Control the Host

Stay safe.

Social distance.

Wash your hands; disinfect everything.

Wait for a vaccine.

These are attempts to control the virus. What are you doing to control the host (you)?  Why would that matter? Isn’t the danger because Covid-19 is a novel virus and therefore dangerous to all? This is confusing to people because we hear so much about the danger and yet when you listen to Dr. Acton, the Ohio Dept. of Health Director, she will say that most of us will be exposed to the virus but have mild to no symptoms. But there is a segment of the population that is very susceptible. Why??

Here are some facts: in the USA, those hospitalized with the virus have underlying health conditions, the 2 most common by

• ages 18-49, obesity and chronic lung conditions
• ages 50-64, hypertension and obesity
• ages 65 and up, hypertension and heart conditions

In Italy, an examination of 18% of those who died from the virus, only 3 (0.8%) had no underlying health condition; 76.1% had hypertension; 35.5% had diabetes; and 33% had heart disease.

Is there something that all of these have in common? For many years, various researchers have said that these conditions are associated with high inflammation in the body. You may be familiar with CRP (C-reactive protein), often ordered on blood tests because it indicates inflammation. Covid-19 is associated with very high inflammation (an “inflammatory storm”) that can damage various tissues, even causing heart arrhythmia.

Imagine you have a glass and the amount of water in it is your amount of inflammation. If you add the same amount of extra water to different people’s “glass”, some of those glasses will overflow because they already have too much water to start with. Reducing your base level of inflammation helps you deal with extra loads of inflammation.

You can search the internet for “anti-inflammatory diets” and get a variety of suggestions. Here are some highlights. First, those things that increase inflammation:

• Sugar: ingesting 300 calories of sugar at one time (75 grams, 5 tablespoons) will suppress  your immune system 50% for 2 hours
• Omega 6 oils: while some of these oils are needed by us, too much in our diet will tip the scale into inflammation. Most grains, especially wheat and corn, and seed oils are the biggest culprits
• Artificial sweeteners – they can damage the gut
• Smoking

To reduce inflammation and support your immune system:

• Wild fish: salmon, mackerel, anchovy, sardines, herring. These provide large amounts of omega-3 oils, which are anti-inflammatory
• Vegetables – eat the rainbow
• Fruits, but minimize the sweet fruits. Berries are great.
• Grass-fed beef
• Nuts and seeds
• Oils: avocado, macadamia nut, and Extra Virgin Olive oil
• mushrooms
• herbs: ginger and turmeric
• bone broth, homemade chicken soup

The above list is not meant to be all-inclusive. There are many herbs and supplements that reduce inflammation and support the immune system. Many experts say this virus will be with us for a long time and all of us will eventually be exposed to it, so take steps to make your soil less hospitable to it and other invaders. 

Concerning my office hours, I am fully expecting to re-open Monday, May 4th. If you have questions or want to get on the appointment schedule, please use the “Contact the Doctor” tab, provide the day and time you’d like and the best method to contact you. We will then confirm the appointment. We will still be setting aside the hours of 8am to 10am for those aged 65+ to reduce the possibility of contamination. If you have an emergency and need prompt care, call/text me at 419 234-1450.

Be healthy,

Dr. Tom

“Take care of your body, it’s the only place you have to live.” – Jim Rohn

“Remember this night and all that you have accomplished! For it is the doom of man that he forgets.” Merlin, Excalibur movie 1981