Dr. Ken Redcross is an internal medicine physician with a concierge practice in New York. He wrote the book “Bond: The 4 Cornerstones of a Lasting and Caring Relationship with Your Doctor,” and in this interview, he shares his views on the prevention of COVID-19 through natural means.
Some of the patients Redcross saw were concerned about going to the hospital out of fear of being exposed to COVID-19, saying they’d rather take their chances at home. Fortunately, Redcross was able to help educate many of his patients about proactive measures they can take, even if they opted to stay at home. Vitamin D Optimization Is a Crucial ComponentRedcross works with a very diverse group of patients, including Blacks, who are most adversely affected with vitamin D deficiency. Statistics have shown that the African-American community is also disproportionately at risk for severe COVID-19, and vitamin D deficiency may in fact be at the heart of this disparity. I believe getting the word out to all communities, and especially the Black community, that vitamin D is essential for health and vital in the fight against this virus, and Redcross agrees. Other disparities that also play a role are more difficult to address than vitamin D. For example, many income-restricted individuals live in ‘food deserts’ where healthy whole foods are hard to come by, and have limited options that include fast food or processed foods that are devoid of nutrients, creating a recipe for insulin resistance and all of the health ramifications that go along with it. While this isn’t the reality for all, diet and income are factors that should be taken into consideration when addressing the health needs of the Black community. Aside from vitamin D deficiency, insulin resistance is one of the primary risk factors for severe COVID-19 infection and death, as discussed in “The Real Pandemic Is Insulin Resistance.” Transitioning to a low-carb diet high in healthy fats and time-restricted eating are two of the most effective remedies for this, but they take time to implement and reap the benefits of. Clearly, they’re strategies that will protect your health in the long-term, but more acutely won’t have a major impact. Another part of the nutritional approach to protecting your health is to eliminate your use of industrial vegetable oils that are high in omega-6 linoleic acid, which I believe is actually worse than carbohydrates. Redcross agrees that this is an important part of the conversation he has with his patients. Vitamin D, on the other hand, is something that can strengthen your immune system in a matter of a few weeks. Dosing is an important factor, however, when you’re taking an oral vitamin D supplement. It needs to be high enough. The ideal way to optimize your level is to get sensible sun exposure, but if you’re dark-skinned, you may need upward of 1.5 hours of sun a day in order to maximize conversion of vitamin D in your skin. Many don’t have the luxury of that much time.
Why Vitamin D Recommendations Are Too LowIndeed, it’s important to realize that when health authorities caution against exceeding a vitamin D dose of 4,000 IUs, their recommendation is based on the dosage required to prevent rickets. It has nothing to do with the dosage required to support immune function and prevent other chronic diseases. Unfortunately, as noted by Redcross, many medical authorities are “still blind” to these facts. Redcross, on the other hand, recommends vitamin D supplementation to most of his patients. He starts by getting a baseline reading of their vitamin D level, and continues to check their levels with regular testing while also tracking their clinical symptoms and subjective observations. Many report a sense of improved general well-being once they get their levels up.
Many of his patients tend to have vitamin D levels around 20 ng/mL at baseline. Very few have sufficient levels, especially among the elderly. In addition to his regular concierge practice, Redcross also offers affordable health care at a local assisted living facility, where he advocates for vitamin D optimization. If you have a loved one in a nursing home, taking the time to talk to the medical management about vitamin D testing and supplementation could make a big difference in the general health of all the residents.
As it pertains to COVID-19, researchers in Indonesia, who looked at data from 780 COVID-19 patients, found1 those with a vitamin D level between 21 ng/mL (50 nmol/L) and 29 ng/mL (75 nmol/L) had a 12.55 times higher risk of death than those with a level above 30 ng/mL. Having a level below 20 ng/mL was associated with a 19.12 times higher risk of death. Other research2,3 suggests your risk of developing a severe case of, and dying from, COVID-19 virtually disappears once your vitamin D level gets above 30 ng/mL (75 nmol/L). To ignore this seems foolish in the extreme, especially since vitamin D supplementation is both safe and inexpensive.
The Role of Magnesium and Vitamin K2Importantly, other nutrient deficiencies may be at play if you’re having a hard time improving your vitamin D level. One of them is magnesium, which is required for the conversion of vitamin D into its active form. Without sufficient amounts of magnesium, your body cannot properly utilize the vitamin D you’re taking.4,5,6,7 According to a scientific review8,9 published in 2018, as many as 50% of Americans taking vitamin D supplements may not get significant benefit as the vitamin D simply gets stored in its inactive form, and the reason for this is because they have insufficient magnesium levels. Research10 published in 2013 also highlighted this issue, concluding that higher magnesium intake helps reduce your risk of vitamin D deficiency by activating more of it. Another cofactor is vitamin K2, as it helps prevent complications associated with excessive calcification in your arteries. In fact, relative vitamin K2 deficiency is typically what produces symptoms of “vitamin D toxicity.” Research by GrassrootsHealth, based on data from nearly 3,000 individuals, reveals you need 244% more oral vitamin D if you’re not also taking magnesium and vitamin K2.11 What this means in practical terms is that if you take all three supplements in combination, you need far less oral vitamin D in order to achieve a healthy vitamin D level. Redcross notes:
Types of MagnesiumAside from magnesium bisglycinate, other variations include:
Being a Source of InspirationRedcross not only has a positive impact in his local community in New York, but he’s also been able to get his message of health and wellness out in the media, which is an important component.
Take-Home MessageWhile the death toll from COVID-19 in the U.S. has sharply declined since its peak in mid-April — declining from 2,666 deaths the week of June 13, 2020, to 906 deaths for the week of June 2012 — authorities predict a reemergence this fall. We can significantly blunt any reemergence by optimizing our vitamin D levels, and this strategy is bound to be particularly important in African-American communities, nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. To aid in this educational effort, I created two vitamin D reports — one comprehensive science report and one easy to digest summary for the layperson — both of which can be downloaded below. The first is more for health care professionals and those who doubt the science of the recommendation. The second was specifically designed to give you the nuts and bolts of the message in an easy to share, highly readable format. We need an army to take this message to the public, especially those at greatest risk, the elderly and those with melanated skin. This document should help you to spread the message. >>>>> Click Here <<<<< I urge everyone to share this information with your friends, family and community at large, so that we can minimize additional outbreaks. If you have a family member or know anyone that is in an assisted living facility, you could meet with the director of the program, share these reports and encourage them to get everyone tested or at least start them on vitamin D. Additionally, you could talk to your Black friends, co-workers and those in your community — who are also at disproportionate risk — and provide them with important health information that could save many lives quicker than any vaccine program.
from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2020/08/01/ken-redcross-vitamin-d.aspx
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Iron is an essential nutrient, integral to hundreds of biological functions including oxygen transport, DNA synthesis and energy metabolism. Almost every cell in your body contains iron.1 Plants, bacteria, animals and even cancer cells cannot survive without it.2,3 Plants use iron to make chlorophyll, while animals and humans need it to make hemoglobin, a protein in your red blood cells used to transport oxygen. Approximately 6% of the iron in your body is bound as a component to proteins and 25% is stored as ferritin.4 Having too much or too little can have serious consequences. Yet, what many people and physicians do not realize is that an excessive amount of iron is more common than having a deficiency. Doctors may check for iron deficiency as it relates to anemia, but iron overload is a far more common problem. Adult men and non-menstruating women are at risk of having dangerously high levels of iron. When left untreated, excess iron can damage your organs and contribute to the development of heart disease, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases and cancer.5 High Levels of Iron Linked to Shorter Life SpanResearchers have linked iron overload to several medical conditions, and now find that people age at different rates when they have excess amounts in the body. European scientists gathered data from an international database to test this theory.6 The set of data was equivalent to about 1.75 million lifespans.7 They looked at the total number of years lived (life span), the total number of years marked by good health (health span) and living to an old age (longevity).8 The researchers identified 10 loci in the genetic sample that appear to influence aging. The majority of the loci were associated with cardiovascular disease. Based on statistical analysis, the data suggested "that genes involved in metabolizing iron in the blood are partly responsible for a healthy long life."9 The new information is exciting as it suggests a modifiable pathway to explain biological aging and chronic disease rate differences among people. The researchers noted that high iron levels can reduce "the body's ability to fight infection in older age,"10 which may be yet another reason that age is a factor in infectious disease severity. As Paul Timmers from the University of Edinburgh says, the data also offer a reasonable explanation for the association between red meat and heart disease. While cholesterol has been blamed in the past, in a growing number of studies, no association has been found between cholesterol and heart disease.11 Timmers commented:12
