some scientific journals agreed. Soon after the shutdown of the market, a description of the first COVID-19 cases published in The Lancet9 and an analysis in Science magazine10 that summarized The Lancet's findings questioned the Wuhan Seafood Market as a source of the virus. According to Science magazine:
Experts in the Documentary Express Their DoubtsIn the film, Sean Lin, former lab director of the Viral Disease Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, also questions the abrupt attribution of the virus' cause to a bat virus connected to the seafood market. This assumption not only ignored the nearly one-third of patients who had not had contact with the market, but bats are not even sold at the market, he points out.11 Judy Mikovits, a molecular biologist and antiviral expert who worked at the National Cancer Institute for 22 years,12 calls the seafood market hypothesis "highly unlikely and improbable.” Concurring with The Lancet article, she points out that:13
Also skeptical of the dismissive explanation is Dr. Daniel Lucey, an infectious disease specialist at Georgetown University. The 13 patients whom The Lancet article reported had no link to the seafood market is "a big number," Lucey told Science magazine.14 Lucey rejects the seafood market hypothesis because it rules out the human-to-human transmission that is known to occur. In a Science Speaks interview he says:15
Shutting down the Wuhan Seafood Market so quickly allowed other contamination sources to proliferate, especially with no testing program, says Lucey:16
A Chinese Virologist Created New, Synthetic VirusesMuch of the film focuses on the work of Shi Zhengli, a Chinese virologist at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, which hosts the Wuhan National Biosafety Laboratory and is located17 only 10 miles from the Wuhan Seafood Market.18 Zhengli, who has a lab at the institute called P4, is considered an expert on bat-originated diseases like SARS and their transmission. A quick look at journal contributions that Zhengli co-wrote reveals the researchers created new, synthetic viruses. For example, a letter published in Nature Medicine says:19
Spike proteins, also called S proteins, use the human angiotensin converting enzyme II (ACE2)20 to infect humans.21 That means, say Zhengli and her colleagues in a previous Nature article, that "intermediate hosts may not be necessary for direct human infection.”22 Coronaviruses' use of the human ACE2 molecule as their entry receptor "is considered a hallmark of its cross-species transmissibility," the researchers write in an article in Nature.23 After creating the synthetic virus, which they call SHC014, Zhengli and her coauthors write that they "next synthesized a full-length SHC014-CoV infectious clone based on the approach used for SARS-CoV."24 Other papers Zhengli co-wrote focus on the transmission of coronaviruses from one species to another, according to the documentary. Is Covid-19 a Re-Engineered Virus?Zhengli and her fellow researchers admit they used a "reverse genetics system" to generate "a chimeric virus expressing the spike of bat coronavirus,"25 raising legitimate fears that COVID-19 is also reverse-engineered, according to "Tracking Down the Origin of the Wuhan Virus." Virologists wrote to Nature that they were uncomfortable with the fabricated chimeras Zhengli and her colleagues produced. Simon Wain-Hobson, a virologist at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, warned, "If the virus escaped, nobody could predict the trajectory."26 A withdrawn paper posted on bioRxiv, a preprint biology server where scientists can post their work before it is published, said of the COVID-19 genome:27
According to Mikovits, the S proteins seen on COVID-19 that make it so transmittable to humans come from "cutting and pasting of two different viruses" and the apparent insertion of four new genes could not have been generated from a natural "zoonotic transmission."28 They had to come from a medical, bioweapons or lab setting, says Mikovits. Other scientists in the film agree that COVID-19 is a re-engineered, laboratory-driven virus.29 General Robert Spalding, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and a former senior strategy director at the National Security Council, believes the media have suppressed coverage of lab-driven viruses to keep lucrative Chinese revenue streams. The viruses could be intended by the Chinese to reap rewards for a vaccine that targets them or as bioweapons, he says:30
US-Funded Research in China Was Temporarily HaltedIn 2014, the NIH announced a halt to research that few Americans were aware of — gain-of-function (GOF) experiments with the SARS, MERS and influenza viruses awarded to Chinese entities:31
In her 2015 Nature Medicine article that discussed chimeras, Zhengli refers to the U.S. funding pause. She writes that ongoing research into engineering viruses:32
