Health & Fitness

According to research¹ conducted in Switzerland, SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies are only found in the most severe cases — about 1 in 5. That suggests COVID-19 may in fact be five times more prevalent than suspected. It also means it may be five times less deadly than predicted.

The study,² “Systemic and Mucosal Antibody Secretion Specific to SARS-CoV-2 During Mild Versus Severe COVID-19,” was posted on the prepublication server bioRxiv, May 23, 2020. According to the authors:

“When symptomatic, COVID-19 can range from a mild flu-like illness in about 81% to a severe and critical disease in about 14% and 5% of affected patients, respectively.”

The Swiss study,³ which sought to investigate SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody responses, found that even though people who had been exposed to infected individuals had SARS-CoV-2-specific immunoglobulin A (IgA) antibodies in their mucosa, there were no virus-specific antibodies in their blood.

IgA is an antibody that plays a crucial role in the immune function of your mucous membranes, while IgG is the most common antibody that protects against bacterial and viral infections and is found in blood and other bodily fluids. As explained by the authors:⁴

“As with other coronaviruses, symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 disease causes an acute infection with activation of the innate and adaptive immune systems. The former leads to the release of several pro-inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-6 …

Subsequently, B and T cells become activated, resulting in the production of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies, comprising immunoglobulin M (IgM), immunoglobulin A (IgA), and immunoglobulin G (IgG).

Whereas coronavirus-specific IgM production is transient and leads to isotype switch to IgA and IgG, these latter antibody subtypes can persist for extended periods in the serum and in nasal fluids. Whether SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG antibodies correlate with virus control is a matter of intense discussions.”

Antibody Response Dependent on Severity

In COVID-19-positive patients with mild symptoms, SARS-CoV-2-specific IgA titers turned positive an average of eight days after onset of symptoms and were mostly transient. In some cases, however, IgA were completely absent. Serum IgG levels either remained negative, or reached positive values nine to 10 days after symptom onset.

In patients with severe symptoms, a “highly significant” increase of both SARS-CoV-2-specific serum IgA titers were found on day three or four, and even more pronounced IgG titers were present on day four or five. Both were independent of age or comorbidities. Only in severe cases of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) were “very high” levels of IgA found. According to the authors:⁵

“Interestingly, some of the SARS-CoV-2-exposed healthcare workers with negative SARS-CoV-2-specific IgA and IgG serum titers had detectable SARS-CoV-2-specific IgA antibodies in their nasal fluids and tears. Moreover, SARS-CoV-2-specific IgA levels in nasal fluids of these healthcare workers were inversely correlated with patient age.

These data show that systemic IgA and IgG production against SARS-CoV-2 develops mainly in severe COVID-19, with very high IgA levels seen in patients with severe ARDS, whereas mild disease may be associated with transient serum titers of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies but stimulate mucosal SARS-CoV-2-specific IgA secretion. The findings suggest four grades of antibody responses dependent on COVID-19 severity …

We think these findings suggest a model where the extent and duration of SARS-CoV-2-related clinical symptoms, which likely correlates with virus replication, dictates the level of virus-specific humoral immunity.

This hypothesis is consistent with previous publications demonstrating that the magnitude of the humoral response toward SARS-CoV-2 is dependent on the duration and magnitude of viral antigen exposure.

Low antigen exposure will elicit mucosal IgA-mediated responses, which can be accompanied by systemic IgA production; however, systemic virus-specific IgA responses can also be absent, transient or delayed. This type of ‘mucosal IgA’ antibody response seemed to be particularly prevalent in younger individuals with mild SARS-CoV-2 infection without evidence of pneumonia.”

The Young Have Greater Mucosal Immunity Than the Old

The Swiss researchers suggest these findings could be “a reflection of increased mucosal immunity in the young or decreased mucosal immunity in the old.” They point out previous data showing HKU1-specific IgG — antibodies responding to another type of coronavirus that causes the common cold — are absent in people under the age of 20, while higher levels of these antibodies are found in older people.

Extrapolation suggests infants and children “have primed mucosal innate and IgA antibody responses due to their frequent upper respiratory tract infections and, therefore, respond preferentially in this manner to SARS-CoV-2 infection,” the researchers state.

On the other hand, studies have shown the strength of antiviral immune responses, including T cell activation and proliferation, slows with age. This can partially explain why older people are vastly more susceptible to severe COVID-19 illness and death. Other factors like vitamin D levels and immunosenescence that increases in the elderly are also likely important.

Mortality Is a Fraction of What Was Predicted

As noted in an article on Off-Guardian.com, which reported the results of the Swiss study:⁶

“… if the authors are indeed correct in their estimation, this might mean SARS-COV-2’s infection rate (IFR) would need to be revised downward yet again. If 80% of those infected really do not produce antibodies then there is a live possibility the virus is present in many more people than usually supposed. Which would in turn potentially reduce the IFR, possibly considerably.

In the early stages, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated the virus’ IFR to be as high as 3.4%. The models based on those numbers have, however, been shown to be wildly inaccurate …

Dissenting experts⁷ appear to have been vindicated by the serological studies, using blood tests looking for Sars-Cov-2 antibodies done across different populations all over the world, which routinely suggest that the IFR is closer to 0.3%⁸ than the WHO’s initial figure of 3.4%.

From Japan to Iceland to Los Angeles, the numbers returned were between 0.06 and 0.4. Within the range of seasonal influenza. As a result of these studies, the U.S. CDC’s most recent ‘estimated IFR’ is between 0.26% and 0.4%.⁹ Roughly 1/10th of the initial estimates.”

Innate and Adaptive Immunity

For clarity, it’s important to realize you have two types of immunity. Your innate immune system is primed and ready to attack foreign invaders at any moment and is your first line of defense. Your adaptive immune system,¹⁰ on the other hand, “remembers” previous exposure to a pathogen and mounts a response when an old foe is recognized.

