HEALTH Ebola Virus Natural Remedies
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Caplock50
I am the Winter Warrior
http://www.naturalnews.com/046260_E...inal_herbs.html
Originally published July 31 2014
In search of Ebola cures: Chinese medicine, western herbs, sanitizing chemicals and immune boosting strategies
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
(NaturalNews) The international Ebola outbreak has caused a wave of alarm among people who are concerned it might spread to their own city or nation. It's a legitimate concern, given that the government of Liberia has already issued a desperate plea for international help after declaring the pandemic "[beyond] the control of the national government." (1)
Here at Natural News, we're being flooded with requests from people asking whether any natural cures exist to kill Ebola. In short, there are no proven natural cures for Ebola, but there are some extremely valuable herbal formulas which may be lifesavers. There are also some valuable immune boosting strategies detailed here which can save many lives. Here's what we know so far:
How Ebola spreads
To understand Ebola prevention, you first need to understand how it spreads.
Ebola is a level-4 biohazard virus. It spreads so easily and quickly that even well-trained doctors wearing protecting masks and gloves keep getting infected from nearby patients.
An Ebola infection only requires a single viral organism to enter your body, usually through your mouth or eyes. A person who rubs their eyes with their finger can instantly cause an Ebola infection of a single virus was resting on their finger.
Ebola can spread through "aerosols," meaning liquid particles suspended in the air. When a person infected with Ebola sneezes, vomits or coughs, they can create Ebola aerosols. "1 - 10 aerosolized organisms are sufficient to cause infection in humans," explains the Public Health Agency of Canada. (2) This is how Ebola becomes "airborne" even when it is not traditionally categorized as an airborne disease.
Sanitizing surfaces is a significant part of any defense against Ebola infections. It is well established that Ebola can be killed with sodium hypochlorite, also known as bleach. It's also killed with methyl alcohol, Triton X-100 (a cleaning agent I use in the lab), and UV radiation.
This means sunlight kills Ebola, which is probably why you don't find much Ebola in the deserts of the world. The pathogen tends to come out of humid jungle areas that are dark and damp. If it were to invade the USA, it would be far more "successful" in places like Florida and Louisiana where heat and humidity are commonplace.
Chinese medicine herbs for saving lives during a viral outbreak
China has over 5,000 years of experience dealing with plagues and pestilence. During one of the most devastating infectious disease wipeouts in history, a Chinese Medicine doctor named Sun Simiao conducted pioneering medical research that predated modern western medicine by millennia. (Read a summary of his fascinating bio here.)
The "blood heat" formula based on his pioneering work in herbal medicine is called "Xi Jiao Di Huang Tang." The herbal ingredients in this formula are:
- Sheng Di Huang (rehmannia)
- Xi Jiao (traditionally made from rhino horn, but is now replaced with buffalo horn)
- Chi Shao (red peony root)
- Mu Dan Pi (moutan root bark)
You can read about this formula at this web page which explains:
The pathogen has entered into the Blood at this stage, the deepest energetic layer. Because the Heart controls the blood and the Liver stores the blood, both organs are affected. Kidneys are also involved now, probably because of the Heart/Fire and Kidney/Water balance relationship. Blood heat is prominent and bleeding signs are evident as a result throughout the body at the skin and organ levels. The blood is disturbed and exhausted. This is a terminal stage of febrile illness and death is usually quick. Symptoms are of both excess heat and deficient yin (because the heat has burned up the yin resources).
Symptoms:
- Spasms, shaking (internal Liver Wind due to the internal heat)
- Bleeding signs and loss of blood including:
* Vomiting of blood
* Nasal bleeding
* Blood in stools
* Blood in urine
* Bleeding under the skin layers showing as maculopapular rashes over the whole body and larger bleed-outs under the skin. This happens in all epithelial tissues both on the surface of the body as well as on the surface of the organs. Other organ bleeding also.
- Tongue: deep red/crimson or purple body
- Pulse: thin and fast or choppy.
A qualified Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner can formulate this for you. Overall, the Chinese Medicine herbs to explore for their anti-viral effects include:
Shui Niu Jiao (Bubali Cornu)
Xuan Shen (Scrophulariae Radix)
Sheng Di Huang (Rehmanniae Radix)
Mu Dan Pi (Moutan Cortex)
Chi Shao (Paeoniae Rubra Radix)
Da Qing Ye (Isatadis Folium)
Zi Cao (Lithospermi seu Arnebiae Radix)
Western herbs
In preparation for a global pandemic, I would also stock up on various herbal formulas based on anti-viral herbs. My current No. 1 recommendation on this is the GAIA Herbs company, whose products have consistently tested clean in our laboratory.
GAIA Herbs makes a number of very useful products in this category, including "Respiratory Defense" and "Quick Defense" formulas.
Quick Defense is based on andrographis, echinacea, black elderberry and ginger root, each of which exhibits various anti-viral properties. To my knowledge, these have never been deployed against Ebola, so there's no rigorous proof they help with Ebola infections, but the known antiviral properties of these herbs makes them a likely choice, especially when the world of drugs and pharmaceuticals currently has nothing to offer whatsoever.
Start stocking up on sanitizing agents
In the past, I've repeatedly recommended stocking up on sanitizing agents as a key preparedness strategy.
Bleach should be one of the liquids you store for emergencies, and I personally have a large supply of Hydrocide in my preparedness collection. Hydrocide is sold to barbershops and hair salons as a germicidal chemical to sanitize clippers and combs. It also works everywhere else, and it's affordable when purchased in bulk at places like Amazon.com. (If you do buy at Amazon.com, click this Amazon.com link first, and Amazon will donate 0.5% of your purchase price to the non-profit Consumer Wellness Center.)
I think it's also wise to stock up on food grade hydrogen peroxide and povidone iodine as additional sanitizing agents. These two items might not work on Ebola, but they are very valuable as general-purpose sanitizers and emergency first aid supplies.
Remember that if you do plan to deploy these sanitizers in your own home in an effort to kill Ebola viruses, you have to become a near-fanatic about scrubbing down surfaces in an almost obsessive manner. Even then, most homes are made with materials that resist cleaning and easily harbor viruses, such as carpets and textured ceilings. There is a reason hospital emergency rooms are made with a lot of stainless steel and flat, smooth surfaces: they're easy to sanitize. The materials used in your home are probably impossible to sanitize chemically, even with bleach.
I have seen some people deploy an array of UV light fixtures in their homes, hoping to destroy airborne viruses with UV light. This isn't a bad idea, since UV light weakens or kills most viruses. But the intensity of the UV rays coming from consumer fixtures may or may not be sufficient to achieve the desired effect. UV light fixtures offer nowhere near the intensity of direct sunlight, for example, and too much UV light exposure can actually damage your eyesight.
Boosting immunity in preparation for a global pandemic
Everybody knows a global pandemic is coming sooner or later. Humanity is practically begging for one with its destruction of the ecosystem, chemical intoxication of the population and reliance on immune-suppressing medications and food additives.
The very structure of human society -- with high-density cities and rapid air travel -- creates a "perfect storm" for the spread of infectious disease.
Ebola has a fatality rate of 50 - 90 percent, depending on the strain. It causes severe immunosuppression and often leads to death by internal dehydration from the inability of the intestines to absorb water. In Chinese Medicine, Ebola is described as a kind of "blood heat" affliction.
People with suppressed immune systems seem to be especially vulnerable to Ebola, so one of the most obvious defensive strategies is to support your immune function with the following nutritional supplements:
• Vitamin D (which is well known to function as an antiviral medicine)
• Zinc (helps your immune system resist infections)
• Selenium (also boosts immune function)
• Vitamin C (full spectrum source, from plants if possible)
Stop suppressing your immune system
It's also a good idea to stop suppressing your immune system on a day-to-day basis. How do people suppress their immune systems? Let me count the ways:
1) Lack of sufficient sleep.
2) Consumption of processed junk foods.
3) Consumption of medications.
4) Smoking cigarettes.
5) Sedentary lifestyles (avoidance of exercise).
6) Avoidance of sunlight (not spending enough time in nature).
7) Nutritional deficiencies of important minerals like zinc.
8) Chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments.
9) Exposure to pesticides, herbicides, glyphosate and other chemicals.
10) Eating GMOs.
This last point is a huge one: eating GMOs suppresses immune systems so much that I believe the most likely people to die in the next pandemic that sweeps through North America are those who eat a lot of GMOs. To avoid this, buy organic.
If you get infected, what to do?
If you suspect you might be infected, the very first thing to do is isolate yourself from others so that you don't spread the disease. Then call for help.
To my knowledge, there are no known natural cures for Ebola, but because it is an immunosuppressive disease, it makes sense to follow many of the same rules you'd follow for other viral infections: stay fully hydrated, boost your vitamin D blood levels, get plenty of rest and don't stress yourself.
Anywhere from 10 - 50% of people survive Ebola infections, and it's unknown what these survivors have in common. They might all have higher vitamin D levels or a physiological advantage of some sort that hasn't yet been identified.
The conventional medical system might offer you some anti-viral drugs, but their effectiveness is minimal unless deployed very early during the onset of the infection. For the most part, the way western doctors deal with Ebola patients is with a "watch and wait" approach. The patient either conquers the infection on their own and wakes up on the path of recovery, or they never wake up at all.
In other words, modern medicine with all its claimed advances still has about the same approach to Ebola as a doctor in the 1800's: hope the patient survives (and try not to infect yourself in the mean time).
Sources for this article include:
(1) http://charlotte.cbslocal.com/2014/07/31/lib...
(2) http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/lab-bio/res/psds-...
(3) http://www.itmonline.org/arts/sunsimiao.htm
(4) http://catstcmnotes.com/pages/Clinic/Diagnos...
