INSTRUCTIONS FOR POSITIVE COVID -19 PATIENTS

·       Hydration: Remember to stay hydrated. Drink at least ½ your body weight in ounces of pure, filtered water per day.

·       To decrease Clotting Risk: Do not lie in bed all day. Try to move around either in your bed or by walking around the house, so as to prevent blood clots. It is ok to take a baby aspirin, 81 mg 3 x per week while symptomatic with COVID and for one-two weeks after symptoms.

·       To Boost immune system: Since we know that 70-80% of the immune system lies in the GI tract it is no surprise that GI symptoms like GERD, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting are common with COVID-19. Therefore, it is extremely important to take the supplement DGL at least 3 tabs per day; 2 probiotics daily, am and pm, and digestive enzymes with protein containing meals to aid the gut in the metabolism of foods and to help improve the immune system via the gut. *This may still not be enough to stop the GI symptoms, and more may be required. Please call me at 203-521-4733 if you are having uncontrolled GI symptoms and we will need to do a gut repair program.

·       For Cough: Try a cough medicine containing Dextromethorphan and Guaifenesin like Robitussin CF or similar. Sugar free cough drops containing menthol help with throat irritation. May also use Vicks rub on chest and cover with cotton shirt. Humidified air as needed.

·       For Fever: Tylenol- 500 mg up to 4 x per day max. Will also help with body aches.

·       Body Aches-CBD chews, Tylenol, Motrin, Vicks, CBD ointment- rub into affected area. Apply heating pad x 30 min.

·       Oxygen saturation: I recommend you monitor your oxygen saturation with a pulse oximeter. These can be found on Amazon, or in any pharmacy like CVS, Target, Walgreens, etc. Average cost is $40.00. *Important note: If you find that your oxygen saturation dips below 92%, please call your doctor as soon as possible-please check same day!

·       Five major Lifestyle Factors For Mitigating COVID-19 Disease:

·       Nutrition: more plant-based diet improves the immune system. Eating fruits and vegetables, raw or cooked, aiming for nine to 13 servings per day is ideal. Aim for diversity and rotation of foods, which correlates with immune resilience. We create a more robust gut microbiome, when we're eating a varied diet. We also want to ensure adequate fiber. Eating fermented vegetables or other probiotic containing foods can also be good, because they provide prebiotics and probiotics, which will both foster a good, healthy, gastrointestinal lining and activity, right, moving from dysbiosis into a healthy microflora. Finally, reduce or avoid different agents that will increase inflammation or reduce the function of the immune system. These would include added sugars, salt, high salt, high saturated fat, and the absence of dietary fiber.

·       During COVID, anything healthy the patient is able to eat will aid in their recovery. Some common, easy to digest foods are soups, especially chicken vegetable, fruits and vegetables, water or water with a small amount of fruit juice added

(not recommended when not sick), diet ginger-ale, oatmeal with butter, peanut butter, or fruit, yogurt with fruit, jello, toast, eggs, rice with small amounts of protein etc.

·       Sleep: Good quality sleep of 7-8 hours or more. This is going to help to reduce inflammation, and to increase immune system function. All of those things are important to consider, because even one night of reduced sleep, can lead to changes in immune function.

·       Exercise: During COVID-19, it is better to rest, allowing for periods of mild activity throughout the day as tolerated. We try to move to prevent blood clots. A simple blood test called a D-Dimer will help determine if you are at risk for blood clots from COVID-19. This test can be done during your illness, or 2-4 weeks after a positive test.

·       Stress reduction: breathing, meditation, yoga, any activities that help the patient relax.

As it relates to the immune system, stress states can heighten inflammation, and we know that there can be dysregulated immune states. Chronic stress, and most people are under some level of low degree chronic stress, can over time compromise the immune system, make it less robust, and able to respond. And so in those cases, seeing increased risk of viral infections. And most recently there was a paper looking at higher cortisol levels, which would imply greater stress, and greater mortality from COVID-19.

·       Social factors and connection: COVID can make people socially isolated, so it is important to maintain connections with family and friends to be able to obtain help, like food and hydration, runs, medication pick-ups, Dr. calls, etc.