Your adaptive immune system is further divided into two arms: humoral immunity (B cells) and cell mediated immunity (T cells). The B cells and T cells are manufactured as needed from specialized stem cells. The graphs below are from my Vitamin D document and will help you understand the components of these systems and their timing.

If you have never been exposed to a disease but are given antibodies from someone who got sick and recovered, you can gain humoral immunity against that disease. Your humoral immune system can also kick in if there’s cross-reactivity with another very similar pathogen.

In the case of COVID-19, there’s evidence¹¹ to suggest exposure to other coronaviruses that cause the common cold can confer immunity against SARS-CoV-2. 

Majority Resistant to COVID-19 Even Without Exposure

One such study^12,13 was published May 14, 2020, in the journal Cell. It found 70% of samples obtained by the La Jolla Institute for Immunology from patients who had recovered from mild cases of COVID-19 had resistance to SARS-CoV-2 on the T-cell level.

Curiously, 40% to 60% of people who had not been exposed to SARS-CoV-2 also had resistance to the virus on the T-cell level. According to the authors, this suggests there’s “cross-reactive T cell recognition between circulating ‘common cold’ coronaviruses and SARS-CoV-2.” In other words, if you’ve recovered from a common cold caused by a particular coronavirus, your humoral immune system may activate when you encounter SARS-CoV-2, thus rendering you resistant to COVID-19.

May 14, 2020, Science magazine reported¹⁴ these Cell findings, drawing parallels to another earlier paper¹⁵ by German investigators that had come to a similar conclusion. That German paper,¹⁶ the preprint of which was posted April 22, 2020, on Medrxiv, found helper T cells that targeted the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in 15 of 18 patients hospitalized with COVID-19. As reported by Science:¹⁷

“The teams also asked whether people who haven’t been infected with SARS-CoV-2 also produce cells that combat it. Thiel and colleagues¹⁸ analyzed blood from 68 uninfected people and found that 34% hosted helper T cells that recognized SARS-CoV-2.

The La Jolla team¹⁹ detected this crossreactivity in about half of stored blood samples collected between 2015 and 2018, well before the current pandemic began …

The results suggest ‘one reason that a large chunk of the population may be able to deal with the virus is that we may have some small residual immunity from our exposure to common cold viruses,’ says viral immunologist Steven Varga of the University of Iowa. However, neither of the studies attempted to establish that people with crossreactivity don’t become as ill from COVID-19.

Before these studies, researchers didn’t know whether T cells played a role in eliminating SARS-CoV-2, or even whether they could provoke a dangerous immune system overreaction. ‘These papers are really helpful because they start to define the T cell component of the immune response,’ [Columbia University virologist Angela] Rasmussen says.”

Herd Immunity Theory May Need Revision

Now, if it’s true that a majority are already resistant to COVID-19 due to previous exposure to other coronaviruses, then we’ve probably already reached the threshold for herd immunity, and vaccinating every human on the planet (or close to it) will not be necessary. In fact, it’s starting to look as though a vaccine may be entirely moot.

This research also hints at the possibility that herd immunity isn’t what we think it is. The cross-reactivity on the T cell level seen with SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses may also exist for other viruses.

On the flip side, there’s a phenomenon known as viral interference, where exposure to one virus makes you more susceptible to another virus. Research²⁰ has found that those who received the influenza vaccine were 36% more susceptible to coronavirus infection. This too may be playing a role in COVID-19 deaths among the elderly, since most who reside in nursing homes are given the flu vaccine each year.

Long-Term Immunity Against COVID-19 Appears Prevalent

Yet another study,^21,22,23 this one by researchers in Singapore, found common colds caused by the betacoronaviruses OC43 and HKU1 might make you more resistant to SARS-CoV-2 infection, and that the resulting immunity might last as long as 17 years.

In addition to the common cold, OC43 and HKU1 — two of the most commonly encountered betacoronaviruses²⁴ — are also known to cause bronchitis, acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pneumonia in all age groups.²⁵ As reported by the Daily Mail:²⁶

“They share many genetic features with the coronaviruses Covid-19, MERS and SARS, all of which passed from animals to humans. Coronaviruses are thought to account for up to 30 percent of all colds but it is not known specifically how many are caused by the betacoronavirus types.

Now scientists have found evidence that some immunity may be present for many years due to the body's 'memory' T-cells from attacks by previous viruses with a similar genetic make-up — even among people who have had no known exposure to Covid-19 or SARS …

Blood was taken from 24 patients who had recovered from Covid-19, 23 who had become ill from SARS and 18 who had never been exposed to either SARS or Covid-19 …

Half of patients in the group with no exposure to either Covid-19 or SARS possessed T-cells which showed immune response to the animal betacoronaviruses, Covid-19 and SARS. This suggested patients' immunity developed after exposure to common colds caused by betacoronavirus or possibly from other as yet unknown pathogens.”

In other words, if you’ve beat a common cold caused by a OC43 or HKU1 betacoronavirus in the past, you may have a 50/50 chance of having defensive T-cells that can recognize and help defend against SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. According to the researchers:²⁷

“These findings demonstrate that virus-specific memory T-cells induced by betacoronavirus infection are long-lasting, which supports the notion that Covid-19 patients would develop long-term T-cell immunity. Our findings also raise the intriguing possibility that infection with related viruses can also protect from or modify the pathology caused by SARS-Cov-2.”

Support Offered by Updated Statistical Models

All of these studies add support to the latest COVID-19 mortality models suggesting there is in fact widespread resistance and prior immunity. Freddie Sayers, executive editor of UnHerd, recently interviewed professor Karl Friston, a statistician whose expertise is mathematical modeling, who believes prior immunity across the global population might be as high as 80%.²⁸

Friston is credited with inventing the statistical parametric mapping technique, which is now the standard for understanding brain imaging. As the pandemic erupted, he began applying this method of analysis (which he refers to as “dynamic causal modelling”) to COVID-19 data, coming up with a model that predicts far lower mortality rates than earlier models.