Originally published July 31 2014
In search of Ebola cures: Chinese medicine, western herbs, sanitizing chemicals and immune boosting strategies
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
(NaturalNews) The international Ebola outbreak has caused a wave of alarm among people who are concerned it might spread to their own city or nation. It's a legitimate concern, given that the government of Liberia has already issued a desperate plea for international help after declaring the pandemic "[beyond] the control of the national government." (1)
Here at Natural News, we're being flooded with requests from people asking whether any natural cures exist to kill Ebola. In short, there are no proven natural cures for Ebola, but there are some extremely valuable herbal formulas which may be lifesavers. There are also some valuable immune boosting strategies detailed here which can save many lives. Here's what we know so far:
How Ebola spreads
To understand Ebola prevention, you first need to understand how it spreads.
Ebola is a level-4 biohazard virus. It spreads so easily and quickly that even well-trained doctors wearing protecting masks and gloves keep getting infected from nearby patients.
An Ebola infection only requires a single viral organism to enter your body, usually through your mouth or eyes. A person who rubs their eyes with their finger can instantly cause an Ebola infection of a single virus was resting on their finger.
Ebola can spread through "aerosols," meaning liquid particles suspended in the air. When a person infected with Ebola sneezes, vomits or coughs, they can create Ebola aerosols. "1 - 10 aerosolized organisms are sufficient to cause infection in humans," explains the Public Health Agency of Canada. (2) This is how Ebola becomes "airborne" even when it is not traditionally categorized as an airborne disease.
Sanitizing surfaces is a significant part of any defense against Ebola infections. It is well established that Ebola can be killed with sodium hypochlorite, also known as bleach. It's also killed with methyl alcohol, Triton X-100 (a cleaning agent I use in the lab), and UV radiation.
This means sunlight kills Ebola, which is probably why you don't find much Ebola in the deserts of the world. The pathogen tends to come out of humid jungle areas that are dark and damp. If it were to invade the USA, it would be far more "successful" in places like Florida and Louisiana where heat and humidity are commonplace.
Chinese medicine herbs for saving lives during a viral outbreak
China has over 5,000 years of experience dealing with plagues and pestilence. During one of the most devastating infectious disease wipeouts in history, a Chinese Medicine doctor named Sun Simiao conducted pioneering medical research that predated modern western medicine by millennia. (Read a summary of his fascinating bio here.)
The "blood heat" formula based on his pioneering work in herbal medicine is called "Xi Jiao Di Huang Tang." The herbal ingredients in this formula are:
- Sheng Di Huang (rehmannia)
- Xi Jiao (traditionally made from rhino horn, but is now replaced with buffalo horn)
- Chi Shao (red peony root)
- Mu Dan Pi (moutan root bark)
You can read about this formula at this web page which explains:
The pathogen has entered into the Blood at this stage, the deepest energetic layer. Because the Heart controls the blood and the Liver stores the blood, both organs are affected. Kidneys are also involved now, probably because of the Heart/Fire and Kidney/Water balance relationship. Blood heat is prominent and bleeding signs are evident as a result throughout the body at the skin and organ levels. The blood is disturbed and exhausted. This is a terminal stage of febrile illness and death is usually quick. Symptoms are of both excess heat and deficient yin (because the heat has burned up the yin resources).
Symptoms:
- Spasms, shaking (internal Liver Wind due to the internal heat)
- Bleeding signs and loss of blood including:
* Vomiting of blood
* Nasal bleeding
* Blood in stools
* Blood in urine
* Bleeding under the skin layers showing as maculopapular rashes over the whole body and larger bleed-outs under the skin. This happens in all epithelial tissues both on the surface of the body as well as on the surface of the organs. Other organ bleeding also.
- Tongue: deep red/crimson or purple body
- Pulse: thin and fast or choppy.
A qualified Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner can formulate this for you. Overall, the Chinese Medicine herbs to explore for their anti-viral effects include:
Shui Niu Jiao (Bubali Cornu)
Xuan Shen (Scrophulariae Radix)
Sheng Di Huang (Rehmanniae Radix)
Mu Dan Pi (Moutan Cortex)
Chi Shao (Paeoniae Rubra Radix)
Da Qing Ye (Isatadis Folium)
Zi Cao (Lithospermi seu Arnebiae Radix)
Western herbs
In preparation for a global pandemic, I would also stock up on various herbal formulas based on anti-viral herbs. My current No. 1 recommendation on this is the GAIA Herbs company, whose products have consistently tested clean in our laboratory.
GAIA Herbs makes a number of very useful products in this category, including "Respiratory Defense" and "Quick Defense" formulas.
Quick Defense is based on andrographis, echinacea, black elderberry and ginger root, each of which exhibits various anti-viral properties. To my knowledge, these have never been deployed against Ebola, so there's no rigorous proof they help with Ebola infections, but the known antiviral properties of these herbs makes them a likely choice, especially when the world of drugs and pharmaceuticals currently has nothing to offer whatsoever.
Start stocking up on sanitizing agents
In the past, I've repeatedly recommended stocking up on sanitizing agents as a key preparedness strategy.
Bleach should be one of the liquids you store for emergencies, and I personally have a large supply of Hydrocide in my preparedness collection. Hydrocide is sold to barbershops and hair salons as a germicidal chemical to sanitize clippers and combs. It also works everywhere else, and it's affordable when purchased in bulk at places like Amazon.com. (If you do buy at Amazon.com, click this Amazon.com link first, and Amazon will donate 0.5% of your purchase price to the non-profit Consumer Wellness Center.)
I think it's also wise to stock up on food grade hydrogen peroxide and povidone iodine as additional sanitizing agents. These two items might not work on Ebola, but they are very valuable as general-purpose sanitizers and emergency first aid supplies.
Remember that if you do plan to deploy these sanitizers in your own home in an effort to kill Ebola viruses, you have to become a near-fanatic about scrubbing down surfaces in an almost obsessive manner. Even then, most homes are made with materials that resist cleaning and easily harbor viruses, such as carpets and textured ceilings. There is a reason hospital emergency rooms are made with a lot of stainless steel and flat, smooth surfaces: they're easy to sanitize. The materials used in your home are probably impossible to sanitize chemically, even with bleach.
I have seen some people deploy an array of UV light fixtures in their homes, hoping to destroy airborne viruses with UV light. This isn't a bad idea, since UV light weakens or kills most viruses. But the intensity of the UV rays coming from consumer fixtures may or may not be sufficient to achieve the desired effect. UV light fixtures offer nowhere near the intensity of direct sunlight, for example, and too much UV light exposure can actually damage your eyesight.
Boosting immunity in preparation for a global pandemic
Everybody knows a global pandemic is coming sooner or later. Humanity is practically begging for one with its destruction of the ecosystem, chemical intoxication of the population and reliance on immune-suppressing medications and food additives.
The very structure of human society -- with high-density cities and rapid air travel -- creates a "perfect storm" for the spread of infectious disease.
Ebola has a fatality rate of 50 - 90 percent, depending on the strain. It causes severe immunosuppression and often leads to death by internal dehydration from the inability of the intestines to absorb water. In Chinese Medicine, Ebola is described as a kind of "blood heat" affliction.
People with suppressed immune systems seem to be especially vulnerable to Ebola, so one of the most obvious defensive strategies is to support your immune function with the following nutritional supplements:
• Vitamin D (which is well known to function as an antiviral medicine)
• Zinc (helps your immune system resist infections)
• Selenium (also boosts immune function)
• Vitamin C (full spectrum source, from plants if possible)
Stop suppressing your immune system
It's also a good idea to stop suppressing your immune system on a day-to-day basis. How do people suppress their immune systems? Let me count the ways:
1) Lack of sufficient sleep.
2) Consumption of processed junk foods.
3) Consumption of medications.
4) Smoking cigarettes.
5) Sedentary lifestyles (avoidance of exercise).
6) Avoidance of sunlight (not spending enough time in nature).
7) Nutritional deficiencies of important minerals like zinc.
8) Chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments.
9) Exposure to pesticides, herbicides, glyphosate and other chemicals.
10) Eating GMOs.
This last point is a huge one: eating GMOs suppresses immune systems so much that I believe the most likely people to die in the next pandemic that sweeps through North America are those who eat a lot of GMOs. To avoid this, buy organic.
If you get infected, what to do?
If you suspect you might be infected, the very first thing to do is isolate yourself from others so that you don't spread the disease. Then call for help.
To my knowledge, there are no known natural cures for Ebola, but because it is an immunosuppressive disease, it makes sense to follow many of the same rules you'd follow for other viral infections: stay fully hydrated, boost your vitamin D blood levels, get plenty of rest and don't stress yourself.
Anywhere from 10 - 50% of people survive Ebola infections, and it's unknown what these survivors have in common. They might all have higher vitamin D levels or a physiological advantage of some sort that hasn't yet been identified.
The conventional medical system might offer you some anti-viral drugs, but their effectiveness is minimal unless deployed very early during the onset of the infection. For the most part, the way western doctors deal with Ebola patients is with a "watch and wait" approach. The patient either conquers the infection on their own and wakes up on the path of recovery, or they never wake up at all.
In other words, modern medicine with all its claimed advances still has about the same approach to Ebola as a doctor in the 1800's: hope the patient survives (and try not to infect yourself in the mean time).
Sources for this article include:
(1) http://charlotte.cbslocal.com/2014/07/31/lib...
(2) http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/lab-bio/res/psds-...
(3) http://www.itmonline.org/arts/sunsimiao.htm
(4) http://catstcmnotes.com/pages/Clinic/Diagnos...
Caplock50
I am the Winter Warrior
Since MERS is a virus and Ebola is a virus, this might also be of help...
Herbs and Essential Oils to Fight Coronaviruses, Part 1
by Cat the HerbalPrepper (Herbal Prepper) • May 3, 2014 • 0 Comments
http://www.herbalprepper.com/2014/05/03 ... es-part-1/
One of the biggest challenges designing a strategy to address MERS with herbs is that the virus is relatively new and unknown. So, I chose to look at what is known to form the basis of my best “educated guess”, such as:
the nature of coronaviruses
the symptoms of MERS
herbs with known antiviral actions
existing herbal recommendations for SARS, with which MERS has much in common
more details about viruses in general than I ever wanted to know
Viruses are strands of either DNA or RNA. They have no cell wall, but some are called “encapsulated” as they are covered in a layer of protein, the shape of which is unique to that virus strain. Once inside the body, the virus moves into the cells and is able to incorporate either DNA or RNA from the host into itself.