·       Re-testing: After symptoms of COVID have passed (this is extremely variable amongst individuals but 1-2 weeks is an average), re- test to be sure you are no longer positive. According to the CT Surveillance Response Team, if you test positive for COVID-19, you are usually considered “not contagious” after day 10. You may still test positive but are not considered “contagious” and you can come out of quarantine. I feel if you have been very sick, and for a long time, you should isolate for 14 days.

·       Some General Considerations: Remember to maintain good handwashing technique, wipe everything down am and pm with CLOROX wipes, and if possible, wear an N-95 mask while exposed to large groups of people ie grocery stores, malls, church, etc.

·       Supplement Recommendations: Please see the additional handout from IFM on Nutraceuticals for COVID-19 that I have attached. These supplements are key to building a robust immune system:

§  Zinc-30 mg daily. Helps prevent viral replication, viral attachment to the cell wall. Anti-viral properties against viruses.

§  Vitamin C- 1,000-2,000 mg daily. Major antioxidant to improve immunity.

§  Vitamin D- 5,000 IU daily. A “pro-hormone” important for every major tissue in the body, especially the heart, bones, immune system.

§  Quercetin: 1,000 mg orally, 2x daily-

§  N-Acetylcysteine (NAC)-600-900 mg, 2x daily. N-acetylcysteine promotes the production of glutathione, a potent antioxidant that supports immune function. It also reduces the severity of the flu.

§  Probiotics- 5 billion + One cap daily. Builds gut flora/microbiota which improves immune function.

*Remember to use basic precautions when sick. Covering a cough, good handwashing, increasing fluids, adequate rest, proper nutrition, immune boosting supplements, decreasing soda, processed foods and sugars, are always important for enhancing the immune system and preventing disease.

 Disclaimer: Remember this content is for informational purposes only. It is not meant to replace the guidance from your medical practitioner.

Happy New Year from Mary Gilbertson Wellness & Company. We wish you & your family a Healthy, Happy New Year! <3

Information on COVID-19 (Coronavirus): March 12, 2020

Transcript of the video: COVID-19 Information: As of 3/12/2020

Good afternoon everyone,

My name is Mary Gilbertson. I am a licensed registered nurse and nutritionist in the state of CT.

I feel compelled as a health care practitioner in your state, to provide a public service announcement concerning the recent activity surrounding COVID-19 coronavirus, so as to allay some fears and panic induced by the media reporting, and react to activity and facility closures in our area This broadcast is for informational purposes only and is being used to educate the public on COVID-19 activity.

First some background:

The virus has been named “SARS-CoV-2” and the disease it causes has been named “coronavirus disease 2019” (abbreviated “COVID-19”).

Here are the most current US statistics:

• Total cases: 1, 215

• Total deaths: 36

• Jurisdictions reporting cases: 43 (42 states and District of Columbia)

Travel-related: 125

Close contact: 102

Under investigation: 988

What are the symptoms most frequently experienced?

Reported illnesses have ranged from mild symptoms to severe illness and death for confirmed disease. 

·      The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person, (although it is thought that it may have originally started from spread between bats and humans in the Wuhan region, China).

·      Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).

·      Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

·       These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.

The following symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure.

• Fever

• Cough

• Shortness of breath

Per the CDC we know the following:

·      about 80 percent of the people who get infected recover without any specific medical intervention.

·      Different from the flu, children and young people fight off this virus extremely well.

·      However if you are an individual who has an underlying condition such as — chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiovascular disease, congestive heart failure, diabetes, cancers, or anything that could compromise your immune system, then you have a much higher chance of having a complication. 

·      Therefore, those most compromised are the elderly with co-morbid health conditions.

How to practice safe hygiene measures:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

• Stay home when you are sick, except to get medical care.

• Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue., or cough or sneeze into the crook of your elbow, NOT your hands.

• Clean frequently touched surfaces and objects daily using a regular household detergent and water.

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. 

How to prevent and Treat Using a Holistic Perspective:

·       In his book, Emerging Diseases and Ecosystem Instability: New Threats to Public Health, Paul Epstein writes, “The current period of unprecedented ecological change, the growing economic and social crises are contributing to the overall recurrence of old epidemics and the emergence of new ones. Important factors in this rapid evolution are the vulnerabilities of ecosystems and climatic destabilization”.

