Nutrition and Prevention

There are three devices that I highly recommend having on hand during this pandemic:  A nebulizer, a pulse oximeter and an oxygen generator. These are especially important for people who are older and have underlying health concerns.

We know from recent studies that SARS CoV-2 induced pneumonia initially causes a form of oxygen deprivation called “silent hypoxia” – “silent” because of its insidious, difficult-to-detect nature. ER doctors are reporting that patients without respiratory complaints had Covid-19 induced pneumonia. 

Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs in which the air sacs fill with fluid or pus. Normally, patients develop chest discomfort, pain with breathing and often feel a sense of suffocating and frequently run a fever. However, when SARS CoV-2 pneumonia first strikes, patients often don’t feel short of breath, even as their oxygen levels fall. And by the time they do, their oxygen levels are extremely low and they have moderate-to-severe pneumonia (as seen on chest X-rays). SARS CoV-2 pneumonia patients often have oxygen saturations as low as 50 percent.

The Italians published new research shedding light on how the hypoxemia might develop. They found increased numbers of megakaryocytes in the lung capillaries, which are bone marrow cells responsible for making the platelets that are needed to form blood clots. 33 out of 38 patients had blood clots in the lung arteries. They suggested that the blood clots interfere with the delivery of oxygen to the blood and explain the hypoxemia of severe COVID-19 cases.

According to a story in The Washington Post, autopsies are showing that many people who died from the COVID-19 virus have hundreds of micro-clots present in their lungs at the time they die. The autopsies didn’t show pneumonia as was expected, but lung damage from blood clots. Damage was also seen in the kidneys, liver, heart, intestines and brain.

Pulse Oximeter & Oxygen Generator:

If we can recognize silent hypoxia early enough, it can be treated with oxygen therapy (through nasal tubes, a face mask, or a tube placed in the windpipe). Numerous doctor’s who are treating COVID-19 patients, are suggesting the use of oxygen is more effective, than using ventilators, at least initially.

In many COVID-19 cases, the virus silently causes injury to air sacs in the lungs. “The coronavirus affects the air sacs and causes pneumonia, which leads to impairment in the diffusion of oxygen through its membrane,” says Dr. Patel. “Initially the lungs remain compliant and can expel carbon dioxide, so people cannot feel any sensation of being breathless.”

Dr. Richard Levitan, believes that an oxygen-monitoring device called a pulse oximeter can help to detect low oxygen levels and alert people to seek early medical care. “Widespread pulse oximetry screening for COVID pneumonia—whether people check themselves on home devices or go to clinics or doctors’ offices—could provide an early warning system for the kinds of breathing problems associated with COVID pneumonia,” he wrote.

“All persons with cough, fatigue, and fevers should also have pulse oximeter monitoring even if they have not had virus testing, or even if their swab test was negative, because those tests are only about 70% accurate,” wrote Dr. Levitan. “A vast majority of Americans who have been exposed to the virus don’t know it.”

A pulse oximeter can be purchased online and at most drug stores. They are relatively inexpensive and fairly accurate if used correctly. This simple device could help single out those individuals who are in need emergency care.

To use the pulse oximeter, simply place your finger inside the device, turn it on and wait.  After a few seconds your oxygen saturation levels will be displayed.  An alarm will sound if levels are too low. Values under 60 mm Hg usually indicate the need for supplemental oxygen. Normal pulse oximeter readings usually range from 95 to 100 percent. Values under 90 percent are considered low.

If oxygen levels are low, an at home oxygen generator may be used to help restore normal oxygen saturation levels.  Talk to your doctor before using an oxygen generator or compressor. You will need a prescription to make sure you have the right oxygen flow and level for your needs. Carefully follow the instructions on your oxygen generator and read these 11 Critical Safety Precautions For Oxygen Therapy.

The Nebulizer

A nebulizer turns liquid medicine into a mist that can be inhaled directly into the lungs where it is needed to help treat a respiratory infection or asthma. During a respiratory infection, this mist is easy to inhale and works  even if you can’t take deep breaths.