DNA viruses tend to be more stable and mutate less, while RNA viruses tend to have far more fluctuation and mutate easily. Where DNA viruses make billions of stable copies of itself, RNA viruses make billions of copies with lots of variation.
Coronaviruses present some unique challenges as an RNA virus.Because RNA viruses mutate frequently, it is not reasonable to expect a vaccine to come to market and be effective for any length of time. RNA viruses are highly adaptable, and their variation allows for responsiveness. However, coronaviruses have the largest genome of all RNA viruses (that we know of), and therefore have a real potential for
If a vaccine or other pharmaceutical were developed, neither would be useful for long. New vaccines would have to be made on an ongoing basis, which can take 3-6 months to develop. In the meantime, infected persons would be traveling and carrying the virus with them into new territory.
In this case, herbal and plant-based remedies *may* have the edge over pharmaceuticals due to their complex and synergistic nature, whereas pharmaceuticals focus on singular active ingredients. Plants, by their very nature, are a complex and unique combination of chemical constituents, which are far more challenging to both bacteria and viral infections.
While MERS is a relatively new virus, it is very similar to another coronavirus, SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). A study was done and published in the Lancet detailing the similarities and differences between the two. To read more about this study, click here and here. Similarities include:
Incubation periods (4-5 days)
Presenting symptoms (very similar to influenza)
Lung Pathology (potential for pneumonia and cytokine storms)
The study found,
“Most patients admitted to hospital exhibited fever (98%), chills/rigors (87%), cough (83%), shortness of breath (72%), and muscle pain (32%). A quarter of patients also experienced gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhea and vomiting.”
This study is almost a year old, and several things have changed. The mortality rate has dropped from 60% to 30%. As awareness and better identification of MERS grows, more of the mild cases are being reported. It seems that the cases that ended in death of the patient correlate to patients who had pre-existing conditions, especially diabetes. According to the study,
“However, in contrast to SARS, the majority of cases (96%) occurred in people with underlying chronic medical conditions including diabetes (68%), high blood pressure (34%), chronic heart disease (28%), and chronic renal disease (49%).”
All of these details tell us a number of very useful things to develop an herbal strategy for MERS.
The similarities between SARS and MERS mean that herbs that are effective for SARS are most likely effective for MERS.
Herbs long-used for comfort measures against influenza would likely be effective to provide comfort against MERS
Addressing pre-existing conditions with herbs is likely a good way to prevent a mild case of MERS from becoming a serious case or worse, a fatality.
Herbs with strong anti-viral properties that also protect against cytokine storms would be very useful.
Thankfully, many such herbs exist.
Herbs Used In Fighting Coronaviruses
Below is a list of herbs and essential oils that meet these objectives. These are either antiviral or supporting, syngeristic herbs. It will take several more posts to details what they can do and how to make herbal remedies with them. As I write them, I will link back to this page.
Chinese Skullcap, Scutellaria baicalensis (not American Skullcap)
Licorice, Glycyrrhiza glabra (used as a synergist- with other herbs, not by itself)
Kudzu, Pueraria lobata
Ginko biloba
Angelica sinensis
Astragalus mongholicus
Japanese knotweed, Polygonum cuspidatum
Rhodiola rosea
Cordyceps sinensis
Olive leaf, Olea europaea
Elder, Sambucus nigra
Cinnamon, Cinnamomum zeylanicum
Berberine herbs
Red Root, Ceanothus americanus
Cleavers, Galium aparine
Salvia miltiorrhiza
Dyer’s Woad, Isatis tinctoria
The following herbs are beneficial for influenza relief, and would likely be helpful for the symptoms associated with MERS (those influenza herbs that are also included above are not duplicated below):
Echinacea angustafolia
Ginger, Zingiber officinale
Pleurisy root, Asclepias tuberosa
Cayenne, Capsicum annum
Elecampane, Inula helenium
Hyssop, Hyssopus officinalis
Slippery or Siberian Elm, Ulmus rubra
Boneset, Eupatorium perfoliatum
Horehound, Marrubium vulgare
Sage, Salvia officinalis
Marshmallow, Althaea officinalis
Clove, Syzygium aromaticum
Coltsfoot, Tussilago farfara
Mullein leaf, Verbascum densiflorum
Peppermint, Mentha piperita
Thyme, Thymus vulgaris
Garlic, Allium sativum
Horseradish, Armoracia rusticana
Lemon, Citrus limon
Honey
If you are unsure of how to use an herb or make a remedy, seek out your local herbalists.
Essential Oils
The oils listed below each assist the respiratory system. Some are better for children, some are better for adults who can handle a more intense essential oil. Use these oils with
Warning: DO NOT INGEST! These oils are to be taken through INHALATION ONLY! I am quite aware of the multi-level marketing companies out there that tout ingestion as the end all be all for every ailment known to humankind. The casual manner in which such potent oils are being used is a dangerous practice, especially in the hands of sales reps with no aromatherapy training. There is a time and place for ingesting oils. This isn’t it.
Thyme, Thymus vulgaris
Oregano, Origanum vulgare
Eucalyptus, Eucalyptus globulus
Rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis
Lavender, Lavandula angustifolia
Sage, Salvia officinalis
Additionally, herbs indicated for diabetes, hypertension, cardiac issues, and kidney problems, dietary changes that improve these conditions, plus any other steps you can take to improve illnesses such as these should be implemented now. MERS is far more deadly to people already experiencing chronic disease.
Herbs and Essential Oils to Fight Coronaviruses, Part 1
by Cat the HerbalPrepper (Herbal Prepper) • May 3, 2014 • 0 Comments
http://www.herbalprepper.com/2014/05/03 ... es-part-1/
One of the biggest challenges designing a strategy to address MERS with herbs is that the virus is relatively new and unknown. So, I chose to look at what is known to form the basis of my best “educated guess”, such as:
the nature of coronaviruses
the symptoms of MERS
herbs with known antiviral actions
existing herbal recommendations for SARS, with which MERS has much in common
more details about viruses in general than I ever wanted to know
Viruses are strands of either DNA or RNA. They have no cell wall, but some are called “encapsulated” as they are covered in a layer of protein, the shape of which is unique to that virus strain. Once inside the body, the virus moves into the cells and is able to incorporate either DNA or RNA from the host into itself.
DNA viruses tend to be more stable and mutate less, while RNA viruses tend to have far more fluctuation and mutate easily. Where DNA viruses make billions of stable copies of itself, RNA viruses make billions of copies with lots of variation.
Coronaviruses present some unique challenges as an RNA virus.Because RNA viruses mutate frequently, it is not reasonable to expect a vaccine to come to market and be effective for any length of time. RNA viruses are highly adaptable, and their variation allows for responsiveness. However, coronaviruses have the largest genome of all RNA viruses (that we know of), and therefore have a real potential for
If a vaccine or other pharmaceutical were developed, neither would be useful for long. New vaccines would have to be made on an ongoing basis, which can take 3-6 months to develop. In the meantime, infected persons would be traveling and carrying the virus with them into new territory.
In this case, herbal and plant-based remedies *may* have the edge over pharmaceuticals due to their complex and synergistic nature, whereas pharmaceuticals focus on singular active ingredients. Plants, by their very nature, are a complex and unique combination of chemical constituents, which are far more challenging to both bacteria and viral infections.
While MERS is a relatively new virus, it is very similar to another coronavirus, SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). A study was done and published in the Lancet detailing the similarities and differences between the two. To read more about this study, click here and here. Similarities include:
Incubation periods (4-5 days)
Presenting symptoms (very similar to influenza)
Lung Pathology (potential for pneumonia and cytokine storms)
The study found,
“Most patients admitted to hospital exhibited fever (98%), chills/rigors (87%), cough (83%), shortness of breath (72%), and muscle pain (32%). A quarter of patients also experienced gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhea and vomiting.”
This study is almost a year old, and several things have changed. The mortality rate has dropped from 60% to 30%. As awareness and better identification of MERS grows, more of the mild cases are being reported. It seems that the cases that ended in death of the patient correlate to patients who had pre-existing conditions, especially diabetes. According to the study,
“However, in contrast to SARS, the majority of cases (96%) occurred in people with underlying chronic medical conditions including diabetes (68%), high blood pressure (34%), chronic heart disease (28%), and chronic renal disease (49%).”
All of these details tell us a number of very useful things to develop an herbal strategy for MERS.
The similarities between SARS and MERS mean that herbs that are effective for SARS are most likely effective for MERS.
Herbs long-used for comfort measures against influenza would likely be effective to provide comfort against MERS
Addressing pre-existing conditions with herbs is likely a good way to prevent a mild case of MERS from becoming a serious case or worse, a fatality.
Herbs with strong anti-viral properties that also protect against cytokine storms would be very useful.
Thankfully, many such herbs exist.
Herbs Used In Fighting Coronaviruses
Below is a list of herbs and essential oils that meet these objectives. These are either antiviral or supporting, syngeristic herbs. It will take several more posts to details what they can do and how to make herbal remedies with them. As I write them, I will link back to this page.
