Good morning all! On NPR yesterday evening it was reported that France is now pushing much stricter vaccine requirements for all people who want to do anything in public. And suddenly, all these French people are rushing to get vaccines. It's a little hilarious but very interesting at the same time because France was one of those places …
Good morning all! On NPR yesterday evening it was reported that France is now pushing much stricter vaccine requirements for all people who want to do anything in public. And suddenly, all these French people are rushing to get vaccines. It's a little hilarious but very interesting at the same time because France was one of those places hugely resistant to vaccines of any kind (despite being, as Macron said, the birthplace of Pasteur in one of his more elliptical lines, since Pasteur is best know for making milk safe to drink). But they want to sit in restaurants and go to museums and concerts so suddenly they're all about vaccines. https://www.npr.org/2021/07/16/1017012860/people-will-soon-need-a-vaccine-pass-or-negative-test-to-enter-frances-restauran
I know that people will be yelping about "free speech" and, stunningly, men will whine about having the "government" making decisions about their "bodies" (don't even get me started), but this kind of universal "we're all in this together, you arses, so stop behaving like petulant children and grow up" message needs to be sent.
I think the Allies would have lost WWII if we all lived at that time. Can you imagine asking the population to sacrifice almost everything to support the troops? All I can say is thank you to the previous generations for their sacrifice and I am sorry that democracy is now at risk because of this generation's selfishness and disdain for the greater good.
This gives Americans too much credit. They love war, so their WWII enthusiasm is to be expected. Same for Korea, Vietnam, and Iraq. The same type of people who had so much fun with Vietnam and Iraq are the ones who are refusing to help out with public health. Freedom and liberty loonies, the dominant class among white Americans.
We could have been, anyway. Lindburgh, Kennedy Sr, and lots of orhers. Americans didn’t want to join the fight until they could kill people with non-European ancestors.
Americans didn't want to kill anyone until Pearl Harbor was attacked. If Pearl Harbor had been attacked by European military forces, Americans wouldn't have hesitated to attack the responsible European nation(s). If Germany and Italy hadn't declared war on the U.S. a few days after the Pearl Harbor attack--which they were required to do as part of the Tripartite agreement--it would have been harder to get American support to join the European war. Remember, George Washington had warned the U.S. to not get involved in the perpetual European wars.
In the book "The Splendid and the Vile" about Churchill & family during the Blitz, it is mentioned that letters in the mail were opened and censored during WWII in England. There was a list of some fabulous bits of dis-information that people were spreading through the most used personal communication vehicle of the day: written letters. This tendency to spread tall tales has been with us for a very long time. Just fast forward to internet speeds, social media, the lack of oversight, algorithms, political manipulation, misguided beliefs, useful idiots, and.... well on an on. Yeah, they censored things back then for the common good. But we can't get a handle on it today.
But we're not all in this together! Where were Dr. Fauci and other health leaders -- like public health offricials -- telling us how to boost our own immune systems so we'd be less susceptible to the worst effects? Why weren't governments handing out Vitamin C and D3, zinc and magnesium, all of which have been shown to stop the deadly cytokine storm? How many lives and how much suffering would have been avoided had these steps been taken? Where's the discussion and debate about all of this? Why has there been only one line: wait for the vaccine, get the vaccine, you're stupid/hateful/ignorant if you don't? Why is this the only vaccine ever to be pushed on everyone? This is not an anti-vaccine rant. Vaccines are great, no question. But there are alternatives and have been all along and these have been systematically suppressed and their proponents, including many doctors, have been vilified. And that's the big question: Why?
Ellie, vitamins and minerals do nothing to stop a cytokine storm nor viral infection in tour lungs. For general health I take a multivitamin daily, but I know that won’t save my lungs filling with virus and pus to the point I slowly and lonely suffocate/drown from lung tissue destruction.
There is research to support this. Furthermore, these are among the building blocks of our immune system, the very system that has kept the human race outliving viruses and bacteria for millenia. Keep it strong and this virus can't get strong. Furthermore, some studies have shown that the sickest patients are also those with the lowest levels of D3.
"Several recent studies have looked at the impact of vitamin D on COVID-19. One study of 489 people found that those who had a vitamin D deficiency were more likely to test positive for the virus that causes COVID-19 than people who had normal levels of vitamin D.
