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The Second Wave: A survival guide
By
Published: Jan 05, 2021
Category:
Health
NEWS: ICU bed capacity plunged to 0% in Southern California last month, as more and more people were admitted to hospital seeking treatment for Covid-19. Now, many medical facilities simply do not have the space to take in patients who do not have a chance of survival, according to the agency. The LA County EMS has directed ambulance crews not to transport patients with little chance of survival to hospitals, and to conserve the use of oxygen.
[Source: CNN]
OPINION (from Susan Orlean, author of “The Orchid Thief,” writer for The New Yorker, on Twitter): “Everyone I know (including me) is completely at the end of their ropes. It’s the surge plus the vaccine being close yet out of reach for most of us plus too long locked down plus winter plus plus plus. Help.”
That opinion reflects the news. And then there’s the personal story: I’ve just celebrated a landmark birthday, which entitles me to get the vaccine… in mid-February, at the earliest. Meanwhile, the statistics say that of 1,000 men my age who are sickened with this mutation of the virus, 113 will die. Those who survive are likely to have lifelong symptoms: heart disease, memory loss and more.
Clearly, it would be better not to get sick.
Most days find me in a self-chosen state of solitary confinement. I don’t do outdoor dining. I’m in and out of grocery stores. I remove my mask only when I’m walking 10,000 steps on an empty road. And I take handfuls of vitamins and minerals.
I’ll bet you too have had this thought: It’s up to me to save my own life.
I’ve shared some of my daily intake before. But there are a few new additions. And a new device. Hard to know what effect they have? Knock wood, everyone I know who’s overly cautious and religiously taking vitamins is still around. If these are placebos, please, sir, I want some more.
LEVOIT Core 300 Air Purifier
A holiday gift that was an instant hit. The proof of cleaner air in the bedroom is that, for the first time in ages, I slept through the night, had a dream and remembered it. The reasons are superior tech. Its 3-stage filtration traps 99.97% of fine particles 0.3 microns in size, including pollen, dust mites, mold spores, pet dander and smoke. It is almost completely silent. In sleep mode, you don’t know it’s on. An Amazon reviewer: “My boyfriend said it was the first time in his life he didn’t wake up with a stuffy nose.” [To buy it from Amazon, click here.]
Finger Pulse Oximeter
A finger pulse oximeter tells you your Blood Oxygen Saturation Level. You also learn your pulse rate, but that’s a bonus. It’s used in emergency rooms to measure the oxygen levels of COVID-19 patients. Low oxygen levels may indicate that coronavirus patients have pneumonia -— and require immediate medical attention —- even before they feel a shortness of breath.
The reasons to get one:
– Normal oxygen levels could signal that you don’t need to visit a hospital.
– COVID-19 patients can have pneumonia for days before they develop a shortness of breath.
– Low oxygen levels are a way to detect illness earlier — without a coronavirus test or doctor’s visit.
Note: If you’re Black, it’s often inaccurate.
[To buy it from Amazon, click here.]
Lypo-Spheric Vitamin C
This is not the Vitamin C that you and I regularly take. That Vitamin C may be a wonderfully powerful nutrient. But most of the Vitamin C in pills or capsules never reaches the bloodstream. Estimates of its absorption rate are less than 50%. Lypo-Spheric Vitamin C has a 90% absorption rate. [To buy it from Amazon, click here.]
NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine)
NAC strengthens your immune system, which is going to be massively challenged this winter. And it particularly strengthens your lungs.
The Amazon reviews are eloquent about the benefits of ANC.
“I take it to help protect my lungs during Covid-19. It provides a higher level of immunity. As a cancer survivor with two lobes removed, protecting what I have left is paramount.”
“I have not had an asthma attack since taking this.”
“My husband has chronic asthma. After 3 weeks he experienced easier breathing, he doesn’t have to use his inhaler as much and he hardly ever has to use his nebulizer.”
[To buy it from Amazon, click here.]
WALKING
This is the most important thing I do each day, not just for my health but for my spiritual uplift and creativity. The Health app on my iPhone counts the steps. Unless there’s a gale, I walk 10,000 to 12,000 steps a day. Sometimes in an hour-long walk, sometimes one walk in the morning, one in the afternoon. Usually on a rubberized track, sometimes along the river, on weekends around the reservoir in Central Park.. A few months ago, I abandoned my clunky New Balance running shoes and upgraded to the recently introduced Allbirds Tree Dashers. I’ll never switch. [To read about Allbirds Tree Dashers and buy a pair, click here.]
VITAMIN D
Clinical trials show that taking vitamin D supplements reduces the risk of experiencing at least one respiratory infection, including influenza and pneumonia, by a third, with positive benefits seen within 3 weeks. [To buy Vitamin D3 Enhanced with Coconut Oil from Amazon, click here. To buy Vitamin D3 in Fruit Flavored Gummies from Amazon, click here.]
APPLE CIDER VINEGAR GUMMY VITAMINS
Apple cider vinegar contains potassium, which thins mucus. The acetic acid in it prevents germ growth, which could contribute to nasal congestion. [To buy Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies from Amazon, click here.]
7 IN 1 IMMUNE SUPPORT BOOSTER SUPPLEMENT WITH ELDERBERRY, VITAMIN C AND ZINC 50MG, VITAMIN D 5000 IU, TURMERIC CURCUMIN & GINGER, ECHINACEA
Elderberry delivers antioxidant and immune support. It decreases the severity and length of the flu. It’s an antiviral. It has been shown to deactivate viruses, is an allergy reliever. It’s said to be great for the skin. I prefer this brand because it delivers so much goodness in a single pill. Dakota Nutrition has formulated the first Potent Immune Support Capsule packed with more than 1500mg per serving of the top 7 immunity boosting ingredients: 350 mg of Elderberry with Turmeric and Ginger, 50 mg of Zinc citrate oxide, and for an extra immune boost, Vitamin D3 5000 IU, 1000 mg of Vitamin C, and Echinacea. [To buy it from Amazon, click here.]
LOW DOSE 81 MG ASPIRIN
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends daily aspirin therapy if you’re over age 50, you’re not at risk for bleeding, but are at a risk of heart attack or stroke of 10 percent or greater over the next 10 years. Why? Blood clots can lead to heart attacks and strokes; low dose aspirin thins the blood, preventing blood clots. That’s the good news. The bad: one possible side effect of daily use is internal bleeding. My solution: low dose aspirin 5 days a week. I take Ecotrim. [To buy Ecotrim Los Dose Aspirin from Amazon, click here.]
MASKS
I say: Pretend you’re living in Beijing. [To buy a pack of 15 disposable masks from Amazon, click here. To buy high quality masks with a filter pocket from Alice Glass, a Butler reader and theatre artist in Berkeley, click here.]
GINGER TEA
Ginger has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. But not so much in tea bags or pills. You want fresh ginger root. Peel it. Slice it. Boil it in a lot of hot water, enough for several cups; you’ll soon want to substitute it for coffee. Pour it, slices and all, so it steeps, into a Zojirushi Stainless Steel Thermos. In the cup, I add a little honey. [To read about this remarkable thermos and buy it from Amazon, click here.]
Tree Lotion CBD Cream
Of all the frauds being peddled today — and the list would stretch from here to Kansas City — CBD products are in the top ten. Tree Lotion is the real thing. [To read more and order, click here. For a while, 30% off. Use this promotional code at checkout: 2020]
