Dear VCC Members and Supporters,
Compiled for Vaccine Choice Canada by Edda West – March 18, 2020
With the ‘novel’ coronavirus outbreak wending its way around the world over the past few months, hard hit areas like China and Italy have imposed draconian lock down measures on their people to slow the transmission of the virus. Here in Canada, the federal government has ordered border closures to most foreign nationals, barring those with symptoms from boarding flights to Canada. On March 18th, both USA & Canada announced border closure for non-essential travel. A general pall has descended on the country with schools and public facilities closures, stores and restaurants limiting hours along with a ban on large public gatherings. Already, several provinces have declared a state of emergency.
As health officials brace for a flood of sick people needing hospital care, the medical system has no preventive tools other than hand washing, ‘social distancing’, avoiding public places and staying home if you’re sick. Click here for Canadian hospitalization statistics on coronavirus.
Ontario’s former chief medical officer of health, Dr. Richard Schabas has another ‘take’ on it. He doesn’t think the coronavirus is a global health crisis and offers another perspective in this article.
In the US, Dr. Ron Paul is of a similar mind and sees it as, “Government over-hypes” who use pandemic threats as “an excuse to grab more of our freedoms. When the “threat” is over, however, they never give us our freedoms back.”
Independent American journalist, Sharyl Attkisson has just released an analysis of health status, ages and locations of the first 85 people who have died following coronavirus infection in the U.S. Reading through the list, one sees right away that the vast majority are seniors in their 70s, 80s and 90s, many of whom had underlying health conditions.
Nevertheless, many people are stocking up on basic supplies, staying close to home, and gathering information on how best to prevent and deal with the virus should it hit.
For many people who embrace a natural health philosophy, vitamin C has long been a trusted nutrient used both preventively and to reduce symptoms of infectious diseases. Vitamin C has a decades long track record of successes, documented by esteemed medical practitioners, including Linus Pauling, Dr. Frederick Klenner who successfully treated polio patients with vitamin C, Dr. Robert Cathcart at the Vitamin C Foundation and Thomas Levy MD some of whose articles we provide below.
The preferred type of vitamin C recommended by health practitioners is either ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbate, or Liposomal Vitamin C. While calcium ascorbate is promoted by many, it is NOT recommended by knowledgeable practitioners. Dr. Thomas Levy explains why in his article, The Many Faces of Vitamin C.
Andrew Saul Ph.D, Editor of the Orthomolecular Journal reports that information about vitamin C research on COVID-19 in China and its beneficial effects on critically ill patients is actively suppressed by internet giants and mainstream media censors. Suppressing access to vital immune supportive and healing information from the public certainly begs the question, WHY?
“Anyone saying that vitamin therapy can stop coronavirus is already being labeled as “promoting false information” and promulgating “fake news.” Even the sharing of verifiable news, and direct quotes from credentialed medical professionals, is being restricted or blocked on social media.”
Regardless of internet and media censorship, people have a right to know about specific nutritional supplements and healing modalities that can improve the function of their immune systems while mitigating the effects of pathogenic organisms on their health. Below we’ve assembled a resource list of well researched articles by leading health practitioners who have used vitamin C and other helpful natural therapies for decades.
Eating the right foods that support a strong and resilient immune system is key to building and maintaining good health. This informative conversation with Sally Fallon Morell, head of the Weston A. Price Foundation, “empowers us to take our health into our own hands. Through a nutrient-dense diet, we can strengthen our bodies naturally and improve their ability to confront what may come their way.”
The Alliance for Natural Health provides 10 good tips for supporting immune system resilience
Food for thought – a dialogue with Sayer ji and Thomas Cowan MD – Coronavirus Fear, Germ Theory, Exosomes, and Resiliency
Experts weigh in on Vitamin C prevention, treatment & effectiveness:
The Clinical Impact of Vitamin C: My Personal Experiences as a Physician, by Thomas E. Levy, MD
Three Intravenous Vitamin C Research Studies Approved for Treating COVID-19 Dr. Richard Cheng reports from China about the first approved studies of 12,000 to 24,000 mg/day of vitamin C by IV. The doctor also specifically calls for immediate use of vitamin C for prevention of coronavirus (COVID-19).
Early Large Dose Intravenous Vitamin C is the Treatment of Choice for 2019-nCov Pneumonia; February 16, 2020; Richard Cheng MD & Thomas Levy MD et al
How Vitamin C Reduces Severity and Deaths from Serious Viral Respiratory Diseases, Andrew Saul, Ph.D
Dr. David Brownstein MD – antiviral protocol for patients during acute illness or exposure to someone ill.What to Avoid–Ibuprofen–And What to Take. Here he provides a good guideline for helpful supplements. At his blog, Dr. Brownstein provides 9 articles on perspectives of the ‘novel’ coronavirus and most important, concrete recommendations on what to do and what to avoid.