"Other research has observed high rates of vitamin D deficiency in people with COVID-19 who experienced acute respiratory failure. These people had a significantly higher risk of dying. And a small, randomized study found that of 50 people hospitalized with COVID-19 who were given a high dose of a type of vitamin D (calcifediol), only one needed treatment in the intensive care unit. In contrast, among the 26 people with COVID-19 who weren't given calcifediol, 13 needed to be treated in the intensive care unit."
Lynn, Made a crucial point in that the study indicated that there was not enough data to recommend vitamin D. In addition, 42% of the population is deficient in the vitamin. 'Prevalence of Vitamin D Deficiency and Associated Risk ...https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov › articles › PMC6075634 by NR Parva · 2018 · Cited by 116 — Race was identified as a significant risk factor, with African-American adults having the highest prevalence rate of vitamin D deficiency.' In addition, Black and Brown Americans have the highest risk factors for Covid as a result of other comorbidities, exposure through work and multi-generation families living in close quarters. A proper understanding of a study is necessary in order to evaluate it.
Nobody is actually arguing with the obvious fact that a vitamin D deficiency is bad for your immune system. What Lynn and others are looking for is research from reputable sources that support Ellie's more outrageous claims. E.g. "other approaches were purposely suppressed" and "Vitamin C and D3, zinc and magnesium, all of which have been shown to stop the deadly cytokine storm."
She has repeatedly claimed that "there are alternatives and have been all along and these have been systematically suppressed and their proponents, including many doctors, have been vilified" but has yet to offer a single piece of valid data that backs up these claims. Instead, she just repeats them.
The reality is that there are no other treatments *that have been demonstrated to be safe and effective* that have been "suppressed: by anyone. There's a lot of quackery out there that has bee properly debunked, but that's about it.
IMO Ellie and others pushing this idea should (but likely won't) read sciencebasedmedicine.org for some actual reality.
Ellie, we are all waiting for you to post evidence of that. please do. Yes, general individual health is product of a healthy diet, exercise, sleep, stress management for the individual. But even healthy individuals can get infected with Covid, have a mild case, or a stealthy asymptomatic case.... and what is happening during that healthy persons mild or asymptomatic infection? They are contributing to the spread, leading to outbreaks, leading to overwhelming hospitals so that needed treatments and care can not be made available, which leads to lockdowns, which only go further to disrupt lives and economies.
You agree, then, that if we all had strong immune systems, then most people got sick would have mild-moderate symptoms, and that that would slash the death rate? My point continues to be that the vaccines, as necessary as they are now, were not the only answer, that other approaches were purposely suppressed, and you have to ask why.
NO! I do not agree with your statement. It is with only depraved ignorance to claim that anything other than a vaccine will protect the public health during a viral pandemic.
Vaccines are the only way to stop the virus, for there is no mechanism for any vitamin or mineral to block entry of a virus into a host cell and there is no way either a vitamin or mineral inside a cell can stop viral replication. To claim otherwise demonstrates complete ignorance of basic cellular genetics, biology, physiology, and chemistry.
To quote a recent tweet by the leader of a major hospital system, "If you are making wildly disparaging comments about the vaccine, and have no public health expertise, you may be responsible for someone's death. Shut up."
I thought to jump into the fray between your comment above and some harsh comments below. Hopefully, this will help avoid the disconnect.
It's good that you mention the issue of vitamin and mineral supplements (Vit. C & D3, plus zinc and magnesium) to help with Covid prevention. I believe the disconnect with the other commenters is in understanding the role of these supplements. From my perspective, those substances can help in building a "tool kit" to provide some prevention to getting the disease. In the same vein, avoiding obesity is another helpful tool in that kit. These strategies will not give the same assurance as the vaccination against getting Covid. However, they are all tools to help us in that pursuit.
It is a shame that Fauci and the others don't mention these particular vitamin and mineral deficiencies, as well as the obesity issue, in addition to taking the vaccine. My own approach in trying to avoid Covid has been to: 1) take the vaccine; 2) take those vitamin and mineral supplements; 3) avoid obesity; and 4) exercise. (For me, that exercise includes Zumba which does me a world of good.) So far, so good in not getting Covid. At age 74 (tomorrow 75), I am grateful to have avoided it so far.
