Data Shows How to Protect Against Coronavirus and We Address Conspiracy Theories

I’m not, nor have I been, concerned with contracting COVID-19. Pathogens infect people who are vulnerable. The concept of random/chance infections doesn’t hold up to scrutiny. If a pathogen does kill everyone and anyone regardless of how healthy the host is the pathogen would burn out its host supply. Evolutionarily speaking this isn’t something that makes sense.

The medical science community is just now discovering how gut health is synonymous with overall health. Of course, they’re trying to figure out what drugs can be made from the revelations and not how one can take their health into their own hands because the truth is not profitable. The truth is the only way to sustain proper gut health is to continually eat a wide variety of raw vegetables and herbs while avoiding toxic foods and chemicals that imbalance the microbiome.

Studies are showing a number of factors that play a role in the severity of COVID-19 symptoms. Some of these we have control of and some of these we don’t. Let’s start with those we have no control over.

Age

Viruses like influenza are more likely to injure and kill both the young and the older population, given their more vulnerable immune systems. But COVID-19 is a little different.

Children under the age of 18 are far less likely to have symptoms of infection, and they are also less likely to need hospitalization, and kids are less likely to die of COVID-19.

People over the age of 75, on the other hand, are far more susceptible to the worst COVID-19 has to offer. Below is a chart with data provided by New York City Health as of May 13, 2020.

AGE Number of Deaths Share of deaths
0 – 17 years old 9 0.06%
18 – 44 years old 601 3.90%
45 – 64 years old 3,413 22.40%
65 – 74 years old 3,788 24.90%
75+ years old 7,419 48.70%
TOTAL 15,230 100%
Age of coronavirus deaths via World Meters

The data we have is very limited so far but China and other countries, and other states within the U.S. show numbers for 75+ between 20% and 35%.

As you probably heard in the news, coronavirus has been hitting nursing homes hard.

Sex

Men are much more likely to suffer symptoms from coronavirus than women. Data provided by New York City Health as of April 1st states that 61.8% of fatalities are men. Other studies of other regions show similar percentages. Researchers are trying to figure out why. Men face higher risk of complications with other respiratory illnesses as well, as the flu also affects men disproportionately.

The evidence in current studies points towards men having weaker immune systems than women, especially when it comes to common viral respiratory infections. Men are more susceptible to them, symptoms are worse, they last longer, and men are more likely to be hospitalized and die from the flu.

Sue is a clinical assistant professor in family medicine at Memorial University of Newfoundland

study published in Frontiers in Public Health reported that men and women were equally likely to contract the novel coronavirus.

So why are men more likely to die? Theories range from how testosterone affects the body to the fact that men are often less likely to take care of themselves. As usual, it’s likely a confluence of issues.

Blood Type

A study found that people with blood type A were 50% more likely to experience severe COVID-19 symptoms than people with other blood types. On the flip side, those with blood type O were 50% less likely to face severe symptoms of COVID-19. 

Race

CDC statistics show that 33% of people who’ve been hospitalized with COVID-19 are African American. Some local communities that report data have found similar patterns.

Black people make up only 13% of the U.S. population but they make up more than 30% of COVID deaths, according to research from Johns Hopkins University.

The disproportionate death rate may be significantly explained by the fact that there’s a higher prevalence of obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes among African Americans compared with Caucasians. But there’s more to it than that.

Black workers are also more likely to have employment that does not allow them to work from home, and they are less likely to have the safety nets that allow them to take time off. There’s a likely possibility that the African American community is more likely to be exposed to the virus. Detroit was hit particularly hard by the pandemic, but the daily cases and the death rate in Michigan have been on the decline for some time, indicating that the virus may have run its course. Perhaps Detroit inadvertently followed Sweden’s model.

Related: Sweden’s Approach To Coronavirus, and Did It Work? What Should We Have Done?

While doctors warn against taking high doses of vitamin D The NHS says wants people to consider taking 10 micrograms of vitamin D3 a day throughout the pandemic – particularly if they spend most of their time inside.

Besides blood type, most of the data above indicates that health plays a big role in determining the outcome of someone who is infected by CVOID-19. The data below proves it.