The reason for this is because the “effective susceptible population,” meaning those who are not already immune to COVID-19 and therefore at risk of infection, was never 100%. At most, it was 50% and most likely only around 20%.

Friston’s model effectively vaporizes claims that social distancing is necessary, because once sensible behaviors such as staying home when sick are entered into it, the positive effect of lockdown efforts on “flattening the curve” simply vanish. In all likelihood, the global lockdowns were completely unnecessary, and certainly should not continue, now or in the future.

COVID-19 Growth Projections Were All Wrong

Support for Friston’s model comes from Michael Levitt,²⁹ a professor of structural biology at the Stanford School of Medicine who received the Nobel Prize in 2013 for his development of multiscale models for complex chemical systems.

According to Levitt, statistical data reveal a mathematical pattern that has stayed consistent regardless of the government interventions implemented. While early models predicted an exponential explosion of COVID-19 deaths, those predictions never materialized. As reported by Sayers in the video above:

“After around a two-week exponential growth of cases (and, subsequently, deaths) some kind of break kicks in, and growth starts slowing down. The curve quickly becomes ‘sub-exponential.’ This may seem like a technical distinction, but its implications are profound.

The ‘unmitigated’ scenarios modelled by (among others) Imperial College, and which tilted governments across the world into drastic action, relied on a presumption of continued exponential growth …

But Professor Levitt’s point is that that hasn’t actually happened anywhere, even in countries that have been relatively lax in their responses.”

Levitt believes prior immunity plays a significant role in why we simply don’t see an exponential growth pattern of COVID-19 deaths, and that certainly seems to make sense in light of the studies reviewed above. A majority of people simply aren’t (and weren’t) susceptible to COVID-19.

According to Levitt, the indiscriminate lockdowns implemented around the world were “a huge mistake.” He believes a more rational approach would have been to protect and isolate the elderly, who are by far the most vulnerable and make up the bulk of COVID-19 deaths around the world.

How to Mitigate COVID-19 Risks Further

Now, while the risks associated with COVID-19 may be far more insignificant than feared for a majority of the population, they still exist for a minority. The elderly are clearly at greatest risk for severe infection and death, but African-American, Asian and other darker-skinned individuals are also susceptible, likely due to the fact that they tend to have lower vitamin D levels.

To bolster your immune system and lower your risk of COVID-19 infection in the future, be sure to follow the instructions given in “Your Vitamin D Level Must Reach 60 ng/mL Before the Second Wave.” This is particularly true if you or someone you love is elderly or has darker skin. By addressing widespread vitamin D deficiency, we can significantly lower the COVID-19 mortality rate in the future. But we need to start now.

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A concerning proportion of scientists — so far 54 in all — have been fired or resigned due to an investigation by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is looking into the researchers’ undisclosed ties to foreign institutions.¹

While Charles Lieber, the former head of Harvard’s chemistry department, is one of the highest profile names in the investigation, NIH has been investigating a total of 189 scientists from 87 institutions.

Among them, 93% received undisclosed support from China, and many had active NIH grants while accepting foreign grants that were not disclosed. About 75% of those being investigated had received an active NIH grant, and close to half had at least two of them. In all, 285 active grants totaling $164 million were counted among those being investigated.

NIH director Francis Collins described the information as “sobering,” noting, “It’s not what we had hoped, and it’s not a fun task.”²

70% of Researchers Did Not Disclose Foreign Grants

In an astonishing glimpse into what appears to be a covert recruitment program, 133, or 70%, of the researchers being investigated did not disclose to the NIH that they had received foreign grants. More than half (54%) also did not disclose their participation in a foreign talent program, while 9% hid ties to a foreign company and 4% did not disclose a foreign patent.^3,4

The investigation is part of larger efforts to limit threats to the U.S. economy and national security, as cutting-edge technologies and other information at the forefront of new industries that are being supported by federally funded research could be flowing into the wrong hands. A broader investigation is also ongoing, with NIH highlighting 399 scientists “of possible concern,” 121 of which the Federal Bureau of Investigation is also investigating.

According to Dr. Michael Lauer, NIH’s deputy director for extramural research, after the NIH looked into the scientists “of possible concern,” 63% of the investigations came back positive, revealing the true scope of the underhanded dealings.⁵

China’s ‘Thousand Talent Plan’

In an “integrity update” to a senior advisory panel working on foreign influences on research, Lauer highlighted China’s talent recruitment plans as a threat to the U.S. research enterprise.⁶ The Thousand Talents Plan (TTP), created by the Chinese Communist Party in 2008, was said to be a method to create an innovative society, but has raised red flags for posing a threat to U.S. technology endeavors.

“[O]ver the years, the program, which is estimated to have had approximately 7,000 participants, has become extremely controversial, generating deep concern within the U.S. government about Chinese IP theft,” the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) explained.⁷

Lauer’s presentation also homed in on the risks of the TPP, quoting a committee hearing from the Department of Homeland Security & Government Affairs Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which noted in November 2019:⁸

“Thousand Talent Plan members sign legally binding contracts with Chinese institutions, like universities and research institutions. The contracts can incentivize members to lie on [US] grant applications, set up ‘shadow labs’ in China … and, in some cases, transfer U.S. scientists’ hard-earned intellectual capital.

Some of the contracts also contain nondisclosure provisions and require the Chinese government’s permission to terminate the agreement … These provisions are in stark contrast to the U.S. research community’s basic norms, values, and principles.”⁹

In December 2019, Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) in Grand Rapids, Michigan, agreed to pay a $5.5 million settlement amid allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting federal grant applications to NIH that failed to disclose Chinese government grants received by two VARI researchers.