Please explain the physiology of the immune response to viral infection to the herd, and be specific about how vitamins and minerals detect, warn, deactivate, and clear the body’s system? We’re all waiting.
Well, at this stage, I really doubt that everyone is waiting. But more importantly here, what makes you think I have a Masters in Public Health??? Where is that in the comments? Thanks for the compliment, but believe me, MPHs have a lot more understanding in science and health issues than you or I. Have a nice day.
"It is a shame that Fauci and the others don't mention these particular vitamin and mineral deficiencies, as well as the obesity issue, in addition to taking the vaccine." I'm not sure whether Fauci ever discussed them or not. If not, it's probably because, while they're good guidelines for general health, they are of minimal usefulness in fighting a SARS-Cov-2 infection. Only a vaccine will do that. And there was (and still is) a lot of quackery out there promoting vitamins and other supplements as substitutes for a vaccine. Which they are not.
If you have a vitamin D deficiency, you should probably take a supplement. Ditto for other vitamin deficiencies. I'm taking D and B12 supplements at my doctor's recommendation for precisely those reasons. I'm not obese and I exercise (and have for decades). But I also got vaccinated as soon as possible.
Like you, I also got vaccinated as soon as possible. And, I believe the vaccine is the most helpful tool in avoiding Covid. That being said, I also include the other tools mentioned above. To be clear, no tool alone--or even a combination of them--is guaranteed to prevent getting COVID. But the health practices we each have can strengthen our immune system as it tries to deal with the disease.
"And there was (and still is) a lot of quackery out there promoting vitamins and other supplements as substitutes for a vaccine."
I haven't heard anyone recommending vitamins instead of taking a vaccine. And that's not the kind of person I'd listen to. As to "If you have a vitamin D deficiency, you should probably take a supplement." Well, of course, that goes without saying. The first thing to do is determine whether you have a Vitamin D deficiency, and that requires a blood test at your doctor's office. Just because you take a multi-vitamin which says it has 5,000 i.u. of Vitamin D, that doesn't mean it's all being absorbed in your system. You have to realize how deficient most doctors knowledge of vitamins and nutrition is. The doctors I've spoken with said that they received no more than a one hour lecture on vitamins and nutrition. That doesn't speak well of our medical schools in my opinion. I'll always listen to my doctor's opinion and advice, but I won't accept it as 100% right without consulting other sources as well. It's the same as when a person usually pursues a second opinion when they're diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. It's not that they don't trust their doctor; it's that they want to be sure before beginning serious treatment.
For me, liquid Vit. D +K-2 is what I use. Your doctor should know about that. Or read over 5,000 user comments on Amazon about the product. I'm sure glad I chose this version. Good luck on yours.
I actually know all of that. I based my choice of B12 and D supplements mostly on reviews at consumerlab.com (I have found amazon reviews to be somewhat useful, but often unreliable), which does actual lab testing of vitamins and other supplements. I don't expect my PC doc to be an expert in those areas.
Proper nutrition and exercise are essential to health in general and the judicious use of supplements can be good, but there is a massive amount of quackery and BS in the supplements industry, which has successfully lobbied to prevent any meaningful regulation by the FDA. The folks who sell that stuff want the ability to make all sorts of health claims without having to actually prove their scientific merit. COVID-19 has turned over a lot of rocks in that area, and a lot of unpleasant creatures have crawled out, all claiming that can prevent or cure the disease with some form of Pirelli's Miracle Elixir.
Chuck, I see what you mean and see that other comments were to question Ellie's statement about vits. as an alternative treatment for Covid and questioning what studies corroborated that declaration. Personally, I don't see vits as an alternative in preventing or treating Covid. I don't believe any of my statements indicated such a thing. My protocol for facing Covid remains the same: 1) Get the vaccination; 2) Eat healthily; 3) Exercise; 4) Make sure you maintain a healthy level of Vitamin D3 through blood tests. My principal health habits are aimed toward prevention much more than treatment.
In a related vein, here is some more medical research in considering Vit. D to prevent major lung illnesses. This is info from the British Medical Journal and involves the meta-analysis of 25 randomized controlled medical research studies. First is their web address, and beneath that is the title of that study.
“Vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory tract infections: systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data”
As an aside, I learned to appreciate the importance of focus and provability in medical research studies while I was working at a major medical research institute in Indianapolis. They're affiliated with the IU School of Medicine. I worked as a research assistant for 5 years on assorted medical studies, especially those involving gerontology. I knew and worked with a number of MDs, PhDs, and MPHs. Also, I was able to appreciate, through their tutelage, the importance of truth and accuracy in presenting those studies. But I also learned to think outside the box in pursuing my own medical treatment. The proposals and studies are good for establishing proven methods. I always try to see the big picture in pursuit of truth.
That's it for now. It's sunny and warm outside. It's also my birthday. I'm heading out to the garden to tie up tomato vines and also get my daily dose of Vitamin D3.
No, I'm pointing at the lack of choice, suppression of treatments, lack of investigative journalism that til now have been the hallmark of the way we live our lives and find out about things. It's not about the vaccines, they're doing their job; it's about the suppression of all other treatments and debate together with the fear-mongering that makes people believe a vaccine is the one and only answer.
Ellie, you are miss informed. There are no preventables to viral infection. only isolation would work, and that is impossible in modern society. Masks work but have limits. Genetics and prior exposure to a similar protein in a similar antigen might explain the asymptomatic spread ( this is why in 1918 novel h1n1 killed so many young adults between 18 and 40 years old, they didnt have some form of prior exposure like older people had).
But essentially what you're pointing at is something that does not exist outside of your imagination and the imagination of the legion of crackpot bloggers, quacks, conspiracy nutters, snake-oil salesmen, and disinformation peddlers who infest social media and the internet.
"Why is this the only vaccine ever to be pushed on everyone?"
Just for the sake of accuracy in the statement above, I remember the Swine Flu vaccination being pushed on people in 1976. I believe it was required that every American get the shot.
Me too. And, Polio was a real Horror. I remember getting my vaccinations (a series of 3 as I recall) at the Tampa Public Health Dept. in the mid-1950s. My cousin got Polio when he was six and has had it for the following 70+ years of his life. He can walk with crutches. He's kept a very positive attitude all along and has had a very productive life. He has stayed positive throughout it all. I really admire him.
Yeah, I had a college roommate who had been permanently crippled by polio. I shudder to think what life would have been like if the anti-vaccine movement had possessed then the kind of influence it has now. The toll of misery would have been awful; it was bad enough as it was.
Which is why I am so incensed by that entire segment of the population now.
It is very good to have a healthy immune system. Healthy diet, adequate sleep, regular exercise, hydration benefit greatly. The medical establishment has long been focused on curing disease and do not have a long history of focusing on promoting wellness. That is changing. Some nonscientists have a desire to cherry pick information from science to prove their own agenda. That is not science. Most everything in our world is not black and white. Things are multifactorial and multiple, multiple shades of gray. There is plenty of science we know and tons still left to learn. What I don’t understand are the folks who throw the baby (a great vaccine) out with the bath water (Big Pharma) but yet buy millions in unproven supplements. https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/most-dietary-supplements-dont-do-anything-why-do-we-spend-35-billion-a-year-on-them/2020/01/24/947d2970-3d62-11ea-baca-eb7ace0a3455_story.html
Agreed. They'll spread insane conspiracy narratives about "big pharma" and Bill Gates or whoever and call the rest of us "sheeple" while accepting at face value the most outlandish claims from quacks, hustlers, and political hacks. It's disgusting.
Good morning all! On NPR yesterday evening it was reported that France is now pushing much stricter vaccine requirements for all people who want to do anything in public. And suddenly, all these French people are rushing to get vaccines. It's a little hilarious but very interesting at the same time because France was one of those places hugely resistant to vaccines of any kind (despite being, as Macron said, the birthplace of Pasteur in one of his more elliptical lines, since Pasteur is best know for making milk safe to drink). But they want to sit in restaurants and go to museums and concerts so suddenly they're all about vaccines. https://www.npr.org/2021/07/16/1017012860/people-will-soon-need-a-vaccine-pass-or-negative-test-to-enter-frances-restauran
I know that people will be yelping about "free speech" and, stunningly, men will whine about having the "government" making decisions about their "bodies" (don't even get me started), but this kind of universal "we're all in this together, you arses, so stop behaving like petulant children and grow up" message needs to be sent.