Underline Medical Conditions and Immunocompromised

Of people who were sick enough to be hospitalized with coronavirus, 89% had at least one chronic condition. About half of those patients had high blood pressure and obesity, about a third of the patients had diabetes, and another third had cardiovascular disease.

People with obesity tend to be more likely to develop heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and other health issues.

Besides staying fit, what else can one do to protect themselves from COVID-19? Vitamin D, Glutathione, and most importantly, gut health play an enormously important role in determining one’s ability to fight off COVID-19.

Vitamin D

Some studies have indicated that vitamin D deficiency is linked to poorer outcomes with coronavirus. There are not any studies showing the vitamin D supplementation can help one overcome the virus, and other underlying risk factors, such as heart disease and diabetes make it hard to draw conclusions because people with these conditions are often low in vitamin D.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njrQxR0neV4&list=WL&index=2&t=102s

Glutathione

COVID-19 deaths are attributed to something called a “cytokine storm”, a physiological reaction in which our immune system causes an excessive release of cytokines, a pro-inflammatory signaling molecule. The only treatments modern medicine knows to do for this symptom are oxygen therapy and assisted ventilation.

A new study has evaluated the effects of dose oral and IV glutathione in the treatment of two patients with COVID-19 pneumonia.

Oral and IV glutathione, glutathione precursors (N-acetyl-cysteine) and alpha lipoic acid may represent a novel treatment approach for blocking NF-κB and addressing “cytokine storm syndrome” and respiratory distress in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia.

Science Direct – Respiratory Medicine Case Reports

To be clear, that’s only two cases that were studied in that paper. There are other papers that support the hypothesis, but there is nothing yet conclusive.

Dr. Richard Horowitz, a board-certified internist with a private integrative medicine practice is considered to be one of thes top Lyme disease doctors. He has built a practice around combining classical and complementary treatments for Lyme diseases. 

“It is a miracle and it’s not,” says Horowitz of glutathione, which he has used on thousands of patients in his medical practice over the past 30 years. “It’s already in the literature—there are published articles on glutathione showing that it has anti-viral activity against herpes viruses, HIV, and hepatitis. The problem is, all of the COVID research is happening through pharmaceutical companies. No one is looking at natural approaches. You hear a little about how low vitamin D might put you at risk, so it’s coming out in dribs and drabs.” And just like with vitamin D, you can be deficient in glutathione—especially if you’ve been exposed to a lot of environmental toxins (which is everyone). Older people are also more likely to be depleted of the compound.

Two Potential Treatments for COVID-19 Unfold in the Hudson Valley 

Gut Health

In the first case of novel coronavirus reported in the U.S., the patient reported two days of nausea and vomiting along with diarrhea in addition to respiratory symptoms. In some small studies, researchers have linked patients with gastrointestinal issues to poorer coronavirus outcomes. Poor gut health seems to equate to severe disease symptoms including higher fevers and a greater risk of liver injury.

The suggestion is that the gastrointestinal symptoms are caused by the virus invading the ACE2-containing cells that are found throughout the bowel. This, together with the presence of the virus in the stool, suggests the gastrointestinal tract as another possible route of infection and transmission.

The Conversation – Worried about coronavirus? Pay attention to your gut

But it’s not just that the virus attacks the gut. Science is on the verge of discovering that our gut microbiome supplies our entire body with its microbiome. And what they don’t yet know, but is nevertheless true, is that a body with a healthy, diverse, and plentiful microbiome is a much less hospitable host for foreign invaders.

The health of our gut bacteria plays a crucial role in how our immune system reacts to every disease, including coronavirus. Diet is crucial to developing and maintaining healthy gut flora. The wider variety of raw vegetables and herbs one consumes, the more diverse one’s gut bacteria will be. And diversity is key to a healthy microbiome.

This article, How To Heal Your Gut, goes into detail about how to develop a healthy gut microbiome and is the basis for ridding the body of and being less susceptible to nearly every disease.

From our sister company, Green Lifestyle Market, here are our top four supplement picks for anyone concerned with COVID-19:

But don’t skip the aforementioned gut health article! Diet is far more important than supplements, and if finances are tight, put your money towards healthy food before you purchase supplements.