Chinese Skullcap, Scutellaria baicalensis (not American Skullcap)
Licorice, Glycyrrhiza glabra (used as a synergist- with other herbs, not by itself)
Kudzu, Pueraria lobata
Ginko biloba
Angelica sinensis
Astragalus mongholicus
Japanese knotweed, Polygonum cuspidatum
Rhodiola rosea
Cordyceps sinensis
Olive leaf, Olea europaea
Elder, Sambucus nigra
Cinnamon, Cinnamomum zeylanicum
Berberine herbs
Red Root, Ceanothus americanus
Cleavers, Galium aparine
Salvia miltiorrhiza
Dyer’s Woad, Isatis tinctoria
The following herbs are beneficial for influenza relief, and would likely be helpful for the symptoms associated with MERS (those influenza herbs that are also included above are not duplicated below):
Echinacea angustafolia
Ginger, Zingiber officinale
Pleurisy root, Asclepias tuberosa
Cayenne, Capsicum annum
Elecampane, Inula helenium
Hyssop, Hyssopus officinalis
Slippery or Siberian Elm, Ulmus rubra
Boneset, Eupatorium perfoliatum
Horehound, Marrubium vulgare
Sage, Salvia officinalis
Marshmallow, Althaea officinalis
Clove, Syzygium aromaticum
Coltsfoot, Tussilago farfara
Mullein leaf, Verbascum densiflorum
Peppermint, Mentha piperita
Thyme, Thymus vulgaris
Garlic, Allium sativum
Horseradish, Armoracia rusticana
Lemon, Citrus limon
Honey
If you are unsure of how to use an herb or make a remedy, seek out your local herbalists.
Essential Oils
The oils listed below each assist the respiratory system. Some are better for children, some are better for adults who can handle a more intense essential oil. Use these oils with
Warning: DO NOT INGEST! These oils are to be taken through INHALATION ONLY! I am quite aware of the multi-level marketing companies out there that tout ingestion as the end all be all for every ailment known to humankind. The casual manner in which such potent oils are being used is a dangerous practice, especially in the hands of sales reps with no aromatherapy training. There is a time and place for ingesting oils. This isn’t it.
Thyme, Thymus vulgaris
Oregano, Origanum vulgare
Eucalyptus, Eucalyptus globulus
Rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis
Lavender, Lavandula angustifolia
Sage, Salvia officinalis
Additionally, herbs indicated for diabetes, hypertension, cardiac issues, and kidney problems, dietary changes that improve these conditions, plus any other steps you can take to improve illnesses such as these should be implemented now. MERS is far more deadly to people already experiencing chronic disease.
Caplock50
I am the Winter Warrior
http://www.herbalprepper.com/2014/05/12 ... es-part-2/
2nd US MERS case, and Herbs & Essential Oils to Fight Coronaviruses, Part 2
by Cat the HerbalPrepper (Herbal Prepper) • May 12, 2014 • 0 Comments
Today, the CDC announced the 2nd confirmed case of the MERS coronavirus in the US. This also involved a health care worker from Saudi Arabia. A press release will be posted on their site at this address,http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2...2-US-MERS.html, once their media briefing is complete
As a follow up to my earlier article, Herbs And Essential Oils to Fight Coronaviruses Part 1, this article details the herbs and oils that I’ve chosen to store for my own family in case of a coronavirus outbreak, like MERS or SARS, were to happen in my neck of the woods. This is entirely possible, as the patient with the 2nd case of MERS in the US became ill on a flight that passed through Boston according to this article.
The herbs here are chosen based upon:
Antiviral ability
Immune-supporting ability
Ability to reduce cytokine cascades or inhibit specific cytokines
Ability to provide relief from respiratory symptoms and protect the lungs
Chinese Skullcap, Scutellaria baicalensis
Chinese skullcap (not the same as American skullcap, Scutellaria lateriflora) is a broad spectrum antiviral with some potent antibacterial properties as well. It is included here because of it’s ability to inhibit viral replication. It is effective against RNA viral cells and coronaviruses are RNA viruses. It has an added bonus of being able to protect the cell membranes from cytokine storms, and inhibits HMGB1.
Licorice, Glycyrrhiza glabra
Licorice is many things. It is a potent antiviral, it is somewhat antibiotic, plus it’s sweet and helps children take their “medicine”. However, licorice is used with other herbs, and not so much on it’s own. It is a synergist that in herbal blends, “plays nice and works well with others”, especially Chinese skullcap, making the resulting combination more potent than the components alone.Licorice also helps to inhibit HMGB1, but is not intended for long term use. Four to six weeks is appropriate, but that’s about the limit. There can also be side effects, especially if high blood pressure related to kidney function is present.
Angelica, aka Dong Quai, Angelica sinensis
While there is much to be said for Angelica for women’s health, the reason it is being included in this list is for it’s ability to inhibit HMGB1. Inhibiting HMGB1 is critical with a coronavirus infection to prevent the most serious of complications from cytokine storms.
Red sage, aka Chinese sage, aka Danshen, Salvia Miltiorrhiza
Danshen is noted for its anti-inflammatory effects and its healing effects upon the kidneys. In traditional Chinese medicine, Danshen is often blended with Kudzu for cardiac complaints, and is also part of a blend of herbs used to treat diabetes. Consider that the exceptionally high rate or mortality initially associated with MERS was related to pre-existing chronic illnesses, specifically diabetes, heart disease, and renal failure, this would be a helpful herb for many with underlying chronic illness. However, I have included it for it’s ability to inhibit HMB1.
Kudzu, Pueraria lobata
In addition to being a trusted partner of Danshen for heart and cardiovascular disease, Kudzu inhibits other cytokines associated with severe inflammation of the respiratory passages.
I would make a tincture of all equal parts of each of the above herbs. I typically use the simpler’s method of just filling a jar and then covering in alcohol. In this case, I would use a 50% alcohol to cover, to either a watered down grain alcohol (95%) or 100 proof vodka.
Milk Vetch, Astragalus membranaceus
Astragalus is both antiviral and supportive to immune function. It is an immune restorer and an immune stimulant. It is used mostly in foods, like broths or water used to cook grains.
Medicinal Mushrooms
There isn’t one specific type of mushroom. There are many that are “medicinal” mushrooms which do a fabulous job of strengthening the immune system and immune response. Here is a link to the specific mushroom supplement I take and am stocking up on.
Additional Herbs
The symptoms of a respiratory infection, whether it is influenza, SARS, or even MERS, are relatively similar: violent coughing, excess mucus, fever, body aches, sore throat, and so on. Please check out this older article on flu threats which outlines several remedies, including Rosemary Gladstar’s fire cider and my blend I call “Herbal Tussin Tea.” Click here.
Essential Oils
Store your oils individually, not in blends. While blends are convenient, the oils can deteriorate faster in a blend than when stored separately.
Use your oils in a nebulizing or ionizing diffuser. This can be used one of two ways:
To disinfect a room
To use as a breathing treatment (inhalation of oils)
Oils to use would be thyme, lavender, rosemary, eucalyptus, sage, and oregano.
This is certainly not every herb possible that would be beneficial. These are just the ones that I picked. Feel free to leave questions and comments below
2nd US MERS case, and Herbs & Essential Oils to Fight Coronaviruses, Part 2
by Cat the HerbalPrepper (Herbal Prepper) • May 12, 2014 • 0 Comments
Today, the CDC announced the 2nd confirmed case of the MERS coronavirus in the US. This also involved a health care worker from Saudi Arabia. A press release will be posted on their site at this address,http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2...2-US-MERS.html, once their media briefing is complete
As a follow up to my earlier article, Herbs And Essential Oils to Fight Coronaviruses Part 1, this article details the herbs and oils that I’ve chosen to store for my own family in case of a coronavirus outbreak, like MERS or SARS, were to happen in my neck of the woods. This is entirely possible, as the patient with the 2nd case of MERS in the US became ill on a flight that passed through Boston according to this article.
The herbs here are chosen based upon:
Antiviral ability
Immune-supporting ability
Ability to reduce cytokine cascades or inhibit specific cytokines
Ability to provide relief from respiratory symptoms and protect the lungs
Chinese Skullcap, Scutellaria baicalensis
Chinese skullcap (not the same as American skullcap, Scutellaria lateriflora) is a broad spectrum antiviral with some potent antibacterial properties as well. It is included here because of it’s ability to inhibit viral replication. It is effective against RNA viral cells and coronaviruses are RNA viruses. It has an added bonus of being able to protect the cell membranes from cytokine storms, and inhibits HMGB1.
Licorice, Glycyrrhiza glabra
Licorice is many things. It is a potent antiviral, it is somewhat antibiotic, plus it’s sweet and helps children take their “medicine”. However, licorice is used with other herbs, and not so much on it’s own. It is a synergist that in herbal blends, “plays nice and works well with others”, especially Chinese skullcap, making the resulting combination more potent than the components alone.Licorice also helps to inhibit HMGB1, but is not intended for long term use. Four to six weeks is appropriate, but that’s about the limit. There can also be side effects, especially if high blood pressure related to kidney function is present.
Angelica, aka Dong Quai, Angelica sinensis
While there is much to be said for Angelica for women’s health, the reason it is being included in this list is for it’s ability to inhibit HMGB1. Inhibiting HMGB1 is critical with a coronavirus infection to prevent the most serious of complications from cytokine storms.
Red sage, aka Chinese sage, aka Danshen, Salvia Miltiorrhiza
Danshen is noted for its anti-inflammatory effects and its healing effects upon the kidneys. In traditional Chinese medicine, Danshen is often blended with Kudzu for cardiac complaints, and is also part of a blend of herbs used to treat diabetes. Consider that the exceptionally high rate or mortality initially associated with MERS was related to pre-existing chronic illnesses, specifically diabetes, heart disease, and renal failure, this would be a helpful herb for many with underlying chronic illness. However, I have included it for it’s ability to inhibit HMB1.
Kudzu, Pueraria lobata
In addition to being a trusted partner of Danshen for heart and cardiovascular disease, Kudzu inhibits other cytokines associated with severe inflammation of the respiratory passages.
I would make a tincture of all equal parts of each of the above herbs. I typically use the simpler’s method of just filling a jar and then covering in alcohol. In this case, I would use a 50% alcohol to cover, to either a watered down grain alcohol (95%) or 100 proof vodka.
Milk Vetch, Astragalus membranaceus
Astragalus is both antiviral and supportive to immune function. It is an immune restorer and an immune stimulant. It is used mostly in foods, like broths or water used to cook grains.
Medicinal Mushrooms
There isn’t one specific type of mushroom. There are many that are “medicinal” mushrooms which do a fabulous job of strengthening the immune system and immune response. Here is a link to the specific mushroom supplement I take and am stocking up on.