I think the Allies would have lost WWII if we all lived at that time. Can you imagine asking the population to sacrifice almost everything to support the troops? All I can say is thank you to the previous generations for their sacrifice and I am sorry that democracy is now at risk because of this generation's selfishness and disdain for the greater good.
This gives Americans too much credit. They love war, so their WWII enthusiasm is to be expected. Same for Korea, Vietnam, and Iraq. The same type of people who had so much fun with Vietnam and Iraq are the ones who are refusing to help out with public health. Freedom and liberty loonies, the dominant class among white Americans.
Except with this iteration of the "Republican" Party we would have been part of the Axis.
We could have been, anyway. Lindburgh, Kennedy Sr, and lots of orhers. Americans didn’t want to join the fight until they could kill people with non-European ancestors.
Americans didn't want to kill anyone until Pearl Harbor was attacked. If Pearl Harbor had been attacked by European military forces, Americans wouldn't have hesitated to attack the responsible European nation(s). If Germany and Italy hadn't declared war on the U.S. a few days after the Pearl Harbor attack--which they were required to do as part of the Tripartite agreement--it would have been harder to get American support to join the European war. Remember, George Washington had warned the U.S. to not get involved in the perpetual European wars.
True, but being attacked by non-Europeans was a huge boost to enthusiasm. Same for Korea and Vietnam.
Hold it! Whoa! Dont lump all Americans together. Most of the 300,000,000 people there dont fit your stereotypes and i especially dont!!!
This showed up as a reply to my post but I think you meant to reply to Rex Page, right?
In the book "The Splendid and the Vile" about Churchill & family during the Blitz, it is mentioned that letters in the mail were opened and censored during WWII in England. There was a list of some fabulous bits of dis-information that people were spreading through the most used personal communication vehicle of the day: written letters. This tendency to spread tall tales has been with us for a very long time. Just fast forward to internet speeds, social media, the lack of oversight, algorithms, political manipulation, misguided beliefs, useful idiots, and.... well on an on. Yeah, they censored things back then for the common good. But we can't get a handle on it today.
Agree
But we're not all in this together! Where were Dr. Fauci and other health leaders -- like public health offricials -- telling us how to boost our own immune systems so we'd be less susceptible to the worst effects? Why weren't governments handing out Vitamin C and D3, zinc and magnesium, all of which have been shown to stop the deadly cytokine storm? How many lives and how much suffering would have been avoided had these steps been taken? Where's the discussion and debate about all of this? Why has there been only one line: wait for the vaccine, get the vaccine, you're stupid/hateful/ignorant if you don't? Why is this the only vaccine ever to be pushed on everyone? This is not an anti-vaccine rant. Vaccines are great, no question. But there are alternatives and have been all along and these have been systematically suppressed and their proponents, including many doctors, have been vilified. And that's the big question: Why?
Ellie, vitamins and minerals do nothing to stop a cytokine storm nor viral infection in tour lungs. For general health I take a multivitamin daily, but I know that won’t save my lungs filling with virus and pus to the point I slowly and lonely suffocate/drown from lung tissue destruction.
There is research to support this. Furthermore, these are among the building blocks of our immune system, the very system that has kept the human race outliving viruses and bacteria for millenia. Keep it strong and this virus can't get strong. Furthermore, some studies have shown that the sickest patients are also those with the lowest levels of D3.
Let's see your research cited.
You might check out this recent info from the Mayo Clinic. In addition to the link, I've included a couple of paragraphs from the cited page.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/expert-answers/coronavirus-and-vitamin-d/faq-20493088
"Several recent studies have looked at the impact of vitamin D on COVID-19. One study of 489 people found that those who had a vitamin D deficiency were more likely to test positive for the virus that causes COVID-19 than people who had normal levels of vitamin D.
"Other research has observed high rates of vitamin D deficiency in people with COVID-19 who experienced acute respiratory failure. These people had a significantly higher risk of dying. And a small, randomized study found that of 50 people hospitalized with COVID-19 who were given a high dose of a type of vitamin D (calcifediol), only one needed treatment in the intensive care unit. In contrast, among the 26 people with COVID-19 who weren't given calcifediol, 13 needed to be treated in the intensive care unit."