And now that you have some facts to arm yourself against COVID-19, let’s talk analysis some of the so-called “fake news” that’s going around regarding coronavirus.

Coronavirus Conspiracy Theories

Germs are real, and they can kill you. But cellular health is what separates the vulnerable from the robust immune systems. Your gut is the engine that powers your body. While this should seem obvious to anyone who has even a rudimentary understanding of biology, it’s still considered conspiracy theory to suggest that getting ill with a virus is anything more than bad luck, even though the science continually supports our position. Speaking of conspiracy theories, let’s debunk a few.

Coronavirus Doesn’t Exist

Enough people have been sick and enough people have died that this conspiracy should be put to rest. On social media, there are lots of posts asking, “Do you know anyone who has actually gotten coronavirus?” Yes, I do. And when I comment as such I am often accused of being in on the conspiracy, or they say the people I know died of something else falsely attributed to COVID-19 (which does have some truth to it, considering that healthy people do not die from this disease). The problem with the biggest conspiracies, like flat-earth, is that people just don’t keep secrets well enough. If coronavirus were a hoax, there would be massive amounts of people sounding the alarm.

It’s 5G

There are many people claiming that people who think they are suffering from COVID-19 are actually being killed by 5G wireless. The timing is close but not close enough to make this conspiracy work. It is possible that 5G infrastructure could exacerbate symptoms, but that’s also true for glyphosate, refined sugar, fluoride, and other toxins we ingest daily. There aren’t yet any studies on the effects of 5G because the cellular companies don’t want them, but some studies that indicate 4G is associated with problems for our health. And if the studies’ conclusions are true, 5G is likely to be worse. But there are also a lot of studies that indicate cellular frequencies don’t directly harm our health. What we do know for sure is that radiation from towers and our cellphones, and Wi-Fi, is harming birds and bees along with other animals and insects. This is reason enough to be concerned with our own health regarding EMFs. Whether it’s direct effects or indirect (environmental degradation), EMFs aren’t good for us.

The Coronavirus is a Bioweapon

You may have heard that Bill Gates had coronavirus created In a lab to implement the New World Order and install human trackers on all of us.

Bill Gates is a dangerous man with many foolish ideas. But he’s not powerful enough to pull this off and I don’t think he’s “evil”. He seems to be a perfect example of how true this quote is:

It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends upon his not understanding it!

Upton Sinclair or curmudgeon H. L. Mencken

But the engineering of viruses is happening, and we’d be foolish to completely rule out the idea that a government or company would accidentally or purposefully release such a virus. The vast majority of scientists don’t believe COVID-19 was engineered accidentally or on purpose, but viruses are being genetically modified. There are some scientists who do believe COVID-19 was manufactured, and governments, as well as corporations, have been known to lie to us every chance they get.

This is a Made Up Virus to Get Trump Out of Office

The virus isn’t made up, but it’s pretty clear the left is leveraging the pandemic to help get Trump out of office. For evidence, there is plenty of blatant hypocrisy to chose from. If things were reversed, the Democrats would be all about restarting the economy while republicans would be sheltering in place and screaming about how Dems are trying to kill us all.

Conclusion

I stated that healthy people aren’t dying from coronavirus. With some online searching, it is easy to find plenty of media claiming this is not true. Stories such as one about a very physically fit man who almost died of coronavirus and one about a child in California who died are used as “A devastating reminder that COVID-19 infects people of all ages.” But it’s important to note that these cases are extremely rare, and one should also understand that strength and physical fitness are not synonymous with good health. Many men who can run marathons in their 20s and 30s develop autoimmune diseases in their 40s. Children who died, as rare as this is, were not in good health either.

If the CDC had our best interests in mind, they would have at least said something about the importance of eating right during a pandemic instead of trying to frighten us into sheltering in place.




Could Coronavirus Be Spread When You Flush the Toilet?

Scientists have found that coronavirus particles in fecal matter could be ejected into the air when you flush the toilet. The research, published in the journal Physics of Fluids, measured the toilet plume caused by the turbulence of flushing and saw that 40%-60% of particles reached above the toilet seat. These particles could increase the spread of coronavirus, especially since bathrooms are high-traffic, poorly ventilated areas.