     My friend and colleague Dr Petra Wiechel from the Swiss Mountain Clinic, a region in Ticino, Switzerland near the Northern border of Italy, describes the mechanisms by which COVID-19 enters the body and causes disease...she states“Viruses look for a specific receptor in the organism and dock at this cell receptor (door opener), so that they can enter the cell (where they reproduce). Coronaviruses, like MERS or SARS, use only the ACE-2 receptor of the cell surface. This opens their door. ACE-2 is the enzyme that should inactivate angiotensin 2, which raises blood pressure. An important metabolic pathway in blood pressure regulation. However, if the virus blocks the breakdown of angiotensin 2, then the pressure inside the lungs increases and a pulmonary edema develops (the lungs fill with fluid) resulting in a shock lung.

How do we protect ourselves?

·       Vitamin D:The #1 action to help stave off COVID-19 is maintaining optimized Vitamin D levels. Vitamin D is involved in over 100, 000 immune reactions. About 70 % of patients worldwide have Vitamin D deficiency.

·       The usual dosage is 1000 IU per day per 25 pounds of body weight. For a 132-pound woman that would mean 5,000 IU per day.

·      According to the current vitamin D level, Values of 60-100 nmol/l should be aimed for. Take 100 mg vitamin K 2 with your vitamin D supplement for better absorption and tissue bioavailability.

·      Take high doses of Vitamin C:Shanghai Medical Association recommends high-dose vitamin C for treatment of coronavirus.

·      The Shanghai Medical Association (SMA) in China has published a consensus on the comprehensive treatment of coronavirus disease. Based on the study of more than 300 clinical patients and developed by 30 experts in the treatment of new coronavirus pneumonia, it recommends high-dose vitamin C for even light infection with the virus.

·      The dose recommended in the consensus is 50 to 100 mg per kilogram of bodyweight per day. For severe and critically ill patients, up to 200 mg per kilogram of bodyweight per day is advised, injected intravenously. Described as the 'Shanghai Plan', the SMA says its consensus has attracted widespread attention. To put this in perspective a 150-pound woman weighing 68.18 kg x 50 mg- 3,409 mg of Vitamin C at the lower limits and 68.18 kg x 100= 6, 818 mg of Vitamin C at the upper limits. These are doses that are extremely high and should only be done under medical supervision. Also, these high doses of vitamin C acids can aggravate the stomach and so are done through IV infusion. 

·      Home doses of Vitamin C that are beneficial to strengthen the immune system are doses of 2,000 mg /day.

·      Also, via the medical literature, using the anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting properties of glycyrrhizin acid (found in licorice extract), ½ tsp Licorice extract 2-3 times per day.

·      Drink plenty of clean, filtered water (1/2 your body weight) in oz per day to aid the immune system.

·      Switch off your Wi-fi at night: Dr. Petra, from the Swiss Mountain Clinic states “wehave carried out scientific studies in our clinic and measured the activity of leukocytes (white blood cells) before and after WIFI exposure. Leukocytes have the task of carrying out the immune defense in our body.After blood samples were exposed to WIFI radiation for only 1 hour, it resulted in extremely measurable oxidative stress (IMD Institute for Diagnostic Medicine), and their functional efficiency was lost. This significantly reduced the immune response.

So to recap: 

·      Good, frequent handwashing.

·      Hand sanitizers containing > 60 % alcohol

·      Couging or sneezing into a Kleenex or the crux of your arm, NOT your hands.

·      Staying home if you have symptoms of fever, cough, or SOB.

·      Optimizing your immune system by:

·      Vitamin D- at least 2,000 IU per day 

·      Vitamin C -2,000 mg /day

·       Deglycerized licorice- ½ tsp 2-3 times per day

·      Staying well hydrated

·      And switching off your Wi-Fi at night.

For questions and more information go to: CDC.gov and coronavirus.gov.

I will also be posting this information on my website @ www.marygilbertsonwellness.com

I hope you have found this information helpful. Thank you and Be Well.