Excess Iron Impairs Mitochondrial FunctionResearchers have known since the mid-1990s that when iron is bound to a protein such as hemoglobin, it plays a part in cell metabolism and growth.13 But when it is free, it kicks off a reaction producing hydroxyl free radicals from hydrogen peroxide. This is one of the most damaging free radicals in the body and can cause severe mitochondrial dysfunction. Hydroxyl free radicals damage cell membranes, protein and DNA. Other research has shown excessive iron promotes apoptosis and ferroptosis in cardiomyocytes.14 Apoptosis is the programmed cell death of diseased and worn-out cells and, as the name implies, ferroptosis refers to cell death that is specifically dependent on and regulated by iron.15 Your cardiomyocytes are the muscle cells in the heart that generate and control contractions.16 In short, this tells us that excess iron can impair heart function. These are two ways iron overload can lead to cardiomyopathy, which is a leading cause of death in patients with hemochromatosis. Excess iron also affects blood pressure and other markers of cardiovascular disease, and glycemic control in individuals with metabolic syndrome. One study was done with 64 participants who had a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome.17 The participants were randomly assigned to two groups. In the first, they gave blood at the beginning of the study and again after 4 weeks. Researchers regulated the amount of blood given and each person's iron level. They measured systolic blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, plasma glucose and hemoglobin A1c. The group who gave blood showed a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure and had lower blood glucose levels, hemoglobin A1c and heart rate. There was no effect on insulin sensitivity. In an earlier study, scientists removed blood in individuals who had chronic gout.18 Twelve participants with hyperuricemia gave blood over the course of 28 months to maintain their body at the lowest amount of iron stores possible, without inducing anemia. The data showed a marked reduction in the number and severity of gout attacks. Removing blood was also found to be safe and beneficial. How Do High Iron Levels Build Up?Men and non-menstruating women have a higher potential for iron buildup since the body has limited ways of excreting excess iron.19 With the genetic disorder hemochromatosis, the body accumulates excessive and damaging levels of iron.20 When this is left untreated it contributes to many of the disorders discussed above. Hemochromatosis is a prevalent genetic condition in Americans. It takes two inherited genetic mutations, one from your mother and one from your father, to cause the disease. In one study, researchers estimated 40% to 70% of people with the defective genes will eventually have iron overload.21 It is also easy to get too much iron from your food, particularly when it's "fortified" with iron. Iron is a common nutritional supplement found in many multivitamin and mineral supplements. Many processed foods are also fortified with iron. For example, two servings of fortified breakfast cereal may give you as much as 44 milligrams (mg) of iron, rising dangerously close to the upper tolerance limit of 45 mg for adults.22 However, the upper tolerance limit is well over the recommended daily allowance, which is 8 mg for men and 18 mg for premenopausal women.23 It's easy to see how you might consistently eat too much iron. Another common cause for iron excess is the regular consumption of alcohol.24 Alcohol increases the amount of iron you absorb from your food. In other words, by drinking alcohol with foods that are high in iron, you will likely absorb more than you need. Other contributing factors include using iron pots and pans, drinking well water high in iron, using multivitamins and mineral supplements together or eating processed foods. You Can Help Severe Blood Shortages and Help YourselfRoutine blood donation may be one of the simplest and quickest ways to reduce your ferritin and iron overload. Blood donation may also save the life of someone else. The American Red Cross collects blood at both permanent and mobile locations. According to the organization, more than 80% of what they collect comes from blood drives on college campuses and at workplaces. Unfortunately, one of the consequences of COVID-19 has been a reduction in the number of blood drives and blood donations across the U.S. This has led to a severe shortage.25 Chris Hrouda, who serves as president of the Red Cross Biomedical Services, expressed his concerns to a reporter from the Press Herald:26
Blood donation is a safe and effective way of managing your iron stores and helping someone else. The Red Cross answers questions about your eligibility requirement on their website.27 They recommend that you wait at least eight weeks between donations so your body can completely restore your blood volume. If you are unable to donate blood because of a health condition, consider therapeutic phlebotomy. While your blood won't be used for a donation, they may do the procedure and then dispose of the blood. If you can't find a place in your community for the services, your insurance policy may pay for routine therapeutic phlebotomies with a doctor's prescription.28 In either case, whether you donate the blood or it's thrown out, the amount they take is the same. To donate, you only need a blood donor card, a driver's license or two forms of identification. People who are at least 17, weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health are eligible. Yearly GGT and Iron Screening Tests AdvisableAnother way to measure the impact of iron toxicity and the effect on mortality is the gamma glutamyl transpeptidase test, sometimes called gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT). GGT is a liver enzyme that is involved in the metabolism of glutathione and the transport of amino acids and peptides. It can be used as a marker for excess free iron, and as an indicator of your risk of chronic kidney disease.29 Low levels of GGT tend to be protective against high levels of ferritin. When both ferritin and GGT are high, you have a higher chance of having chronic health problems and/or early death. As with many lab tests, the normal references vary among the labs. Normal laboratory ranges are often far from ideal and those used for GGT may not be adequate for preventing disease. As I've shared before, the range of ideal to "normal" GGT can be wide. To fully understand your risks, you'll need both the ferritin and GGT levels tested. For more information on ferritin and GGT, including healthy ranges, see "Donate Blood: You May Be Saving Your Own Life." from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2020/08/01/benefits-of-good-iron-levels.aspx The debate about the origin of SARS-CoV-2 continues, as does the debate over whether the pandemic could have been quashed had Chinese authorities acted and shared information about the outbreak sooner. According to a Hong Kong whistleblower scientist who has fled to the U.S., the Chinese government and World Health Organization representatives in Hong Kong covered up the Wuhan outbreak, allowing it to spread unchecked around the world. In the featured Fox News interview, the whistleblower, Dr. Li-Meng Yan — who worked at the University of Hong Kong School of Public Health, a top coronavirus research lab — claims her early investigation into the SARS-like outbreak in Wuhan could have helped prevent a global pandemic from developing, had her supervisors shared her findings. Yan claims her supervisor, WHO consultant Leo Poon, asked her to, secretly, investigate reports of a SARS-like illness spreading in Wuhan, China, in late December 2019. The Chinese government had refused overseas experts from getting involved, and Poon wanted her to figure out what was really going on. Human-to-Human Spread Was Recognized From the StartYan, who has many professional colleagues in China, turned to a friend who works in the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and had first-hand information about the outbreak. Yan was told there was likely human-to-human transmission occurring, as they had found family clusters of cases. The WHO, meanwhile, did not confirm the human-to-human spread potential for several weeks. On the contrary, an official WHO statement said the virus "does not transmit readily between people." In a Tweet, WHO also stated that preliminary investigations by Chinese authorities "found no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission." January 16, 2020, Yan was again asked to reach out to her contacts in China to see if she could learn more. Her CDC contacts were fearful, but it became clear that patients and front-line doctors were not being properly protected, and that Chinese authorities were trying to keep a lid on the flow of information. When she updated Poon, he told her to stay silent and not cross the Chinese government, or else they'd both be "disappeared." Yan felt it was crucial to inform the public, but Poon took no action. The co-director of the University of Hong Kong School of Public Health laboratory, professor Malik Peiris, also stayed quiet. Yan believes WHO colluded with the China Communist Party (CCP) government to prevent information about the virus from coming out. The WHO quite predictably denies her claims. Yan describes how, since her escape, the CCP has been trying to smear her name and ruin her professional reputation, saying she's been kidnapped by Americans, and even that she has a mental disorder. Her professional webpages and affiliations have been deleted and removed. Yan Doesn't Provide Any Shocking RevelationsOn the whole, though, Yan doesn't really tell us anything we didn't already know. It's been clear that China delayed telling the public about the Wuhan outbreak. She doesn't indicate having any information about the virus' origin, and she certainly does not provide any useful recommendations for how to protect ourselves. In fact, she parrots the recommendations of most governments — staying 6 feet apart, using alcohol-based disinfectants and wearing surgical masks. Aside from disinfectants, which may be useful for killing viruses on hands and surfaces, social distancing and mask wearing have no basis in actual science. You can learn more about these two interventions in "Why Social Distancing Should Not Be the New Normal" and "Conclusive Proof — Masks Do Not Inhibit Viral Spread." Of course, the Chinese have been known to wear face masks in public for some time, but they've primarily been worn to protect the wearer against air pollution1,2 — not infectious disease. Just because masks prevent inhalation of dangerous air pollution does not mean they work against viruses. Based on current data, Yan also seems to exaggerate the dangers of the virus, seeing how the COVID-19 mortality rate is now down to a fraction of a percent and a vast majority — about 90% — of those infected remain completely asymptomatic. All of that said, she's certainly correct when saying that the CCP's attempts to keep details of the Wuhan outbreak from the public allowed the virus to spread, not only through China but also across the world. SARS-CoV-2 Did Not Evolve Naturally, Scientists SayWith regard to the origin of SARS-CoV-2, scientists keep finding more clues indicating it's not a naturally-evolved virus. Among them are two recent papers by Norwegian and British researchers Sørensen, Susrud and Dalgleish. In the first paper,3 "A Candidate Vaccine for Covid-19 (SARS-CoV-2) Developed from Analysis of its General Method of Action for Infectivity," published in the journal Quarterly Review of Biophysics Discovery, they claim to have identified inserted sections in the spike surface that allows it to bind to and enter human cells. According to the authors, "The SARS-CoV-2 spike is significantly different from any other SARS that we have studied." The second paper,4 "The Evidence Which Suggests That This Is No Naturally Evolved Virus: A Reconstructed Historical Aetiology of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike," published by the Norwegian periodical Minerva,5,6 July 13, 2020, presents several arguments for why SARS-CoV-2 is likely to have been manipulated in the lab. As in the first paper, the researchers stress anomalies in the spike protein of the virus. The abstract reads, in part:7
US-China Collaborated on Coronavirus ResearchSørensen also highlights open source studies describing the creation of new chimeraviruses that have SARS-coronavirus as a base. For example, researchers have exchanged properties between bat coronaviruses and human SARS viruses. So, there can be no doubt that the technology and know-how exists. Minerva reporter Aksel Fridstrom writes:8
In that research, an HIV pseudovirus was used to express seven bat ACE2 receptors. The binding properties of these bat ACE2 receptors were compared to human ACE2 receptors in order to determine which one would have the greatest ability to bind to and infect human cells. The international collaborators in this case included researchers at the University of North Carolina. Five years later, in 2015, the University of North Carolina again collaborated with the Wuhan Institute of Virology, performing gain-of-function research in which bat viruses were manipulated to create a chimeric virus capable of binding to human upper airway cells. That particular virus was called SHC014-MA15.
