Importance of looking after your health in the new ‘Corona Virus’ world

Corona virus is part of a family of respiratory viruses that include the Common Cold.  For the overwhelming majority of people it will present as mild to moderate flu symptoms that resolve with rest over a few days.  And it is, in some ways, a considerate virus as it doesn’t seem to effect the young!  BTW, I have it on reliable authority (from young people) that some  are calling it the Boomer Remover ☹

How severe ones symptoms are seems very directly related to age and pre-existing health, as is always the case with any infection, whether viral or bacterial.   So senior citizens and people undergoing treatments like chemo-therapy clearly need to be vigilant, as they would be during any flu season, and the rest of us are mindful when interacting with these vulnerable groups.

Let’s consider some simple interventions we can do reduce the impact of Corona on our health.  The main organ the virus acts on are the airways/ lungs.  As simple home test is to take a deep breath and see if you can hold it for more than 10 seconds without chest tightness, coughing, or physical distress; If you can you are almost certainly ok.  This doesn’t mean you might not be a carrier though,  so we are mindful of interacting with at-risk folks, but it bodes well for you.

Also wet your whistle regularly!  A moist mouth means that even if you inadvertently get some virus in the mouth it will get washed down your digestive tract where the stomach acids will obliterate it.

Deep breathing exercises, such as The Wim Hof Method, are an excellent way of affording your airways protection.  Deep breathing exercises keep the lungs well oxygenated which makes them a hostile environment for viral or bacterial infection to take hold.

The Wim Hof Method in particular has been shown to reduce inflammation.  Given that the severe cases of COVID 19 cause an inflammatory reaction in the lungs it makes great sense to do this exercise.

For more info on the Whim Hoff method see my blog ‘Chill Out’, 25.11.19

And perhaps don’t smoke!  Smoking inflames the lung tissue and induces more receptors for viral particles to attach to.  It is probably no coincidence that countries with the higher death rates are also places with much higher incidence of smoking than Australia.

Probably the most obvious supplements to take are vitamin D (at least 5000 units daily, which is usually 5 small capsules)  and 3000-4000 mg of vitamin C.  They are usually 1000 mg tablets.  The mineral most relevant to immune system function is Zinc.

I have added a link to a short article out of the Medical Observer by a Perth GP, Dr. Joe Kosterich (view here)  It’s a welcome counterpoint to this climate of virus hysteria and panic; go Dr Joe!”

Stay well