Dr. Brownstein, Functional and Holistic MD and owner of The Center for Holistic Medicine is recommending protocols for Covid-19 that are extremely effective and can be followed at home using a nebulizer. Applying these protocols, patients have been successfully treating their symptoms at home, saving them from having to go to the emergency room. 

It is best to use a nebulizer in conjunction with your doctor’s advice and supervision.

Quote from Dr Brownstien: “I have many patients nebulize both hydrogen peroxide and iodine over the years.  I have happily prescribed these therapies because they work and are safe when done appropriately.”

These Medications can be used in a nebulizer

1. Hydrogen Peroxide: Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) has been used effectively to treat COVID-19. Health experts said the compound could help prevent virus from spreading across the body and from causing damage. Hydrogen peroxide can be found both in stores and the human body. The immune system uses the compound to boost the natural functions of cells and prevent viral infection. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, H2O2 may help fight the coronavirus, according to Dr. Thomas Levy. He said people can utilize hydrogen peroxide using its aerosolized form in a standard nebulizer. A recent study, published in the Journal of Hospital Infection, shows that even just 0.5 percent hydrogen peroxide could kill human coronaviruses, such as those that caused SARS and MERS. The findings backed a 2009 research that found inhaling vaporized hydrogen peroxide could lead to 99 percent inactivation of virus activities. 

Instructions for using hydrogen peroxide and iodine in a nebulizer:

1. Mix 3 ml of sterile saline with 3ml of food grade-diluted hydrogen peroxide (food grade HP 35% must be diluted to 3% – To make 3% H202, mix one ounce of 35% food grade H2O2 to 11 ounces of distilled water (preferably) or filtered water).
2. Draw off 3cc of the mixture and place it in a nebulizer and breathe the solution in. 
3. You can also add a drop or two of 5% Lugol’s iodine to the mixture.
4. Nebulize 3-5 times per day if sick.
5. You may dilute the nebulizing solution or nebulize less frequently if needed. Study, Study

• You can make your own saline solution with 1 tsp of Celtic salt in a cup of filtered, sterile water. Let it sit and then skim off the top. To the nebulizer add 3cc/ml of saline mixed w/ 3cc/ml of hydrogen peroxide.

NOTE: 35% Hydrogen Peroxide is highly concentrated and extremely strong. Keep out of the reach of children. If it is spilled on the skin, wash immediately in cold water. Do not allow it touch the eyes. If this happens, wash and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Store 35% H202 in the refrigerator or freezer. Out of refrigeration, it will lose strength (potency) at the rate of approximately one percent a month.

1. Budesonide (asthma medication): Nebulize 2x daily according to Dr. Richard Bartlett, a medical doctor who has had a 100% recovery rate for his covid-19 patients using this therapy, even those who are older with serious underlying conditions.
2. Iodine: Add a drop or two of Lugol’s 5% solution to 3 cc/ml of normal saline (0.9% saline).  Sterile saline can be purchased at a pharmacy.  If someone has Lugol’s 2% solution, they can use 2-4 drops in 3cc of sterile saline solution. Iodine offers a serious and potent replacement for many of the antibiotics prescribed. It can be used safely with children. Iodine exhibits activity against bacteria, molds, yeasts, protozoa, and many viruses; indeed, of all antiseptic preparations suitable for direct use on humans and animals and upon tissues, only iodine is capable of killing all classes of pathogens: gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, mycobacteria, fungi, yeasts, viruses and protozoa. Most bacteria are killed within 15 to 30 seconds of contact.
3. Colloidal silver: Due to colloidal silvers’s antiviral and antibacterial properties, one of the most common uses is to nebulize it as a form of treatment for bronchitis, pneumonia and other respiratory infections. (Argentyn 23 is an excellent product – not all colloidal silver products are safe and effective) – For most respiratory infections, nebulize one – two teaspoons, 2-3 times a day for 10 to 15 minutes. Initially, nebulizing colloidal silver may cause coughing and phlegm before treatment helps lungs feel better. Treatment should be limited to no more than 30 days or as needed temporarily. 
4. Molecular Hydrogen Water: Molecular Hydrogen has been observed to be protective against damage to numerous organs including the brain, pancreas, heart, liver, eyes, and lungs. This is believed to be because of hydrogen’s anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and oxidative stress fighting effects. Add 1 tablespoon to the nebulizer & dispense 3-4 times daily. Also, drinking 16 or more ounces a day of molecular hydrogen water is recommended. 