Suzanne Humphries MD- Sodium Ascorbate Treatment of Whooping Cough – specific protocol for pertussis and other infectious illnesses
Vitamin C and the Immune System: Nutritional Fortification to Support Defenses Against Viruses
Liposomal Vitamin C – Dr. Thomas Levy discusses the benefits
IV vitamin C for severe influenza – Dr. Thomas Levy discusses the benefits
Vitamin C, the Ultimate antibiotic (2017) video lecture by Thomas Levy MD
Nutritional Treatment of Coronavirus – Excellent overview by Andrew Saul Ph.D
Vitamin C Questions: Answered, Commentary by Helen Saul Case at Orthomolecular website: Good overview on how to gauge the right amount of vitamin C
The Clinical Impact of Vitamin C: My Personal Experiences as a Physician, by Thomas E. Levy, MD, JD (2014)
Vitamin C treatment for Shingles, Dr. Thomas Levy
Vitamin C, Infectious Diseases, and Toxins: Curing the Incurable, by Thomas E. Levy, M.D., J.D. (2002) – good overview and history of the use of vitamin C in treatment of infectious diseases
The remarkable story of a New Zealand man infected with swine flu and incredible recovery from near death after receiving large amounts of vitamin C. Full ‘60 Minutes’ report here.
SEPSIS – is an extreme condition in which the body’s overwhelming and life-threatening response to infection can lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and death. It is the body’s overactive and toxic response to an infection. The term ‘cytokine storm’ is also used to describe the extreme immune system reaction that can lead to death. Currently, sepsis is the most common cause of death in hospitalized patients, routinely killing 30% to 50% of such patients, and claiming millions of lives around the world every year. Vitamin C has been used successfully to treat sepsis, saving lives of many patients who would otherwise have died.
Thomas Levy MD on Sepsis and Vitamin C
Treatment for sepsis
COVID-19, Pneumonia & Inflammazones – The Melatonin Connection
This in depth and superbly researched article by Doris Loh discusses why COVID-19 can induce interstitial pneumonia even in young adults. Ms. Loh explains the double edged sword of cytokines, the inflammatory molecules the immune system pours out during an infection which can, if not inhibited, lead to a cytokine storm and sepsis.
She discusses a recent study which “demonstrated that high level activation of NLRP3 inflammasome is essential for the induction and development of cytokine storms and multi-organ dysfunctions.” Ms. Loh writes that, “The NLRP3 inflammasome is now recognized as a target for melatonin!”
Numerous studies have revealed that melatonin, known for its effects on sleep, also exerts effects beyond controlling our circadian rhythms. The author explains the inhibitory nature of melatonin on the NLRP3 inflammasome and its critical ability to inhibit the destructive progression of a cytokine storm. Controlling cytokine storms is one of the major challenges in the treatment of sepsis.
It’s become evident that young children are mostly unaffected by the ‘novel’ coronavirus. When asked why, most medical experts have no answer. However, this author presents a highly plausible reason for this phenomenon that has everything to do with the high levels of melatonin in childhood
Melatonin is a potent inhibitor of NLRP3 inflammasomes. Generally referred to as the “hormone of darkness”, the ability of melatonin to regulate both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in different pathophysiological conditions has only recently been extensively studied.
Ms. Loh addresses the fact that the fatality rate recorded for the ‘novel’ coronavirus increases linearly with age and that no fatalities have been recorded for infected patients under age of 9. She then discusses the protective effects of high levels of melatonin in young children and how its progressive decline as we age leaves us increasingly vulnerable when ill with a serious infection. She provides insight into the adverse effects of NLRP3 infammasome that can trigger a cytokine storm which can lead to sepsis (multi-organ failure), and what can be done to avoid such an outcome.
The key is that melatonin inhibits the NLRP3 inflammasome;
“The fact that the pro-inflammatory cytokine storm effects are induced by the activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes, the ability of melatonin to inhibit NLRP3 inflammasome elevates this powerful molecule to a truly unique position in the fight against COVID-19. This also means that if a patient, regardless of age, has adequate melatonin, the infectiousness of COVID-19 will be greatly reduced, and the chances of developing ARDS/ALI significantly diminished.”
In this excellent graph we can see that the mortality curve is directly related to the decline in melatonin as we age.
Melatonin Inhibits NLRP3.
