Should you be worried about the coronavirus?

WHEW! this is a story that isn’t going away, and it’s creating worry in many….

So let me get straight to the point. Should you be worried about the coronavirus?

Short answer:

• YES if you are elderly, have a low immune system, get sick easily, or live in an area where there are lots of cases.

• Not so much if you live in the US, have a good immune system and take sensible precautions.

Let’s review some information:

Regular flu impact 2019 USA:

“CDC estimates that influenza was associated with more than 35.5 million illnesses, more than 16.5 million medical visits, 490,600 hospitalizations, and 34,200 deaths during the 2018–2019 influenza season”

-CDC.gov

Coronavirus impact 2020

• “Fourteen cases have been diagnosed in the United States, and an additional 39 cases have occurred among repatriated persons from high-risk settings, for a current total of 53 cases within the United States” -CDC.gov

• 6 deaths have been reported so far in the US

• 2.3% fatality rate (mostly in immune compromised individuals like the elderly)

Look at the comparison. We aren’t freaking out about the regular flu, so why are we freaking out about this version?

Often, we focus on ALL the negatives…instead of offering free, supportive information on how people AT HOME, by themselves can boost their immune systems and take steps to completely avoid these issues.

To put this into perspective:

• “On average, someone dies of CVD every 38 seconds. ... On average, someone dies of a stroke every 3.70 minutes” - Professional.heart.org

• “In 2019, an estimated 606,880 people will die of cancer in the United States” - Seer.cancer.gov

• “According to the CDC, 79,535 deaths occur each year due to diabetes. The number of fatalities related to diabetes may be underreported” - MedicalNewsToday.com

• MERS has a 35% death rate.

Every few months, the media latches on to something NEW that is an epidemic that will surely kill us all. We cannot live our lives in fear. What we CAN do, is make sure that our nutrition is on point, our immune systems are in tact, and that we practice good hygiene.

For sure, the rapid spread of this virus is something to be monitored and aware of.

Other Thoughts:

• Coronavirus can only spread through water droplets that get into your respiratory system through your mouth or nose. If you wash hands and don’t touch your face or get sneezed on, you should be ok.

• Poor nutrition can weaken your immune system or strengthen it. Start prioritizing what you EAT as part of your prevention plan.

• When traveling, wipe down airplane seats, wear a mask (like Vogmask.com) to keep from touching your face, and wash hands with soap and water frequently.

• Anytime your immune system is compromised, you’re in danger. The deaths you ARE seeing, even over in china, are primarily showing up in the sick or elderly. If you have a kickass immune system you can get it (just like any virus) and recover, or not even notice.

Things to boost your immune system:

• Plenty of Vitamin D (naturally from the sun if you can get it, high quality supplementation if you cannot.

• Vitamin C - liposomal supplementation, or vitamin IV (I would recommend looking into an IV if you have been sick recently or will be traveling). Here is a cool article on how China is using IV vitamin C to treat and prevent the virus. Thankfully, you have access to this in the states and can voluntarily take advantage of it!

• Supplemental antivirals and antioxidants like biocidin, elderberry syrup, liposomal vitamin C, liposomal glutathione and olive leaf extract.

Things to do to just be careful:

• IF you have a weak immune system, DON’T TRAVEL. Obviously. Be smart.

If you are healthy and choose to travel:

(countries are shutting down where it’s a BIG issue so that’s already taken care of…)

• Wipe down the surfaces of your airplane seat and table with alcohol based sanitizer.

• Carry an alcohol based hand sanitizer with you (you can make one yourself LIKE THIS with essential oils and alcohol)

• Wear a mask when traveling - mostly to keep your hands away from your face. Wash it before using again.

• Wash hands regularly with soap and water. If you bite your nails or lick your fingers, STOP now.

• Take your supplements!

• Consider using portable diffusers with specific essential oils to purify the air in your home or on a plane. For example, studies have shown tea tree and eucalyptus are antiviral and can kill the flu virus. Some oils are even studied for treating respiratory disease (the coronavirus is primarily showing up as a respiratory issue)

So to keep it SUPER short and to the point, don’t freak out!!!! YES there are contagions, YES there are deaths, YES there are diseases that we can all get.

But guess what? STRESS weakens your immune system.

Be smart, and take the media freak out with a grain of salt. In 3 months they will focus on something new that’s going to kill you.

Do some other research!

• www.drheatherpaulson.

• https://holisticurgentcare.com

Check out these additional articles:

• https://myersdetox.com/coronavirus-how-worried-should-we-be/

• https://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/orthomolecular-journal-vitamin-c-coronavirus

OVERALL - BE SMART.

Obviously take precautions- be careful when traveling. WASH YOUR HANDS WITH SOAP. Maybe as a positive result from all of this someone will stop biting their nails and washing their hands more

p.s. this article is in no way intended to usurp advice from your medical practitioner and is not intended as medical advice in any way. Speak with your doctor if you have concerns about your health.