How to use a nebulizer:

1. Check to make sure all the pieces are clean.
2. Wash your hands before prepping the medication.
3. If your medication is premixed, place it in the container. If you need to mix it, measure the correct amount, and then place it in the container.
4. Connect the tube to the compressor and the liquid container.
5. Attach the mouthpiece or mask.
6. Turn on the switch and check to see that the nebulizer is misting.
7. Put the mouthpiece in your mouth and close your mouth around it or put the mask securely over your nose and mouth, leaving no gaps.
8. Slowly breath in and out until the medicine is gone. This may take five to 15 minutes.
9. Keep the liquid container upright throughout the treatment.

“A significant percentage of young people may be at increased risk because Americans have such a high baseline rate of pre-existing diseases such as diabetes”. -By Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN Chief Medical Correspondent

Unfortunately only 12% of Americans are considered to be metabolically healthy. Being metabolically healthy means having optimal levels of five factors: blood glucose, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, blood pressure and waist circumference, without the need for medications. Source. These are lifestyle diseases that can be reversed with good nutrition and therapeutic lifestyle interventions.

Being metabolically healthy is very important for optimizing immune function. Being healthy is our most effective shield against Covid-19! We are increasing seeing people of all ages being admitted to hospitals and ICUs in America primarily because of poor metabolic health which is putting a huge strain on our healthcare system and placing our nation at greater risk for higher hospitalizations and mortality rates during this pandemic.

According to data from the CDC (see the graph below), just 7% of the population who have already tested positive for Covid-19 and are healthy (have no underlying health conditions) have required hospitalization and only 2% of those with no underlying health conditions have been admitted to an ICU. In other words, it’s unusual for healthy people to be hospitalized and extremely rare for healthy people to be admitted to an ICU or require treatment with a ventilator.

We are also learning that only a small percentage of people who are put on ventilators survive Covid-19.  So if our one hope for saving lives, ventilators, only has a small success rate, we are in trouble! Because it’s so rare for healthy people to need a ventilator we should be all the more engaged in getting healthy and encouraging our loved ones to do the same.  Source

Immunologists tell us there is no virus stronger than a healthy human! So cultivate your immune system which is the defense system your body deploys to destroy this pathogen. A powerful, balanced immune system will take Covid-19 out. Our strategy must be to improve our health! But even if you haven’t been taking good care of yourself it’s not too late to start!

Inflammatory foods, environmental toxins and stress levels are big players in inflammation and disease. Emotional stress and nutritional toxicity weaken our immune system. The less stressed you are and the more nutrient dense your diet is, the better your chances are. We know that vitamins including A, D and C along with minerals like potassium, zinc, selenium and magnesium are critical for a healthy immune response to infections. Most Americans are depleted in many of these critical nutrients.

So while it’s important to carefully avoid exposure to Covid-19, especially if your body is inflamed, you can’t hide from this virus forever. Work hard to get healthy now! A virus is a predator and it’s looking for prey. Covid-19 predicates on inflammatory tissue (sick, inflamed, stressed, exhausted, dehydrated, depleted people). So work to keep your inflammation levels low and do everything you can to optimize your health!

For years we Americans have outsourced our health to big Pharma, relying on drugs to maintain disease states rather than doing the hard work of getting healthy by making better lifestyle choices. We live in a high stress, toxic food culture. This pandemic is a wake up call to take back our health!!

Take this short test to rate your inflammation levels.