Allegations also included that VARI intentionally “made certain factual representations to NIH with deliberate ignorance or reckless disregard for the truth regarding the Chinese grants.”¹⁰

Bioweapons Lab Collaborated With Wuhan Lab

Dr. Francis Collins, director of the NIH, sent a warning to 10,000 academic institutions warning of foreign threats to U.S. biomedical research in 2018. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, even more scrutiny is being placed on the ties between China, including Wuhan, and U.S. academia, especially as the idea that SARS-CoV-2 originated in a bioweapons laboratory in Wuhan, China, gains traction.

The Galveston National Laboratory (GNL), which is part of the University of Texas, is a level 4 laboratory that studies highly dangerous pathogens.

It is now being investigated, as it had approximately 24 contracts with Chinese universities and technology companies, along with ties to the Wuhan Institute of Virology and exchanges between national security scientists and research sharing. This could be a red flag, as Stephane Segal, a political economist at CSIS, told Fox News:¹¹

"Increased collaboration between the United States and China is consistent with a general trend toward greater cross-border collaboration in science globally; however, the data also show a heavier reliance on bilateral collaboration with one another than with any other single country.

At the same time, the U.S. intelligence community has accused China of exploiting scientific collaboration and 'stealing innovation.'"

Patrick Cronin, Asia-Pacific security chair for the Hudson Institute, further told Fox News that, due to the FBI and NIH investigations, "The scope of China's exploitation of our open universities, including medical, biology and other scientific labs, is only recently coming into focus.”¹² Further:

“In almost all cases, the alleged theft of biomedical research information was done by Chinese citizens or Americans of Chinese descent. Bit by bit, China found ways into government scientific labs.”

Former Harvard Chemist Charged for Ties to China

The former chairman of the Harvard department of chemistry, nanoscience expert Charles Lieber, Ph.D., was arrested in early 2020 by federal agencies, suspected of illegal dealings with China.¹³

Lieber joined Chin’s TTP in 2012 and allegedly oversaw the Nano Key Laboratory, a joint collaboration by the Wuhan University of Technology (WUT) and Harvard, although Harvard officials claimed they had no knowledge of the lab before 2015. In my interview with bioweapons expert Francis Boyle, Boyle dismissed the idea that Harvard was unaware Lieber was working on nanotechnology for biological materials with the Chinese as “preposterous.”

In February 2020, Andrew Lelling, U.S. attorney for the Massachusetts district, said that Lieber isn’t being prosecuted because he was a world-renowned Harvard chemist or because the Department of Justice thinks he’s a spy. Rather, the concern came from the allegation that Lieber was paid to perform research for China, then failed to disclose the relationship, making it possible that he could succumb to pressure from China in the future.

Reportedly, Lieber received more than $1.5 million from China for research purposes along with $50,000 a month in salary and about $158,000 in living expenses,¹⁴ all while “brazenly” hiding the connection. “That is a corrupting level of money,” Lelling said. “When people begin to hide things, that’s when law enforcement authorities get all excited.”¹⁵

Lieber had also received more than $15 million in grant funding from NIH and the Department of Defense — grants that require the disclosure of any foreign financial conflicts of interest.¹⁶ In January 2020, the U.S. Attorney’s Office charged Lieber with “making a false statement to federal investigators about his financial ties to a university and foreign talent recruitment program in China.”¹⁷ According to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ):

“The complaint alleges that in 2018 and 2019, Lieber lied about his involvement in the Thousand Talents Plan and affiliation with WUT. On or about, April 24, 2018, during an interview with investigators, Lieber stated that he was never asked to participate in the Thousand Talents Program, but he ‘wasn’t sure’ how China categorized him.

In November 2018, NIH inquired of Harvard whether Lieber had failed to disclose his then-suspected relationship with WUT and China’s Thousand Talents Plan. Lieber caused Harvard to falsely tell NIH that Lieber ‘had no formal association with WUT’ after 2012, that ‘WUT continued to falsely exaggerate’ his involvement with WUT in subsequent years, and that Lieber ‘is not and has never been a participant in’ China’s Thousand Talents Plan.”¹⁸

Two Chinese nationals who were engaged in research programs at Massachusetts universities were also charged. This included Yanqing Ye, who was charged with visa fraud, making false statements, acting as an agent of a foreign government and conspiracy, and Zaosong Zheng, who was charged with attempting to smuggle 21 vials of biological research to China, along with making false, fictitious or fraudulent statements.¹⁹

The Ongoing ‘China Initiative’ Began in 2018

The DOJ’s ongoing campaign to identify and stop so-called “nontraditional collaborators” — known as the China Initiative — began in November 2018. Most of the cases involve scientists in academia or high-tech industries, with varying levels of allegations.

In some cases, prosecutors ask universities to reign in researchers who have stepped out of bounds without actually committing a felony. In other cases, official charges are filed. In deciding who to prosecute, Lelling told Science they evaluate several factors, asking, “Is there deception? How much money was involved? What kind of technology was transferred? And what other steps did a researcher take to develop the relationship?”²⁰

It’s important to keep in mind, NIH noted, that U.S. scientists routinely collaborate with researchers from foreign countries, and such collaborations are essential for productive research. “We must not reject brilliant minds working honestly and collaboratively to provide hope and healing,” NIH’s integrity update explained.²¹

Still, Lelling described U.S. researchers accepting support from Chinese researchers while also receiving federal funding as a “dangerous game” that could easily backfire, telling Science:²²

“The Chinese government has a very strategic approach to obtaining technology. It targets researchers who specialize in areas where the Chinese are deficient, in the hopes that they can piggyback on their expertise to close that strategic gap.