Sources:

• https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02786826.2012.708948

• www.cdc.gov

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2994788/

• https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ffj.3252
  
  

Successful Traveling Part 1 - The Airport

Hey Hey Diva friends! So I always get a lot of questions about traveling. From navigating the airport, to being in a new place, to working around the feelings of relatives who made food....I'm going to answer all of your questions in a short blog series all about travel and food!

I recently took a short trip to Michigan and I would say this is the most difficult trip in terms of food that I've had in quite a while! BUT I'm also here to tell you - if I can do it YOU CAN TOO.

Me with a RISE bar - my new and current obsession...

So let's lay the foundation for the whole series: 

Priority #1 YOU MUST KNOW YOUR BOUNDARIES. Because let's face it. If we don't have them, we will break them....because they don't exist. It's the same as stealing when you have no moral absolutes. Who's to say it's wrong?

What are your non negotiables? Do you have any? If not - set them. NOW. I

ll give you mine. My #1 non-negotiable is that I will not eat anything with wheat or gluten in it knowingly. This is for several reasons. a) I know enough about how it affects your body now to know it's not good whether you have coeliac, a sensitivity, or no observable reactions to eating it. It still causes inflammation and gut damage. So it's not for me! b) I've had a documented HIGH sensitivity to it. Again. Not worth it.

What will I negotiate on? Dairy and sugar. These are 2 things I normally don't have in my home but when in a pinch I'm not as concerned about them sneaking into my snack bars or restaurant orders. You might have a severe dairy reaction however, which would make that a non-negotiable for you. Gas? Skin rashes? It might be better to skip it....

Ok. Now that you've laid the foundation this allows you to easily make choices and know what you're willing  to say yes or no to on your trip. So let's get right down to it and talk about airport foods.

Airport snacks

This one can be tricky as it varies from airport to airport due to size and city! There are however, a few staples that most airports provide. Keep in mind, these are not necessarily foods I recommend make up a majority of your diet - this is surviving on your negotiables in sticky situations.

1.  Nuts (just avoid the mixes with chocolate and sugar added)
2. Chips (when possible choose a better brand like Terra or Jackson's Honest)
3. Yogurt or parfait ( go for greek, high protein and low sugar options)
4. Fruit. Most airports have stands with apples and bananas 
5. Snack bars. Cliff bars, kind bars, Lara bars and That's It bars are usually available. Just make sure to read all the labels s you don't get some of your non-negotiables in there accidentally. No one wants a gassy neighbor on the airplane. 

In flight food

Depending on your flight, if it's really long, at the right time of day, or first class you might have the option to get an in meal flight. They usually have a gluten free option that includes a salad and protein. Skip the yucky dressings and extras. Top your salad with some nuts and skip the alcoholic beverage options. Go with water or black coffee if it's before noon. Oh - and skip that warm cookie they serve up at the end :P

If you aren't on a flight that serves a meal no worries! Sometimes they offer snacks like popcorn, chips or nuts. If they don't, that's ok too because you planned ahead and packed some snacks in your carry on! 

Carryon Snacks

These are good for in airport, on your vacation or on the plane....anytime!

1. Fruit ( grapes, apples, oranges and bananas travel well. Just be careful of the last two if you have blood sugar issues). 
2. Nuts
3. Shakeology ( I bring mine every trip along with a shaker bottle so I can get some cold water and drink it up whenever I'm hungry!
4. Lara bars
5. Thunderbird bars
6. Jerky (read the labels to avoid lots of sugar and/or wheat which is usually in soy sauce)
7. Simple Mills crackers
8. Mediterra Bars (a really nice and delicious way to actually get some greens while traveling)
9. Rise Bar (whey or vegan protein available) a great tasting protein bar with only 3-4 ingredients that you can pronounce.
10. Water  - had to throw this in there. DRINK ALL THE WATER when you travel it's SO important to stay hydrated. Ever notice you get constipated when flying? It's super easy to get dehydrated when traveling. My tips to stay hydrated: 

• Drink water before you fly
• Drink a bottle during flight
• Drink a bottle during your layover
• Drink a bottle on your second flight 
• Grab another bottle when you land.

Airport Meals

Ok, so you have a super long layover and you are SO TIRED of SNACKS. Ugh I know, I get it. So here are some options:

1. Bunless Burger
2. Nachos with corn chips
3. Smoothie from Jamba Juice or whatever smoothie bar they have at that airport
4. Meat and Rice ( just avoid soy sauce and asian meats dipped in sauces you don't know about)
5. Omelet
6. Steak and veggie side
7. Sushi
8. Salad ( either from one of those kiosks or a restaurant)

Yup! All of those are options at an airport!! Will it be as good as home? No way. But stick to those non-negotiables, drink your water, and your tum tum will thank you when you finally get home :)

What are YOUR travel tips (or questions!) Post them below!

Next up....how to navigate family when traveling (or they're visiting)