Assume you will encounter this virus at some point, as it will make you more likely to care for yourself, and also to act in a more preventative fashion towards others. In no way is stating this meant to scare or worry anyone, nor implant any harmful prophesy; please understand the motivation is to support everyone in staying as healthy as possible since we can be carriers without any signs or symptoms. It is appropriate to be concerned and to take actions accordingly, and it is also appropriate to feel hopeful and empowered.

Frequent hand-washing and avoiding touching your face (unless your hands are clean) is sound advice during cold and flu season. Staying warm and keeping your neck and head, low back, and feet warm are general suggestions offered in Chinese medicine to keep pathogens out and to avoid unnecessarily stressing the body in attempting to stay warm. Your skin is a huge part of your immune system. Keep it supple, moisturized and use band-aids on exposed cuts to maintain integumentary integrity.

Before I provide anything that sounds like medical advice, legally I am required to advise that none of this information as it relates to supplements, essential oils or herbs, or really any of it, is to be followed without consulting your healthcare provider, and none of this information is meant to diagnose, treat or cure any condition, since the FDA has stringent requirements on who can claim such things. Pregnant women, those with pre-existing medical conditions, and anyone taking prescriptive medication should consult with their healthcare provider before taking any supplements or herbs, or using any essential oils topically. This essay is meant to be informative and is not meant to be taken as medical advice. Please contact your healthcare provider for more information.

It appears the media coverage was (editing in April 2023) more focused on how scary and worrisome this outbreak was in various places around the world rather than focusing on strategies for wellness beyond hand sanitizer and disinfectant. Therefore, it is left to healthcare providers and others, who are concerned about how we as a human family address this concern and maintain health, to share their obtained health knowledge and wisdom.

I am writing these suggestions from the perspective of a Doctor of Chinese Medicine (Acupuncturist and Herbalist) who specializes in Environmental Medicine (similar to Naturopathic, but with a strong focus on the harms of environmental toxicants), as well as a Clinical Social Worker, Sufi Spiritual Healer, and Bodyworker (Shiatsu, Tuina, and other Massage modalities). There are a number of recommendations that follow, and some of them may be very appealing, and some not so much. Please listen to your intuition. Also, this list is by no means comprehensive; each recommendation is only skimming the surface of what could be discussed, and you can contact your health care provider for more information. This essay is meant to give you options, inspire your thinking, empower your self-care, and support you in making healthy choices.

Here’s the list:

#1.) Prayer, meditation, and the power of sound. Larry Dossey’s book, Reinventing Medicine, illustrates the miraculous power of intention, prayer, and meditation. {For more about his work, please see: https://www.dosseydossey.com/resources} We are more powerful in affecting our health through our thoughts and intentions than we may realize. Sacred sounds affect our body in a myriad of ways. The Rife machine is a valuable illustration of how vibrations/frequencies of sound can impact illness and health. Pray, meditate, do your sacred practices. Intend that you are calm and healthy, that your intention is to take actions that keep both yourself and your loved ones safe and strong.

#2.) Emotions. How do excess fear and worry affect the nervous, endocrine and immune systems? There are many studies that show how stress compromises the healthy functioning of the human body. The American Medical Association (AMA) notes the impact stress has in heart attack risk. The immune system is impacted by excessive or prolonged emotional states, just like every other system in the body. Bruce Lipton’s book, The Honeymoon Effect ( https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6438088/ ), or Candace Pert’s book, Molecules of Emotion (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10367495/), illustrate with numerous scientific studies, the incredible impact of emotional stress on the body, as well as the restorative benefits of peaceful and joyful states. If you are going into states of extreme fear or worry about being exposed to virulent viruses, find ways to relax so you can move from sympathetic nervous system dominance (i.e., fight-or-flight) into a more balanced state where your beautiful body can support you. Acupuncture can be incredibly helpful toward balancing the nervous system response (please see this article on acupuncture’s impact on the nervous-endocrine-immune network: https://academic.oup.com/qjmed/article/107/5/341/1563714)

#2A.) Resolve underlying grief and sadness. Easier said than done, but having this as part of your intention can help old hurts begin to move out. In Chinese medicine, the lungs are associated with sadness and grief. Because the corona virus can affect the lungs profoundly, clearing out heavy emotions will give more space for healthy qi/energy to move in. 

