The coronavirus has created quite an uproar in the media. Deaths. Infections. Masks…. LOTS OF MASKS. Hysteria. Quarantine. Travel bans. I bought a bubble and decided I’ll live in it for the next few months. 

Just kidding. What I’ve learned in health is that fear rarely solves problems. It usually makes people act hysterical and with quick, thoughtless judgement. Yes, we have to prepare for a major pandemics, but we should be proactive about it and not reacting when it has already happened. 

The best way to cure a virus is to prevent getting one in the first place. Common hygiene practices go a long way.

1. Hand washing with soap and water is the single most important thing anyone can do to help spread infection. Hand sanitizer is typically filled with chemicals and does not wash off germs like hand washing does.  
2. Avoid touching your face and eyes. This can be habitual for some people, but our hands carry a lot of germs and our mucous membranes in our eyes, nose and mouth can be a vehicle for spreading infections. 
3. Increase your vegetable intake and decrease your processed sugar intake. Sugar decreases your immune function and can actually slow down immune function HOURS after sugar intake. Sodas, frappuccinos, candy,  breads, yogurts and other processed foods contain high amounts of sugar. 
4. Improve your immune function with high quality supplements. Vitamin C, Organic Elderberry, Vitamin D3 and Zinc are all great supplements to keep the immune system working well. 
   • Vitamin C: Dosing can be as high as your bowels tolerate (we call this bowel tolerance). 3,000-5,000mg divided throughout the day is usually well tolerated. When sick, your body cycles through vitamin C (a potent antioxidant) faster, so your body usually needs more. You can do higher doses and then back down if you are having gas, diarrhea or GI upset. 
   • Organic Elderberry: 1 tsp. twice daily. Can double the doses when sick. 
   • Vitamin D3: Best to have levels checked, typically the Iowans I treat are all deficient and do well with 5,000-10,000 IU daily. Can increase this dose for a few weeks while improving your immune function. 
   • Zinc: 20-30mg daily WITH food

It’s great to know what you can do to prevent viruses (including the coronavirus), but what can you do if you were to get a virus? Typically the treatment requires increasing your fluid intake and resting. If you notice that you have a fever, cough, chest pain or other symptoms, please get checked out by a medical professional and call in to work. We spread infections often in the periods where we are just starting to experience the first signs of illness. Again, this is why hand washing is so important. 

Dr. Andrew W. Saul, an international expert on vitamin therapy states, “The coronavirus can be dramatically slowed or stopped completely with the immediate widespread use of high doses of vitamin C. Bowel tolerance levels of C taken in divided doses throughout the day, is a clinically proven antiviral” 

If infected with a virus:

• Increase water intake, stay hydrated
• Take time off work to sleep and rest, allowing your body time to heal
• Increase vitamin c to bowel tolerance. 2,000mg every 2 hours while acutely ill. If you have too much, you will have loose stools, just decrease dose to lower dose, but keep taking. *If you have ulcers or sensitive digestive tract, go very slow with your vitamin c intake
• Get a vitamin c (Immune Boost) infusion

Vitamin C has been known to be one of the best natural antivirals around. Professor Victor Marcial-Vega reported, “Given the relatively high rate of success of intravenous vitamin C in viral diseases and my observation of clinical improvement within 2 to 3 hours of treatment, I strongly believe it would be my first recommendation in the management of the coronavirus.” He goes on to state that he has seen vitamin c infusions treat influenza, dengue fever, and chikungunya, for over 24 years. 

Hopefully this can give you practical and helpful ways to prepare for any viral infection. Remember fear increases stress which decreases immune function. Turn off the television and start washing your hands. 

In Health,

Stephanie Grutz, ARNP, FNP-C 

Please see your medical provider if you have any questions or concerns about your health. And remember, always ask “why” and get to the root cause of your symptoms.