Are we Victims to the Virus?
Twelve days now into a lockdown, like me you want to throttle our media, and hear about something else in the world. I have had a range of emotions whilst being stuck at home and not being able to do my thing. These have ranged from:
-Feeling helpless that I am not able to get out and express myself through my work in adjusting and education people about their health
-Loneliness at not being able to see friends and family and let my kids do the same. Anger and frustration at being told what to do by the government.
-Sadness at seeing Police roam the streets, beaches and parks and breaking up people being happy and doing things that support their health both physically and mentally.
But on reflection in the grand scheme of things, effectively we have been asked to stay home and wash our hands more. It’s not like our families have been upended from a civil war, have had to move to a refugee camp or flee thousands of miles to a safer haven with nothing leaving our career, possessions, wealth and half of our family.
I have written about previously we need to keep focusing on what WE CAN DO. The narrative from our health system has been that we are victims to the virus. Let’s make our immune systems as resilient as possible and not act like passive victims to viral infection.
I’ve not seen one press statement from the director of public health or the MOH talking about nutrition as a defence for illness. Data coming out of Wuhan shows that patients with blood glucose less than 5.4mmol/l were unlikely to develop Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome and need ventilation, compared with those with blood glucose above 7.4 mmol/l.
In my opinion one of the reasons America will lose so many lives is due to the fact they have so many unwell people to begin with. Additionally, America has no public health system to take care of the vulnerable and it is looking highly unlikely in the very near future ‘The Donald’ will make America great again.
Americans’ blood sugars are not great. To put it in context, of the 5 litres of blood we each have only (4 grams) of it should be sugar in that blood. When we add just a teaspoon of sugar to our drinks it doubles the sugar in our blood. This can have negative effects on our immune system. Imagine living on sugar all day every day!
Data I have read from Italy shows the average mortality rate is 81 with 2.7 co-morbidity and from everything I have read at this point in time the mortality rate of this virus is a lot lower than reported due to the fact vast majority of testing is focused on the vulnerable and there is so little testing across the board and for many this passes with mild or no symptoms.
I just read a paper from “The Lancet” March 30 where a group of researchers analysed data from China and found the overall mortality rate was 1.38%. But if they adjusted for cases that likely went unaccounted for, due to their mild or asymptomatic nature, the overall mortality rate decreased to around 0.66%
When my dear old mum passed just six months ago, it was Bronchial Pneumonia that was the final thing that she was diagnosed with that ended her life. However, this was the last part of her physiology to stop working. It was Alzheimer’s disease that took away her life, a fall two weeks before her passing that saw her go downhill at a rapid rate and lose her will to live.
I have wondered what maybe happening in the current climate anyone with a positive test for Covid 19. It will be well known to clinical staff looking after them. Should they pass, staff will have to record their death with Covid 19 designation on the death certificate. There is a big difference between Covid 19 causing death and Covid 19 being found in someone who died of other causes.
Just think, this isn’t the first Virus to come along and it won’t be the last. Keep building your health it is the greatest thing you have.
There are three great outcomes for me so far to come out of this lockdown that have helped my immune system.
- Way more sleep.
- Connection and cuddles with my kids.
- Exercising in the sun without time pressure.
Thank you, lockdown.
Dr Simon