The research in the paper mentioning the GOF studies was funded by grants from the National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Disease and the National Institute of Aging (both part of NIH) as well as awards from the National Natural Science Foundation of China. Technical help was received from the University of North Carolina and the University of Texas.33 Censoring Science and WhistleblowersCensorship by the Chinese government is the rule, not the exception, according to "Tracking Down the Origin of the Wuhan Virus." On January 10, 2020, a Chinese lab released the entire genome sequence for the scientific community to analyze, but subsequently the lab was closed.34 Zhengli's Institute of Virology's P4 Lab was taken over by the military after COVID-19 surfaced, says the film.35 The censorship was reminiscent of the case of Dr. Li Wenliang, the whistleblowing Chinese doctor who contracted the virus while working at Wuhan Central Hospital, and who tried to warn others. Wenliang was investigated for "spreading rumors" and died of the virus on February 7, 2020.36 The Chinese government later apologized. Chinese researchers who originally talked to Philipp later refused to do so, he says.37 The deadly characteristics of the COVID-19 virus, the engineered viruses and the proximity of the Wuhan Institute of Virology/Wuhan National Biosafety Laboratory to the Wuhan Seafood Market raise serious biosecurity and global health questions. Let's hope the truth comes out. from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2020/04/24/how-did-the-wuhan-virus-start.aspx In just a few short weeks the world has changed. The SARS-CoV-2 virus that triggers the infection commonly known as COVID-19 was officially called a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization on January 30, 2020.1 Concern over the spread of the virus has triggered a cascade of events with far-reaching consequences. A two-week unilateral truce has been called in Yemen2 to prevent viral spread, stores are closing; and there is a quiet spread of fear created by daily news headlines claiming more deaths, more infections and more change. While store closings and job layoffs are real, it’s hard to tell the truth from fiction in some reports. Many are worried about their job security and the stress of isolation from family and friends. There have not been many other periods in history when the whole world has waited to see what the next day would bring. The Difference Between Being Scared and Being FearfulDuring this time some are feeling fearful, which is not surprising considering the barrage of bad news. Each report seems worse than the last as the various media compete for an audience. Understanding the difference between being scared and fearful is a good place to start, since one makes life more difficult and the other heightens alertness and makes senses become sharper.3 Many people enjoy the feeling of being scared in a controlled environment. It can be invigorating when more oxygen reaches your brain and your pulse rate rises. Think about watching a thriller or riding a roller coaster: The reason people enjoy those activities is because they have a controlled feeling of being scared.4 Under controlled circumstances, people simultaneously experience stress and pleasure. In one study, researchers measured cortisol, heart rate, blood pressure, emotional state and immunoreactivity before and after 12 novice bungee jumpers took the plunge.5 They found what you probably have experienced if you enjoy theme parks was that anxiety and cortisol were high before the jump, while immunoreactivity and euphoria were high after the jump. But, those feelings are far different from fear that generates anxiety and worry. Instead of the natural fight-or-flight reaction that may save your life if you’re being attacked, fear paralyzes your mind and your body. The fear response during the COVID-19 pandemic is not new to society. In 2015, the headline in the American Psychological Association6 could have referenced 2020 — "An Epidemic of Fear." The writer was talking about the Ebola epidemic in West Africa. Although there were only a small number of confirmed cases in the U.S., the fear of infection leveraged a disproportionate response in some people. Parents in three states pulled their children out of school and a teacher in Maine was put on leave. Fear Response to a New Threat Is ExpectedPaul Slovic, Ph.D., is president of Decision Research, a nonprofit organization dedicated to studying human judgment. He was not surprised by the reaction to Ebola. His comments in 2015 are as true now as they were then:7
New and different threats raise a person's level of anxiety higher than threats with the same or similar consequences, but which are familiar. This may be related to the response in your amygdala in the brain, which helps the brain process emotions. The authors of one study8 found that the activity in the amygdala rose when participants were shown repeated images of unfamiliar flowers and snakes, while repeated images of familiar images of those same categories of natural objects did not raise the activity. As Ryan Holiday writes:9
