bookmark_borderLong-COVID Update

by Daniel Brouse

COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has left an indelible mark on global health, demonstrating not only its immediate threat but also the potential for enduring consequences. This article explores the profound and lasting impact of COVID-19, delving into the virus’s role in chronic conditions and its ability to leave a lasting imprint on various aspects of health.

Long-Term Complications and Excess Deaths

A COVID-19 infection often leads to persistent complications that significantly diminish both the quality of life and life expectancy. Shockingly, 10% of excess deaths can be directly attributed to COVID itself, while the remaining 90% are attributed to what can be considered COVID’s silent killers. Individuals who have experienced COVID may face a diminished quality of life and an increased risk of premature death. Dr. Rob Wust underscores this by stating, “There is something inside the body going wrong with the disease.”

Long-COVID: A Looming Reality

For those who have contracted COVID, the probability of developing chronic conditions, known as Long-COVID, is a staggering 99%. This alarming statistic underscores the pervasive and lasting impact of the virus on an individual’s health.

Key Insights into COVID-19’s Long-Term Effects

  1. Direct Impact on Organs:
    • COVID-19 has been responsible for millions of deaths and has caused long-term damage to vital organs, leaving many survivors permanently disabled.
  2. Persistent Viral Presence:
    • SARS-CoV-2 can persist in the body for months or even years, causing chronic infections and leaving behind viral proteins associated with Long-COVID. This persistence is comparable to other viruses like Chicken Pox leading to Shingles or Epstein-Barr virus contributing to Mononucleosis and Multiple Sclerosis.
  3. Compromised Immune System and Autoimmune Risks:
    • Post-COVID individuals often experience a compromised immune system and an increased risk of autoimmune diseases. Local immune responses may be disturbed by both mental and physical exertion in long-COVID patients.
  4. Genetic and Epigenetic Changes:
    • SARS-CoV-2 induces genetic and epigenetic alterations to DNA, resulting in a compromised immune system, elevated risks of diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and damage to neurological, circulatory, and cardiovascular systems. Predisposed conditions are likely to escalate to more advanced stages.
  5. Complexity of Long-COVID:
    • Long-COVID is likely a multifaceted condition involving persistent virus presence, residual viral proteins, and lasting epigenetic and genetic changes, potentially lasting indefinitely.
  6. Increased Risks with Reinfection:
    • Reinfection with COVID amplifies the risks of death, hospitalization, and multi-organ damage, exacerbating underlying conditions across various bodily systems.

Understanding the epigenetic changes induced by COVID, including the downregulation of NAD+ and the impact on tryptophan, sheds light on the physical and mental health challenges faced by individuals. The deficiency in niacin, zinc, and vitamin D is a common consequence. It is crucial to recognize that COVID’s epigenetic changes may vary widely based on an individual’s genetic makeup, requiring tailored treatments for optimal outcomes.

COVID-19 / SARS-CoV-2 / Novel Coronavirus

bookmark_borderNatural Air Purifiers, Aromatic Plants, and Phytoncides

By Daniel Brouse

Air pollution is: a leading cause of death worldwide, the leading cause of climate change, and the greatest threat to humankind. There is not much an individual can do about the outdoor air quality; however, there is a lot one can do to improve their individual air quality. The EPA reports, risks from long-term exposure to indoor pollution “include some respiratory diseases, heart disease and cancer, can be severely debilitating or fatal. It is prudent to try to improve the indoor air quality in your home even if symptoms are not noticeable.” In the Spring of 2023, wildfires in Canada made the symptoms noticeable to many residents in the United States. Outdoor air quality measured hazardous for days in a row. When people could see and smell the air quality, it became obvious. Their indoor air quality also became noticeably poor.

With extreme weather events increasingly impacting both outdoor and indoor air quality, a long-term breathing experiment is underway.

No matter where your virgin air comes from, most likely the best way to purify the air is with plants.

The most famous study was conducted by NASA to remove formaldehyde from the air and found spider plants removed 95 percent of the toxic substance from a sealed Plexiglas chamber in 24 hours.

As part of the long-term breathing experiment we have cultivated multiple generations of spider plants. They are a great place for a novice to get started. Spider plants thrive in bright to moderate light. In the spring and summer, once-a-week watering is sufficient. During the winter, the soil should dry between waterings. (Spider plants are almost as easy to care for as cacti.) Snake plants are also easy to grow in all kinds of lighting situations, require little watering, and are one of the best air purifying plants.

Aromatic Plants and Phytoncides
Almost all plants are good for air purification. The spider plant and snake plants are great for taking pollutants out of the air, as well as optimize sustainability. The long-term breathing experiment is also looking at adding to the air quality.

Aromatherapy and Forest Bathing are easy to implement in your natural air purification experiment. Many plants can help take contaminants out of the air while adding medicinal properties to the air. Rosemary, mints, basil, sage, and most other herbs can add anti-bacterial, anti-depressant, anti-anxiety, stress, pain relief and other beneficial properties to air quality.

During the Air Quality Crisis of 2023, the long-term breathing experiment collided with the Tree Extinction Experiment. As part of the tree experiment, we grow a small nursery of trees in containers. Their main purpose is usually outside to act as a windblock for the structure to help reduce heating and cooling energy needs. Luckily, during the hazardous air quality days we were able to bring some (spruce and oak) inside to help purify the air and add phytoncides. The US Department of Agriculture reports, “These chemicals are natural oils that plants use to defend themselves against unwanted pests such as insects, bacteria or fungi. Phytoncides improve the human immune system by increasing natural killer cell activity. These cells respond rapidly to virus-infected cells and tumor formation. Studies show that increased natural cell activity can last for more than 30 days after a trip to a forest, suggesting that a trip once a month would enable individuals to maintain a higher level of natural killer cell activity. Other benefits from phytoncides include an increase in anti-cancer proteins; a reduction in blood pressure, heart rate and stress hormones; reduced test scores for anxiety, depression, anger, fatigue, and confusion; and increased scores for vigor.”