“The full therapeutic potential of melatonin in its ability to modulate the immune system, especially the critical function of suppressing cytokine storms to prevent progression of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and respiratory failure in infected patients.”
As well, Melatonin secretion in the third trimester of pregnancy is more than double compared to the first trimester and is protective of both mother and baby.
Doris Loh reminds us that,
“Ascorbic acid can dose-dependently inhibit NLRP3 Inflammasomes both in vitro and in vivo, decreasing IL-1β secretion, without inducing any cytotoxic effects nor cell death. Thus, the combined use of melatonin and ascorbic acid may prove to be most effective in the treatment for COVID-19 patients, especially those with cardiovascular and hypertension comorbidities.”
Fever Is Our Friend
For decades fever has been maligned as an enemy to be vanquished rather than appreciated as a helper that signals the immune system to go into high gear when dealing with infections. The use of fever suppressing drugs like aspirin and acetaminophen was encouraged for decades by doctors and pediatricians, much to the detriment of their patients.
Forty years ago, wise doctors like Dr. Robert Mendelsohn warned patients about the danger of killing the fever with drugs. He taught that fever is our friend. It performs the critical function of alerting the immune system to go into high gear. He taught that fever is needed to ‘burn out the virus’ in ordinary childhood infections like measles. Killing the fever could have disastrous results, including increased risk of death.
Today, the ‘fear of fever’ culture still lingers on, and too often parents don’t understand it’s vital and primary function in the immune system. This article, Is Fear of Fever Hurting Our Children? written over 10 years ago, draws on well researched insight and commentary by doctors on the benefits of fever.
Today, French health officials advise against the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs when fever occurs as it can make things worse. Fever is a natural response meant to combat the pathogen. It’s beneficial to have a fever when you’re sick as it helps fight the infection. France’s health minister says that taking anti-inflammatory drugs could be a factor in aggravating the coronavirus infection. He warns that over the counter, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NASIDS) drugs are probably going to make the infection worse. Dr. John Campbell discusses why it’s not helpful to use the various over the counter drugs people reach for during flus, colds, body aches and fevers. He says, “Anti-inflammatory drugs increase the risk of complications when there is a fever or infection.
Additional Important Information to Consider
The Immune System & How it Works – Dr. Thomas Cowan – video lecture
Ozone Therapy: Robert Rowen MD discusses ozone therapy – very effective against viral diseases.
Sugar Depletes the Immune System
“According to a 1973 study done by Loma Linda University, when you eat 100 grams of sugar, about as much sugar as you find in a 1 liter bottle of soda, your white blood cells are 40 percent less effective at killing germs. You can cripple your immune system for up to 5 hours after eating sugar! Glucose, fructose and sucrose all significantly decreased the activity of neutrophils to engulf bacteria! (Neutrophils are the “first responders” of white blood cells when there are invading microbes.)
Sugar impacts your white blood cells by competing for space in those cells with Vitamin C. When Linus Pauling did research in the 1970s to find out how the body uses Vitamin C, he discovered that white blood cells need Vitamin C to destroy bacteria and viruses. Sugar and Vitamin C are similar in their chemical structure. When you eat sugar, it directly competes for space in your immune cells with Vitamin C! The more sugar in your system, the less Vitamin C can get into your white blood cells. Sugar DOES NOT help your immune system fight infection at all, resulting in a weakened defense from infections.”
What’s the Sugar Immune System Relationship?
Harmful Effects of Excess Sugar by Bob Sears MD
From Sally Fallon Morell’s Nourishing Traditions Blog – Building Natural Immunity Native Immunity
Preventing and Treating the Flu by Thomas Cowan MD
Homeopathy for infectious illnesses – recommendations by an experienced practitioner
Corvelva article on homeopathy & coronavirus
Sharyl Attkisson podcast on COVID-19
Does Annual flu shot increase risk of infection by other non-influenza respiratory viruses? According to the study cited in this article, “vaccine derived virus interference was significantly associated with coronavirus and human metapneumovirus.” More specifically, “Examining non-influenza viruses specifically, the odds of both coronavirus and human metapneumovirus in vaccinated individuals were significantly higher when compared to unvaccinated individuals (OR = 1.36 and 1.51, respectively) (Table 5).” This represents a “36% and 51% increased risk of coronavirus and human metapneumovirus in influenza vaccinated individuals, respectively.”
5 Canadian studies found that people who received a flu shot the previous year are at higher risk of contracting pandemic influenza
Increased Risk of Non-influenza Respiratory Virus Infections Associated With Receipt of Inactivated Influenza Vaccine
BMJ commentary on the coverup of serious risks associated with flu shots
Confirmation that influenza vaccine increases risk of serious pandemic flu illness