Helios Fall 2023 Newsletter
Vaccines this fall
Well, here we are again guessing what sort of a viral soup is heading our way this fall. Luckily we have learned a few things about preventing and treating COVID, RSV, and the flu.
An ounce of prevention.
There will be 3 vaccines available this fall:
-SEASONAL FLU VACCINNATION, which will be formulated in its traditional way.
-RSV (RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS) is the newest seasonal vaccine. RSV causes a deep respiratory infection often affecting the lungs. It is indicated for those over 60 or who have compromised immune systems. It is not a mRNA vaccine. It also went through the usual FDA rigorous approval process. Not the emergency approval process that the COVID vaccine went through. It is a single shot. Forecasted to last for 2 seasons. While RSV is the leading cause of hospitalizations of children under 1 year, last fall and winter it hit adults harder than expected. It was responsible for 14000 deaths in those over 65 years of age.
-COVID SEASONAL VACCINATION- OK take a deep breath, maybe even take a GABA or theanine while you read this. During the pandemic, we noted that vaccination lasted about 4 months and we were frequently told to get the next booster. This year we are offered a seasonal (once a year) vaccine. It is fashioned as a mRNA vaccine which is based on a new variant that emerged this spring. Its rollout date is still uncertain. Should you get it? There is good evidence that the best benefit for otherwise healthy people is COVID vaccination lowers your risk of developing Long COVID by 25%. Those with compromised immune systems or over 65 years of age should strongly consider it this fall.
Lowering your risk of LONG COVID
Having had COVID DOES NOT PROTECT YOU FROM GETTING LONG COVID. There persists a small risk of developing Long COVID each time you are infected and the vaccine does lower this risk. The other thing that lowers your risk is Paxlovid, the medication you can take during the first 5 days of contracting COVID. Paxlovid lowered the risk of LONG COVID by 25% during the pandemic.
How much COVID will circulate this season is not an easy question to answer. This is a new phase of the pandemic with most people having been infected and/or vaccinated. We won’t be having waves as in the first part of the pandemic we will have smaller surges. We will be keeping an eye on any sign of a surge in COVID. This information will come from sewage water monitoring as most cases of COVID now occur at home are diagnosed by home testing, or go undiagnosed.
COVID prevention
Vitamin D, NAC, Elderberry,
Masks in crowded settings.
COVID treatment
Strongly consider taking Paxlovid within five days of a COVID infection.
Release pearls (Chinese herbal) 3 pills 3x/day x 3-6 days
Perilla pearls 3 2x/day days 7-14
Vit D 10,000IU/day for first 5 days then 5,ooo after for 10 more days
Liposomal glutathione 2 pumps 3x/day x 5 days then daily until the bottle is empty.
Vitamin C- buffered 3-10,000mg divided into 5 doses according to bowel tolerance.
NAC 600mg 2x/day
Quercetin 500mg 3 3x/day
IV- still dragging after a week? Try our Post COVID IV bag.
IVs for all Helios Patients
We have expanded our IV services to make them easier to access. Now if you’ve been seen at Helios (within the last 12 months) and have had a normal comprehensive metabolic panel 6 within the last 6 months and have no heart or kidney diseases you may make appointments for infusions.
The menu includes:
*STATE OF MIND- Mental Clarity & Focus -
1 Liter Normal Saline
+ Alpha Lipoic Acid 150mg, B12 5mg, Folic Acid 15mg & Glutathione 1gm
*THE GOOD FIGHT- Immune Defense, Support & Recovery from Cold / Flu & Flu-like Illness
1 Liter LR (Electrolyte Fluid)
+ Myers’ Cocktail with Vit. C 10gms, Glutathione 2gms, Taurine 250mg & Zinc 10mg
*SELF CARE- Stress Tolerance, Immune Support, Relaxation & Resilience
1 Liter LR (Electrolyte Fluid)
+ Modified Myers’ Cocktail with B12 5mg & Taurine 250mg
*MYERS COCKTAIL- immune system and adrenal gland support to promote both energy and relaxation, stress tolerance, and general wellness.
IV fluid, Magnesium 1gm, Calcium (100mg/10gm Vit C), Vitamin C, B-complex 1mL, B12 1mg
*RELIEF- Headache Prevention & Treatment
Myers’ Cocktail followed by Folic Acid 15mg
*THE ATHLETE- Endurance, Performance & Recovery
1 Liter LR (Electrolyte Fluid)
+ Magnesium 2gms, B-Complex 2mL, B12 2mg, Vitamin C 10gms & Taurine 250mg
10 Ways to Lose Mid-Abdominal Weight
If you are wondering where that abdominal weight gain came from, you are not alone. When it comes to weight, it seems to be more of an issue in our later years…Many people struggle with controlling those extra pounds that tend to deposit themselves around the middle while losing important muscle mass. Visceral fat is the fat that surrounds internal organs and is hidden in your abdominal cavity.