Virus Origin Papers Are Being Shunned by Scientific JournalsOne of the reasons Sørensen, Susrud and Dalgleish chose to publish their science paper in a magazine rather than a scientific journal is because of the difficulty getting papers about the virus' origin published. There's tremendous stigma attached to this topic. The journal Nature was recently caught blocking accounts of people questioning the natural origin of SARS-CoV-2 on Twitter, and several papers discussing the lab origin theory or proposing genetic engineering are languishing on preprint servers, seemingly unable to get accepted for formal publication. Several such papers are mentioned in a July 16, 2020, GM Watch article.10 Sørensen, Susrud and Dalgleish had also already gotten the runaround on their first paper. Both the Journal of Virology and Nature rejected it, stating it was "unsuitable for publication." It was eventually accepted by Quarterly Review of Biophysics Discovery, a journal chaired by Stanford University and University of Dundee scientists. Why COVID-19 Vaccines Are Likely to FailImportantly, in "A Candidate Vaccine for COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) Developed from Analysis of its General Method of Action for Infectivity,"11 Sorensen et.al. warn that current efforts to develop a COVID-19 vaccine are likely to fail since the etiology of the virus has been misunderstood:12
They also point out that choosing an adjuvant after the primary vaccine design work has been completed, which is how vaccine development is typically done, may be yet another serious mistake that could make a COVID-19 vaccine really dangerous. Many Different Lab Origin Hypotheses Have Been PresentedAnother scientist who questions the natural evolution theory is Jonathan Latham, Ph.D., a molecular biologist and virologist. In a June 2, 2020, Independent Science News article,13 Latham and Allison Wilson, Ph.D., a geneticist, dissect the zoonotic origin theory, showing the research simply does not support this claim. While they do not dispute the idea that SARS-CoV-2 started out as a bat coronavirus at some point, they dispute the mechanism by which it supposedly gained the ability to infect humans. In his article, Latham lays out several different lab origin hypotheses, which are also reviewed in my interview with him, featured in "Cover-Up of SARS-CoV-2 Origin?" Is SARS-CoV-2 Really a Novel Virus?Latham and Wilson continue their search for the truth in a July 15, 2020, Independent Science News article.14
According to Latham, SARS-CoV-2 may not be an entirely novel virus after all. A highly conserved close ancestor, BtCoV/4991, has been listed in the database for seven years and has been featured in the published literature. When the Wuhan lab later resequenced this sample, they simply renamed it, thereby obscuring its history. As Latham explains in his article15 — which I encourage you to read in its entirety — BtCoV/4991 was found in samples collected in a mineshaft in Yunnan province, China in 2012-2013. The samples were collected after six miners contracted a strange respiratory illness that sound remarkably similar if not identical to COVID-19. Three of them died. While the disease had only been described in a Chinese thesis written by the doctor who treated the miners, Latham had the thesis translated into English.
Key features Latham and Wilson believe can be explained by their theory include:
While they do not claim SARS-CoV-2 was genetically engineered, they believe gain-of-function research performed at the Wuhan Institute of Virology played "an essential causative role in the pandemic." The Mojiang Miners Passage HypothesisLatham and Wilson go on to explain their hypothesis, which they've dubbed the Mojiang miners passage (MMP) hypothesis. Again, I recommend reading the original article, but for your edification, I've chosen to quote a larger than usual section to summarize it for you:
As discussed in "Bioweapon Labs Must Be Shut Down and Scientists Prosecuted," the COVID-19 pandemic should be a wake-up call for the world to reconsider the wisdom of gain-of-function research. Lab escapes are guaranteed to occur, sooner or later. We got lucky this time, in the sense that SARS-CoV-2 is far less deadly than initially feared. But the government response to the pandemic has been devastating. Global shut-downs have taken a massive toll on mental and financial health, not to mention the global economy as a whole. Could we survive as a species if something with a really high lethality were to get out? These are crucial questions that deserve public discussion and close scrutiny by lawmakers. from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2020/07/31/coronavirus-whistleblower.aspx The benefits of vitamin D have been well-documented over the years. I believe that getting your vitamin D status optimized to between 60 ng/mL and 80 ng/mL is one of the best things you can do to help protect yourself against the fall infectious disease season, which is expected to include both flu and COVID-19. Health authorities are warning of a second wave of COVID-19, which means the time to start addressing your vitamin D level is now. But, as important as it is to get your level optimized by fall, it's just as important to keep it there throughout the year. Ideally, your body makes vitamin D when your skin is exposed to sunlight. This is why it's also called the sunshine vitamin.1 The best indicator of your vitamin D level is a blood test measuring the concentration of 25-hydroxy vitamin D, also called 25-OH vitamin D.2 In addition to the crucial role it plays in your immune system, researchers have also found that it's integral to optimizing leptin levels, which in turn are linked to obesity.3 In one study, researchers measured vitamin D and metabolic markers in two age- and gender-matched groups.4 They learned that individuals with deficient or insufficient vitamin D had a higher risk of metabolic syndrome. The results from several studies have also revealed a link between low levels of vitamin D and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, although the results have not been consistent. Foot Pain Associated With Knee or Hip OsteoarthritisRecently, insufficient levels of vitamin D have been associated with foot pain linked to knee osteoarthritis (OA). Before delving into the results of the research, it's important to understand the relationship between low back pain and foot pain associated with severe knee OA. In a study from 2010, researchers found that those who had OA in the knee and had pain in other joints in the body, were more likely to experience more intense knee pain.5,6 More specifically, the researchers found that when pain was present in the lower back, foot and elbow on the same side as the affected knee, the individual rated their knee pain as more severe than those who did not have pain in other joints. The study was led by a physician from Harvard Medical School and involved the use of data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative, a study of knee OA involving people from several locations in the northeastern area of North America. The researchers included 1,389 participants who were between 45 and 79 years of age. The results showed that 57.4% had pain in their lower back, and those same individuals had a higher pain score in their knee. Another group of participants from the same initiative and in the same age range were gathered for a second study.7 Researchers evaluated 1,255 individuals who had symptoms of knee pain related to OA. They noted that 25% of them had foot pain and the majority of those had pain in both feet. After adjusting for confounding variables, they discovered that people who had foot pain also had lower scores on other health measures compared to those who did not have pain. Those who had bilateral or ipsilateral pain had lower health scores. This suggested that the side of the body where the foot pain occurred was important. In a third study published in the Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, scientists also evaluated the side of the body where foot pain occurred and compared it to the presence of knee OA.8 One author commented about the importance of this identification:9
Vitamin D May Reduce Pain LevelPeople with knee OA may experience mild, moderate or severe pain.10 The Arthritis Foundation compares pain medications used for osteoarthritis listing nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS), acetaminophen and injections of steroids or hyaluronic acid as treatments.11 In some cases, antidepressants are used to treat chronic pain, such as Duloxetine (Cymbalta).12 In all cases, the medications have a long list of side effects. In one study, comparisons were made between NSAIDs and opioids, a drug with known addictive properties, to relieve OA pain. Researchers found that both types of medication reduced pain and the effects were nearly identical.13 When the use of opioids use has been measured across counties, researchers have found that where there is a higher prevalence of disability and arthritis, there is also a higher rate of opioid prescriptions.14 In a recently published study, researchers sought to determine whether sufficient levels of vitamin D could lower foot pain in those with knee OA.15 Using data from a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study they undertook a post-hoc data analysis.16 Members of the group were randomly assigned to receive either a monthly dose of vitamin D3 or a placebo for two years. The participants had a mean age of 63.2 years. Of the 413 who were enrolled, 340 completed the study. The researchers used the Manchester Foot Pain and Disability Index (MFPDI) to rate the patients' perceived pain. At the start of the study 23.7% had disabling foot pain. The data showed greater improvement in people receiving vitamin D and in those who maintained a sufficient level of vitamin D. They concluded that "supplementation and maintenance of sufficient vitamin D levels may improve foot pain in those with knee OA."17 In an article published in Rheumatology Advisor, it was noted that the study had several limitations, one of which may have significantly underestimated the results:18
Slow Osteoarthritis Progression With Omega-3 FatsA second nutrient the body uses to prevent or slow the progression of OA is omega-3 fat. Dietary fat is essential to good health. While eating too much or not enough is damaging, without healthy fat your body does not work properly.19 Polyunsaturated fats (PUFA) are one type of essential fat, which means you must eat them since the body doesn't make them. The two main types of PUFAs are omega-3 and omega-6. Both must be consumed in the right amounts or you may develop chronic inflammation. You'll find high concentrations of omega-6 in processed food, and corn, safflower and sunflower oils. While the ideal ratio is 1-to-1, most who eat a Western diet are getting 16 times more omega-6 than is considered healthy.20 As I've written recently, one of the problems with chronic inflammation may be that it promotes the damaging and dangerous cytokine storm found in those with severe COVID-19. The omega-3 index is a measure of omega-3 fat in the blood, or specifically in the red blood cell membranes. It is given as a percentage, with 8% or higher being ideal, putting you in the lowest risk zone.21 In a global meta-analysis of past studies measuring omega-3 levels, the researchers found areas with "very low blood levels (less than or equal to 4%)" included North, Central and South Americas, Europe and Africa.22 This is important since the balance of omega-3 and omega-6 can help regulate inflammation23 and slow the progression of OA after an injury,24 as demonstrated in animal studies. In naturally occurring OA, animals fed a diet rich in omega-3 reduced OA by 50% over those fed a standard diet.25 In a human trial, researchers found that supplementing with fish oil did not change the cartilage volume in knee osteoarthritis, but it did reduce the participants' pain scores over two years.26 Additionally, researchers have discovered a link between OA and metabolic syndrome.27 While metabolic syndrome increases the risk for OA, balancing your omega-3-to-omega-6 ratio can help reduce the potential risk of metabolic syndrome. The authors of one recent meta-analysis concluded:28
In a second paper, the authors wrote:29
Based on these studies, it's apparent that omega-3 has an impact on OA pain and that it can slow the progression of OA as well as help prevent metabolic syndrome, which also raises the risk of OA. Number of People With Osteoarthritis Has DoubledThe authors of a study published by Harvard University found that people currently living in America were more than two times more likely to have knee osteoarthritis than those who lived there before World War II. They looked at more than 2,000 skeletons with the goal of determining the age of the disease.30 Interestingly, there was a rise in disease after confounding factors were accounted for, such as longer life and the meteoric rise in rates of obesity since 1940.31 The researchers controlled for age and body mass index and still found a significant rise in people with OA. One author was quoted in the Harvard Gazette, saying:32