Additional Herbs
The symptoms of a respiratory infection, whether it is influenza, SARS, or even MERS, are relatively similar: violent coughing, excess mucus, fever, body aches, sore throat, and so on. Please check out this older article on flu threats which outlines several remedies, including Rosemary Gladstar’s fire cider and my blend I call “Herbal Tussin Tea.” Click here.
Essential Oils
Store your oils individually, not in blends. While blends are convenient, the oils can deteriorate faster in a blend than when stored separately.
Use your oils in a nebulizing or ionizing diffuser. This can be used one of two ways:
To disinfect a room
To use as a breathing treatment (inhalation of oils)
Oils to use would be thyme, lavender, rosemary, eucalyptus, sage, and oregano.
This is certainly not every herb possible that would be beneficial. These are just the ones that I picked. Feel free to leave questions and comments below
Caplock50
I am the Winter Warrior
Herbs for the Liver
www.HerbalPrepper.com | dandelion
Dandelion
So much of our health depends on the liver. This is where I start in many of the protocols I put together. The goal here would be to support and nourish the liver, to encourage healing and cell regeneration, as opposed to heavy stimulation and “cleansing” of the liver. In a weakened state, any detoxing (in my opinion) should be done in a gentle way, with emphasis on restorative herbs.
Milk Thistle
This herb has a well-deserved reputation for protecting the liver. It’s constituent, silymarin helps regenerate liver cells and specifically protects the liver from damage due to viruses. It is known for being able to keep the liver alive even if the person consumes “death cap mushroom”. It is easy to obtain in the US, and milk thistle tincture is something I always stock.
Dandelion
The root of dandelion is one of the most familiar bitter, digestive herbs. It is supportive to the liver, kidneys, and urinary tract. Dandelion is commonly blended with milk thistle.
Chicory
Protective to both the liver and the heart,and anti-inflammatory. Roasted chicory makes a nice coffee substitute, along with roasted dandelion root, without depleting necessary minerals from the body.
Schizandra
Like milk thistle, it is used to regenerate liver cells in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Anything that can protect, support, and regenerate liver cells would be useful.
Burdock
Nutritive to the liver. While it has a cleansing action, it is also rich in minerals, and a good balance between the cleansing and restoring.
Barberry
Barberry is a specific for the liver, helping to move along a sluggish liver. In addition to it supporting liver function, it also has anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial actions. While Ebola is a virus, barberry is very helpful in addressing other secondary infection.
Herbs for the Kidneys
Nettle
Both the leaves and the seeds- Nettle seed has shown in a few recent case studies to be renal-protective. The leaves are diuretic
www.HerbalPrepper.com | Prepping for a Pandemic | Ebola | Nettle
Nettle flowers
and one of the most nutrient-dense herbal allies we have. Susun Weed says nettle is nourishing for both the kidneys and the adrenals. For more information on nettle, check out this episode of Herbal Prepper Live, Stinging Nettle- The Neglected Superfood.
Corn Silk
The silk from an ear of corn has an anti-inflammatory action on the kidneys and urinary tract. Corn silk is mildly astringent and contains tannins which may help ease some of the diarrhea, but wouldn’t be as strong in tannins as something like oak bark. Corn silk also has Vitamin K, which helps encourage blood clotting.
Marshmallow Root
This demulcent herb is a gentle diuretic. It will help support urine and waste products flowing out of the body, which the kidneys will need to function properly, while simultaneously soothing the urinary tissues. The mucilaginous nature of marshmallow will also sooth other irritated tissues.
Antiviral Herbs
Elder
In Stephen Harrod Buhner’s intensely researched and important book, Herbal Antivirals, he cites the compounds in elder are particularly active against enveloped viruses, including filoviruses, such as Marburg and Ebola.
Andrographis
Potent antimicrobial herb, as well as hemostatic herb. However, the taste can be rather bitter and harsh. If it were me, I would encapsulate powdered andrographis.
Licorice
Potent antiviral, excellent as a synergist, demulcent and soothing to tissues. There is nothing to suggest that licorice has any property unique to fighting something like Ebola. However, it is an effective antiviral for many types of viruses, and its use as a synergist would increase the effectiveness of whatever else it was blended with.
Coagulant/Antihemorrhagic Herbs
Andrographis
In addition to the properties already mentioned, andrographis also acts as a coagulant, making it a good candidate for a well-reasoned, worst-case scenario treatment for something like Ebola or other hemorrhagic fevers.
Agrimony
Known for treating battlefield wounds, agrimony is also supportive to the gall bladder, liver, and urinary tract. It is a coagulant that may help with internal bleeding.
Shepherd’s Purse
One of the most important herbs I keep on hand to prevent hemorrhaging for postpartum women, I could easily see shepherd’s purse being valuable for those with Ebola.
Papaya Leaf
While not directly a coagulant in action, papaya leaf has been shown to increase blood platelet counts. Platelets help form clots, so the more platelets in your blood the easier it is for the blood to form clots.
www,HerbalPreppercom | Prepping for a Pandemic | Ebola | Hemostatic Herbs | Yarrow
Yarrow Photo credit: Randi Hausken via flickr
Yarrow
Yarrow has some very unique abilities to control blood, not just to stop the bleeding. It’s complex nature allows it to control the blood, causing it to flow when necessary and clotting it when necessary. It has been used to stop internal and external bleeding, and has been used for everything from bleeding gums to dysentery. It can help reduce fever, as well as relieve pain For more information on yarrow, here’s a thorough article from Rosalee of Methow Valley Herbs, as well as the yarrow episode of my podcast.
Digestive System Herbs
Ginger
Excellent for nausea, calming intestinal cramps, adaptogenic, antispasmodic, and anti-inflammatory. Most potent when taken as juice (can be stablized and stored in a cool place in a formula of 20% grain alcohol an 80% juice), but a decoction of the fresh rhizome is the next best option. This works very well made into a syrup. Could also be made into candied ginger.
Peppermint
Extremely safe herb, easy to grow, helps deter mosquitoes, mice, and ants. Peppermint helps alleviate nausea, calms intestinal cramping, and can be added to herbal blends to improve taste.
Herbs for Immune Support
Astragalus
This is one of my favorite and most used herbs. I put this in my chicken stock, in my triple tonic syrup, and anywhere that I can sneak it in. It’s an adaptogenic, antiviral, and immunostimulant herb that is part of an herbal approach for cancer patients to rebuild their immune system after chemotherapy. It helps to raise the T-cell count and reverse T-cell abnormalities after cancer treatments. It has a mildly sweet flavor that fades into the background, so it’s easy to blend with just about everything.
www.HerbalPreppr.com | Prepping for a Pandemic | Ebola | Herbs | Cleavers
Cleavers
Cleavers
Cleavers is a gentle, but effective lymph-mover. The lymphatic system is a filtration system that also lacks a pump. The cardiovascular system has the heart, but there’s nothing pumping the lymph. Normally, daily movement, whether it’s structured (like a trip to the gym) or built into you normal daily activities, is usually sufficient to move lymphatic fluids.
Drinking lots of water, herbs that help support the lymphatic system, lymphatic drainage massage (ultra-light movements that progress joint by joint on the body with pressure no heavier than that of a quarter), and intentional deep breathing can help get things moving when daily movement isn’t enough, or if one is sedentary or bed-ridden. It is important to move the lymphatic fluid, as this is what carries away the the metabolic waste and impurities to be filtered out of the body.
Cleavers is also a diuretic, and helps to relieve kidney discomforts.
Odds & Ends- Herbs and Other “Stuff”
Genistein
An article on GreenMedInfo.com mentioned research on a plant-derived substance called genistein and it’s effectiveness on filoviruses, like Marburg and Ebola. When genistein was given to hamsters which were infected with viral hemorrhagic fever, this led to a “significant increase in the survival and to the amelioration of VHF disease signs.”
According to the article, genistein is a wide spectrum antiviral and is found in fermented soy products, fava beans, kudzu, coffee, and red clover.
Vitamin K
Anyone who is taking blood thinners has been warned not to eat foods high in Vitamin K. Why? Because Vitamin K helps the blood to clot. If you’re on blood thinners, it’s because you are at risk of developing a blood clot and having a heart attack or stroke. However, if you need help making the blood thicker and help it to create more clotting factors, then Vitamin K is your friend.
You can stock up on foods rich in Vitamin K, such as kale, spinach, beet greens, swiss chard, and broccoli. Or, you can make your own liquid Vitamin K supplement. Homebirth midwives sometimes give this to newborns. You can purchase it from homebirth supply companies, but it’s very easy (and far less costly) to make it from herbs at home, as either a tincture or an infused oil of nettle, alfalfa, and shepherd’s purse.
Bone Broth
Intestinal health and immune function are intertwined (as are all systems linked from a holistic view of health). Bone broth, like homemade chicken stock with all its wonderful gelatin and nutrients, is healing to the gut. As I mentioned above, I take this opportunity to add astragalus to my chicken stock, along with plenty of garlic and onions. I make it in my crockpot, and I always have a batch going. I posted how I make bone broth to my other site, HomesteadingMom.com.
What Would An Herbal Treatment Plan Look Like
For the sake of completion in this hypothetical scenario, this is what an herbal protocol might look like for someone who has started showing symptoms of a hemorrhagic fever. This could be used by those trying to avoid getting sick as well as those who already are sick with some minor variations.
These are only general concepts, not specific instructions. Please search my site for how to make tinctures, teas, syrups.
Herbal & Nutritional Support
Liver & Kidney Support Tincture
Milk thistle
Dandelion
Nettle seed
Burdock
Barberry
Cleavers
Anti-Viral & Immune Function tincture
Elderberry
Ginger
Clove
Garlic
Licorice
Oatstraw
Astragalus
Soothing Syrup- (Honey-based syrup)
Corn silk
Marshmallow root
Licorice
Peppermint
Herbal Multivitamin, with extra Vitamin K (Honey- or molasses-based syrup)
Nettles
Alfalfa
Shepherd’s purse
Red clover
Red raspberry
Yellow dock
Anti-Hemorrhagic + Vit K Tincture (do not take if you are on blood thinners)
Agrimony
Papaya leaf
Yarrow
Shepherd’s purse
Nettle leaf
Alfalfa lead
Capsules
Andrographis- potent antiviral
Chlorella- nutritional supplement
Additional/optional:
Chicken stock- have available to sip as often as possible all day.