What concerns us … is that a scientist who accepts their support becomes dependent on it to the point where they are willing to accept [an assignment] from the Chinese government or a Chinese university for whatever it is they need.

Those of us that work on public corruption cases develop a radar for when person or entity A is attempting to coopt or corrupt person or entity B. And a large enough amount of money can shift loyalties.”

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You may soon be living in a world where your personal health data — including results from COVID-19 testing and data proving whether or not you've received certain vaccines — must be shared and authenticated before you're able to enter a sports arena, travel by air or even enter your workplace.

The technology behind such innovations, which many are calling a threat to civil liberties and privacy, is already available to the general public in the App Store and Google Play via Civic Technologies' Civic Wallet. Civic Technologies, which bills itself as a "leading innovator in digital identity solutions,"¹ released its "Civic Wallet" app June 16, 2020. Previously it was only available in private beta mode.

In addition to offering a way for users to send and receive digital currency, including bitcoin, ethereum, CVC and USDC, which are U.S. dollars converted to assets on the ethereum blockchain,² Civic Wallet will also offer proof-of-health verifications via its so-called Health Key.

This, according to a news release, "will offer the ability to provide secure and regulation-compliant health checks for employers,"³ which means your employer may one day require you to prove you're COVID negative and/or vaccinated in order to hold a job and earn a living.

Hundreds of Employees Will Have Health Data Verified by Phone

Civic Technologies has partnered with Circle Medical, an affiliate of San Francisco-based hospital UCSF Health, which will use the app so 500 of its employees can prove their health and vaccination status. First, the employees will be tested for COVID-19 at a Circle Medical facility in the San Francisco Bay area — more facilities are also expected to be coming soon.⁴ As noted by Forbes, the partnership:⁵

"… will let employees prove to their employers the results of their most recent Covid-19 tests, and when a vaccine is developed, whether or not they've received it.

Far from a theoretical blockchain application that might be of value at some future date, the app, which lets users prove a wide range of personal information, as well as spend bitcoin, ether, a version of the U.S. dollar issued on the ethereum blockchain, and Civic's own token is available … on both Apple's App Store and Google Play."

Civic plans to roll out its proof-of-health verification for companies with more than 500 employees. When an employee signs up, they will be verified as a real person using a mix of artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain-based technology, then have the option to share their "Health Key" with third parties.

Vinny Lingham, Civic's co-founder and CEO, told Forbes, "You don't have to transmit your name, or anything like that … So you can walk into a stadium anonymously like you do today, but just prove that as you walk through the gates that you'd been vaccinated."⁶

As for those who may feel that having to "prove" they've been vaccinated to enter a stadium or other facility is a violation of their privacy and right to informed consent, Lingham stated, "If you're part of a society where the majority of the people want everyone to be vaccinated, and you don't want to be part of that society change countries, move somewhere else."⁷

The app had more than 100,000 people signed up on its waiting list, and more than 12,000 downloads occurred on the first day of its launch.⁸ Circle Medical's founder and CEO told Forbes, "I think with COVID there is a real need on the part of the employer to be able to screen and assess COVID risk before they let people back into the workplace."⁹

Vending Machines, Buildings Could Require Data Verification

In addition to employers, services like vending machines and building security services could be among those that would require people to provide certain information prior to using the machine or entering the building. The data exists on an ethereum-powered decentralized identity network, in which the user owns the identity of the information, which is requested by a service. At that point, Forbes reported:¹⁰

"An agreed-upon fee paid for in Civic's native token (CVC) is placed into an escrow account and the validator software scans the requester's required personally identifiable information (for example, age or vaccine status). CVC now sells for $$0.0327, according to Messari, with a total market value of $29 million.

If the user meets the criteria and the requester is satisfied access is granted and the fee in escrow is released. Thanks to cutting-edge mathematical breakthroughs called zero-knowledge proofs, not even the validator actually has the information, but just knows whether or not the requirement is met."

In early testing phases, Civic partnered with beer giant Anheuser-Busch Inbev to create vending machines for beer, with users proving their age using a version of Civic Wallet. Since then, 12 companies have contracted with Civic to sell age-restricted products via vending machines.

What's more, "Civic is currently in conversations with health care companies and government agencies under terms of a nondisclosure agreement," Forbes noted, in addition to plans by Johnson Controls International (JCI) to use the technology as part of its credentials for building access.¹¹

Another Move Toward Global Currency?

In addition to its proof-of-health verification, Civic Wallet is intended to allow users an "easy way to pay friends and family around the world" using digital currency, which can be "sent globally with low fees for a limited time." Funds can be sent to usernames, addresses or QR codes using the app, and Civic Wallet offers a $1 million cryptocurrency protection guarantee insured by Lloyd's of London underwriters.¹²

"If you have up to a million dollars in your wallet," Lingham told Forbes, "you lose your phone, you break your phone, you're fleeing your country in some part of the world and your phone falls in the ocean, you will get your funds on the other side."¹³

Cryptocurrencies are developed for a variety of reasons. For instance, Bitcoins are used to buy and sell products and services. However, some companies are using cryptocurrency to give buyers access to a product or service that the company is offering or plans to offer.¹⁴

It's a way of raising money but, unlike stock where you own part of the company that's offering it, during an initial coin offering (ICO) you are buying a future service or product — Civic Technologies raised $43 million in a 2017 ICO.¹⁵

The backbone of cryptocurrency systems is meant to be decentralized. However, Google, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation formed Mojaloop, which is open-source software designed to be used for financial transactions that is intended to be hosted by a government or financial institution authorities.

Mojaloop is poised to create a platform that allows people from all over the world to send money to each other with low transaction fees, similar to Civic Wallet. Ripple, a payment cryptocurrency and platform currently used by some banks, will be the foundation of payment processing for Mojaloop.