Preparation and Knowledge Reduce FearWhile fleeting feelings of concern are expected when faced with new experiences, continued feelings of anxiety and paralysis interfere with daily life. Those feelings are detrimental to your mental health. Holiday writes it is10 "Training. Courage. Discipline. Commitment. Calm." That reduces the panic and fear induced by hyperbolic media headlines often used to drive revenue. Training, education and preparation are the foundation of courage. The difference between being fearful and being scared is that fear paralyzes your ability to evaluate what's happening and make decisions. But preparation and information help you to make decisions and act, even when you're scared. This is the definition of courage — taking action despite being scared. In 1933, at the height of the Great Depression, Franklin D. Roosevelt stood outside the East Wing of the U.S. Capitol building11 to give his inaugural address after having been elected President of the U.S. Within the first few minutes, he said the line that has been repeated for generations, “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself …” However, this is just the middle of one sentence and it doesn’t communicate the full thought. As you read these words, you’ll see he was telling the people that fear was a choice and it was the real enemy of recovery. His description of fear — a “nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror” — rings as true now as in 1933:12
Fear is frequently fed by misinformation and emotionally laden news headlines, among other things. In fact, reading the news when there isn’t a pandemic may be just as fear-inspiring. As Psychology Today13 points out, it’s rarely the good news that makes the headlines and attracts readers. Instead, it’s violence, unrest, deaths and destruction. There Is No Problem so Bad That You Can’t Make It WorseYet, as Holiday writes, it’s preparation and information that make it easier to set fear aside, evaluate the headlines with a clear mind and discern when things aren’t adding up. He uses a story about Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield to illustrate this point:
Ben Okri, novelist and poet, has some of the same thoughts about fear and the damage it does to the human mind and body. Writing in The Guardian, he works to define the difference between awareness of a problem and panic in the midst of it. He writes:14
Long-Term Fear Damages Your HealthPreparation begins with understanding the long-term consequences of fear and panic to your health — and realizing these health conditions are neither inevitable nor necessary to your survival. Fear triggers the release of cortisol, part of the fight or flight response, and chronic stress.15 As you’ll discover in this short video, it has far-reaching consequences. It’s time to take control of your physical and mental health by controlling the fear and stress that the media seems bent on serving up to the public. These skills will be important throughout your whole life. You can recognize the physical response to fear and chronic stress even if you don’t recognize the feelings. Many of these symptoms include:16,17,18,19
Strategies to Reduce Fear and Remain FocusedThere are several strategies you can use to reduce your feelings of fear. It is important to begin with the understanding that feelings do not have a life of their own. In other words, feelings are generated. Your feelings change depending upon your circumstances and your thoughts. Watching a funny movie may trigger laughter and feelings of happiness. Watching a sad movie brings many to tears. Reading the headlines during an epidemic or pandemic can trigger fear. There’s an unknown factor in the situation. You may not have control over the news media, but the good news is you have control over your thoughts and your health. When you feel sad watching a particular movie the feelings are generated by what you see as well as your thoughts in response to that. In other words, your thoughts engender feelings. One of the strategies you can use to reduce or eliminate feelings of fear is to change your thoughts. Psychology Today20 recommends reducing anxiety by limiting your exposure to the news and trying to consume positive news stories while you’re keeping up with what’s going in the world. It’s important to pay careful attention to “vague or loaded terms, cited statistics, and unstated assumptions.” In other words, don’t accept at face value what’s in the news but, rather, consider the information and ask questions about what you’re being told. Other stress-reducing techniques include getting enough exercise, eating whole foods, limiting sugar and getting quality sleep. When you’re tired and your body doesn’t have adequate nutrition to function, you’re more apt to fall into the trap of becoming fearful. Another strategy is the use of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT). In the video below Julie Schiffman demonstrates a tapping strategy specifically for this pandemic. If you aren’t familiar with EFT you’ll find a library of demonstrations at “Basic Steps to Your Emotional Freedom.” For more about stress see “Documentary Reveals How Stress Kills.” from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2020/04/23/how-to-control-fear.aspx The U.S. unemployment rate may skyrocket to 32.1% in the second quarter of 2020, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.1 Previously, the highest rate of unemployment in U.S. history was 24.9%, which occurred in 1933 during the Great Depression.2 The figure comes from "back-of-the-envelope" estimates, in which the St. Louis Fed attempted to quantify the financial fallout from social distancing measures imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the economy crippled, and layoffs ensuing, an unprecedented number of Americans have had their livelihoods suspended, which could cause poverty rates to climb while triggering a subsequent mental health crisis. What is even more shocking is how great the stock market is doing as it has rallied for the fourth successive week in a row, despite record numbers