In the skeletons of people over the age of 50, the data showed knee osteoarthritis was 2.6 times more common in those who were born in the post-industrial age, as compared to those born in the late 1800s.33 The researchers also found the rate of OA in both knees in the post-industrial era was 1.4 times higher. If you are among those who have OA, consider using vitamin D3 supplements to raise your serum levels. It is important to include vitamin K2 MK-7 for reasons I discuss in "What Are the Health Benefits of Vitamin K2?", including reducing your risk of atherosclerosis. For a list of natural pain relievers and anti-inflammatory supplements that also have demonstrated the ability to reduce pain, see my article, "Number of People Suffering From Osteoarthritis Has Doubled." from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2020/07/31/vitamin-d-lowers-foot-pain-with-knee-osteoarthritis.aspx The body of evidence demonstrating the medicinal value of cannabis is growing and becoming more compelling, yet there continues to be resistance to using cannabidiol (CBD). Even as the legal arguments are settling, many are resistant to using cannabis sativa (hemp) or cannabis indica (marijuana). Cannabis has been a popular botanical medicine for thousands of years, valued for its healing properties. Through at least the 19th century it could be found in U.S. pharmacies.1 Then, in 1970, the herb was declared a Schedule 1 controlled substance.2 This is a classification reserved for drugs with a “high potential for abuse” and “no accepted medicinal use.”3 Three years later, the Drug Enforcement Agency was formed and they began their fight against marijuana.4 It may be hard for many to shake the idea that a plant once associated with hippies, rebellion and counterculture has medicinal value and may be important to optimal health. CBD May Use Three Pathways in the Fight Against COVID-19Although there is nothing in the chemical makeup of CBD to suggest it specifically attacks COVID-19, some experts believe the anti-inflammatory properties could present a potential treatment for pulmonary inflammation that ultimately can lead to death. In the severe form of the disease, damage leads to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), raising the mortality rate of those with ARDS to nearly 50%.5 Hyperactivity of the immune system has been dubbed a “cytokine storm” and is characterized by a release of inflammatory mediators including interleukins and chemokines. However, Emily Earlenbaugh, co-founder of a cannabis consulting company and a contributor to Forbes, points out that as the body recognizes pathogens, immune cells trigger an early cytokine response that helps control the infection.6,7 This means the body requires cytokines at the start of an infection, but a hyperactive immune response later on can lead to lung damage and severe pneumonia. Among the different cannabinoids that have been extracted from the cannabis plant, it is CBD that has shown strong anti-inflammatory properties.8 It makes sense, then, to investigate whether CBD can treat ARDS. Earlenbaugh writes in Forbes that researchers have studied CBD for three ways it may help in the treatment of COVID-19. These include the ability to reduce inflammation, act as a potential antiviral and affect ACE2 expression.9 CBD May Calm the COVID-19 Cytokine StormIn an interview with CBS News, Earlenbaugh spoke of past research in which CBD demonstrated the ability to act as an interleukin-6 inhibitor, and thus affect the hyperactive immune response.10,11 A more recent study by scholars from Augusta University in Georgia concluded that CBD had a potential protective role during ARDS, which may make it a valuable part of treatment for COVID-19 “by reducing the cytokine storm, protecting pulmonary tissues, and re-establishing inflammatory homeostasis.”12 While more clinical trials are needed to determine dosage and timing before CBD can be part of mainstream treatment, researchers believe they have evidence it can help patients avoid mechanical ventilation and death from ARDS. Babak Baban, immunologist and corresponding author of the study, commented:13
In their animal study, a synthetic analog was used to mimic the activity of SARS-CoV-2.14 CBD was administered in a pattern that would be like the human experience with the virus and treatment. The animals showed quick clinical improvement, and in a subsequent examination it was found that their lung damage had totally or partially healed. Terpenes Have Antiviral ActivityTerpenes, also found in the cannabis plant, have been another focus of study for the antiviral properties as scientists search for natural remedies in the treatment of some viruses,15 inflammatory diseases16 and SARS.17 Terpenes are phytochemicals and the oils that give the plant a distinctive flavor and odor.18 Some have antiviral activity, which may help fight COVID-19. A team from the Israel Institute of Technology led by Dedi Meiri, Ph.D., spoke with a reporter from Health Europa about a formulation having been extracted from cannabis and being tested against SARS CoV-2.19 In the initial study, the team is trying to identify the molecules capable of reducing the hyperactive immune response without completely suppressing the system. In the second phase they plan to look at how the plant may affect the viral process through ACE2 receptors. The hope is that terpenes found in cannabis can help modulate the overreaction of the immune system, which causes organ system failure leading to death.20 Your Body Has an Endocannabinoid SystemEndocannabinoids were discovered in the 1990s, which in turn led to the realization that the human body makes endogenous cannabinoids to influence those receptors.21 Endocannabinoids are similar in structure to the cannabinoids found in cannabis. Board certified nutritionist Carl Germano is an expert on phytocannabinoids and the importance of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in the human body. He likens the ECS system to the conductor of an orchestra, in which the orchestra is your organ system.22 He goes on to explain how this important system may not be fully appreciated and understood, as there continues to be a stigma — even in medical schools — where students and researchers are testing the boundaries of human biology and physiology:23
Documented Health Benefits Associated With CBDCBD is only one of more than 100 compounds that are classified as cannabinoids and found in the cannabis plant. Since cannabinoid receptors are part of our physiology, it should come as no surprise that CBD has so many health benefits. There are myriad medical uses that have been attributed to CBD, many of them scientifically documented. However, as Germano warns:24
You’ll find more information about cannabis production, quality and medicinal benefits at “The Many Medicinal Benefits of Cannabis and Cannabidiol (CBD).” Here are just a few of benefits associated with health conditions that raise the risk for severe COVID-19:
Feed Your Body’s Endocannabinoid SystemIn my interview with Germano, he talked about the conditions that may result when endogenous cannabinoids are not produced. This can produce a number of symptoms such as inflammation, stress, anxiety and depression.29 Others include poor eye health, insomnia, neurological problems and poor bone health. Before reaching for a supplement, consider taking steps to raise your endogenous production of cannabinoid compounds. A paper published in PLOS|One explains how nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids, exercise, chiropractic care, massage and acupuncture influence the function of your ECS.30 If you choose to use a supplement, then I strongly recommend buying from a reputable company. As I’ve written in the past, Amazon has misled consumers because they allow vendors to tag their items at will, despite their policy of forbidding the sale of any controlled substance.31 Products containing CBD oil fall into this category, based on a technicality of the law.32 Yet, you can still find hemp extract and other products containing CBD on the website.33 One healthy option is using hemp, which was legalized in 2018 with the Farm Bill.34 As Germano has said, CBD alone is not enough to support the body’s endocannabinoid system. Hemp oil has 100 other phytocannabinoids to help meet many of those needs, including CBD.35 Germano wrote a book about the ECS called, "Road to Ananda: The Simple Guide to the Endocannabinoid System, Phytocannabinoids and Hemp." I am proud to have written the forward to this book, as it is a great resource. Definitely pick up a copy if you want to learn more about this fascinating topic. from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2020/07/30/cbd-may-help-treat-covid-19.aspx Right now, there are three types of COVID-19 tests:1
The first two, molecular and antigen, are so-called "viral tests" that detect active infections, whereas the antibody test will tell you if you've developed antibodies in response to a previous coronavirus infection. It typically takes your body one to three weeks after an infection clears to start making antibodies against the virus in question. Common Cold Can Trigger Positive COVID-19 Antibody TestEach of these COVID-19 tests have their issues and controversies. The problem with antibody testing is that there are seven different coronaviruses known to cause respiratory illness in humans.2 Four of them cause symptoms associated with the common cold:
In addition to the common cold, OC43 and HKU1 — two of the most commonly encountered betacoronaviruses3 — are also known to cause bronchitis, acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pneumonia in all age groups.4 The other three human coronaviruses — which are capable of causing more serious respiratory illness — are:
The tricky part is that the antibodies created by these different coronaviruses appear very similar, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention admits recovering from the common cold can trigger a positive antibody test for COVID-19, even if you were never infected with SARS-CoV-2 specifically. As explained on the CDC's "Test for Past Infection" web page:5
Unclear if Cross-Reactive Antibody Tests Are Still Being UsedIn a July 10, 2020, interview with KTTC news, Mayo Clinic chair of clinical microbiology, Dr. Bobbi Pritt, said:6
While experts at the Mayo Clinic claim these cross-reactive antibody tests were an early problem that has since been corrected and eliminated, the CDC does not confirm or deny the accuracy of this statement on its "Test for Past Infection" web page.7 So, it's unclear whether the antibody tests manufactured and used today are still capable of delivering a positive result if you were recently exposed and recovered from the common cold virus. Back on April 29, 2020, infectious disease specialist and CNN medical analyst Dr. Kent Sepkowitz noted that "deciphering between the common cold antibody and the COVID-19 antibody is a real challenge scientifically,"8 but that doesn't mean it cannot or hasn't been done. On a side note, labs are now reporting a shortage of chemicals and disposable pipette tips required to perform COVID-19 tests, which means longer wait times — again. As Scott Shone, director of the North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health, told The New York Times,9,10 July 23, 2020, “It’s like Groundhog Day. I feel like I lived this day four or five months ago,” referring back to the early days of the pandemic when test supplies were in short supply. Some Coronaviruses May Impart Resilience Against COVID-19While the CDC warns it's still uncertain whether COVID-19 antibodies prevents reinfection, or if it does, for how long, researchers in Singapore have presented evidence11,12,13 suggesting the immunity is likely to be long-lasting. They discovered common colds caused by the betacoronaviruses OC43 and HKU1 appear to make you more resistant to SARS-CoV-2 infection, and that the resulting immunity might last as long as 17 years. The authors suggest that if you've beat a common cold caused by a OC43 or HKU1 betacoronavirus in the past, you may have a 50/50 chance of having defensive T-cells that can recognize and help defend against SARS-CoV-2. As reported by the Daily Mail:14
According to the researchers, their findings demonstrate that:15
Added support for these conclusions were published May 14, 2020, in the journal Cell. This study16 found that not only did 70% of samples obtained from recovered COVID-19 patients have resistance to SARS-CoV-2 on the T-cell level but so did 40% to 60% of people who had not been exposed to the virus. According to the authors, this suggests there's "cross-reactive T cell recognition between circulating 'common cold' coronaviruses and SARS-CoV-2." Other Researchers Report Low Immunity Post-RecoveryThe immunity issue isn't entirely cut and dry, though. Other research, which looked at antibody levels in recovered COVID-19 patients in Germany, found they lost their antibodies after two to three months.