#3.) Nutritional status. Cliché as it is to say, we are what we eat. If we want to stay healthy, one of the most important things we can do is make healthy food choices. As we know, a healthy microbiome is crucial to a healthy immune system. An organic whole foods plant-based diet is one of our best defenses against viral pathogens [please see EWG’s website for their annually revised list of most heavily pesticide-ridden fruit and veg, dubbed, “dirty dozen” at http://ewg.org]. An unhealthy diet robs our organs of healthy energy (qi), making us more nutritionally deficient. And certain foods increase mucous production, such as: sugar, gluten, and cow and sheep dairy products. Foods to include for extra support are garlic, ginger, onions, turmeric, mushrooms, berries, fermented foods (like miso, kimchi, sauerkraut, etc.), sea veggies, cruciferous vegetables, and chlorophyll-rich foods. If you have a fire cider handy, daily use is recommended to boost immunity, assuming you don’t have an issue with candida (in which case, please disregard). And don’t forget about the value of green, black and white tea.

#3A.) Supplements. Those who are deficient in magnesium, vitamin D, trace minerals, or who have higher oxidative stress, will need additional nutrients to support healthy organ function. Daily vitamin C is highly recommended (and you may consider rose hips as a rich source of this important nutrient). NAC (N-acetyl cysteine) is another supplement to consider, as not only is it beneficial for detoxification, but it naturally thins mucous secretions. Magnesium may not be a nutrient most associate with immune health, but as it’s involved in detoxification; taking extra will give the body support to optimize the immune system.

#4.) Lifestyle. If you are a smoker, you likely already know the risks it poses to your health. In terms of the corona virus, it may be worthwhile to reduce smoking or to quit entirely so you can have optimal lung functioning. Daily exercise, in the form of walking, helps move lymph to support immunity, and is of great stress relief for many, among many other benefits. Stretching is also supportive for lymph flow, and is another way to relieve stress. If you live someplace with sunny weather, go out of your way to expose yourself to the sunshine. Sunlight stimulates vitamin D synthesis, and vitamin D is linked with healthy immune function. I really like the transdermal vitamin D by Chandika.( If it interest you, here’s the link: https://www.chandika.com/vitamin-d-roll-on/)

And if you don’t know about earthing/grounding, please see Ober’s Earthing for more information on the value of putting your feet on the earth barefoot.

#4A.) Clean air and water. Having these basics in a purified form makes it easier for your body to detox and stay healthy. There are many good filtration systems available. IQ Air is one of my favorites (it is ICU grade good) for air filtration, and if you are interested, you can use this code [IQ44124] to get 5% off your purchase (Here is their website: https://www.iqair.com/). For anyone with asthma or other lung issues, this is a good investment regardless of the corona virus. Reverse osmosis for water filtration is typically the preferred system by those in the environmental medicine field, but the Berkey with the fluoride filters attached, is another good option. Not drinking enough water stresses the body, which compromises immunity (and impacts all of our systems). This is a modest recommendation: at least 32 oz/day of clean water, so your body can do what it knows to do when it’s supported, which is to keep us healthy.

#5.) Herbals. Again, it is wise to consult with a healthcare provider trained in herbal medicine to avoid any risk of harm with possible drug and herb interactions, pre-existing health conditions, possible side effects or other issues, including proper dosage. You may want to consider administration of herbals via foot bath, as noted French herbalist Maurice Messeque found to be incredibly beneficial in treating a multitude of ailments. See his book, Of Men and Plants, for more information. Some herbs worth consideration are coptis, scute/skullcap, isatis, neem, mullein, elecampane, yerba santa, holy basil, chrysanthemum, osha, and houttuynia. May sound “wu-wu” but praying before you use any herbal, in your own authentic way, can make it more helpful, asking Source and the plant’s spirit/deva to make the herbals as helpful as possible.