losing their jobs. It makes you think that if everyone loses their job the stock market might double. This is an egregious example of fatally flawed federal and government policies that will inevitably blow up in their faces. Yes, we are having a stock market rally for now, but nearly every insightful economist I review is predicting a crash far bigger than the Great Depression because of the harm their actions are causing on top of an already inflated bubble. Fed Predicts 52.8 Million Americans Could Be UnemployedAs a starting point to reach this staggering statistic, the St. Louis Fed used data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which noted an unemployment rate of 3.5% in February 2020, amounting to about 5.76 million unemployed Americans. They then used BLS data cited by St. Louis Fed regional economist Charles Gascon,3 who classified 808 occupations to estimate how many employees are at high risk of layoff due to social distancing, using criteria such as whether the occupations involve work that can be completed off-site and are considered essential to public health and safety. Occupations in sales, production, food preparation and services and others were deemed to be at high risk of layoff, potentially affecting 66.8 million people. Other St. Louis Fed economists — Fernando Leibovici and Ana Maria Santacreu — and research associate Matthew Famiglietti suggested "nonessential occupations that require a high degree of face-to-face and close physical interaction are particularly likely to be hit hard, as consumers reduce their demand for them in pursuit of social distancing."4 These occupations include barbers, hairstylists, food and beverage serving workers, flight attendants and others, amounting to another 27.3 million workers who may be out of work. To calculate the second quarter 2020 unemployment rate, the economists took the average of these two estimates, which resulted in 47.05 Americans being laid off. They further noted:5
Given that this is a rough estimate, St. Louis Fed economist Miguel Faria-e-Castro suggested that actual second-quarter unemployment rates could be anywhere between 10.5% and 40.6%. For comparison, during the Great Recession, unemployment peaked at 10% in October 2009.6 Unemployment Could Skyrocket From 3.5% to 32%If you follow the numbers, the unemployment rate went from 3.5% in February 2020 to 4.4% in March — and is predicted to rise to over 32% when the April data are in, which won't be until the first week of May. The small rise in unemployment cases in March isn't a useful indicator, since it includes data from early in the month, before the bulk of the layoffs took place. "April, however, will be the cruelest month," Vox reported, "capturing the bulk of the layoffs and furloughs undertaken due to coronavirus," and adding, "you should not be shocked if the April number is in the double digits, at the very least. This is not inevitable, but it is quite plausible. These are truly unprecedented times. Expect unprecedented numbers."7 In fact, a real-time labor market estimate found the U.S. unemployment rate had already increased to 20.2% as of April 15, 2020.8 Meanwhile, unemployment claims surpassed the 22-million mark in the last month, which, as noted by ZeroHedge, "is over 10 times the prior worst four-week period in the last 50-plus years." Further, in the last four weeks, "more Americans have filed for unemployment than jobs gained during the last decade since the end of the Great Recession."9 Will This Bring a Return to Depression-Era Food Rations?What's now being termed "The Great Lockdown" may turn out to be worse than the Great Depression. The International Monetary Fund predicted the global economy would contract by 3% in 2020 as economies shut down.10 And Carmen Reinhart, a professor of economics and finance at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, told The Associated Press, "We will see higher default rates and business failures. It could be like the 1930s."11 During the Great Depression, both money and food were in short supply, breadlines were long and soup kitchens became mainstream. The average U.S. family lived by the motto "Use it up, wear it out, make do or do without."12 Women stretched their food budgets by creating casseroles and churches organized potlucks to share food, while community "thrift gardens" were created for residents to grow their own food. During World War II, the Emergency Price Control Act was put in place, allowing the government to set price limits and ration food and other commodities, like tires, gasoline and oil, so scarce resources could be evenly distributed and hoarding would be limited. According to History.com:13
Americans were given ration books that contained stamps, and the government set a point system to foods based on availability. History.com continued:14