However, it is important to realize that loss of the ability to determine antibody levels may not necessarily reflect lack of immune protection, as there may be innate cell mediated immunity that provides protection that is not being measured by the humoral antibody production. Will COVID-19 Behave Like the Common Cold?If reinfection is possible, then COVID-19 would behave much like the common cold and seasonal influenza, which can strike more than once — if not in a single season, then certainly in any given year. If that's the case, then "immunity passports" and most other COVID-19 interventions, such as school closings and business shutdowns, become even more questionable than they already are. If SARS-CoV-2 ends up behaving like other human coronaviruses that cause the common cold, immunity may only last six to 12 months, a European study18 says. Here, they did not look at SARS-CoV-2 antibodies but, rather, antibodies against the other four coronaviruses that cause the common cold, none of which were long-lasting. According to BGR, which reported the findings:19
Is Herd Immunity Against COVID-19 Possible?The issue of reinfection also raises questions about whether herd immunity is ever going to be possible. Studies cited by The Daily Mail20 claim herd immunity against COVID-19 could be achieved if just 10% to 43% of people develop lasting immunity. This is a far cry from the percentages typically required for vaccine-induced "herd immunity" (which is really a misnomer, as vaccine-induced immunity doesn't work like natural immunity, and herd immunity is really only achieved when enough people recover from the illness in question). According to The Daily Mail:21
Optimizing Vitamin D May Be Your Best BetConsidering the many questions surrounding the possibility of reinfection and herd immunity, I believe one of your best bets is to address an underlying weakness that can have a significant impact on your COVID-19 risk, namely vitamin D insufficiency. Rather than waiting for a likely harmful vaccine, get proactive and start optimizing your vitamin D level. You can learn more about this in "The Most Important Paper Dr. Mercola Has Ever Written" and "How to Fix the COVID-19 Crisis in 30 Days." Also start working on reversing any underlying comorbidities such as insulin resistance and obesity. When Should You Get Tested?As for testing, I do not recommend getting a viral test (which checks for active infection) unless you have COVID-19 symptoms and need it to guide your treatment. Swabbing the back of your nasal cavity has its risks, and can actually introduce an infection or, some speculate, even some more nefarious agents. Getting tested just for the heck of it doesn't really make sense. Even if you test negative, you can get infected at any point after leaving the test site. If you have to get tested in order to travel or return to work, an antibody test may be more appropriate. Even if your antibodies wane with time, you're still going to be immune for a while. The best test are your clinical symptoms. If you have symptoms suggestive of coronavirus infection, then my best recommendation is to start nebulizing food grade hydrogen peroxide at 0.1% as suggested in the video below and discussed in my article on the topic. I would also make sure that your vitamin D levels are adequate, as discussed in my paper on the topic. If you don't know your vitamin D level and have not been in the sun or taken over 5,000 units of vitamin D a day, it would likely help to take one bolus dose of 100,000 units, and make sure you are taking plenty of magnesium, which helps convert the vitamin D to its active immune modulating form. Another great option that is less expensive, easier to get and likely more effective than hydroxychloroquine, would be quercetin with zinc as discussed in my recent article on the subject. from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2020/07/30/coronavirus-antibody-test-common-cold.aspx The question of whether we should wear face masks or not to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is a hotly contested issue. Part of the confusion may be related to the difference between viral particles spread via respiratory droplets, and viral particles spread via the air itself. I believe it's important to realize the difference between these two modes of transmission, and to not overestimate the protection you can get or give others by wearing a mask. The science1,2 clearly shows face coverings of various kinds do little if anything to prevent respiratory illnesses caused by aerosolized viruses. Many health authorities still insist that something is better than nothing, though, since they do inhibit the dissemination of viral-laden respiratory droplets. But influenza viruses — coronaviruses that cause the common cold and SARS-CoV-2 — all spread via the air, not just via droplets or touching contaminated surfaces, and it's important to realize that preventing droplet contamination does not mean you also prevent the transmission of the aerosolized virus. (The aerosol part of transmission is regrettably overlooked in the video above, which reviews a number of problems with mandatory mask recommendations.) Size MattersSARS-CoV-2 is an aerosolized virus, meaning it floats in the air. One of the issues at hand is the size of the virus. If the gaps in the mask are larger than the virus, it stands to reason it cannot block the virus from entering or escaping the mask. SARS-CoV-2 is a beta-coronavirus with a diameter between 60 nanometers (nm) and 140 nm, or 0.06 to 0.14 microns (micrometers).3 This is about half the size of most viruses, which tend to measure between 0.02 microns to 0.3 microns.4 Virus-laden saliva or respiratory droplets expelled when talking or coughing, however, measure between 5 and 10 microns.5 N95 masks can filter particles as small as 0.3 microns,6 so they may prevent a majority of respiratory droplets from escaping, but not aerosolized viruses. Lab testing7 has shown 3M surgical masks can block up to 75% of particles measuring between 0.02 microns and 1 micron, while cloth masks block between 30% and 60% of respiratory particles of this size. For cloth masks, cotton-chiffon, cotton-silk hybrids, and high thread count cotton materials provide the best droplet filtration. As reported by the Emergency Medicine News journal:8
So, in summary, if you are a carrier of the virus, by wearing a surgical mask, you theoretically lower the amount of viral-laden respiratory droplets that you deposit into your environment by about 75%. As such, you could argue that surgical masks lower the overall contamination risk to others if you are a carrier of the virus. If you are infected and wear a surgical mask, others in close proximity will be protected to some degree from getting hit by your contaminated respiratory droplets. That said, the force by which you expel the droplets also matters. Back in April 2020, a small South Korean study10 found that surgical and cloth masks were unable to block SARS-CoV-2 from the coughs of COVID-19 patients. The journal retracted the paper several weeks later.11,12 Masks Cannot Block Aerosolized VirusesThe virus is not restricted to respiratory droplets, though. It's also in the air itself, and these aerosolized particles are far tinier. To block these, you'd need a mask that prevents all air flow, and that, of course, wouldn't work, since you need air flow to survive. Now, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is actually recommending people wear cloth masks — not surgical masks or N95, which they recommend for health care workers only. The problem with this is that not only do cloth masks fail to provide any protection against aerosolized viruses, as noted above, they also provide very little protection in terms of blocking respiratory droplets. As reported by The National Academies of Sciences in its Rapid Expert Consultation on the Effectiveness of Fabric Masks for the COVID-19 Pandemic report, published April 8, 2020:13
So, regardless of the mask, it will not prevent you from exhaling or inhaling the aerosolized virus, but cloth masks are clearly the least preferable option if you actually want to reduce the spread of infection, as their ability to block respiratory droplets is also limited. In particular, masks with airflow valves on the front should be avoided, as the valve lets out unfiltered air, thus negating the small benefit you might expect from a mask.14 What We Learned From the Mask for Flu PolicyTo put the mask controversy into some perspective, let's compare it to what we learned from the masking for influenza controversy a couple of years back. In September 2018, the Ontario Nurses Association (ONA) won its second of two grievances filed against the Toronto Academic Health Science Network's (TAHSN) "vaccinate or mask" (VOM) policy. As reported by the ONA:15
No Direct Evidence Masks Prevent Spread of InfluenzaIn summary, the ONA argued, and Kaplan agreed, that the rule forcing unvaccinated nurses to wear a surgical mask during flu season to protect patients from influenza was not supported by science and was most likely an attempt to drive up vaccination rates among staff. TAHSN argued that "The wearing of face masks can serve as a method of source control of infected HCWs [health care workers] who may or may not have symptoms. Masks may also prevent unvaccinated HCWs from as yet unrecognized infected patients or visitors."17 Like the previous arbitrator, Kaplan disagreed.