Trees known to produce especially high levels of phytoncides include the evergreen trees (Cedars, Spruces, Conifers and Pine) and Oak trees.

Read the full article.

More on Clean Water, Air, Healthy Plants and Good Nutrition

More Things You Can Do to Help the Environment and Your Health

Natural Indoor Plant Air Purifiers
Natural Indoor Plant Air Purifiers

bookmark_borderCOVID, Health, and Wellness

ABOUT COVID:
Viral load and aerosolization appear to be the leading causes of contracting COVID… even if you are vaccinated. What does this mean?
1) To limit your viral load limit your exposure time. How do you know you are being exposed? You don’t. So, assume there are people carrying the virus — avoid contact with people outside of your circle. Social distance and avoid people without masks.
2) Airborne transmission is the primary way COVID is contracted. Normally, I would suggest staying outside… however, on days like today the air pollution is too high. Breathing outdoors will actually damage your lungs and make you more prone to COVID. So, stay home in air conditioning. Indoors in a public setting, without masks, in poor ventilation, with inadequate air filters is the most dangerous place to be.
3) Limit your exercise and stress level. Extreme exercise and stress consume NAD+. The lower your NAD+, the more susceptible your are. On days like today with high ozone levels, exercising outside causes irreparable damage to your lungs. Running everyday is one of the worse things you can do for your health. Limit your inflammation, Take a day or two off between workouts. Vary the types of exercise. Swimming is a good idea. Exercise is important, but exercise with thought.
4) the Delta variant appears to spread with very little viral load. A case in Australia shows a person contracting COVID simply by walking by someone in a shop. The greater your viral load, the more severe your disease and the more likely you will contract long-COVID. COVID eats NAD+.
5) Inadequate NAD+ has been linked to many mental health and neurological disorders.
6) Take the vitamin stack (Ade n’ Rob’s recipe). Ensure your NAD+ is at optimum level to avoid illness. Ade’s latest research shows that not only is NAD+ related to COVID severity, but that NAD+ is also related to many other diseases. Here is a diet based on their principles:
NAD+ Plus Immune System Diet

bookmark_borderNAD+ and Long-COVID

What causes COVID long haulers?

The main culprit is believed to be COVID’s genetic change to our production and utilization of NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide). NAD+ is involved in cell creation, maintenance, metabolism, and regulating cell processes. COVID can chronically increase the breakdown of NAD+ and simultaneously decrease the production of NAD+.

Ade added, “The biggest function of NAD+ is as a cofactor for energy(atp) production via the citric acid cycle. NAD+ is essential for carbohydrate metabolism. The brain being highly dependent on carbs.

COVID Long Haulers Syndrome is COVID Induced Secondary Pellagra (CISP). Pellagra causes a Niacin (B3) deficiency resulting in dysfunction of NAD+ production.

By treating the population for pellagra:
* many new COVID cases can be prevented (prophylactic)
* the severity and duration of COVID symptoms can be reduced
* COVID-long Haulers Syndrome can be treated

THE PROTOCOL: Niacin B3, Vitamin D, Vitamin C, Quercetin, Zinc, and Selenium.

CISP and The Vitamin Stack

MORE ON COVID: COVID-19 / SARS-CoV-2 / Novel Coronavirus

bookmark_borderHow I Recovered From COVID-long Haulers Syndrome

COVID Long Haulers Syndrome is COVID Induced Secondary Pellagra (CISP). The research was developed by Dr. Ade Wentzel (Port Elizabeth, South Africa), Robert Miller (Cape Town) and Guy Richards (Johannesburg). COVID-19: NAD+ deficiency may predispose the aged, obese and type2 diabetics to mortality through its effect on SIRT1 activity.

This is not the first time the world has seen a pellagra epidemic. “In the early 1900s, pellagra reached epidemic proportions in the American South. Between 1906 and 1940 more than 3 million Americans were affected by pellagra with more than 100,000 deaths, yet the epidemic resolved itself right after dietary niacin fortification.” (Pellagra – Wikipedia) Pellagra was first identified among Spanish peasants by Don Gaspar Casal in 1735. Pellagra has sometimes been called the disease of the four D’s – dermatitis, diarrhoea, dementia, and death. Pellagra was in existence for nearly two centuries in Europe before being recognized in the United States, where it was first reported in 1902. Over the next two decades, pellagra occurred in epidemic proportions in the American South. By the time of the Mississippi flood in 1927, Dr Joseph Goldberger of the USPHS had conducted extensive research demonstrating that pellagra was caused by a nutritional deficiency (a lack of niacin, or vitamin B3). Goldberger advised the Red Cross to add brewer’s yeast to its food rations. Within weeks, people with pellagra were cured, and new cases of pellagra were prevented.

Here’s is what cured me:
Vitamin C, Quercetin and Selenium you can get from your diet. Careful not too much Selenium. I eat 1 Brazil nut a day. The Vitamin D is best gotten from 15 minutes a day in the sun. You can take 1000iu, too. A 15mg zinc/day supplement. The niacin is the trickiest and most important part. You need to make sure you get the right kind. Non-flush is no good. You can start with 35mg/day, but it will depend on your deficiency. I take 50-75mg with each meal. Here’s the walk through on getting the niacin right. It is recommended I stay on the protocol for 6 months. This is how Ade and Rob walk me through getting the correct Niacin B3.

NAD+ Plus Immune System Diet

COVID-19 Induced Secondary Pellagra (CISP) and the Coronavirus Cure