Lynn, Made a crucial point in that the study indicated that there was not enough data to recommend vitamin D. In addition, 42% of the population is deficient in the vitamin. 'Prevalence of Vitamin D Deficiency and Associated Risk ...https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov › articles › PMC6075634 by NR Parva · 2018 · Cited by 116 — Race was identified as a significant risk factor, with African-American adults having the highest prevalence rate of vitamin D deficiency.' In addition, Black and Brown Americans have the highest risk factors for Covid as a result of other comorbidities, exposure through work and multi-generation families living in close quarters. A proper understanding of a study is necessary in order to evaluate it.
The very first sentence in the impressive link you provided from a credible journal: "there isn't enough data to recommend vit D......."
Nobody is actually arguing with the obvious fact that a vitamin D deficiency is bad for your immune system. What Lynn and others are looking for is research from reputable sources that support Ellie's more outrageous claims. E.g. "other approaches were purposely suppressed" and "Vitamin C and D3, zinc and magnesium, all of which have been shown to stop the deadly cytokine storm."
She has repeatedly claimed that "there are alternatives and have been all along and these have been systematically suppressed and their proponents, including many doctors, have been vilified" but has yet to offer a single piece of valid data that backs up these claims. Instead, she just repeats them.
The reality is that there are no other treatments *that have been demonstrated to be safe and effective* that have been "suppressed: by anyone. There's a lot of quackery out there that has bee properly debunked, but that's about it.
IMO Ellie and others pushing this idea should (but likely won't) read sciencebasedmedicine.org for some actual reality.
Ellie, we are all waiting for you to post evidence of that. please do. Yes, general individual health is product of a healthy diet, exercise, sleep, stress management for the individual. But even healthy individuals can get infected with Covid, have a mild case, or a stealthy asymptomatic case.... and what is happening during that healthy persons mild or asymptomatic infection? They are contributing to the spread, leading to outbreaks, leading to overwhelming hospitals so that needed treatments and care can not be made available, which leads to lockdowns, which only go further to disrupt lives and economies.
You agree, then, that if we all had strong immune systems, then most people got sick would have mild-moderate symptoms, and that that would slash the death rate? My point continues to be that the vaccines, as necessary as they are now, were not the only answer, that other approaches were purposely suppressed, and you have to ask why.
NO! I do not agree with your statement. It is with only depraved ignorance to claim that anything other than a vaccine will protect the public health during a viral pandemic.
Vaccines are the only way to stop the virus, for there is no mechanism for any vitamin or mineral to block entry of a virus into a host cell and there is no way either a vitamin or mineral inside a cell can stop viral replication. To claim otherwise demonstrates complete ignorance of basic cellular genetics, biology, physiology, and chemistry.
To quote a recent tweet by the leader of a major hospital system, "If you are making wildly disparaging comments about the vaccine, and have no public health expertise, you may be responsible for someone's death. Shut up."
Ignore, the script, word for word, is straight from anti-vaxxers. Below, lower depths!
I thought to jump into the fray between your comment above and some harsh comments below. Hopefully, this will help avoid the disconnect.
It's good that you mention the issue of vitamin and mineral supplements (Vit. C & D3, plus zinc and magnesium) to help with Covid prevention. I believe the disconnect with the other commenters is in understanding the role of these supplements. From my perspective, those substances can help in building a "tool kit" to provide some prevention to getting the disease. In the same vein, avoiding obesity is another helpful tool in that kit. These strategies will not give the same assurance as the vaccination against getting Covid. However, they are all tools to help us in that pursuit.
It is a shame that Fauci and the others don't mention these particular vitamin and mineral deficiencies, as well as the obesity issue, in addition to taking the vaccine. My own approach in trying to avoid Covid has been to: 1) take the vaccine; 2) take those vitamin and mineral supplements; 3) avoid obesity; and 4) exercise. (For me, that exercise includes Zumba which does me a world of good.) So far, so good in not getting Covid. At age 74 (tomorrow 75), I am grateful to have avoided it so far.
Yes, multiple tools in the toolbox. Happy Birthday!
Thanks much, Ellie.