The research didn’t analyze the toilet droplets for coronavirus, although it is possible that fecal matter particles will contain smaller amounts of the virus than respiratory droplets. COVID-19 is most often found in the lungs and respiratory tract, although some studies have found coronavirus in the small intestine. In addition, virus symptoms can include nausea and diarrhea.

Related: Data Shows How To Protect Against Coronavirus

The study concluded with steps you can take to limit the potential spread of coronavirus through toilet particles. These include closing the toilet lid before flushing, cleaning the toilet seat before use, andwashing hands after flushing.

Sources:



FDA to Allow Certain Hand Sanitizer Impurities

The Food and Drug Administration has announced that it will allow certain impurities in alcohol-based sanitizers to meet the public health demands during the COVID-19 pandemic. The relaxed guidelines will directly affect fuel ethanol companies that began making sanitizer at the beginning of the pandemic.

The FDA is working with industry to ensure that harmful levels of impurities are not present if ethanol is used in these products. Based on careful review and consideration of available data, we are specifying interim levels of certain impurities that we have determined can be tolerated for a relatively short period of time, given the emphasis on hand hygiene during the COVID-19 public health emergency and to avoid exacerbating access issues for alcohol-based hand sanitizer.”

FDA

Related: Data Shows How To Protect Against Coronavirus

This announcement is in direct contrast to the agency’s position in April, when it told several fuel ethanol companies that their sanitizers didn’t meet safety standards. Two ingredients under particular scrutiny are acetaldehyde, a carcinogen, and benzene.

Sources:



Gardasil Vaccine Approved for Throat and Neck Cancer Prevention

Gardasil 9, the latest version of the well-known human papillomavirus virus vaccine, has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the prevention of HPV related throat and neck cancers. The FDA gave the drug an accelerated approval, which means their decision is dependent on more information. Merck started a study to see if Gardisil treats these cancers in February.

The oropharyngeal and head and neck cancer indication is approved under accelerated approval based on effectiveness in preventing HPV-related anogenital disease. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in a confirmatory trial. The trial is currently underway.

Merck Press Release

The trial is focused on men after researchers noticed that certain throat cancers linked to HPV were most common in middle-aged men who had contracted the virus decades earlier. Other throat cancer risks include smoking cigarettes and performing oral sex on partners with HPV.

Related: How To Heal Your Gut 

Introduced in 2006, Gardisil was marketed to young women and girls aged 9 to 26. Those recommendations expanded to include men and to the age of 45 in 2018 with the introduction of Gardisil 9. Demand for Gardisil has continued to increase worldwide since its introduction, with total vaccine sales reaching 3.15 billion in 2018.

Related: How To Detoxify and Heal From Vaccinations – For Adults and Children
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The Best Period Products for Yourself, and the Environment

Conventional disposable pads and tampons have not been around for that long, and while they were once something to marvel over, women are already in search of more eco, and budget-friendly alternatives. Disposable pads and tampons are often made from synthetic materials and chemicals designed to make the products extra absorbent, and order- neutralizing. A good rule of thumb is to not use products on the most sensitive areas of your body that you wouldn’t want to ingest. Additionally, when disposed of, these products take hundreds of years to break down, and often times end up in the ocean, which can be detrimental to marine life.

Many people are only taught about two options: pads, and tampons. No one really goes over the problems associated with either product, aside from Toxic Shock Syndrome. Making the switch from conventional products to eco-friendly, health-friendly alternatives can be a difficult transition but your body, the environment, and your wallet will thank you for it in the long run. This article goes over some of the most popular alternatives to conventional pads and tampons, and which products we think are the best overall for the environment and your health. 

Recommended: How to Eliminate IBS, IBD, Leaky Gut 

Note: None of the links within this article are promotional links. This article is not in any way an advertisement.

100% Organic Cotton Tampons

100% cotton tampons are probably our least favorite option. Just because the tampons are organic doesn’t mean they’re good for you. One thing that is important to remember, putting anything inside your vaginal canal that’s not meant to be there can cause health problems, especially when your body is trying to expel waste. Tampons work by absorbing the blood, which can allow for the body to reabsorb some of the toxins from the body’s expelled waste. A menstrual cup or disc that just sits inside your body and collects blood does not have these issues. As is the case with regular tampons, Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) is a concern. It’s no wonder tampons have also been shown to worsen cramps.

