Exposure to Common Colds Could Increase Your Immune Response to COVID
Who knew experiecing yearly colds could be a good thing?
A new study published in the microbiology journal mBio found that memory B cells immune cells that fight common colds also react to the coronavirus. These memory B cells are responsible for secondary immune responses and can survive in the body for decades. This could give people whose memory B cells are frequently exposed to seasonal colds an advantage in dealing with coronavirus.
When we looked at blood samples from people who were recovering from COVID-19, it looked like many of them had a pre-existing pool of memory B cells that could recognize SARS-CoV-2 and rapidly produce antibodies that could attack it…”
The study had a small sample size, comparing the blood samples of 26 people recovering from mild to moderate COVID-19 to 21 blood samples from healthy donors collected six to ten years ago. One of the components of a key protein in coronaviruses, the Spike protein, remains the same across all coronaviruses, including those that cause the common cold.
The United States’ response to the coronavirus has mentioned little about the immune system or immune response, choosing instead to focus on external strategies like masks. The CDC page on how to protect yourself and others mentions absolutely nothing about diet or lifestyle changes that could benefit your immune response. In the eyes of the United States government, the only keeping you from contracting coronavirus is your mask – which is patently false and an incredibly limited way of looking at health. You can boost your immune system and improve your body’s natural response to COVID-19 and other viruses. Check out this article.
Vitamin D Significantly Lowers Your Chance For Severe COVID-19
Numerous studies have shown that healthy levels of vitamin D significantly lower your chances for severe Covid-19. A paper published in September 2020 has shown that people with lower vitamin D levels are significantly more likely to test positive for coronavirus.
The study’s lead researcher, Dr. Michael Hollick, is widely considered one of the world’s leading experts in vitamin D. Hollick’s team used retrospective observational analysis of COVID–19 tests to determine whether or not vitamin D levels in the blood impacted test results.
Data was collected from 191,799 patients in all 50 U.S states from March to June 2020. The data showed that those with a vitamin D level of at least 55 ng/mL had a 47% lower positivity rate than those who had levels below 20 ng/mL. Data showed that the risk of Covid-19 continued to decrease until vitamin D levels reached 55 ng/mL.
This is only the most recent of many studies that have linked higher vitamin D levels to less severe cases of COVID-19.
An Iranian study published online in mid-July 2020 also found that patients with vitamin D levels above 30 ng/mL (75 nmol/L) had better clinical outcomes and a far lower risk of death. Among COVID-19 patients over the age of 40 who had vitamin D levels below 30 ng/mL, 20% died, compared to 9.7% of those with levels at or above 30 ng/mL. Among those with a vitamin D level of at least 40 ng/mL, only 6.3% died.
If you’re worried about coronavirus, vitamin D can help. However, your primary focus should be gut health. If you eat a diverse diet that promotes gut health (a big salad every day) and get enough sunlight, your vitamin D levels, along with your other vitamin levels should be more than sufficient to prevent COVID-19.
Americans Are Drinking More During COVID
New research published inJAMA Network Open examined the RAND American Life survey from May and June of 2020 and found that the frequency of alcohol consumption increased from an average of 5.48 drinking days a month to 6.22 days.
We’ve had anecdotal information about people buying and consuming more alcohol, but this is some of the first survey-based information that shows how much alcohol consumption has increased during the pandemic…”
Alcohol sales increased dramatically at the beginning of COVID shutdowns in the United States. By the end of April 2020, Nielsen reported that online alcohol sales had increased by 477% from 2019. It’s easy to joke about COVID driving people to drink, but there are real health consequences of increasing alcohol consumption. Women who reported an increase in alcohol consumption also reported a 39% increase in risky behavior and damaged relationships while drunk. The study notes,
These data provide evidence of changes in alcohol use and associated consequences during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to a range of negative physical health associations, excessive alcohol use may lead to or worsen existing mental health problems, such as anxiety or depression, which may themselves be increasing during COVID-19.”
Video Shows Officer Kneeling on 14-Year-Old’s Neck For not Wearing a Mask
Video evidence shows a police officer in Spain kneeling on the neck of a 14-year-old boy after seeing the boy was not wearing a mask. The incident occurred in Miranda de Ebro in Northern Spain. The officer approached the young man after he observing he was not wearing a mask properly, and the officer reported that the boy ignored his request to put the mask over his face properly.
While trying to identify the boy, his mother arrived. She was also reportedly not wearing a mask. The officer allegedly tried to restrain the boy peacefully but said the teenager tried to attack him. His family has denied these allegations.
While it is unknown how long the officer kneeled on the boy’s neck, the video shows about 60 seconds of it. In the video, the boy’s mother, who was also arrested, is seen hitting the officer attempting to get him off of her son.
At the end of the video, the officer handcuffs the boy. Both the boy and his mother are facing fines for not following the mandatory mask mandate and could see other potential charges such as resisting arrest.
Fructose is Directly Linked to Gut Inflammation in New Study
A new study finds that fructose, a commonly used sweetener, causes intestinal inflammation to worsen. Inflammation in the intestine can lead to Intestinal Bowel Disease (IBD) like Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. The study comes from Stony Brook University and tested three different mouse models of IBD.
