5/22
Good morning, All!
Greetings on the start of the Memorial Day Holiday!

Today’s factoid: having type O blood has been shown to decrease the likelihood of contracting SARS-coV-2. That’s a little bit of good news for the nearly 45% of Americans who have type O blood.  It is thought to be related to the antibodies that type O people make in response to the configuration of antigens on their red blood cells. It’s at least a small part of the variability in presentation of this illness that we see. A central factor tied to poor outcomes is the presence of environmental pollution! More on this in a bit.

Nature‘s Brilliance!

Why is everyone still talking about the Pandemic and not talking about Nature’s brilliance?  Just joking, but I would like to say that we should not let a day go by without marveling at nature’s magnificence.  Your garden will not only save you money if the vegetable prices surge as they predict but will provide the raw material for your practice in appreciation.

Nature knows best

Last bulletin I talked about Vitamin D’s strong performance against poor outcomes from COVID in early studies. VitD has long been proven to be helpful in supporting lung function and respiratory function; and, unfortunately it is commonly low, with as much as 70% of people insufficient in D. When you study how it works it’s amazing to see how in certain circumstances it can up-regulate certain processes of the immune system and in certain others it will down-regulate those same processes.

This is the aspect of nature that I dare say is impossible to reproduce in the lab.  Life has an innate intelligence that responds to what is needed in the moment.  When we rely on a medicine we are using a much more limited intelligence.  The effects are preset and unidirectional.  We need our medicines at times but we should always be looking to be in tune with Life. We would do very well to review all the areas where we can be in step with natural wellness.

CDC Promoting Natural Health?

How many times have we heard from the CDC or FDA or the Pandemic medical team on the importance of good sleep and exercise and a healthy, whole food, plant-based diet without processed foods which helps your microbiome during the pandemic?  I personally think it’s odd that we don’t hear about any of this from any central agency….almost at all. They aren’t giving us well rounded information but others are; and it’s helpful.  Here’s a little on Vitamin C to add to what we read last week on vitamin D.

VITAMIN C

Vitamin C has been shown to stimulate the burning of fat, reduce inflammation, and improve cough. It is a very nice aid in balancing the immune system which is why it is helpful with cancer care. Clinical studies are underway with COVID in other parts of the world but not so much in the US.

The important history of VitC must include Linus Pauling and his work with high dose intravenous and oral vitamin C for cancer in the 70s. His work produced very promising data, namely decreased rates of cancer mortality with the higher doses. Subsequent studies with Vitamin C by the Mayo clinic, which were done with lower doses, did not show the same results and created a false narrative against the enthusiasm for the use of vitamin C as a medicine. There is data now showing less respiratory illness and quicker recovery from colds, in a dose dependent manner. The dose has to be over 1000mg.  Pushing to 2-3000mg daily if tolerated (watching for loose stools and backing off the dose if they come) is recommended right now as we prepare for the world to reopen.
What about eating oranges?

A typical blood level of vitamin C in someone who doesn’t eat a lot of fruit or veggies might be 50 mmol/L.  This lies in the normal range. Someone who has 5-9 servings of fruits and veggies will generally increase the level to 70-80 mmol/L.  A vitamin C supplement of 200mg daily can raise it to 90. This level hasn’t been found to be helpful against the common cold.  1000mg (which is best spread out tover three doses) is decent against colds and raises the level (up to around 130).  3000mg of VitC brings the blood level to 220 mmol/L- which turns out to be the max level one can get from oral supplementing. Multiple doses throughout the day are required with higher oral doses because the level drops after 5 hours.

Vitamin C intravenously is what is being studied right now with COVID.  There already exists quite robust data that IV Vit C improves sepsis. IV vitamin C at 10g per dose generates a level in the blood of 18,000!  This is a almost a different medicine.  The levels actually generate hydrogen peroxide- a product normally made by white blood cells.  This is involved in the mechanism to kill cancer cells and certain viruses. A trend I see in these natural cures is that they don’t harm healthy cells.

More next time on supplementing with Zinc and using a sauna to stay in tiptop shape!

Virology and Pollution

If you’re like me, you’re pretty interested in detailing what we really know about viruses. It’s my belief that scientists have a relatively tiny and isolated piece of the knowledge of our biology, the study of Life.  This is a topic that is as vast and as expansive as the universe. We need to constantly test our conclusions, like a pioneer MD named Zach Bush does. Last year he predicted the next pandemic would happen in central China.  He told this to an audience at a conference, and based it on following the spray map of glycophosphate (Round Up).  Central China stood out as the heavy user in Asia.

How did he draw his conclusion? He did it by not settling for yesterday’s ideas.

The theory of us against the bugs won’t carry us any further.  Dr Bush describes a cutting-edge view that viruses are part of a vast web of information sharing that happens amongst all living beings. Every second we exude different RNA-messages to the organisms around us. All living cells do. Viruses and other similar nano-communications (called exosomes) are the way genetic material is shared. Viruses and exosomes can be carried far distances when they become airborne. They literally circle the globe and are present in unfathomable numbers in every breath we take. We share genetic material to aid in adaptation and the successful propagation of life. He is describing here a new theory that removes us from the role of victims of the bad bugs.  We are not at war but are members of an ecologic community. We have work to do to reconnect to the proper care for our earth’s soils and animals. Improper care for our ecosystem causes a rebound effect and plays a role in the viral illnesses we see.

It makes you wonder why our national medical leaders only talk about drug remedies and vaccines. Maybe they don’t see the larger task. Maybe it’s not for them to do. A part of any robust treatment plan is care for our earth and the continued search for bigger perspective and deeper truths. We, the people, have the power unless we give it away. The power to effect our situation lies in every dollar that we spend.

“Every time you spend money, you’re casting a vote for the kind of world you want.”
Anna Lappe

Each and every one is supposed to do his or her part to make the difference. We wouldn’t want it handed to us. We are supposed to wrestle with it.

I am wishing you much strength and courage on this beautiful day. I couldn’t ask for a better group with whom to be working together on our task. I’m referring to the world wide community of people who care about their fellow Man (and Woman). We have all the tools and the support we need to begin our first steps. Let’s get going!

Here’s to today’s work!

Dr Cooney and staff