Organic cotton tampons are better for you than regular tampons but we encourage you to explore other options. In addition to the health risks associated with tampons, they are disposable, single-use items, so they’re wasteful even when they’re made right.

Like organic cotton pads, cotton tampons are more expensive than regular ones. You can pretty easily find Organic Cotton tampons at most grocery stores, drug stores, and health-food stores. Despite the convenience of picking them up while grocery shopping, buying online can help ensure that your money goes to independent, small businesses. 

100% Organic Cotton Disposable Pads

Chlorine-free, organic pads have the same environmental upsides as organic tampons but are also better for your health. Buying organic pads, (and tampons) may be the simplest way to make a difference in your carbon footprint and health without much of a noticeable change. Of course, with anything disposable, the downside is that you will have to continue to buy these as long as you’re using them, and 100% cotton pads are more expensive than the conventional, petroleum and chemical-based products.

Of course, you are still generating waste, but without the added plastics and chemicals, these pads will break down much faster and cleaner than their conventional counterpart. If you have the means, we encourage you to explore more eco-friendly alternatives, as there are many options out there (keep reading), but 100% cotton organic pads can be a step in the right direction. You can usually find organic cotton pads at drug stores or grocery stores, or health food stores. 

Menstrual Cups

Menstrual cups aren’t the best for your health, but they are much better for the environment than disposable products and they’re a healthier option compared to tampons, organic, or not. Menstrual cups are typically made from medical grade silicone, and sit inside the vagina. You can leave them in for 12 hours at a time, making them convenient for long periods of time, and overnight (emptying more frequently is better for health). Along with long wear time, you can keep your menstrual cup and reuse it for more than 10 years, making them much more cost-effective than disposable period products. Just take it out, empty it, and clean thoroughly before the next use. The downside, this can be a little difficult in public spaces.

With menstrual cups, as is the case with regular tampons, inserting something inside your body that isn’t meant to be there, and/or restricting flow in any way, isn’t great for your body’s ability to expel toxins. Additionally, even the small menstrual cups can be uncomfortable to use, especially for those who have never had a child, or those who have never had vaginal intercourse.

Many women feel that the menstrual cup is convenient and it’s much better for you than a regular tampon made with synthetic materials that can cause irritation. The Saalt Cup is very highly rated and one of the best options as it is organic, and the company that produces them is a certified B-corp. 

Recommended: How to Eliminate IBS, IBD, Leaky Gut 

Menstrual Discs

Menstrual discs are similar to menstrual cups in practice, but there are a few differences. For starters, as the name suggests, menstrual discs are shaped like a disc as opposed to a cup. Additionally, they sit higher in the body, closer to the cervix than tampons or menstrual cups, this can take a bit of getting used to if you’re not familiar with that part of your body. Menstrual discs are not as bad as tampons but not as good as menstrual cups because of how far up they sit in the body. Lastly, most menstrual discs are typically disposable. Menstrual discs are better than tampons for the environment because they are good for up to 12 hours of use depending on your flow (much longer than tampons).

One of the most popular pros of menstrual discs is that they are one the best ways to have mess-free period sex, so if that’s something you’re looking for, menstrual discs might be a good option. While some people have said the discs can move a little bit during sex, resulting in leakage, most people don’t have issues. One of the most popular brands of Menstrual discs, the Flex Disc, is made from medical-grade polymer and is free of BPA’s and latex, while also being hypoallergenic.

If you want to go the reusable route checkout The Ziggy Cup which is more of a disk than a cup; it’s bowl-shaped. It is one the most highly rated reusable menstrual discs on the market, made out of medical-grade silicone. They also offer various cups and other feminine products.

Reuseable Pads

Reuseable pads are one of the best options for your health and the environment. Typically they’re made from 100% cotton and you simply soak them in cold water then wash them in the washing machine when you’re done. While more expensive initially, they will save you money in the long run, as is the case with all reusable products. Some women have said that they can shift around more than regular pads, but with no adhesive strip there’s no concern about getting pubic hair stuck to the pad, which is definitely a plus. Having to change a reusable pad anywhere other than home can be a bit of a hassle, but in my opinion, this problem is well worth the inconvenience for the environment’s sake, just bring a bag with you to stick your used pad in. Many women say that reusable pads are more comfortable than regular ones. Without the synthetic materials and chemicals in regular pads, there’s less irritation and less chaffing. We like these New Moon Pads but you can also make your own.