Organic tofu- I have no idea how to DIY this, but most soybeans are GMO- look for organic.
Coconut water- better for staying hydrated than plain water.
Ginger or peppermint syrup for digestive support
Meal Replacement Shake
Final Thoughts
There is not much that is known about this virus. It spreads and kills quickly, too quickly for it to be profitable to pharmaceutical companies. There is huge pressure on now to develop a vaccine, now that Ebola stands on the threshold of becoming the next deadly, worldwide pandemic. But, even if that’s possible and one is developed, will it be put into production fast enough?
I recall reading the comments following an online article regarding Ebola where certain people were commenting in a sort of an online, communal, “pat on the back” to each other for having no concerns about Ebola because here in the US, we have “universal precautions”. One rather shocking comment was, “The highest mortality rates are for people who received no medical at all. As soon as you add in minimal supportive care the mortality rate drops to 60%.”
Seriously? (Yes, that was a bit snarky of me. This irked me, and I’m leaving that snark right there.)
Universal precautions were in place in the clinics set up by Doctors Without Borders. And yet, over a hundred of their workers still became infected. It only takes simple human error, a single misstep, that allows Ebola the opportunity to infect another person. And the casual way this commenter said that “the mortality rate drops to 60%” as if that’s no big deal, shows no grasp whatsoever of the devastation this disease with that mortality rate would do to the American population. How anyone could possibly be casual about a mortality rate that would wipe out almost two thirds of the people that were infected by it is a reason to take pause.
We have been very fortunate as a nation for our good health, our medical advances, and our standard of living. We are not burdened by the fears of losing a child to measles, or tuberculosis, and certainly not to Ebola. We have had antibiotics and vaccines for decades, and nearly wiped out infectious disease for multiple generations in our country. We have indeed been fortunate.
However, we are now at the end of the age of antibiotics, where bacteria continue to develop resistance mechanisms that defeat even the most powerful of antibiotic drugs. Vaccines can take a long time to create, and are not a guarantee of immunity. Our immunity to many diseases that are life threatening elsewhere is in jeopardy as the nutrition in our food is depleted through modern, chemical-laden farming practices and the ever-rising cost of industrial-produced food pushes access to healthier choices out of the reach of grocery store shoppers. The return of infectious disease is inevitable.
It seems to me now that it has also caused us to grow arrogant and complacent. There is are those of us that truly believe that nothing will bad ever happen. That attitude we be our undoing.
There are still a lot of unknowns about Ebola. One nagging question I have, and hopefully there’s a really simple, easy answer for this: I want to know why the CDC’s website still only lists 5 strains of Ebola, when this current strain was clearly demonstrated not to be the Zaire strain, but a new strain. I have followed this story closely, and I haven’t seen anything explaining this.
To close this on a more positive note, there has been renewed pressure on researchers to develop an Ebola vaccine. There is also new hope for treatment with a serum produced with the help of tobacco plants. Hopefully, a successful treatment will be found quickly, before the disease spreads into more countries. If not, and the absolutely worst-case scenario comes to pass and we are left to care for ourselves, I hope what I’ve compiled here may be of use.
www.HerbalPrepper.com | dandelion
Dandelion
So much of our health depends on the liver. This is where I start in many of the protocols I put together. The goal here would be to support and nourish the liver, to encourage healing and cell regeneration, as opposed to heavy stimulation and “cleansing” of the liver. In a weakened state, any detoxing (in my opinion) should be done in a gentle way, with emphasis on restorative herbs.
Milk Thistle
This herb has a well-deserved reputation for protecting the liver. It’s constituent, silymarin helps regenerate liver cells and specifically protects the liver from damage due to viruses. It is known for being able to keep the liver alive even if the person consumes “death cap mushroom”. It is easy to obtain in the US, and milk thistle tincture is something I always stock.
Dandelion
The root of dandelion is one of the most familiar bitter, digestive herbs. It is supportive to the liver, kidneys, and urinary tract. Dandelion is commonly blended with milk thistle.
Chicory
Protective to both the liver and the heart,and anti-inflammatory. Roasted chicory makes a nice coffee substitute, along with roasted dandelion root, without depleting necessary minerals from the body.
Schizandra
Like milk thistle, it is used to regenerate liver cells in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Anything that can protect, support, and regenerate liver cells would be useful.
Burdock
Nutritive to the liver. While it has a cleansing action, it is also rich in minerals, and a good balance between the cleansing and restoring.
Barberry
Barberry is a specific for the liver, helping to move along a sluggish liver. In addition to it supporting liver function, it also has anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial actions. While Ebola is a virus, barberry is very helpful in addressing other secondary infection.
Herbs for the Kidneys
Nettle
Both the leaves and the seeds- Nettle seed has shown in a few recent case studies to be renal-protective. The leaves are diuretic
www.HerbalPrepper.com | Prepping for a Pandemic | Ebola | Nettle
Nettle flowers
and one of the most nutrient-dense herbal allies we have. Susun Weed says nettle is nourishing for both the kidneys and the adrenals. For more information on nettle, check out this episode of Herbal Prepper Live, Stinging Nettle- The Neglected Superfood.
Corn Silk
The silk from an ear of corn has an anti-inflammatory action on the kidneys and urinary tract. Corn silk is mildly astringent and contains tannins which may help ease some of the diarrhea, but wouldn’t be as strong in tannins as something like oak bark. Corn silk also has Vitamin K, which helps encourage blood clotting.
Marshmallow Root
This demulcent herb is a gentle diuretic. It will help support urine and waste products flowing out of the body, which the kidneys will need to function properly, while simultaneously soothing the urinary tissues. The mucilaginous nature of marshmallow will also sooth other irritated tissues.
Antiviral Herbs
Elder
In Stephen Harrod Buhner’s intensely researched and important book, Herbal Antivirals, he cites the compounds in elder are particularly active against enveloped viruses, including filoviruses, such as Marburg and Ebola.
Andrographis
Potent antimicrobial herb, as well as hemostatic herb. However, the taste can be rather bitter and harsh. If it were me, I would encapsulate powdered andrographis.
Licorice
Potent antiviral, excellent as a synergist, demulcent and soothing to tissues. There is nothing to suggest that licorice has any property unique to fighting something like Ebola. However, it is an effective antiviral for many types of viruses, and its use as a synergist would increase the effectiveness of whatever else it was blended with.
Coagulant/Antihemorrhagic Herbs
Andrographis
In addition to the properties already mentioned, andrographis also acts as a coagulant, making it a good candidate for a well-reasoned, worst-case scenario treatment for something like Ebola or other hemorrhagic fevers.
Agrimony
Known for treating battlefield wounds, agrimony is also supportive to the gall bladder, liver, and urinary tract. It is a coagulant that may help with internal bleeding.
Shepherd’s Purse
One of the most important herbs I keep on hand to prevent hemorrhaging for postpartum women, I could easily see shepherd’s purse being valuable for those with Ebola.
Papaya Leaf
While not directly a coagulant in action, papaya leaf has been shown to increase blood platelet counts. Platelets help form clots, so the more platelets in your blood the easier it is for the blood to form clots.
www,HerbalPreppercom | Prepping for a Pandemic | Ebola | Hemostatic Herbs | Yarrow
Yarrow Photo credit: Randi Hausken via flickr
Yarrow
Yarrow has some very unique abilities to control blood, not just to stop the bleeding. It’s complex nature allows it to control the blood, causing it to flow when necessary and clotting it when necessary. It has been used to stop internal and external bleeding, and has been used for everything from bleeding gums to dysentery. It can help reduce fever, as well as relieve pain For more information on yarrow, here’s a thorough article from Rosalee of Methow Valley Herbs, as well as the yarrow episode of my podcast.
Digestive System Herbs
Ginger
Excellent for nausea, calming intestinal cramps, adaptogenic, antispasmodic, and anti-inflammatory. Most potent when taken as juice (can be stablized and stored in a cool place in a formula of 20% grain alcohol an 80% juice), but a decoction of the fresh rhizome is the next best option. This works very well made into a syrup. Could also be made into candied ginger.
Peppermint
Extremely safe herb, easy to grow, helps deter mosquitoes, mice, and ants. Peppermint helps alleviate nausea, calms intestinal cramping, and can be added to herbal blends to improve taste.
Herbs for Immune Support
Astragalus
This is one of my favorite and most used herbs. I put this in my chicken stock, in my triple tonic syrup, and anywhere that I can sneak it in. It’s an adaptogenic, antiviral, and immunostimulant herb that is part of an herbal approach for cancer patients to rebuild their immune system after chemotherapy. It helps to raise the T-cell count and reverse T-cell abnormalities after cancer treatments. It has a mildly sweet flavor that fades into the background, so it’s easy to blend with just about everything.
www.HerbalPreppr.com | Prepping for a Pandemic | Ebola | Herbs | Cleavers
Cleavers
Cleavers
Cleavers is a gentle, but effective lymph-mover. The lymphatic system is a filtration system that also lacks a pump. The cardiovascular system has the heart, but there’s nothing pumping the lymph. Normally, daily movement, whether it’s structured (like a trip to the gym) or built into you normal daily activities, is usually sufficient to move lymphatic fluids.
Drinking lots of water, herbs that help support the lymphatic system, lymphatic drainage massage (ultra-light movements that progress joint by joint on the body with pressure no heavier than that of a quarter), and intentional deep breathing can help get things moving when daily movement isn’t enough, or if one is sedentary or bed-ridden. It is important to move the lymphatic fluid, as this is what carries away the the metabolic waste and impurities to be filtered out of the body.