What we have learned since the mid-1990s, is that the fat cell is an endocrine organ, secreting hormones and other molecules that have far-reaching effects on other tissues. There are a host of chemicals that link visceral fat to a wide variety of diseases. This combination can lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, and a decline in physical function. Your weight is one indicator of your health, but it matters where you carry those extra pounds. Here are some things you can do to lose that weight:
Increase your protein intake..especially in the morning. Eating 25-30 grams of protein with each meal helps maintain muscle mass and reduces fat gain. Research has also shown Intermittent fasting to be effective for weight loss, with a typical loss of 7-11 pounds over 10 weeks.
Choose farm fresh food over processed food. Consider following the MIND diet (a combination of the Mediterranean and DASH -low sodium diet).
Move at least 30 minutes/day for cardiovascular fitness and add weight resistance at least twice per week for muscle strength. Exercise is the best thing you can do to prevent Alzheimer’s disease!
Cut down on simple carbs, especially sugar. This includes alcohol too which is a toxin to the brain and destroys sleep. Simple carbs also retain fluid.
Get some sleep…at least 7 hours. Avoid late-night food and alcohol. Stop eating after 7 PM as it stores more body fat since you are not burning it off.
Sunlight, especially in the morning even if it is overcast. It helps elevate Cortisol in the morning which you need for energy and resets your circadian rhythm for better sleep at night by increasing melatonin in the evening.
Social connection is important. Remember that hormones are involved in weight gain and the more we can reduce high levels of cortisol throughout the day, the less insulin gets produced to allow fat to be stored. When you are connecting and having fun, it lowers cortisol and raises serotonin and oxytocin which help us relax, digest better and utilize glucose for energy more efficiently. Meditation, deep breathing, and prayer are also important.
Consider getting a food allergy test. Learn to avoid “trigger foods” (foods you are reacting to) so that inflammation and insulin subside and weight loss can begin. Reactive calories will put on weight.
Get your thyroid level checked. It’s a major player when it comes to hormone health since it stimulates metabolism.
Drink water. It is essential to drink approximately half your body weight in ounces. For every 16 ounces less than your body needs, it will hold onto half a pound! When you are dehydrated, your body has to extract water from your food and holds onto it in your tissues. When you drink enough, the body can let go of the extra water it’s been holding on to, and the numbers on the scale go down.
Read the full article at https://wellcast.org/things-to-know-about-late-life-weight-gain/
What to eat and supplement to avoid Covid and all the other seasonal maladies
- Dr. Margaret Hampton
Be Prepared! Every household from now until forever, if able, is advised to have a well-rounded herbal and supplement “war-chest” to get through whatever the season may bring. This research-based list has been vetted by Helios and the Institute of Functional Medicine:
Zinc: 30-60 mg /day in divided doses
Elderberry: 500mg daily for up to 12 weeks
Vitamin D: 5000 IUs daily, 10,000 with acute infection
Vitamin A: 10,000-25,000 IU daily
Vitamin C: 1-3 grams daily
NAC: 600-1200mg daily
Quercetin: 1 gram/day for up to 12 weeks
Curcumin: 500-1000 mg daily
Melatonin: 5-20 mg once a day (at night)
Medicinal Mushrooms: Immunity Blend, dosage per manufacturer recommendation
With traveling or around large groups
Yu Ping Feng San/ “Jade Windscreen”: 3 capsules 3 times a day for 3-4 days unless symptoms worsen
What you eat also matters!
It’s time to put away the summer cocktail mix, rosé, and ice cream and focus on nutrient-dense foods. Begin to cook more of your summer vegetables (this includes salads!). If you are a smoothie lover, throw a thumb of fresh ginger and ground cinnamon into the blender. It is important our bodies can use their energy healing over digesting raw cellulose found in uncooked fruits and vegetables.
Prioritize pastured meats, bone broths, freshly cooked vegetables, and dial way back on sugar. Sugar is inflammatory and also inhibits immune responses. Cook with turmeric, cayenne, ginger, and garlic to keep your blood flowing and packed with nature’s infection-fighting mechanisms.