Period Underwear

Period underwear is pretty much what it sounds like: underwear that absorbs your flow without any other products. Along with reusable pads, they are one of the best options for the environment (although not as good as 100% cotton reusable pads, as many types of period underwear have synthetic materials). Period underwear does not feel like an adult diaper; they look and feel like regular underwear. In fact, you’ll probably feel even less like you’re in a diaper than when you wear a regular pad. They’re typically made with an extra layer of fabric designed to be extra absorbent. The problem is these might not work all day for you if you have a heavy flow.

They make a couple of different kinds, some designed for overnight, and some with inserts that go inside the underwear similar to reusable pads. Typically one pair of period underwear is designed to be as absorbent as 2 tampons. Since these are reusable they are one of the more environmentally friendly options, and if you’re not combining them with a tampon, then these have no health drawbacks. There are lots of different kinds out there, so check out this article by Good House Keeping to get an idea of which brand might be best for you. 

Sea Sponges 

This one surprised me. I had never heard of Sea Sponges being used for menstrual products until I did the research for this article. Turns out, they’re very popular and have been used for years. Supposedly, Cleopatra was a fan.

Sea sponges are used like tampons; just insert them inside the vaginal canal until you’re unable to feel it, and then pull it out when you’re done, generally after 6-8 hours, or when it gets full. When it’s full rinse it with warm water and then ring it out to dry. They’re super absorbent, soft and comfortable, easy to use, and reusable. You can also trim them down to whatever size works for you. Sea sponges are fragile, so handle with care.

You can find sea sponges with strings sewn in for convenience, and they last between 3-6 months. Sea sponges are compostable so you can throw them in your compost bucket at the end of their life, and when done correctly Sea Sponges regenerate after being picked, making them one of the best options for the environment. Again, at OLM, we recommend using products that don’t go inside your body over products that do go in your body, for health reasons, but we do love that these are all-natural and have been time-tested. It’s recommended that you clean your Sea Sponge in warm water (not boiling, as it can damage the sponge).

Since the Sea Sponge is a natural product it can contain sand and other ocean particles when you get it. There has not been a lot of scientific research conducted about the health risks of using sea sponges, but they’ve been used by women for centuries. If you’re looking for a product that isn’t a pad, that goes inside your body, this sounds like a good alternative for your health and for the health of the environment. Jade and Pearl is a small business in Florida that sells ethically sourced sea sponges and other eco-friendly menstrual products. 

So what option is best? 

Choosing the best product for you will depend on your budget and your needs. For convenience, overall health, and the environment, I’m partial to reusable pads. If you’re looking for something insertable, I hope you’ll try the sea sponge for sake of the environment and your health, or any of the reusable products listed if you’re more concerned about the environment than your health. Personally, I don’t recommend anything disposable long term, but merely as a transitional tool from your conventional products to something more sustainable.

If you have a heavy flow (along with overwhelming cramping and mood swings) we recommend fixing your hormonal system by checking out our article, Holistic Guide to Healing the Endocrine System and Balancing Our Hormones.

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Sweden’s Approach To Coronavirus – Did It Work? What Should We Have Done?

As usual, it’s complicated.

Sweden did not impose strict limits on citizens’ rights. People went to work and ate at restaurants and faced very few restrictions. Children in lower grades attended school but highschools and universities utilized distance learning.

Businesses stayed open. Those who could work from home were advised to do so but no laws were passed and no orders were given telling people to stay home. The government did ask it’s citizens to refrain from non-essential travel and asked people to practice social distancing, hand washing, and considerable measures were taken to protect people over the age of 70.

This “herd immunity” approach is in stark contrast to its neighbors like Finland, which banned gatherings of 10 or more, declared a state of emergency, and closed all schools, restaurants, cafes, and bars. India imposed a lockdown for 1.3 billion people, and Germany banned crowds of two or more people. The herd immunity concept is where so many people contract the virus that the people develop natural resistance without the need for a vaccine.