Our findings provide evidence of a direct link between dietary fructose and IBD and support the concept that high consumption of fructose could worsen disease in people with IBD. This is important because it has the potential to provide guidance on diet choices for IBD patients, something that is currently lacking.”
David Montrose, PhD, of the Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University
The most famous form of fructose in the modern Western diet is high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). The corn-based sweetener was introduced to the public in the 1970s, and since then it has become a rather controversial ingredient. HFCS provides no nutritional value and has been linked to multiple inflammatory conditions like diabetes, fatty liver disease, heart disease, and others.
This study is part of the growing research into the importance of the gut microbiota and the negative impact of the modern Western diet on that. Many scientists are analyzing the guts of hunter-gathers in comparison to ours and finding our gut microbes have been permanently weakened and altered. Many types of bacteria present in the hunter-gatherer’s gut were completely gone from ours.
Donald Trump and His Wife Tested Positive for Coronavirus, Trump Hospitalized
President Trump said late Thursday on Twitter that he and the first lady, Melania Trump, would start the “quarantine process” as they awaited results of coronavirus tests they took after a senior adviser who is often with the couple tested positive.
Melania Trump wrote on Twitter at 1:27 AM on Oct 2, 2020, that she and Trump “…are quarantining at home after testing positive for COVID-19. We are feeling good & I have postponed all upcoming engagements.”
As too many Americans have done this year, @potus & I are quarantining at home after testing positive for COVID-19. We are feeling good & I have postponed all upcoming engagements. Please be sure you are staying safe & we will all get through this together.
It was not immediately clear what Mr. Trump meant by the “quarantine process,” and White House officials declined to immediately provide any guidance. As of 11:30 p.m., the president still had a full day of events planned for Friday, including a private fund-raiser at the Trump International Hotel in Washington and a campaign rally in Florida. He was also scheduled to hold a call with “vulnerable seniors” about the coronavirus.
Mr. Trump’s positive test result posed immediate challenges for the future of his campaign against former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., the Democratic nominee, with barely a month until Election Day. Even if Mr. Trump, 74, remains asymptomatic, he will lose much of his remaining time on the campaign trail. If he becomes sick, it could raise questions about whether he should remain on the ballot at all.
The White House did not say how long Mr. Trump would have to remain isolated, but it canceled his plans to fly to Florida for a campaign rally on Friday, stripping his public schedule for the day of everything except a midday telephone call “on Covid-19 support to vulnerable seniors.” Appearances at rallies in Wisconsin on Saturday and in Arizona on Monday also appear sure to be scrapped, and the next debate, scheduled for Oct. 15 in Miami, was left up in the air.
Trump was admitted to Walter Reed Hospital for overnight care.
Trump himself was said to be spooked after he announced he tested positive early Friday, and has become increasingly alarmed by his diagnosis as he developed symptoms like a fever overnight, according to a person familiar with his reaction. Several people in Trump’s close orbit have tested now positive for coronavirus, including campaign manager Bill Stepien, former White House counselor Kellyanne Conway and adviser Hope Hicks.
A Trump adviser said there is reason for concern about the President’s health. “This is serious,” the adviser said. The adviser went on to describe Trump as very tired, very fatigued and having some trouble breathing.A source familiar with the situation said White House officials have serious concerns about Trump’s health and a top administration official told CNN that Trump is “OK for now, but our fear is that things can change quick. “A third source said the President’s condition is worse than first lady Melania Trump’s.
Trump returned from the hospital, and his first public act after walking up the South Portico steps was to remove his mask. CNN points out that he remains infected with coronavirus and could potentially infect people nearby, though outdoor transmission is not necessarily happening.
“We’re going back. We’re going back to work. We’re gonna be out front,” Trump said in a videotaped upon his return. “As your leader, I had to do that. I knew there’s danger to it, but I had to do it.
“Though four hours earlier his doctors conceded he was not yet “out of the woods” in his fight against Covid-19, Trump framed the disease as in the past: “Now I’m better and maybe I’m immune? I don’t know. But don’t let it dominate your lives.”
Tesla Begins Plans for First Completely Off-Grid Community in Mexico
Tesla is planning to make the Twin Dolphin Community in Los Cabos, the first completely off-grid community. The Twin Dolphin community is a 1,400-acre community in Mexico. Tesla will provide batteries and power management to the private community. Tesla plans to set up a similar community in Sonoma County, California next fall.
The community will use fully integrated solar panels, battery energy storage, and software systems to bring reliable clean energy to the whole community. Tesla will also provide clean backup energy for the wider surrounding community.
“We are excited to see our vision of being the first off-the-grid community in Cabo coming to life. We are grateful for the partnership and engagement of Tesla and their technologies, which have made this possible. Our larger vision is that other premier master plan community developers will follow our lead and implement similar projects so that collectively we can help preserve our environment,”
The project will generate 20 gigawatt-hours of electricity a year. The project will be made up of a central-mount site that takes over 22 acres next to the community’s existing reverse osmosis and desalination plant which provides the community with potable water.
This initiative goes well with other sustainability projects at Twin Dolphin. Currently, they are preserving more than 40,000 thousand native plants, conserving energy through building design to maximize natural cooling, using locally sourced building materials, and using LED lights throughout properties.