Cleavers is also a diuretic, and helps to relieve kidney discomforts.
Odds & Ends- Herbs and Other “Stuff”
Genistein
An article on GreenMedInfo.com mentioned research on a plant-derived substance called genistein and it’s effectiveness on filoviruses, like Marburg and Ebola. When genistein was given to hamsters which were infected with viral hemorrhagic fever, this led to a “significant increase in the survival and to the amelioration of VHF disease signs.”
According to the article, genistein is a wide spectrum antiviral and is found in fermented soy products, fava beans, kudzu, coffee, and red clover.
Vitamin K
Anyone who is taking blood thinners has been warned not to eat foods high in Vitamin K. Why? Because Vitamin K helps the blood to clot. If you’re on blood thinners, it’s because you are at risk of developing a blood clot and having a heart attack or stroke. However, if you need help making the blood thicker and help it to create more clotting factors, then Vitamin K is your friend.
You can stock up on foods rich in Vitamin K, such as kale, spinach, beet greens, swiss chard, and broccoli. Or, you can make your own liquid Vitamin K supplement. Homebirth midwives sometimes give this to newborns. You can purchase it from homebirth supply companies, but it’s very easy (and far less costly) to make it from herbs at home, as either a tincture or an infused oil of nettle, alfalfa, and shepherd’s purse.
Bone Broth
Intestinal health and immune function are intertwined (as are all systems linked from a holistic view of health). Bone broth, like homemade chicken stock with all its wonderful gelatin and nutrients, is healing to the gut. As I mentioned above, I take this opportunity to add astragalus to my chicken stock, along with plenty of garlic and onions. I make it in my crockpot, and I always have a batch going. I posted how I make bone broth to my other site, HomesteadingMom.com.
What Would An Herbal Treatment Plan Look Like
For the sake of completion in this hypothetical scenario, this is what an herbal protocol might look like for someone who has started showing symptoms of a hemorrhagic fever. This could be used by those trying to avoid getting sick as well as those who already are sick with some minor variations.
These are only general concepts, not specific instructions. Please search my site for how to make tinctures, teas, syrups.
Herbal & Nutritional Support
Liver & Kidney Support Tincture
Milk thistle
Dandelion
Nettle seed
Burdock
Barberry
Cleavers
Anti-Viral & Immune Function tincture
Elderberry
Ginger
Clove
Garlic
Licorice
Oatstraw
Astragalus
Soothing Syrup- (Honey-based syrup)
Corn silk
Marshmallow root
Licorice
Peppermint
Herbal Multivitamin, with extra Vitamin K (Honey- or molasses-based syrup)
Nettles
Alfalfa
Shepherd’s purse
Red clover
Red raspberry
Yellow dock
Anti-Hemorrhagic + Vit K Tincture (do not take if you are on blood thinners)
Agrimony
Papaya leaf
Yarrow
Shepherd’s purse
Nettle leaf
Alfalfa lead
Capsules
Andrographis- potent antiviral
Chlorella- nutritional supplement
Additional/optional:
Chicken stock- have available to sip as often as possible all day.
Organic tofu- I have no idea how to DIY this, but most soybeans are GMO- look for organic.
Coconut water- better for staying hydrated than plain water.
Ginger or peppermint syrup for digestive support
Meal Replacement Shake
Final Thoughts
There is not much that is known about this virus. It spreads and kills quickly, too quickly for it to be profitable to pharmaceutical companies. There is huge pressure on now to develop a vaccine, now that Ebola stands on the threshold of becoming the next deadly, worldwide pandemic. But, even if that’s possible and one is developed, will it be put into production fast enough?
I recall reading the comments following an online article regarding Ebola where certain people were commenting in a sort of an online, communal, “pat on the back” to each other for having no concerns about Ebola because here in the US, we have “universal precautions”. One rather shocking comment was, “The highest mortality rates are for people who received no medical at all. As soon as you add in minimal supportive care the mortality rate drops to 60%.”
Seriously? (Yes, that was a bit snarky of me. This irked me, and I’m leaving that snark right there.)
Universal precautions were in place in the clinics set up by Doctors Without Borders. And yet, over a hundred of their workers still became infected. It only takes simple human error, a single misstep, that allows Ebola the opportunity to infect another person. And the casual way this commenter said that “the mortality rate drops to 60%” as if that’s no big deal, shows no grasp whatsoever of the devastation this disease with that mortality rate would do to the American population. How anyone could possibly be casual about a mortality rate that would wipe out almost two thirds of the people that were infected by it is a reason to take pause.
We have been very fortunate as a nation for our good health, our medical advances, and our standard of living. We are not burdened by the fears of losing a child to measles, or tuberculosis, and certainly not to Ebola. We have had antibiotics and vaccines for decades, and nearly wiped out infectious disease for multiple generations in our country. We have indeed been fortunate.
However, we are now at the end of the age of antibiotics, where bacteria continue to develop resistance mechanisms that defeat even the most powerful of antibiotic drugs. Vaccines can take a long time to create, and are not a guarantee of immunity. Our immunity to many diseases that are life threatening elsewhere is in jeopardy as the nutrition in our food is depleted through modern, chemical-laden farming practices and the ever-rising cost of industrial-produced food pushes access to healthier choices out of the reach of grocery store shoppers. The return of infectious disease is inevitable.
It seems to me now that it has also caused us to grow arrogant and complacent. There is are those of us that truly believe that nothing will bad ever happen. That attitude we be our undoing.
There are still a lot of unknowns about Ebola. One nagging question I have, and hopefully there’s a really simple, easy answer for this: I want to know why the CDC’s website still only lists 5 strains of Ebola, when this current strain was clearly demonstrated not to be the Zaire strain, but a new strain. I have followed this story closely, and I haven’t seen anything explaining this.
To close this on a more positive note, there has been renewed pressure on researchers to develop an Ebola vaccine. There is also new hope for treatment with a serum produced with the help of tobacco plants. Hopefully, a successful treatment will be found quickly, before the disease spreads into more countries. If not, and the absolutely worst-case scenario comes to pass and we are left to care for ourselves, I hope what I’ve compiled here may be of use.
Caplock50
I am the Winter Warrior
Will taking and using any of these herbals do any good? Who knows? will taking and using what the government hands out to you do any good? Who knows?
What we *do* know is that there is no cure for Ebola. All anyone, 'Modern Medic" or Herbalist, can do is 'treat the symptoms'. In other words, even with all his modern medical knowledge, equipment, and medicines, all a doctor can do is nothing more than a doctor back in 1800 could do...'treat the symptoms and pray the patient lives'. Which is basically all an Herbalist can do also.
They've already put it out that the new vaccine is in extremely short supply...and that it is the only hope for a 'medical' recovery. So, since you won't be getting any of that serum/vaccine, why not try the 'alternative'? Where's the harm in trying something that is naturally good for your body anyway?
What we *do* know is that there is no cure for Ebola. All anyone, 'Modern Medic" or Herbalist, can do is 'treat the symptoms'. In other words, even with all his modern medical knowledge, equipment, and medicines, all a doctor can do is nothing more than a doctor back in 1800 could do...'treat the symptoms and pray the patient lives'. Which is basically all an Herbalist can do also.
They've already put it out that the new vaccine is in extremely short supply...and that it is the only hope for a 'medical' recovery. So, since you won't be getting any of that serum/vaccine, why not try the 'alternative'? Where's the harm in trying something that is naturally good for your body anyway?
Moggy
Veteran Member
It could be a few reasons...perhaps a wrong homeopathic remedy for the issue; perhaps the herbs have lost their effectiveness. In the case of EOs, are you also using direct application? Could you give an example of an issue and how you've treated it?
Caplock50...good stuff!
Be Well
may all be well
If anyone counts on being able to cure ebola with anything no matter herbal, EO, vitamin, homeopathic or any other type of of remedy, and therefore doesn't protect themselves very well from getting it, this would be a very bad mistake. Every remedy is so far theoretical. My plan is to NOT GET IT.
packyderms_wife
Neither here nor there.
Your father is a very wise man! Some of hte protocols here will help you out if you catch the flu, and seriously a person with a depressed immune system is going to have a much harder time surviving ebola than someone who is healthy, so if the flu is going through your area stay home and try to stay healthy!
msswv123
Veteran Member
Balanced Immune Response May Fight Ebola
By PHILIP J. HILTS
Published: March 30, 1999
The early moments after patients are infected with the feared Ebola virus may be the most important to their survival, researchers report this week in the journal Nature Medicine.
A French team working in Gabon in West Africa have taken and analyzed blood samples from 11 patients infected during outbreaks in Gabon and Congo. This sampling is in itself a feat because outbreaks have so far only taken place in very remote areas and because those who contract the disease die swiftly.
Ebola is a rare viral disease, confined to occasional outbreaks in Africa since its first appearance in 1979. But this exotic virus gets attention disproportionate to its human toll for two reasons. First, the virus kills 70 percent of those it infects, and kills horribly, with the disease advancing from fever to massive bloody hemorrhaging in a space of 10 days. Second, researchers worry that Ebola may not remain forever in its remote jungle confines, but may one day break out.
Led by Dr. Sylvain Baize and Eric M. Leroy of the International Center for Medical Research in Gabon, the team found a striking difference in the first days of the infection between those who would eventually die and those who would survive.
Of the 11 patients from whom blood was taken, four survived and are now believed immune to further Ebola infection.
The research focused on the differences between those who lived and those who died. They discovered that the immune defenses in the two groups were quite distinct.
The immune system puts up two general types of defense against invading microbes. In one, the humoral system, antibodies identify and latch on to the invading bugs. In the other, the cellular system, defenders spot cells that the invading bugs have infected.
Among the surviving patients, the immune defenses were stable enough to produce a good humoral response, including antibodies to attack the virus, as well as a good cellular response, including a substantial number of ''killer cells'' (or cytotoxic T cells) and modest amounts of interferon, the body's own antiviral substance. Thus, there appeared to be a balanced attack from both humoral and cellular defenses.