During this time, many Americans also planted "victory gardens" to supply their own fruits and vegetables. Returning to an era of food rations and scarcity may have seemed unthinkable to most Americans in early March 2020 — but is far more believable today. Already, people are waiting in long lines to get into stores, where they're allowed to purchase only certain allotments of high-demand items like eggs and toilet paper. The process gets more orderly by the day, with Americans now being instructed to stand at set 6-foot intervals and the purchase of certain items deemed "nonessential" being restricted entirely. If you've ever thought about growing your own food, but perhaps haven't felt motivated to actually do it, now is a perfect time to get started growing your own vegetable garden. Half a Billion in Poverty, Entire Industries DestroyedIn a dire warning issued by Oxfam, a conglomerate of 19 organizations working to end global poverty, it's estimated that the COVID-19 crisis could send half a billion more people into poverty.15 The analysis suggests that 6% to 8% of the global population may be forced into poverty by the economic shutdowns being imposed to stop the spread of COVID-19. In some regions, such as sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, the fight against poverty could be set back by three decades, and the hardest hit will be "poor people in poor countries who are already struggling to survive" and have no safety nets to bail them out. Oxfam reported:16
In Bangladesh, for instance, more than 1 million garment workers, most of whom are women, have been laid off without pay because of cancellations of orders from Western clothing brands. In Africa, meanwhile, it's estimated that close to half of jobs could disappear. One taxi driver and father told Oxfam he had not received a fare since the lockdown closed the airport and restaurants, stating "this virus will starve us before it makes us sick."17 Entire industries have also been destroyed. Dairy farmers are being forced to dump milk as demand from restaurants and schools plummets. The dairy industry could lose $5 billion to $10 billion in sales in the next six months, and the seafood industry is also reeling, facing an 85% drop in revenue.18 Declines in consumer spending is also forcing down prices for other farm products, putting farmers at risk. Tim Gibbons, communications director at the Missouri Rural Crisis Center, told the Columbia Daily Tribune, "It can't be highlighted enough that it was really bad out here [for farmers] before COVID-19, and COVID has only made it worse. It's shining a spotlight on the rigidity and lack of resilience for the corporate model of [farm production], which does not pay farmers fairly and is not good for consumers."19 How Many Will Die From the Mental Health Fallout?The U.S. was already on the brink of a mental health crisis prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. But the associated stresses, which run the gamut from isolation and anxiety to unemployment and illness, are now threatening to create a mental health emergency among Americans. Such was the case during the Great Depression, when suicide rates reached an all-time high,20 and again during the Great Recession, when at least 10,000 additional "economic suicides" occurred between 2008 and 2010.21 "Job loss, debt and foreclosure increase risks of suicidal thinking," researchers wrote in The British Journal of Psychiatry.22 Another study looking at the association between suicide and unemployment in 63 countries between 2000 and 2011, which notably included the 2008 global economic recession, found the relative risk of suicide associated with unemployment was elevated by 20% to 30% during the study period. Further, 1 in 5 of an estimated 233,000 annual suicides that took place from 2000 to 2011 were linked to unemployment.23 A 2014 Gallup Poll also found, "The longer that Americans are unemployed, the more likely they are to report signs of poor psychological well-being."24 Depression is another considerable risk. The poll found that about 1 in 5 Americans who were unemployed for a year or more either had or were being treated for depression, which is double the rate of those who were unemployed for five weeks or less. According to Gallup:25
Social isolation and quarantine also take a toll on mental health. A rapid review of the evidence, published in The Lancet in March 2020, looked into the psychological impact of quarantine, finding, not surprisingly, "Most reviewed studies reported negative psychological effects including post-traumatic stress symptoms, confusion, and anger."26 Out of 2,760 quarantined people, 34% experienced high levels of psychological distress, which could include anxiety or depression. Long-lasting psychological effects are also possible.27 Take Steps to Protect Your Mental HealthMany are talking about hand washing, wearing masks and other steps to protect your physical health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Equally important is tending to your mental health, especially if you're one of the millions being affected by job losses, unemployment and social distancing. In the video above, Julie Schiffman demonstrates how to use the Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) to relieve anxiety and other challenging emotions brought on by news and uncertainty about this pandemic and/or self-quarantining. Another option is the Neuro-Emotional Technique's First Aid Stress Tool, or NET FAST,28 which is performed as follows:
As mentioned, now is also an excellent time to dive into organic gardening. Not only can it give you increased food security, but gardening also helps to reduce stress and save money on groceries, both of which will become increasingly important if unemployment levels continue to rise. from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2020/04/23/economic-collapse-2020.aspx |
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