Read this list of important lifestyle strategies that will improve your health. Then set some goals for improvement.

So here’s a few suggestions on how to improve your health starting tomorrow morning:

During the 1st hour of the day charge your body up by drinking a large glass of filtered water with a squeeze of lemon. Then take time to pray/meditate, get some exercise and some sunshine, take 500-1000 mg of vitamin C, 25 mg of zinc and when you’re ready to eat make sure it’s a nutrient dense breakfast! Skip the cereal, bread, bagels, pop tarts, donuts, pop tarts and cinnamon rolls and instead, eat a super food protein shake with fruit & leafy greens or cook some eggs and serve with vegetables and fruit. It’s also a great idea to take a high quality multi vitamin/mineral.

Reducing stress, exercising, staying hydrated and eating 8-10 servings of vegetables a day as part of a mediterranean diet will drastically improve overall health and renew a damaged immune system.

Remember to get sunshine early in the day to boost night time melatonin levels. And get plenty of sleep at night. And don’t forget to stay connected with the people you love especially during quarantine.

If you have any chronic health conditions and would like to work towards getting healthy to reverse these conditions check out First Line Therapy. This is the program that I use to help my clients get well and optimize their health for life.

So here’s to your health! Let’s do our part to get healthy in order to flatten the Covid-19 curve. More healthy people equals less stress on the health care system and our economy!

FLT Brochure

Therapeutic Lifestyle Strategies for Healthy Aging

• Strategies for Health Aging Handout  –Strategies for Healthy Aging Handout  (Click on the links in this document to see my sources).
• My PPT slides with Notes in a PDF format  (this is a large file and will take a minute to download) – Therapeutic Lifestyle Strategies for Healthy Aging

Resources:

Excellent Online Videos about Health:  Click on the blue letters to watch the video

• I showed this video in the Sunday afternoon class: Ted Talk with Dr. Mark Hyman, M.D. 
• Watch Dr. Terry Wahls, MD, TED TALK on reversing MS (autoimmune disease) with Functional Medicine (lifestyle medicine) 
• Dr. Mark Hyman, MD – Gluten: How it could be damaging your health
• Dr. Tom Obrien – Is gluten really that bad?

Documentaries on Health: These are all available on Netflix

• Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead 
• Food Inc.
• Food Matters 
• Under Our Skin (About Lyme Disease in America) 

Recommended Reading:

• Diabetes Without Drugs: The 5-Step Program to Control Blood Sugar Naturally and  Prevent Diabetes Complications by Suzy Cohen (Author)

• Brain Maker: The Power of Gut Microbes to Heal and Protect Your Brain–for Life by David Perlmutter, MD

• Health and Nutrition Secrets That Can Save Your Life, by Russell Blaylock, MD, board certified Neurologist 

• The Blood Sugar Solution: The UltraHealthy Program for Losing Weight, Preventing Disease, and Feeling Great Now! by Mark Hyman, MD (Author)
• Thyroid Healthy, Lose Weight, Look Beautiful and Live the Life You Imagine by Suzy Cohen RPh

Healthy Recipes Online

• Dr. Axe
• Elena’s Pantry

About Kim Martindale

• Kim is a Certified Health Specialist and Lifestyle Medicine Practitioner.
• Like Kim’s Facebook Page 
• Visit Kim’s Blog
•  To make an appointment with Kim Martindale for First Line Therapy, please contact her at kleech2000@gmail.com
• All the supplements that Kim recommends can be purchased through her online natural pharmacy.  These products are physician grade which means they don’t contain any harmful additives, synthetic ingredients, chemicals or gluten.  They have to pass very stringent safety and quality standards and are clinically tested for effectiveness.