Sweden’s chief epidemiologist, Anders Tegnell, said Sweden’s approach is based on science, saying, “We are trying to slow the spread enough so that we can deal with the patients coming in.”

Mr. Tegnell says this approach relies on people’s self-restraint and sense of responsibility.

That’s the way we work in Sweden. Our whole system for communicable disease control is based on voluntary action. The immunization system is completely voluntary and there is 98 percent coverage.

You give them the option to do what is best in their lives. That works very well, according to our experience.

Anders Tegnell – NY Times

There’s a substantial difference between Sweden’s government and other governments.  The country enjoys very high levels of trust in its government. Their Constitution is very clearly and specifically designed not to curb individual freedoms. Citizens have confidence in their government and in its public institutions. It’s also important to note that Sweden’s population density is less dense than many other countries and it is a very homogeneous society.

Has Sweden’s Approach Worked?

Sweden reports fewer deaths than Italy. But Italy has a much older population, more people smoke, and people live more clustered together in close-knit, multigenerational households.

Nearly 4,500 Swedes are said to have died from coronavirus, putting the country in eighth place for the highest deaths per capita. Sweden says around half of the deaths were elderly people living in care facilities.

Coronavirus deaths sorted per capita

Swedish officials thought Stockholm, the capital, could be approaching “herd immunity,” but recent antibody testing in Stockholm found that only 7.3% of those tested had SARS-COV-2 antibodies. Anders Tegnell called the figure “a bit lower than we’d thought.”

An antibody test cannot tell if you are actively infected. It takes a few weeks from when one is infected to build up enough antibodies for the test to register positive. It’s also important to note that there are issues with inaccuracy of antibody testing that could cause lower or higher results than what is accurate. In addition, we don’t even know how long coronavirus antibodies last in our bodies ! Some speculate only two to three months. Sweden’s real numbers could be a little higher or a little lower, we don’t know. Regardless, 7% is much lower than they hoped.

The media is capitalizing on Anders Tegnell’s most recent comments, with news outlets reporting in a way to indicate that even Sweden admits its approach was all wrong. The epidemiologist said that in hindsight Sweden should have done more.

If we were to run into the same disease, knowing exactly what we know about it today, I think we would end up doing something in between what Sweden did and what the rest of the world has done.

Yes, I think we could have done better than what we did in Sweden, clearly.

Reuters

Anders Tegnell is clearly not saying that Sweden should have enacted draconian measures like that of many of its neighboring countries.

It’s also important to know that Sweden’s death rate is lower than the U.K., France, and Spain while the USA, Netherlands, and Ireland aren’t far behind.

Also, comparing any European country to the U.S.A is difficult. New York and New Jersey both have a death rate higher than any other country. The United States has pockets of incredibly dense urban living contrasted by vast areas of much lower population densities along with everything in between. Some states implemented strict guidelines, some states ordered people to shelter in place under threat of law, and some states did next to nothing.

And Sweden’s economy expanded while almost every other country’s economy has seen a drastic contraction.

The Netherlands took a similar approach. They show similar results. Brazil’s president Jair Messias Bolsonaro has largely been dismissive of coronavirus fears even going so far as to call it a “media hoax“. Now Brazil is looking at the second most coronavirus cases, second only to the U.S., with total deaths putting them in 4th place behind USA, UK, and Italy, but deaths per capita has Brazil in 20th place, below many countries that took the virus much more seriously.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1f91Q5FuoKs

What We Should Have Done

They say hindsight is 20/20 but we’re not at a place yet where hindsight is clear. We don’t know who the biggest losers will be until the dust settles, and with the economic impact yet to be fully realized, it’s impossible to even guess. We all know that death rates rise when economies collapse, but death rates also rise when economies grow. A stable economy preserves lives. A U-shaped, V-shaped, or lagging L-shaped economy will cause a lot of deaths.

We also have no idea how hard a virus is going to damage society until it hits a population, and the same virus can cause very different results in differing populations. It’s easy to say, “Look, see, we all overreacted!” when it’s all said and done, but it’s very difficult to know what would have been the results if we ignored the threat.