Unlike other cryptocurrencies that rely on blockchain to encrypt and safeguard the transactions, Ripple uses a patented technology called Ripple protocol consensus algorithm (RPCA). Included in their network, called RippleNet, are several institutional payment providers that people use to send money around the world.

These providers include American Express, PNC Bank, Interbank and MoneyGram.¹⁶ Together with Google, Gates and other large tech companies in the coalition, Ripple is positioned to potentially gain control of a created global currency and drive down the value of country-based currency.

First State Hands Over Vaccine Mandate Power to ACIP

Meanwhile, as Civic Technologies quietly released an app to track your vaccination status, the Virginia legislature passed H.B.1090 earlier in 2020, which amended a law requiring children attending day care and public and private schools in the state to receive vaccines.

The bill proposed that children enrolled in Virginia day care or schools automatically be required to receive all vaccines recommended by the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) as a condition for getting a school education.

The final bill gives the Virginia Board of Health the legal authority to add any vaccines recommended by ACIP, except for the annual influenza vaccination, to the list of vaccines required for children to attend school without holding public hearings or a vote by elected state legislators.

In so doing, Virginia citizens have been blocked from participating in the vaccine law-making process and legislators have turned over their law-making authority to unelected members of the board of health and a federal advisory committee. The Vaccine Reaction reported:¹⁷

"In handing the power to make vaccine laws to unelected members of a federal advisory committee and state Board of Health, the Virginia legislature has abdicated responsibility and accountability to constituents by cutting out elected representatives and the voters who elected them from the vaccine law making process.

Although the new law provides for a 60-day public comment period after the Board of Health issues a Notice of Intended Regulatory Action to add a new vaccine to the required list for daycare and school attendance, the legislature will never again hold a public hearing where citizens can testify for or against the addition of a new vaccine mandate for children."

What's more, in a legislative committee public hearing on the proposed law that was held January 21, 2020, no time restrictions were placed on those speaking in favor of the bill, but a 10-minute cap — total — was placed on those speaking in opposition. This meant the majority of those waiting to testify in opposition were prevented from speaking, blocking their right to participate in the democratic law-making process.

The same pattern occurred again when the bill moved to the House Appropriations Subcommittee, with no time limit place for those in favor of the bill and a 10-minute cap placed on those speaking against it. The bill's passing is even more concerning in light of the current race to develop COVID-19 vaccines, which are being fast-tracked and will likely be mandated despite legitimate concerns about potential risks and concerns about effectiveness. According to The Vaccine Reaction:

"The automatic adoption by state public health officials of all new federally recommended vaccines to the required list for children to attend school in the Commonwealth without input from citizens and elected representatives is even more concerning because COVID-19 vaccines are being fast tracked to licensure.

While it normally takes 15 to 20 years to develop a vaccine, a vaccine for COVD-19 may be on the market by this September and federally recommended for use by all children and adults in 2021."¹⁸

Now that Virginia has handed over its vaccine law-making power to the CDC and ACIP, others are likely to follow, just as more employers are likely to adopt Civic Technologies' proof-of-health verification app and others like it.

Ultimately, this and other privacy violations, like contact tracing apps, could lead to a future in which a vaccine certificate or "unique patient ID number" replaces personal identifications such as your driver's license, state ID card, Social Security card and passport, and is tied not only to your medical records in total, but also your finances.

If you may soon be required to "prove" that you've passed certain medical tests and received certain vaccines just to enter a building or go to work, what other information may also be required one day? Will state governments continue to take away additional freedoms and eliminate your right to privacy in the name of public health?

If you're concerned about preserving your rights to vaccine choice and would like more information on how to proactively protect those rights, please visit the National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) website, where you can find an illustrated and fully referenced "A Guide to Reforming Vaccine Policy & Law," which is an excellent vaccine education tool for you, legislators and friends and family, too.

The challenges are great, but so are the opportunities to educate and empower legislators and residents of every state to defend vaccine freedom of choice. NVIC is committed to continuing to make that happen and they look forward to working with you through the NVIC Advocacy Portal to help you protect vaccine informed consent rights in your state in 2020 and beyond.

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Dan Churchill is a celebrity chef, a qualified exercise physiologist and the resident food expert for Chris Hemsworth's Centr app, so we're guessing he knows a thing or two about how healthy snacking. Here, he shares his go-to recipe for a mid-afternoon munch to keep those hunger pains at bay. 

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Treat yourself to activewear heaven with Body+Soul’s incredible P.E Nation gift pack. Enter online for your chance to WIN big!

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In a recent study of epilepsy patients and healthy volunteers, researchers found that our brains may withdraw some common words, like ''pig,'' ''tank,'' and ''door,'' much more often than others, including ''cat,'' ''street,'' and ''stair.'' By combining memory tests, brain wave recordings, and surveys of billions of words published in books, news articles and internet encyclopedia pages, the researchers not only showed how our brains may recall words but also memories of our past experiences.

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Using DNA origami as a virus-like scaffold, researchers designed an HIV-like particle that provokes a strong response from human immune cells grown in the lab. They are now testing this approach as a potential vaccine candidate in live animals, and adapting it to SARS-CoV-2, as well as other pathogens.

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Long-term morbidity as well as a lower level of education and employment rate are common among adults who underwent congenital heart surgery during childhood, regardless of the severity of the defect.

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It is well-known that victims of bullying can have higher risks of future health and social problems. However, different victims experience a broad range of responses and some may not suffer at all. Researchers felt this implied there might be factors that could protect against some consequences of bullying. In a study of over 6,000 adolescents in Japan, they found a strong candidate in the moderation of what is known as emotional competence.

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After one consumes food or a beverage containing fructose, the gastrointestinal system, or gut, helps to shield the liver from damage by breaking down the sugar before it reaches the liver, according to a new multi-center study. However, the consumption of too much fructose -- particularly in a short period of time -- can overwhelm the gut, causing fructose to ''spill over'' into the liver, where it wreaks havoc and causes fatty liver, researchers discovered.