CDC Now Promotes Mask Wearing for FluDespite the lack of supporting science, in its current guidance19 on mask use to prevent the spread of influenza, the CDC calls for health care personnel to wear a surgical mask or fit-tested respirator whenever they're within 6 feet of an influenza patient. They also now recommend that anyone suspected of having influenza who enters a medical facility should wear a mask "at all times until they are isolated in a private room." The CDC does point out that "Masks are not usually recommended in non-healthcare settings," and that "No recommendation can be made at this time for mask use in the community by asymptomatic persons, including those at high risk for complications, to prevent exposure to influenza viruses." Still, they add that:
When was the last time you wore a mask during influenza season? Never? Me either. Have you ever even heard the CDC recommend mask wearing to prevent the spread of influenza in previous years? What has changed is that the CDC is now suggesting mask wearing, both at home and in public during influenza season, might be a good idea. Where's the evidence showing masks help prevent the spread of influenza? Are masks an effective way to reduce the spread of respiratory illnesses, or are these mask recommendations just another strategy to make the public surrender to irrational medical tyranny that is likely to radically increase implementation of mandatory vaccination? Of course, these vaccinations would not just be for the flu but also COVID-19 once a vaccine becomes available. Cloth Masks Offer False Sense of SecurityApril 1, 2020, the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) published a commentary20 by retired professor Lisa Brosseau, ScD, and Margaret Sietsema, Ph.D., assistant professor at the University of Illinois, arguing that mandates calling for the wearing of cloth masks or face coverings in public are "not based on sound data." Both are experts on respiratory protection and infectious diseases. July 16, the following editor's note was added to the article:
The addition of that editor's note is more proof that this issue is politically driven. Kudos to CIDRAP for not succumbing to censorship pressure to remove the article entirely, as it makes some excellent points. Among them: • While data for cloth masks are limited, laboratory studies have shown cloth masks "offer very low filter collection efficiency for the smaller inhalable particles we believe are largely responsible for transmission, particularly from pre- or asymptomatic individuals who are not coughing or sneezing." • While the CDC has added several scientific references in support of cloth face coverings to its mask guidelines, upon reviewing them, Brosseau and Sietsema say they "employ very crude, nonstandardized methods or are not relevant to cloth face coverings because they evaluate respirators or surgical masks." • On the issue of whether wearing a cloth mask is better than nothing, Brosseau and Sietsema say "we simply don't know at this point." They also stress there's been "an evolution in the messaging around cloth masks," starting out with warnings that they cannot replace the need for physical distancing, to current messaging saying they're equivalent to physical distancing. Worse, while cloth masks, at best, can help protect others if you're infected, the CDC and others are now implying cloth masks can also protect the wearer, even though there's no evidence for this at all.
• The authors also point out several important facts that have been ignored and overlooked in modeling studies purporting to demonstrate that masks can flatten the curve and lower the case load. Among them is the fact that "Transmission is not simply a function of short random interactions between individuals, but rather a function of particle concentration in the air and the time exposed to that concentration," and that "A cloth mask or face covering does very little to prevent the emission or inhalation of small particles," which is "an important mode of transmission for SARS-CoV-2." Surgical Masks Cannot Protect Against InfluenzaArticles published before the COVID-19 outbreak also offer evidence that the mask rules are not driven by science but rather by politics. For example, in October 2019, Medical Xpress reported that not only is the influenza vaccine only 15% effective, on average, but wearing a surgical mask is equally ineffective:21
In 2019, a review of interventions for flu epidemics published by the World Health Organization also concluded the evidence leaned against using face masks, with the exception of one study that suggested N95 masks may offer some protection:23
We can also look at countries where people routinely wear face masks to protect themselves against air pollution, such as Japan. Despite widespread routine mask wearing out in public, they still suffer major influenza outbreaks.24 Last but not least, face masks must be put on, removed and disposed of properly in order for you to benefit from them. Readers Digest recently published "11 Mistakes You're Probably Making with Face Masks,"25 reviewing all the ways in which you might nullify the mask's benefit. Where's the Evidence to Support Shift in Mask Guidance?What are we to make of health mandates that aren't based on compelling scientific evidence? You may recall Dr. Anthony Fauci has flip-flopped on this issue over the past few months, in mid-February telling us:26
March 8, he told 60 Minutes:27
By mid-June, he’d reversed course, and was urging everyone to wear a mask. But where is the data supporting this 180-degree shift in position? Contrary to what you’d assume, even some of the most recently published research claims masks provide little to no benefit. Case in point is a policy review paper28 published in Emerging Infectious Diseases in May 2020 — the CDC’s own journal — which reviews “the evidence base on the effectiveness of nonpharmaceutical personal protective measures … in non-healthcare settings.” According to this policy review:29
Pages 970 to 972 of the review include the following quotes:
When confronted with his previous statements, Fauci tried to justify his earlier statements saying they’d feared panic buying might trigger PPE shortages in hospitals.30 A problem with that rationalization is that the two supply chains are separate. Retail customers typically cannot buy personal protective equipment from the same medical distributors that hospitals do. Another problem is that lying to the public is unacceptable, even if you think you have a good reason. Does Empirical Evidence Matter Anymore?I guess the question is, does anyone actually care about the science?31,32,33 In a July 12, 2020, Twitter post, Ivor Cummins34 asks whether empirical evidence matters anymore, and presents statistical evidence showing that mask mandates have not had any impact, positive or negative, on infection rates. Empirical evidence refers to "observation and documentation of patterns and behavior through experimentation." In other words, can you show, after the fact, that an intervention led to the desired result you were after? In the case of mask wearing, the empirical evidence suggests it's a useless intervention, as it has not lowered, let alone eliminated, infections in countries after the mandate was implemented. Fall of the Republic, Rise of Corporations in USIf mask wearing does not actually reduce infection rates, why are we doing it? Conversely, if SARS-CoV-2 is sensitive to ultraviolet rays and heat and is inactivated at temperatures at or above 80.6 degrees Fahrenheit or 27 Celsius,35 why aren't we being told to spend more time outdoors this summer rather than closing parks and beaches and telling us to stay at home? As noted in Jeremy Elliott's video monologue above, pandemic responses appear to have little to do with protecting public health, and everything to do with the promotion of a political agenda that aims to strip us of our personal freedoms and groom us to accept a radical loss of our civil liberties. He proposes mask mandates may actually be a test run to see how well artificial intelligence-based facial recognition systems work. Whether that's true or not, we're certainly seeing a rapid roll-out of draconian tracking and tracing systems that, when combined with banking and other systems will eliminate any trace of freedom. I believe there is a time and a place for wearing a mask. If you're visiting a hospital or nursing home, wearing a mask, ideally an N95 or surgical mask, makes sense for both patient and visitor. If you suspect you have COVID-19 and must go out, wearing a medical-grade mask would be wise. But to mandate masks for all, everywhere, at all times — Broward County, Florida has even issued an emergency order36 mandating masks to be worn inside your own residence! — makes little sense from a health standpoint. Let's face it: SARS-CoV-2 is likely to be with us going forward, just like other pandemic influenza viruses that have emerged in the past. So, just how long are we expected to wear masks everywhere we go? Will we be forced to choose between vaccinations or permanent mask wearing? As you ponder these questions, remember that we will never be able to prevent all death, be it from influenza, COVID-19, tuberculosis or any other viral infection, no matter what we do, and no matter how many of our freedoms we give up. Consider Peaceful Civil DisobedienceMost objections to mask wearing requirements are not to the masks themselves, but to the mandate, and well-documented consequences such as oxygen deprivation which should give pause when considering a legal requirement of wearing masks in public. We already see that most will wear makes in public regardless of mandates. But, it seems entirely irresponsible and unethical for governments to mandate such a practice for everyone. It is clear nearly everyone is being regularly exposed to the propaganda of the mainstream media that is seeking to convince you that masks will help. So, it is beyond understandable that you would want everyone to wear masks because you believe that they will prevent the spread of this virus and save lives. I get it, but if you carefully evaluate the evidence independent of the mainstream narrative, it is likely you will conclude that this recommendation has nothing to do with decreasing the spread of the virus, but more to indoctrinate you into submission. In my recent interview with Patrick Wood, he provides compelling evidence that this has been a carefully crafted technocratic strategy that has been in place for the last 50 years or so. By submitting to these orders, it is likely you are setting the stage for the inevitable mandatory vaccinations coming soon that I am planning a number of future articles on. So, watch the recent video from Wood above, and consider not complying with their recommendations. from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2020/07/29/do-masks-help-with-coronavirus.aspx For centuries, people have been searching for the Fountain of Youth. Many thought it was a real fountain where a person could bathe or drink to slow the aging process. While that fountain doesn’t exist, there are several strategies you may use to affect a change internally with external results. Several factors affect aging, including chronic inflammation that leads to chronic disease. Although inflammation plays an essential role in repairing injury, chronic inflammation may result in health conditions like bowel diseases, arthritis, diabetes and heart disease.1 Although many times you won’t notice early visible signs of chronic inflammation, there is mounting evidence that it is an underlying factor in chronic disease.2 There is also evidence that natural remedies are effective in reducing inflammation and thus reducing the potential for chronic disease.3 Underlying or baseline inflammation can exacerbate the aging process and raise the risk of severe infectious disease, as has been demonstrated by the numbers of people 65 and older who have died from COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 8 of every 10 deaths from COVID-19 are people age 65 and older.4 Inflammaging Associated With Frailty and Increased DeathInflammaging is the “chronic low-grade inflammation occurring in the absence of overt infection.”5 This type of damaging inflammation negatively impacts immunity. Researchers hope that by preventing baseline inflammation, they can improve the immune response. This is a significant pathway to help reduce the severity of disease in older individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2.6 This novel coronavirus brings about a serious condition in the elderly, increasing morbidity and mortality. Severe disease often presents with excessive inflammation in the pulmonary system, especially in older individuals with high baseline C-reactive protein, indicating a heightened inflammatory response. Data show that inflammation biomarkers like this are relatively accurate predictors of mortality in the elderly, increasing their susceptibility to all sorts of maladies.7 In a paper published in Science Mag, the authors discuss some of the cellular and systemic challenges faced by older adults in their fight against infectious diseases, including COVID-19.8 They hypothesize that a low-grade inflammatory response may be the result of several mechanisms, including a compromised gut microbiome and obesity. As the body ages, it also slowly loses the ability to clear dead and dying cells, which subsequently increases inflammatory activity. These senescent cells are no longer able to divide, and they accumulate throughout the body. However, they are not “silent” but rather can secrete inflammatory cytokines and other inflammatory molecules that can trigger inflammation and dysfunction. Reducing Baseline Inflammation May Lower Disease SeverityIf you have a baseline inflammatory response, the flu vaccine may not be as effective for you as expected.9 Researchers have improved the body’s response to an antigen by administering an inhibitor,10 which suggests that baseline inflammation has a significant effect on the immune system. The authors also theorize this may be relevant to older individuals with severe respiratory tract disease. As we age, the number of senescent cells and the level of baseline inflammation rises. Another way to improve immunity and reduce inflammation, then, may be to eliminate them. This has prompted the development of senolytic therapies to do just that. The relationship between baseline inflammation and severe disease in older individuals with COVID-19 has not yet been defined, but one hypothesis is that the senescent cells and pre-existing inflammatory cells amplify the effects of COVID-19 in the respiratory tract. Another theory is that the baseline inflammation in the body is not damaging on its own, but it may start a cellular cascade, which heightens inflammation with an infection. In addition to this, senescent cells can bring about more inflammation. Their buildup in the pulmonary tract may contribute to an increase in severe disease. While the authors of the perspective published in Science Mag promote vaccination against SARS-CoV-2, they also point out that any effective treatment for the elderly may require a combination of antiviral and anti-inflammatory treatments. Clearing Senescent Cells With SenolyticsSenolytic therapies were initially developed with the aim of reducing the severity of disease in the elderly and making an impact on the meteoric rise in chronic diseases, including Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).11 However, it’s not a big leap to predict that the beauty industry may use the science to develop a new line of products to slow the aging process. According to Mayo Clinic researchers, preclinical data have demonstrated the potential for drugs to selectively encourage apoptosis in dying cells and have a positive effect on:12
The possibility of impacting multiple diseases and functional deficits at the same time excites the scientific community because it can move geriatric medicine from largely reacting to disease to preventing it and thus slowing the aging process. The potential to extend life and reduce disease has prompted some scientists to investigate the use of antibiotics as senolytics, despite the dangerously high level of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.13 In 2018, a team from the University of Salford in the U.K. published a study with "the goal of identifying and repurposing FDA-approved antibiotics, for the targeting of the senescent cell population."14 The lab-based study involved human fibroblasts, and the team identified Azithromycin and Roxithromycin as drugs that showed senolytic activity. Another drug in the same family, Erythromycin, did not have the same effect. In an interview with Health Europa, one member of the research team, Michael Lisanti, said he believes the next steps are clinical trials. He acknowledges they haven't examined the relationship to antimicrobial resistance and that azithromycin is not an ideal antibiotic in this "context." He went on to say:15
You May Have a Senolytic in Your Vitamins — QuercetinAlthough not all scientists agree,16 many argue that quercetin demonstrates senolytic properties. Early laboratory trials using human fibroblast cells showed quercetin “influence(s) cellular life span, survival and viability of HFL-1 primary human fibroblasts.”17 Early results from a clinical trial with chemotherapy agent Dasatinib and quercetin showed the combination of the two may lower the number of senescent cells in people with diabetic kidney disease.18 While encouraging, as one writer points out, "synergy with other compounds is a very different story from unilateral effects."19 Yet, in other studies using only quercetin, its effect on lung fibrosis was found to diminish inflammation in the lab and to reduce pulmonary collagen deposits in an animal model after induced damage.20 The researchers went on to test the singular use of quercetin in an animal model with induced lung fibrosis and found:21
Metabolic Therapies on the HorizonMetabolic therapies are another strategy that may be used to halt the progression of viral disease. In the new field of immunometabolism research, scientists have discovered that metabolism has an influence on altering viral replication and affecting the body's response to a pathogen. One of the strategies showing promise is ketosis. In a paper published in the journal Cell, scientists said they believe the principal ketone body beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) is highly effective, and is:22
Clinical trials are currently underway to investigate the use of a ketogenic diet to reduce the signs of aging, prevent heart failure and neurodegeneration and manage diabetes. Researchers hope that using a ketogenic diet on intubated patients who are confirmed positive for COVID-19 may help reverse the progression of the disease.23 The authors of the paper warn it's important to distinguish between ketoacidosis, which is a metabolic dysfunction leading to uncontrolled ketone accumulation, and adaptive physiological levels of ketosis in response to eating a low carbohydrate diet. In intubated patients in the ICU, they believe using an exogenous source of ketones rather than inducing ketosis through prolonged fasting will have a greater positive effect. For those who are not intubated, the authors write of potential immunological advantages when a ketogenic metabolic state is initiated. Researchers have also found medications that mimic caloric restriction, such as metformin, can reduce the inflammatory response because they get rid of senescent cells in much the same way that senolytic agents work.24 Fasting and Cyclical Ketogenic Diet Raise Ketone LevelsIn addition to quercetin, you may have a significant impact on your health and immune system by practicing a cyclical ketogenic eating plan. There are several other benefits including losing weight, fighting inflammation, reducing appetite and lowering insulin levels. As I've written in the past, limiting carbs and decreasing your eating window to 6-8 hours may help protect you against influenza. A team from Yale School of Medicine tested a theory in a small animal model study and found “… that the consumption of a low-carbohydrate, high-fat ketogenic diet (KD) protects mice from lethal IAV infection and disease.”25 By integrating a cyclical approach to the ketogenic diet, you can increase the health benefits and have greater flexibility in your meal planning. I describe an approach to this in “Will Eating Keto Help Prevent Flu?” In another article I discussed my KetoFast protocol to help reduce metabolic dysfunction. from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2020/07/29/why-is-age-a-factor-in-covid-19.aspx Data from FDA-funded research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)1 in 2019 and 20202 have shown that certain ingredients in sunscreen products may build up in the body at unhealthy levels. The chemicals studied were avobenzone, oxybenzone, octocrylene, homosalate, octisalate and octinoxate. Some of these ingredients may accumulate at levels greater than what would be considered safe, according to the lead researcher and team that conducted both studies. This begs the question of whether the FDA should reconsider whether the products are safe.3 As Consumer Affairs explained:4
This is worrisome because the study showed that all of the sunscreen chemicals were still above safety levels seven days after application, with two of them still above the threshold on Day 21, according to The Wall Street Journal:5
The studies serve as yet another warning as the fear of the sun and the infatuation with sunscreens continues. In 2010, environmental groups warned that nearly two-thirds of sunscreens provide inadequate UVA protection compared to their UVB ray protection.6 UVA rays are linked to skin aging and UVB rays are linked to skin burning.7 In 2010, Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., asked the FDA to require warnings on sunscreen labels of products containing retinyl palmitate, because a lab study showed that the chemical caused the growth of tumors in animals.8 While some dermatologists vociferously claimed retinyl palmitate is safe because there was no definitive study on it yet,9 Schumer insisted the studies need to be done because consumers "have a right to know."10 Oxybenzone, a hormone-disrupting chemical that is often added to sunscreens, was also of concern. Astoundingly, despite this evidence and the fact that only 7% of products studied in the report he cited were determined to be both safe and effective, the FDA had not put forth any guidelines at that time.11 Data Show Sunscreen Ingredients Enter the BloodstreamSeveral years ago, researchers found that almost everyone — 96.8% — who took part in the 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey had detectable levels of benzophenone-3, another name for oxybenzone.12 That same ingredient is also used in cosmetics and food packaging materials. In the 2019 JAMA study, the authors also found a host of sunscreen ingredients in the blood of participants who'd used the products. At least one (oxybenzone) can show up in breast milk and amniotic fluid, in addition to making its way to the blood and urine, as told by the researchers. They also wrote that the ingredients were absorbed after only one day's exposure, and some persisted in the body after use. Results from their 2020 study corroborated their work from 2019 and its implications for safety. What did the second study add to what was learned from the first one? According to the researchers:13
The FDA Is Continuing to Analyze Ingredients' SafetyIn February 2019, just three months prior to publication of the JAMA study, the FDA proposed a list of updates to regulations for most sunscreen products sold in the U.S.14 However, the new rules have not been finalized as the FDA continues to analyze information after the second study.15 According to Good Housekeeping:16