Where’d u get ur masters in public health? Walmart, Amway, or Mellaluca?
????? You make no sense.
Please explain the physiology of the immune response to viral infection to the herd, and be specific about how vitamins and minerals detect, warn, deactivate, and clear the body’s system? We’re all waiting.
Well, at this stage, I really doubt that everyone is waiting. But more importantly here, what makes you think I have a Masters in Public Health??? Where is that in the comments? Thanks for the compliment, but believe me, MPHs have a lot more understanding in science and health issues than you or I. Have a nice day.
"It is a shame that Fauci and the others don't mention these particular vitamin and mineral deficiencies, as well as the obesity issue, in addition to taking the vaccine." I'm not sure whether Fauci ever discussed them or not. If not, it's probably because, while they're good guidelines for general health, they are of minimal usefulness in fighting a SARS-Cov-2 infection. Only a vaccine will do that. And there was (and still is) a lot of quackery out there promoting vitamins and other supplements as substitutes for a vaccine. Which they are not.
If you have a vitamin D deficiency, you should probably take a supplement. Ditto for other vitamin deficiencies. I'm taking D and B12 supplements at my doctor's recommendation for precisely those reasons. I'm not obese and I exercise (and have for decades). But I also got vaccinated as soon as possible.
Like you, I also got vaccinated as soon as possible. And, I believe the vaccine is the most helpful tool in avoiding Covid. That being said, I also include the other tools mentioned above. To be clear, no tool alone--or even a combination of them--is guaranteed to prevent getting COVID. But the health practices we each have can strengthen our immune system as it tries to deal with the disease.
"And there was (and still is) a lot of quackery out there promoting vitamins and other supplements as substitutes for a vaccine."
I haven't heard anyone recommending vitamins instead of taking a vaccine. And that's not the kind of person I'd listen to. As to "If you have a vitamin D deficiency, you should probably take a supplement." Well, of course, that goes without saying. The first thing to do is determine whether you have a Vitamin D deficiency, and that requires a blood test at your doctor's office. Just because you take a multi-vitamin which says it has 5,000 i.u. of Vitamin D, that doesn't mean it's all being absorbed in your system. You have to realize how deficient most doctors knowledge of vitamins and nutrition is. The doctors I've spoken with said that they received no more than a one hour lecture on vitamins and nutrition. That doesn't speak well of our medical schools in my opinion. I'll always listen to my doctor's opinion and advice, but I won't accept it as 100% right without consulting other sources as well. It's the same as when a person usually pursues a second opinion when they're diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. It's not that they don't trust their doctor; it's that they want to be sure before beginning serious treatment.
For me, liquid Vit. D +K-2 is what I use. Your doctor should know about that. Or read over 5,000 user comments on Amazon about the product. I'm sure glad I chose this version. Good luck on yours.
I actually know all of that. I based my choice of B12 and D supplements mostly on reviews at consumerlab.com (I have found amazon reviews to be somewhat useful, but often unreliable), which does actual lab testing of vitamins and other supplements. I don't expect my PC doc to be an expert in those areas.
Proper nutrition and exercise are essential to health in general and the judicious use of supplements can be good, but there is a massive amount of quackery and BS in the supplements industry, which has successfully lobbied to prevent any meaningful regulation by the FDA. The folks who sell that stuff want the ability to make all sorts of health claims without having to actually prove their scientific merit. COVID-19 has turned over a lot of rocks in that area, and a lot of unpleasant creatures have crawled out, all claiming that can prevent or cure the disease with some form of Pirelli's Miracle Elixir.
So extreme skepticism is warranted, IMO.
Chuck, I see what you mean and see that other comments were to question Ellie's statement about vits. as an alternative treatment for Covid and questioning what studies corroborated that declaration. Personally, I don't see vits as an alternative in preventing or treating Covid. I don't believe any of my statements indicated such a thing. My protocol for facing Covid remains the same: 1) Get the vaccination; 2) Eat healthily; 3) Exercise; 4) Make sure you maintain a healthy level of Vitamin D3 through blood tests. My principal health habits are aimed toward prevention much more than treatment.