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An innovative treatment for patients with Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) which uses transplanted gut bacteria to treat the infection, is a more effective and more cost-efficient treatment than using antibiotics, a new study has found.

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CAR-T therapy has been used successfully in patients with blood cancers such as lymphoma and leukemia. It modifies a patient's own T-cells by adding a piece of an antibody that recognizes unique features on the surface of cancer cells. In a new study, researchers report that they have dramatically broadened the potential targets of this approach - their engineered T-cells attack a variety of solid-tumor cancer cells from humans and mice.

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Bioengineers have designed a glove-like device that can translate American Sign Language into English speech in real time though a smartphone app. The system includes a pair of gloves with thin, stretchable sensors that run the length of each of the five fingers. These sensors, made from electrically conducting yarns, pick up hand motions and finger placements that stand for individual letters, numbers, words and phrases.

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Everyone talks about the importance of treating high blood pressure, the “silent killer.” And everybody knows that untreated high blood pressure can lead to heart attacks and strokes. But can treating high blood pressure reduce your risk of cognitive impairment and dementia?

High blood pressure is a risk factor for cognitive impairment and dementia

Cognition encompasses thinking, memory, language, attention, and other mental abilities. Researchers have known for many years that if you have high blood pressure, you have a higher risk of developing cognitive impairment and dementia. However, just because high blood pressure is a risk factor, it does not necessarily mean that lowering high blood pressure will lower your risk. Many things in health and science correlate without one causing the other (my favorite is the correlation between the drop in birth rate and the decline in the stork population). Thus, randomized, double-blind, controlled studies are needed to answer this question.

Prior studies have not provided clear answers

There have, in fact, been a lot of these studies. The most recent relevant study is the SPRINT-MIND study, designed to measure the effects of lowering high blood pressure on dementia and/or mild cognitive impairment. This study was so successful at reducing the risk of mild cognitive impairment by lowering high blood pressure that it ended early, because the data and safety monitoring board felt that it was unethical to continue the control group. However, the dementia endpoint had not yet reached statistical significance — likely because of this early termination. Thus, while the study succeeded in one sense, it ultimately concluded that treating systolic blood pressure to below 120 mmHg (versus lower than 140 mmHg) did not reduce risk of dementia.

A new analysis of many studies

Because SPRINT-MIND and many other prior studies have not clearly shown whether lowering our high blood pressure can reduce our risk of cognitive impairment and dementia, meta-analyses are needed to answer this question. Researchers in Ireland looked at data from 14 studies comprising almost 100,000 participants, followed over an average of more than four years. They found that older individuals (average age 69) who lowered their blood pressure are slightly less likely to develop dementia or cognitive impairment (7.0% versus 7.5%). Thus, the answer is: Yes! Lowering high blood pressure will lower our risk of dementia and cognitive impairment.

The relationship between high blood pressure and dementia

So, how does lowering high blood pressure reduce our risk of cognitive impairment and dementia? Most people who have dementia don’t have just a single cause. Two or even three different problems in the brain cause their cognitive impairment and lead to their decline in function. One study estimates that the fraction of dementia risk attributable to cerebrovascular disease — that is, strokes — was nearly 25% in people who developed significant memory loss late in life. These researchers also found that the dementia risk attributable to Alzheimer’s disease was considerably higher, nearly 40%.

My reading of the literature is that lowering blood pressure reduces dementia risk because it reduces the risk of stroke. It’s the strokes — not high blood pressure by itself — that cause cognitive impairment. Note, however, that the strokes may be so tiny that one doesn’t even know that they have them. But developing a lot of these tiny strokes (or a few big ones) will greatly increase our risk of dementia.

Optimal blood pressure for optimal brain health

Okay, but what’s considered a healthy blood pressure from the perspective of the brain? The SPRINT-MIND study answers that question: people are less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment if their systolic blood pressure is lower than 120 mm Hg compared to the control condition of between 120 and 140 mm Hg. Thus, for optimal brain health, it’s best to keep your systolic blood pressure below 120 mm Hg — at least according to the SPRINT-MIND study.

The bottom line

The take-home message is clear: You can reduce your risk of cognitive impairment and dementia by lowering your systolic blood pressure to less than 120 mm Hg, preferably with aerobic exercise, a Mediterranean diet, and a healthy weight, and by adding medications if those lifestyle changes alone are not sufficient.

The post Can controlling blood pressure later in life reduce risk of dementia? appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

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Humans and monkeys may not speak the same lingo, but our ways of thinking are a lot more similar than previously thought, according to new research.

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Children with impaired microvascular health developed higher systolic blood pressure over the course of a four-year study. Narrowing of retinal arteries in children who began the study with normal blood pressure predicted development of high blood pressure during early childhood.

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Environmental destruction may make pandemics more likely and less manageable, new research suggests.

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A study of pregnant women in physically demanding jobs found that their fears of confirming stereotypes about pregnant workers as incompetent, weak or less committed to their job could drive them to work extra hard, risking injury.

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Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is a member of the asteraceae family and has a large purple flower.¹ It comes from the Mediterranean region, but after having been introduced to other parts of the world, it's become naturalized in South America, North America and Southern Australia.

The plants can grow up to 5 feet tall and are covered in spines. They have a long history of being used as an edible, medicinal plant. The earliest record of milk thistle was made by Dioscorides, who thought it helped snake bite.² Pliny the Elder wrote about its use in supporting liver health.

In the following decades, others also wrote about using milk thistle, including herbalist Nicholas Culpepper and late-19th century physicians Harvey Wickes Felter and John Uri Lloyd. Native Americans used the plant to treat skin conditions and boils. Homeopathic practitioners have used the seeds to treat liver conditions such as jaundice, as well as varicose veins and gallstones.