I love this book review and the 10 tips for teaching kids to eat healthy food.  You can read the original post at: On Hundred Days of Real Food 

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10 great takeaways (the “French Food Rules”) from the book French Kids Eat Everything:

1. Parents: You are in charge of your children’s food education.
   –
   Apparently the French think us Americans cram our schedules so full with activities (like sports, art, music, dance, etc.) that it leaves little time to teach our children “some of the most basic, important things they need to know, like the proper way to prepare, cook, and eat healthy food.” You have to admit it’s hard to argue with that criticism. And I just love the analogy the author uses when she says, “French parents think about healthy eating habits the way we think about toilet training, or reading.” If your child had trouble learning to read or using the potty would you just give up? Same should go for eating a variety of healthy foods…I know, they are right and it stings.
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2. Avoid emotional eating. Food is not a pacifier, a distraction, a toy, a bribe, a reward, or a substitute for discipline.
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   I feel like we are so far down this rabbit hole it might be hard to get out, but let’s face it they have a good point here! Food is for nourishment, hunger, and nutrition…not for being a good listener.
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3. Parents schedule meals and menus. Kids eat what adults eat: no substitutes and no short-order cooking.
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   If this were a reality for everyone it would certainly make life a lot easier!
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4. Food is social. Eat family meals together at the table, with no distractions.
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   How you eat can be as important as what you eat.
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5. Eat vegetables of all colors of the rainbow. Don’t eat the same main dish more than once per week.
   –
   I agree that variety is extremely important, but I am personally a little stumped when it comes to the second half of this rule. We love leftovers at our house and feel they are such a time saver…but that certainly means eating the same main dish more than once, or in some cases, more than twice per week!
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6. For picky eaters: You don’t have to like it, but you do have totaste it.
   For fussy eaters: You don’t have to like it, but you do have to eatit.
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   When considering these statements it’s also VERY important to remember that “you’re not going to convince the kids to love food by being too strict with them. It has to be enjoyable. Not necessarily loads of fun, but simply pleasurable.” This takes us back to that “gentle persistence” I mentioned above.
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7. Limit snacks, ideally one per day (two maximum), and not within one hour of meals.
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   Now, I know out of all the rules on this list that “no more constant snacking” will likely cause the most uproar. But according to the author it’s okay to feel hungry in-between meals and guess what…your kids might eat a better dinner if they are actually hungry!
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8. Take your time, for both cooking and eating. Slow food is happy food.
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   “North Americans associate food most with health and least with pleasure. The French are at the opposite extreme: they are the most pleasure-oriented and the least health-oriented about food.” And ironically enough “20 percent of kids in the United States are obese, but only 3 percent in France.” Now if that doesn’t send a message, I don’t know what does.
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9. Eat mostly real, homemade food, and save treats for special occasions. (Hint: Anything processed is not “real” food.)
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   See…I am not the only one preaching this statement!  But “so much of what French people eat is, by default, ‘real food‘” so I’d have to say they don’t exactly face the same challenges we do when it comes to encountering junk food on almost every corner. The French do have an admirable approach though when it comes to the processed, junk food their kids may want to eat on occasion. They do not police their children’s food intake (or ban all junk food), but instead attempt to “train their children to eat a balanced diet and to realize how much healthier they feel if they eat mostly ‘real food.’” I’ve always said that if my daughters only avoid processed food “because mommy said so” then it’s not going to get us very far.
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10. (The Golden Rule) Eating is joyful, not stressful. Treat the food rules as habits or routines rather than strict regulations; it’s fine to relax them once in a while.
    –
    I couldn’t agree more with the importance of this rule, but striking the perfect balance between “good nutrition” and “relaxing the rules” is no easy task. And maybe that’s because most American children are faced with processed, junk food on a regular basis (at birthday parties, friend’s houses, church events, soccer practice, school celebrations, etc.). As I mentioned above, our society is (unfortunately) not exactly working together on these issues like they are in France. Regardless though, I agree it is not “healthy” to constantly be stressed out about the food you eat.

In addition to this list of rules there were so many other startling facts and insightful statements that I took away from this book. I wish I could share them all here, but since that’s not a very practical idea I will instead just highly recommend that everyone go out and read the book yourselves! I promise you won’t regret it…not to mention there are a handful of kid-friendly recipes in the back.