The Environmental Working Group (EWG), "a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to protecting human health and the environment,"17 has weighed in on the effects of oxybenzone:18
Sunscreens Are a Scourge on Coral ReefsThe effect of sunscreens on the world's coral is devastating. As reported by The Guardian,19 researchers found in 2015 that up to 14,000 tons of it wash into coral reefs every year.20 Coral bleaching, caused by oxybenzone, causes "baby coral to encase itself in its own skeleton and die," The Guardian said. In addition to the accumulation washing off from swimmers and boaters, sunscreen chemicals also reach waterways through wastewater treatment plants, which do not always filter out such pollutants.21 The situation is so serious that in 2019 a Florida state senator proposed legislation to require a prescription for any sunscreen containing oxybenzone and octinoxate.22 The proposal was based on restrictions that Key West and Hawaii put into place, which will become effective in January 2021.23 Vitamin D Deficiency Is Also a ConcernStrong warnings from medical associations and the media to avoid sun exposure or to apply sunscreens have resulted in many people being deprived of sunshine's multiple benefits. One of these is vitamin D production, and avoiding the sun may be the reason why so many people are deficient in vitamin D. While it's important to avoid getting sunburned, you need to take care in determining the best way to do that. Obviously, if they have chemicals in them that may not be safe, sunscreens come with their own set of dangers. But, avoiding the sun altogether also isn't good, since that can cause vitamin D deficiencies. This is particularly concerning because a deficiency in vitamin D can put you at risk of other health problems. For example, the authors of research in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health suggested that low sun exposure may be correlated with the development of "specific cancers (more on that later), multiple sclerosis, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, autism, Alzheimer's disease and age-related macular degeneration."24 How To Be Sunscreen SafeAs the researchers noted in the 2019 JAMA article, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide have been found by the FDA to be generally recognized as safe (GRASE), as opposed to the sunscreen chemicals whose safety is still under investigation.25 Both protect against UVA and UVB rays. In addition to avoiding dangerous sunscreen chemicals I caution against using sunscreens and other personal care products that contain synthetic preservatives and fragrances. Some common synthetic chemicals with health-altering properties include:26,27
Also, remember that if you apply sunscreen every time you're out in the sun, you'll block your body's ability to produce vitamin D. And, optimizing your vitamin D levels may reduce your risk of as many as 16 different types of cancer, including pancreatic, lung, ovarian, breast, prostate and skin cancers. According to research published in the journal Medical Hypotheses:28
In summary, if you do use a sunscreen, your safest choice is a lotion or cream with non-nanoscale zinc oxide,29 as it is stable in sunlight and provides the best protection from UVA rays. Your next best option is non-nanoscale titanium dioxide. from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2020/07/29/sunscreen-chemicals-accumulate-at-high-levels-in-the-body.aspx For decades, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned about the deadliness of seasonal influenza, but their estimates of annual flu deaths may have been heavy-handed. In recent years, the promotion of annual influenza vaccination has also been strong, with officials suggesting it’s the best way to stay safe during flu season in the U.S. Much of the push for vaccination is based on the CDC’s estimates of flu illnesses and deaths, which now appear questionable. “CDC uses the estimates of the burden of influenza in the population and the impact of influenza vaccination to inform policy and communications related to influenza,” the agency writes on their website.1 Their estimates are based on a mathematical model created from survey results, using surveillance data, outbreak field investigations and proportions of people seeking health care.2 According to the CDC’s estimates, “Seasonal flu is a serious disease that causes millions of illnesses, hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations, and tens of thousands of deaths every year in the United States.”3 Now that COVID-19 is in focus, however, and people are drawing comparisons between the number of COVID-19 deaths and the number of annual influenza deaths, researchers are turning to actual death counts, which has revealed that the CDC’s flu death estimates have been too high. CDC Flu Death Estimates Nearly Six Times Too HighThe CDC’s estimated burden of influenza deaths from 2010 through 2019 range from a low of 12,000 to a high of 61,000 per year.4 During the 2019 to 2020 flu season, the CDC’s preliminary burden of disease estimates put flu deaths at 24,000 to 62,000,5 with estimates that between 29,000 and 59,000 had already died from influenza by mid-March.6 Yet, an article published in JAMA Internal Medicine by Drs. Jeremy Faust of Harvard Medical School and Carlos del Rio of Emory University School of Medicine, tells a different story.7 They wrote:
Comparing COVID-19 deaths and flu deaths is not an accurate comparison, however, due to the fact that COVID-19 deaths are counted while flu deaths are estimated. According to the article, the CDC’s estimates of flu deaths between 2013-2014 and 2018-2019 ranged from 23,000 to 61,000. However, the counted flu deaths during that same period were between 3,448 and 15,620 yearly. “On average, the CDC estimates of deaths attributed to influenza were nearly six times greater than its reported counted numbers,” the researchers stated. CDC Estimates ‘Substantially Overstate’ Number of Flu DeathsFor instance, there were 15,455 COVID-19 deaths counted during the week ending April 21, 2020, and 14,478 such deaths the week before it. But during the peak influenza season week from the 2013-2014 to 2019-2020 flu seasons, counted flu deaths ranged from 351 to 1,626.8 “These statistics on counted deaths suggest that the number of COVID-19 deaths for the week ending April 21 was 9.5-fold to 44.1-fold greater than the peak week of counted influenza deaths during the past seven influenza seasons in the U.S., with a 20.5-fold mean increase,” the researchers wrote, adding:
The researchers used this data to suggest that comparisons between COVID-19 and flu deaths are misleading and undermining officials’ ability to determine the true public health threat of the pandemic, but another question is, has the threat of the flu season been overstated? How Many Are Really Dying From Flu?Given the significant discrepancies between the CDC’s estimated flu deaths and the actual counts, and if there are as few as 3,448 to 15,620 flu deaths annually, have we been talked into flu vaccines all these years for no reason? While it’s true that influenza is a highly infectious airborne disease that can be deadly, controversy exists over the use of annual influenza vaccines, commonly known as flu shots, for its prevention, and this becomes even more controversial if we’ve been misled about the actual number of deaths. It’s already known that more than 80% of the respiratory infections that occur during flu season are not actually caused by type A or type B influenza but, rather, by influenza-like illness.10 A flu shot, therefore, will do nothing to prevent such illness. Nonetheless, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams has gone so far as to say that getting vaccinated against influenza is a "social responsibility," as it "protects others around you, including family, friends, co-workers and neighbors."11 But is that actually true? On the contrary, research published in 2018 found that repeated annual flu vaccinations may do little to protect your community, as people who receive the seasonal flu shot and then contract influenza excrete infectious influenza viruses through their breath, meaning vaccinated individuals can indeed spread influenza.12 Further, while influenza can indeed be deadly in rare cases, what most health experts fail to tell you is that these deaths are typically the result of secondary infections, such as pneumonia and sepsis, not the flu virus itself. And the flu vaccine is notoriously ineffective among certain groups, including high-risk seniors. In fact, while turning 65 was associated with a significant increase in the rate of seasonal influenza vaccination, one study revealed “no evidence indicated that vaccination reduced hospitalizations or mortality among elderly persons.”13 In short, your chances of getting influenza after vaccination are still greater than 50/50 in any given year. According to CDC data, for example, the 2017-2018 seasonal influenza vaccine's effectiveness against "influenza A and influenza B virus infection associated with medically attended acute respiratory illness" was just 36%.14 CDC Methodology ChallengedIn an email exchange with HealthLeaders, Faust, one of the researchers of the featured study, said that while the CDC has stated flu deaths are actually underestimated, he doesn’t believe this to be the case:15
What’s more, according to HealthLeaders, “Faust said it's possible that CDC is reporting larger numbers of influenza deaths in the hopes of encouraging the public to use better hygiene and get flu shots.”16 It’s also possible that if the CDC actually counted flu deaths and recorded them accurately, the death count may be even lower. This is especially true if the underlying cause of death is reported. Faust wrote:17
COVID-19 Deaths Have Bottomed OutAt this point in time, it’s also unknown how many people have died from COVID-19. From problems with testing to attributing deaths from other causes to COVID-19, it’s likely the death toll is not accurate. Mortality statistics are likely being skewed by counting people who die from other conditions as COVID-19 deaths. According to epidemiologist Dr. John Ioannidis of Stanford University:18
Meanwhile, data show that the COVID-19 fatality rate for those under the age of 45 is “almost zero,” and between the ages of 45 and 70, it’s somewhere between 0.05% and 0.3%.19 Data from the CDC also show a stark drop in COVID-19 deaths based on provisional death counts, which are based on death certificate data received and coded by the National Center for Health Statistics.20 Overall, the percentage of deaths attributed to pneumonia, influenza or COVID-19 has declined for 12 weeks in a row,21 but even as all indications suggest COVID-19 deaths have bottomed out, the push for a fast-tracked COVID-19 vaccine continues. What to Remember Come Flu SeasonThe fear-mongering about a possible second wave of COVID-19 deaths in conjunction with flu season has already started in the media. Rather than succumbing to the fear of what have turned out to be, in the case of influenza, overinflated death estimates, take action to bolster your immune system against infectious diseases of all kinds. Clinical trials using vitamin D against COVID-19 are currently underway,22 but we don't need to wait for results to know that vitamin D optimization is a good idea, not only for COVID-19 but also for influenza. I recommend that everyone optimize your vitamin D this summer, before flu season. The optimal blood level for health and disease prevention is between 60 ng/mL and 80 ng/mL. (In Europe, the measurements you're looking for are 150 to 200 nmol/L and 100 nmol/L respectively.) However, even getting above 30 ng/mL (75 nmol/L) may dramatically reduce your risk of serious infection and death, and doing so is both easy and inexpensive. from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2020/07/28/flu-death-estimates-nearly-six-times-too-high.aspx |
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