In a related vein, here is some more medical research in considering Vit. D to prevent major lung illnesses. This is info from the British Medical Journal and involves the meta-analysis of 25 randomized controlled medical research studies. First is their web address, and beneath that is the title of that study.
https://www.bmj.com/content/356/bmj.i6583
“Vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory tract infections: systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data”
As an aside, I learned to appreciate the importance of focus and provability in medical research studies while I was working at a major medical research institute in Indianapolis. They're affiliated with the IU School of Medicine. I worked as a research assistant for 5 years on assorted medical studies, especially those involving gerontology. I knew and worked with a number of MDs, PhDs, and MPHs. Also, I was able to appreciate, through their tutelage, the importance of truth and accuracy in presenting those studies. But I also learned to think outside the box in pursuing my own medical treatment. The proposals and studies are good for establishing proven methods. I always try to see the big picture in pursuit of truth.
That's it for now. It's sunny and warm outside. It's also my birthday. I'm heading out to the garden to tie up tomato vines and also get my daily dose of Vitamin D3.
As long as we're asking: why is your comment so filled with begged questions?
FYI: posing an anti-vaccine conspiracy rant and then saying you didn't post an anti-vaccine rant is not very convincing.
No, I'm pointing at the lack of choice, suppression of treatments, lack of investigative journalism that til now have been the hallmark of the way we live our lives and find out about things. It's not about the vaccines, they're doing their job; it's about the suppression of all other treatments and debate together with the fear-mongering that makes people believe a vaccine is the one and only answer.
Ellie, you are miss informed. There are no preventables to viral infection. only isolation would work, and that is impossible in modern society. Masks work but have limits. Genetics and prior exposure to a similar protein in a similar antigen might explain the asymptomatic spread ( this is why in 1918 novel h1n1 killed so many young adults between 18 and 40 years old, they didnt have some form of prior exposure like older people had).
You've fallen below lower depths. You are feeding the script, word for word from anti-vaxxers' scripts. IGNORE. Sorry I didn't see this sooner.
And...more question-begging.
But essentially what you're pointing at is something that does not exist outside of your imagination and the imagination of the legion of crackpot bloggers, quacks, conspiracy nutters, snake-oil salesmen, and disinformation peddlers who infest social media and the internet.
great response!
Only if you assume the begged questions have been answered. Which, of course, they have not.
"Why is this the only vaccine ever to be pushed on everyone?"
Just for the sake of accuracy in the statement above, I remember the Swine Flu vaccination being pushed on people in 1976. I believe it was required that every American get the shot.
And then that was that little polio thing. I'm old enough to remember that.
Me too. And, Polio was a real Horror. I remember getting my vaccinations (a series of 3 as I recall) at the Tampa Public Health Dept. in the mid-1950s. My cousin got Polio when he was six and has had it for the following 70+ years of his life. He can walk with crutches. He's kept a very positive attitude all along and has had a very productive life. He has stayed positive throughout it all. I really admire him.
Yeah, I had a college roommate who had been permanently crippled by polio. I shudder to think what life would have been like if the anti-vaccine movement had possessed then the kind of influence it has now. The toll of misery would have been awful; it was bad enough as it was.
Which is why I am so incensed by that entire segment of the population now.
It is very good to have a healthy immune system. Healthy diet, adequate sleep, regular exercise, hydration benefit greatly. The medical establishment has long been focused on curing disease and do not have a long history of focusing on promoting wellness. That is changing. Some nonscientists have a desire to cherry pick information from science to prove their own agenda. That is not science. Most everything in our world is not black and white. Things are multifactorial and multiple, multiple shades of gray. There is plenty of science we know and tons still left to learn. What I don’t understand are the folks who throw the baby (a great vaccine) out with the bath water (Big Pharma) but yet buy millions in unproven supplements. https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/most-dietary-supplements-dont-do-anything-why-do-we-spend-35-billion-a-year-on-them/2020/01/24/947d2970-3d62-11ea-baca-eb7ace0a3455_story.html
Agreed. They'll spread insane conspiracy narratives about "big pharma" and Bill Gates or whoever and call the rest of us "sheeple" while accepting at face value the most outlandish claims from quacks, hustlers, and political hacks. It's disgusting.
Precisely!!!!!
Linda, I couldn’t agree more — come on, ye petulant children!!
Only some men, and some women.