These patients were able to clear much of the Ebola out of their blood, then continued to produce both ''killer'' cells and interferon to suppress further multiplication of the viruses.
By contrast, the immune systems of the majority, those who did not survive the infection, failed to give a balanced defense within the first two to three days after infection. They had a poor showing of antibodies, but at the same time apparently produced too much of the cellular kind of defense, as signaled by excessive production of interferon.
One possibility is that the overly robust response of one part of the immune system may be giving falsely strong signals, thereby passing information that would suppress the other side of the defense. Or, possibly, the patient was infected by so much virus that it overwhelmed one half of the immune system's defenses.
The lack of one kind of defense and excess of another suggests that a good strategy to attack Ebola infection may be to intervene in the body to balance the two kinds of defenses by enhancing one or depressing the other.
Dr. Philip K. Russell, emeritus professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, said the work represented an important step in understanding how Ebola works.
Dr. Pierre Rollin, of the Special Pathogens Branch at the Federal Centers for Disease Control, said the work would help researchers test ideas. For example, therapies that would suppress the interferon production and related cellular immune defenses might now be put at the top of the list to try, he said. But therapies that used interferon as a treatment might be ruled out.
http://www.nytimes.com/1999/03/30/health/balanced-immune-response-may-fight-ebola.html
By PHILIP J. HILTS
Published: March 30, 1999
The early moments after patients are infected with the feared Ebola virus may be the most important to their survival, researchers report this week in the journal Nature Medicine.
A French team working in Gabon in West Africa have taken and analyzed blood samples from 11 patients infected during outbreaks in Gabon and Congo. This sampling is in itself a feat because outbreaks have so far only taken place in very remote areas and because those who contract the disease die swiftly.
Ebola is a rare viral disease, confined to occasional outbreaks in Africa since its first appearance in 1979. But this exotic virus gets attention disproportionate to its human toll for two reasons. First, the virus kills 70 percent of those it infects, and kills horribly, with the disease advancing from fever to massive bloody hemorrhaging in a space of 10 days. Second, researchers worry that Ebola may not remain forever in its remote jungle confines, but may one day break out.
Led by Dr. Sylvain Baize and Eric M. Leroy of the International Center for Medical Research in Gabon, the team found a striking difference in the first days of the infection between those who would eventually die and those who would survive.
Of the 11 patients from whom blood was taken, four survived and are now believed immune to further Ebola infection.
The research focused on the differences between those who lived and those who died. They discovered that the immune defenses in the two groups were quite distinct.
The immune system puts up two general types of defense against invading microbes. In one, the humoral system, antibodies identify and latch on to the invading bugs. In the other, the cellular system, defenders spot cells that the invading bugs have infected.
Among the surviving patients, the immune defenses were stable enough to produce a good humoral response, including antibodies to attack the virus, as well as a good cellular response, including a substantial number of ''killer cells'' (or cytotoxic T cells) and modest amounts of interferon, the body's own antiviral substance. Thus, there appeared to be a balanced attack from both humoral and cellular defenses.
These patients were able to clear much of the Ebola out of their blood, then continued to produce both ''killer'' cells and interferon to suppress further multiplication of the viruses.
By contrast, the immune systems of the majority, those who did not survive the infection, failed to give a balanced defense within the first two to three days after infection. They had a poor showing of antibodies, but at the same time apparently produced too much of the cellular kind of defense, as signaled by excessive production of interferon.
One possibility is that the overly robust response of one part of the immune system may be giving falsely strong signals, thereby passing information that would suppress the other side of the defense. Or, possibly, the patient was infected by so much virus that it overwhelmed one half of the immune system's defenses.
The lack of one kind of defense and excess of another suggests that a good strategy to attack Ebola infection may be to intervene in the body to balance the two kinds of defenses by enhancing one or depressing the other.
Dr. Philip K. Russell, emeritus professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, said the work represented an important step in understanding how Ebola works.
Dr. Pierre Rollin, of the Special Pathogens Branch at the Federal Centers for Disease Control, said the work would help researchers test ideas. For example, therapies that would suppress the interferon production and related cellular immune defenses might now be put at the top of the list to try, he said. But therapies that used interferon as a treatment might be ruled out.
http://www.nytimes.com/1999/03/30/health/balanced-immune-response-may-fight-ebola.html
msswv123
Veteran Member
Ebola Virus: Expert Says Healthy Lifestyle Can Build Immunity
A Medical Virologist, Dr. Deborah Ehichioya, has provided more insight into the Ebola virus and advised Nigerians on embracing the healthy lifestyle as a way to combat the virus and reduce its devastating effect.
The doctor, who was part of the team that worked on the specimen of the Liberian, Mr Sawyer, who died of the Ebola virus in Nigeria in July, was on the Thursday edition of Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily to speak about ways of preventing and managing the disease.
Having explained the processes involved in discovering the virus from the suspected specimen of the late Liberian, she reiterated that once the infection sets in and is replicated on the rest of the body system, then definitely one can contract it if in contact with body fluids.
She, however, noted that the incubation period of 2 to 21 days depends on the individual carrier’s level of immunity as it is possible to get symptoms as early as the first two days of infection if the immunity of the carrier is already compromised. The implication of this is that the disease can be spread through such persons much faster.
Dr. Ehichioya stated that the most important thing would be to start surveillance immediately anyone comes in contact with a confirmed victim of the virus, adding also that the process of isolation requires that the patients are constantly tested.
On what to do when one is aware that he may have been in contact with the virus, Dr. Ehichioya advised that one checks into an hospital voluntarily and reveal the type of contact, how long ago the contact was made and be ready to be quarantined, as such person, ideally, should not be allowed to go out again.
She added that a strong immune system has been proven to be a good way for the human body to combat any virus and Nigerians should embrace the healthy lifestyle to boost their immunity. She recommended healthy diet, exercise, staying away from alcohol and tobacco, as ways to boost one’s immunity as this would stretch the incubation period for the virus and give the infected person the grace of more time to be treated before falling ill .
On the chances of having more survivors, she explained that Intensive Supportive Care is a process of treating, individually, the different symptoms like vomiting, fever and diarrhea, that show up on the patients as a result of the Ebola infection and this has been the only process that has led to the survival of some lucky patients.
Referring to the Ebola virus as a Level 4 pathogen, which some Nigerian medical facilities have the capacity to detect, based on the experiences of handling the similar Lassa virus, she said that Nigeria only needs to upgrade some of its medical facilities to be able to deal with the Ebola virus.
She, however, did not rule out the possibility of the unapproved ZMapp being the solution to the virus, but also reiterated the need for the country to beef up the capacity of its special disease control centres to be able to handle situations like the Ebola.
She asked for the help of all Nigerians to combat the virus as medical practitioners cannot do it without the support of the citizens through better communication, prompt reporting of contacts and suspected cases, adherence to safety precautions, and avoidance of alarming or hyped messages capable of causing panic.
She also urged Nigerians to pray as Ebola is “a plague that God can take out” of the land.
Dr. Deborah Ehichioya is the Head of Virology Unit of the World Bank funded African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID) at the Redeemers’ University
http://www.channelstv.com/2014/08/07/ebola-virus-expert-says-healthy-lifestyle-can-build-immunity/
A Medical Virologist, Dr. Deborah Ehichioya, has provided more insight into the Ebola virus and advised Nigerians on embracing the healthy lifestyle as a way to combat the virus and reduce its devastating effect.
The doctor, who was part of the team that worked on the specimen of the Liberian, Mr Sawyer, who died of the Ebola virus in Nigeria in July, was on the Thursday edition of Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily to speak about ways of preventing and managing the disease.
Having explained the processes involved in discovering the virus from the suspected specimen of the late Liberian, she reiterated that once the infection sets in and is replicated on the rest of the body system, then definitely one can contract it if in contact with body fluids.
She, however, noted that the incubation period of 2 to 21 days depends on the individual carrier’s level of immunity as it is possible to get symptoms as early as the first two days of infection if the immunity of the carrier is already compromised. The implication of this is that the disease can be spread through such persons much faster.
Dr. Ehichioya stated that the most important thing would be to start surveillance immediately anyone comes in contact with a confirmed victim of the virus, adding also that the process of isolation requires that the patients are constantly tested.
On what to do when one is aware that he may have been in contact with the virus, Dr. Ehichioya advised that one checks into an hospital voluntarily and reveal the type of contact, how long ago the contact was made and be ready to be quarantined, as such person, ideally, should not be allowed to go out again.
She added that a strong immune system has been proven to be a good way for the human body to combat any virus and Nigerians should embrace the healthy lifestyle to boost their immunity. She recommended healthy diet, exercise, staying away from alcohol and tobacco, as ways to boost one’s immunity as this would stretch the incubation period for the virus and give the infected person the grace of more time to be treated before falling ill .
On the chances of having more survivors, she explained that Intensive Supportive Care is a process of treating, individually, the different symptoms like vomiting, fever and diarrhea, that show up on the patients as a result of the Ebola infection and this has been the only process that has led to the survival of some lucky patients.
Referring to the Ebola virus as a Level 4 pathogen, which some Nigerian medical facilities have the capacity to detect, based on the experiences of handling the similar Lassa virus, she said that Nigeria only needs to upgrade some of its medical facilities to be able to deal with the Ebola virus.
She, however, did not rule out the possibility of the unapproved ZMapp being the solution to the virus, but also reiterated the need for the country to beef up the capacity of its special disease control centres to be able to handle situations like the Ebola.
She asked for the help of all Nigerians to combat the virus as medical practitioners cannot do it without the support of the citizens through better communication, prompt reporting of contacts and suspected cases, adherence to safety precautions, and avoidance of alarming or hyped messages capable of causing panic.
She also urged Nigerians to pray as Ebola is “a plague that God can take out” of the land.
Dr. Deborah Ehichioya is the Head of Virology Unit of the World Bank funded African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID) at the Redeemers’ University
http://www.channelstv.com/2014/08/07/ebola-virus-expert-says-healthy-lifestyle-can-build-immunity/