- Elderberry (I used Flora Elderberry+ with echinacea purpurea and licorice root)
- Probiotics (I used Flora Travel Care, with saccharomyces cerevisea ssp boulaardii)
- Vitamin D (I used Genestra D-Mulsion 1000)
- N-Acetyl-Cysteine (I used AOR N-A-C)
- Fish Oil (I used Efamol Efalex with DHA, EPA and GLA)
- Glutamine (I used Bioclinic naturals L-glutamine with Theracurmin [turmeric])
- Reishi mushroom (I used King of Lingzhi Calm your mind with reishi, red date and ginkgo biloba)
- Hesperidin (I used Flora CircuVein with micronized diosmin and hesperidin)
- Quercetin (I used Bioclinic naturals EMIQ)
- Milk Thistle (I used Flora Milk Thistle plus with milk thistle, dandelion and artichoke)
- Selenium (I used Cyto-Matrix Seleno Sorb 200)
Based on good quality, not obviously biased studies published in reputable journals;
Elderberry and echinacea improve the body’s response to viral attacks. They can interfere with the ability of viruses to attack cells and to replicate. Licorice root is supportive of lung and respiratory health and modulates the adrenals glands response to the stress of illness. COVID-19 binds to human lung receptors impacting inflammation and vascular health and vessel thrombosis.
Probiotics are included because they impact immunity and because a damaged gut lining increases the inflammation response when people have COVID. Profiling of COVID-19 patients shows altered metabolism in the shikimate pathway in the human microbiome. It is important to maintain a healthy mucosal lining and barrier function in the gut. This strain of probiotic can help to limit pathogenic microorganisms and the compounds they make.
Low vitamin D is associated with a much higher risk of contracting and succumbing to COVID-19, with adverse outcomes from viral infections in those low in vitamins C or D, selenium and zinc.
N-A-C can support lung health, reducing bronchitis and lung inflammation and as a pre-cursor nutrient helping the body to produce is own antioxidant (glutathione) to fight inflammation. Glutathione deficiency can lead to oxidative damage of the lung and serious complications. Inflammation is one of the most common side effects and lingering effects of contracting COVID. When it affects the heart, it can lead to pericarditis or myocarditis, very common in healthy young mean and teen boys like my son. When it affects the brain it can lead to long term confusion, depression or anxiety.
Fish oil is a blood thinner, which we want to bring on board as much as possible to limit the chance of a serious blood clot or thrombosis, another common effect of COVID. Fish oil does double duty as a regulator of inflammation and reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines. We can amplify both effects by including lots of flax oil and flax seeds and other sources of omega 3 ALA in the diet too.
Glutamine is great for healing, especially of the muscles and intestinal lining. It is an amino acid that can hep if the patient has very sore muscles like my son, and it can help with the gut inflammation and intestinal permeability that can have serious downstream. I like this one with turmeric as turmeric provides anti-inflammatory and anti-coagulant effects. Blood thinners may improve outcomes in COVID patients. Turmeric can also improve the body’s production of Nitric Oxide which is implicated in human immune function and vascular tone.
Reishi mushroom can induce autophagy, or the clearing of old and unhealthy cell debris and waste products like damaged organelles. This cellular clean-up is decreased in SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19) infected cells. Impaired autophagy is implicated in neuro-inflammation and psychiatric disorders such as the depression, anxiety and confusion that often plague those who have had COVID-19.
Hesperidin may reduce fatalities from COVID-19 as simulation testing suggests it interferes with viral entry through ACE-2 receptors like those of the lungs. It improves host cellular immunity and inflammatory mediators and has indirect effects in respiratory disease. Diosmin and hesperidin are clinically proven to protect from venous thromboembolism as well.
Quercetin is an anti-inflammatory flavonoid useful in SARS-like coronavirus infections. It is a useful preventative, but is also being studied as a treatment for COVID-19.
Milk thistle and dandelion are helpful to support the liver and its ability to keep up with metabolizing all these supplements, as well as to help those getting vaccinated to metabolize all the stuff in the vaccines. NAC and milk thistle are important if people are taking acetaminophen for pain.
Selenium is something I know my teen does not get much in his diet, and we know that there is a strong association with adverse outcomes from viral infections and being low in vitamins C or D, selenium or zinc.
I will be back soon to discuss what we have been feeding him.
Take care everybody
xox
Dana