#6.) Essential oils. There are so many that can be beneficial. Many essential oils have inherent anti-viral and anti-microbial properties. Some that may appeal are cinnamon, ginger, eucalyptus, rosemary, ravensara, cedarwood, basil, spruce, lavender, clove, lemon, Siberian fir, oregano, thyme, ledum, frankincense, wintergreen, goldenrod, anise, fennel, bergamot, tea tree, mountain savory, hyssop and truly many more. There are several ways to use them, and probably the safest way is to diffuse them in the home, being careful of pets and young children. Keep young children away from diffusers and allow pets an escape route, as they don’t have the ability to detox these potent oils. I prefer to be my own diffuser, with topical application on the soles of my feet, and on the back of my head and nape of my neck. You can also apply them on your ears, your abdomen, your upper chest, or just rub them into your hands. Be careful with these oils. Some of them can burn your skin and will definitely burn your eyes, nose and mouth if exposed undiluted. Just like with jalapeno pepper, once it’s on your hand, it may take a while before it’s safe to touch your eyes, nose or mouth.

#7.) Moxa. I sell moxa rolls in my practice, and would recommend daily use of moxibustion to increase white blood cell count (which boosts immunity), particularly in the face of a pandemic. There are many studies on the benefits to the immune system that mugwort (in the aged and processed form it is called moxa) provides when burnt directly on the skin or indirectly via moxa rolls, typically on the famous point zu san li (ST-36). This must be used with proper ventilation (i.e., used outside) to prevent any lung irritation, and also with proper care to avoid burns. There are many You-tube videos available for more information, or please see your local Acupuncturist.

#7A.) Self-acupressure. If the idea of moxibustion doesn’t resonate with your comfort level or access, pressing on ST-36 (zu san li) will also affect immune function (and improve digestion, and calm the mind, and more, as this point is like a super hero in its functions). Other points to press/massage include LU-5 (chi ze), LI-4 (he gu), LU-7 (lie que), BL-11 (da zhu), and ding chuan (this point is located just lateral to the depression below the spinous process of C7). Self-abdominal massage will reduce stress, improve digestion, and make sleep easier, all of which will support immunity.

#8.) Dirty EMF protection. There’s not much coverage on this topic at all in mainstream media. For those with autoimmunity issues, EMF sensitivity is often heightened. Wi-fi, cell phones, computers, microwaves, 3G, 4G, and 5G all pose risks to health; one main reason is because these dirty EMF’s interrupt the energetic communication systems of our body. They often disrupt sleep, which is vital for healthy immunity. And they affect immunity, partially by making the skin less able to maintain its energetic integrity. Using EMF protection devices can mitigate the disruption. Turning off wi-fi routers at night, turning off your cell phone, tablet, etc. before bed, all of this will reduce your stress, regardless if you can see, hear or sense it.

I really like the Somavedic devices. They not only help with dirty EMF mitigation, but also with geopathic stress. Some of them even are able to structure water. Please use this link for a 10% discount: https://somavedic.com/?ref=aRdWK(discount code is SUBLIME).

#9.) Gems, minerals, crystals, stones, and metals. This section might be a little too “wu-wu” for some of you, but nonetheless, there is benefit in these gifts from the earth. There are certain stones that appear to have protective qualities against dirty EMF’s, such as amazonite, and in general, it appears that wearing or carrying these sacred gifts creates more coherency within our human electromagnetic field. This translates to less stress on the body to maintain homeostasis. Certain gems can also be safely made into gem essences. Do not do this unless you have thoroughly researched the safety of each stone, gem or crystal, as some can actually be quite harmful (i.e., toxic). From a Chinese medicine perspective, the lungs relate to the element of stones/metal, and in that sense also, it may be helpful to keep stones on your person and near your bed at night.

#10.) Homeopathic remedies and flower essences. There are many helpful remedies, and I am listing this simply to remind you that there are multiple ways, from the gross to the subtle, to affect health. In terms of flower essences, yerba santa helps clear grief, as but one example. There are many others. (Please check out my flower essence line, Sublime Flower Essences, to see if any resonate with you: https://atomic-temporary-49931791.wpcomstaging.com/shop/ )

#11.) Minimize risk by limiting exposure opportunities. This is listed last, but only because it is assumed you are already aware of this important step in prevention: avoidance. Check in with yourself before going into public settings. Do keep yourself informed of what is happening, while limiting news that promotes fear without empowering self-care.