It’s also hard to know the truth when hospitals rely on government subsidies for using ventilators, testing is poorly done, the CDC mixes up test results, and processed food and big-pharma companies run the media (with a vested interest in keeping us unhealthy). The reality is that access to clean water, good plumbing, and a healthy diet does radically more to prevent and eradicate disease than any vaccine or lockdown or anything else we’ve ever tried.

Of course, we at Organic Lifestyle Magazine would like to see a radically different approach to pandemics that isn’t talked about at all in the media. But science is just starting to catch on.

The state of your gut bacteria is the best indication of your health that we know of, and a healthy gut microbiome equates to a stronger immune system. A recent study showed that people with prior gastrointestinal issues realize poorer outcomes. That’s not because Covid-19 hits the gut, it’s because a healthy gut microbiome supplies the entire body with beneficial bacteria. And when a person has a large enough and diverse amount of healthy bacteria in their body it’s difficult for pathogens to get a foothold (or a corona-hold in this case).

It’s not as simple as taking a probiotic, though that’s better than nothing. To heal the gut one needs to eat right in order to supply the gut with the right prebiotics to populate the gut with a diverse population.

If catching coronavirus (or the flu, or ebola, or any pathogen) concerns you, get your gut well. For more on this check out How To Heal Your Gut.

If we ruled the world (or a country) we’d ask our population to drink cranberry lemonade with stevia, eat lots of salads, take an antifungal fatty acid like SF722, and don’t smoke or use other drugs. The information from the aforementioned gut article would be mandatory learning for everyone in school. And we would see that people who choose to ignore their health are the ones who would be dying – but then again, that’s what we see now. While the media likes to cherry-pick the unusual case of a supposedly perfectly healthy child or athletic adult coming down with coronavirus and dying, it’s extremely unusual, and we cannot find a single case of a person dying from Covid-19 who actually was truly healthy. This is also true for the flu. We logically suspect it’s also true for any pathogenic illness because that’s just how nature works!




Vaccination Before 1 Year of Age May Increase Odds of Developmental Delays, Asthma, Ear Infection – New Study

A new peer-reviewed study has been published in the journal SAGE Open Medicine that looks at health outcomes of vaccinated children versus children who are unvaccinated. The study looks at three pediatric practices located in the United States. The study concludes that unvaccinated children appear to have better health outcomes than those who are vaccinated.

The overall sample size, including children under 3 years of age, is 4821, of which 44.5% were unvaccinated, while 55.5% were vaccinated. Among the 3797 children over 1 year of age, 37.6% were unvaccinated and 62.4% were vaccinated. Considering children with continuous follow-up who were over 3 years of age reduced the sample to 2047 patients, with 52% males. Unvaccinated children by 1 year of age comprised 30.9% of the sample as compared to vaccinated children (69.1%). The most prevalent diagnosis was ear infection.

They looked at the medical records of children and results showed that children vaccinated prior to turning one were substantially more prone to developmental delays, asthma, and ear infections.

A separate analysis also showed that children who received more vaccines were also more likely to be diagnosed with gastrointestinal disorders.

“The results definitely indicate better health outcomes in children who did not receive vaccines within their first year of life.”

Dr. Hooker, lead author of study

Currently, children receive up to 36 vaccine doses to protect against 14 different diseases by the time they’re 6 if following CDC’s recommended vaccination schedule.

Related:

Vaccination before 1 year of age was associated with increased odds of developmental delays (OR = 2.18, 95% CI 1.47–3.24), asthma (OR = 4.49, 95% CI 2.04–9.88) and ear infections (OR = 2.13, 95% CI 1.63–2.78). In a quartile analysis, subjects were grouped by number of vaccine doses received in the first year of life. Higher odds ratios were observed in Quartiles 3 and 4 (where more vaccine doses were received) for all four health conditions considered, as compared to Quartile 1. In a temporal analysis, developmental delays showed a linear increase as the age cut-offs increased from 6 to 12 to 18 to 24 months of age (ORs = 1.95, 2.18, 2.92 and 3.51, respectively). Slightly higher ORs were also observed for all four health conditions when time permitted for a diagnosis was extended from ⩾ 3 years of age to ⩾ 5 years of age.