In Germany, herbal medications are used and researched under the guidance of the German Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices Commission E, which is often referred to as the German Commission E.³ The group "recommends it [silymarin] for treatment of toxin-induced liver problems and liver cirrhosis, and as a supportive treatment for chronic diseases of the liver."⁴

Basics of Milk Thistle Benefits

The largest bioactive components in milk thistle are flavonolignans.⁵ These compounds can modulate cell-signaling pathways and reduce inflammation. The active component in milk thistle is silymarin, which is a group of flavonolignans that work together and can be isolated from the seeds.⁶

Silymarin has several components, including antioxidants and several other biological properties, which are derived from the seeds.⁷ They include silybins A and B, isosilybin A and B, silychristin (silichristin) and silydiamin. When combined, silybins A and B are called silibinin.⁸

The terms milk thistle and silymarin have been used interchangeably, although this is technically inaccurate. Lab studies have shown that silymarin can stimulate detoxification and regeneration of liver tissue. In fact, silymarin's effect on the liver is so great that some researchers have called it "the most potential drug to treat almost all kind of liver diseases."⁹

Silyman's Role in Cancer

Milk thistle stabilizes cellular membranes and inhibits the growth of certain cancers. In some instances, it has been found to potentially increase the effectiveness of specific chemotherapeutic drugs while protecting the liver.¹⁰ Since those drugs can also be toxic to the liver, finding a way to protect liver function while under chemotherapy can help improve a patient's health.¹¹

Scientists also have found that silymarin can help protect the liver from oxidative stress driven by reactive oxygen species and cytokines. In one study¹² with children being treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, researchers divided the participants into two groups. One received silymarin in three divided doses for one week after each dose of methotrexate, and the second received a placebo.

Before the research began, there was no significant difference in the children's liver and renal function. After chemotherapy, the group receiving silymarin showed improved liver and kidney function.

Silibinin is one component of silymarin. It has demonstrated significant effects against a variety of malignancies. In one study,¹³ it showed the ability to down-regulate two pathways to suppress the growth of cancer cells.

In another lab study,¹⁴ cells from estrogen-dependent breast carcinoma were cultured and treated with silymarin, doxorubicin or a combination of doxorubicin and silymarin. Researchers found that silymarin had a synergistic effect on doxorubicin, a chemotherapeutic agent used in breast cancer.¹⁵

But, that doesn't mean silymarin should be taken automatically as an adjunct to all cancer treatment, as it can negatively interact with some chemotherapy agents. For example, since silymarin has estrogenic effects, it can counteract hormone inhibitors given for hormone-receptive breast cancer.¹⁶ So, always check with your physician first, if you want to use silymarin in conjunction with your cancer treatment.

Currently, milk thistle can be purchased as a dietary supplement. However, Siteman Cancer Center warns that taking the supplement may introduce a few adverse side effects. For example, some side effects can include anorexia, gastrointestinal disturbances and nausea.¹⁷ And, as mentioned, use caution with Western medicine chemotherapeutic agents.

Milk Thistle Supports Liver Health and Repair

In lab studies and animal models, silymarin has demonstrated the ability to prevent or reduce liver injury after exposure to certain toxins, including acetaminophen and Amanita phalloides, a type of poisonous fungus.¹⁸ However, in human studies on milk thistle's benefit to your liver, some data have been inconclusive.

For example, some studies found no benefits to support milk thistle's use for chronic hepatitis C or nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). On the other hand, in at least one animal study,¹⁹ researchers combined taurine and silymarin and found that, together, they could effectively reduce both lipid accumulation in the liver and insulin resistance.

And, antiviral activity has been documented with the intravenous use of silibinin against hepatitis C. In one case report of an individual who was infected with both hepatitis C and HIV, two weeks of silibinin administered intraveneously cleared both hepatitis C and HIV.²⁰

The Caspian Journal of Internal Medicine²¹ also writes that silymarin has an effect against nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a more advanced form of NAFLD. It can also help alleviate cirrhosis of the liver and boost liver function.²²

Data published in the European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences support the finding that treatment with silymarin plus vitamin E could help patients with NAFLD. The study team concluded:²³

"Silymarin can be an alternative valid therapeutic option particularly when other drugs are not indicated or have failed or as a complementary treatment associated with other therapeutic programs."

Silymarin Is Hepatoprotective Against Certain Poisons

Silymarin has demonstrated the ability to protect the liver against acute alcohol poisoning (alcohol-induced hepatotoxicity) in a study involving animals.²⁴ As already mentioned, it may also offer some hope to those who accidentally eat the amanita mushroom, also known as the death cap.²⁵

To give you an idea of just how deadly the death cap mushroom is, just one can kill a healthy adult and its compounds are extremely stable.²⁶ This means soaking, cooking or drying does not remove the poison from the mushroom. Symptoms start six to 16 hours after eating, depending upon how much was consumed and the health of the person who ate it.

Symptoms begin with stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhea that continues for one to two days. In the following two to three days the person appears as if they've recovered. After this is the terminal phase, in which the stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhea are accompanied by evidence of liver damage, which then leads to death.

But, even so, a review in Lancet Oncology suggests that silymarin given intravenously may very well save your life if you ingest this mushroom:²⁷

"A review of more than 2000 patients exposed to amanita mushrooms in Europe and North America suggested that intravenous silybinin was the most effective therapy available against this toxin."

More Health Benefits of Milk Thistle

Milk thistle can also increase milk production in lactating mothers.²⁸ In the past, silymarin has been used to improve milk production in dairy cows. With humans, one research group undertook a study to evaluate the effect it may have on postpartum women.²⁹ Fifty healthy women were enrolled and given silymarin for 63 days. At the end of the study the researchers found that milk production had increased by 85.94%.

This was much higher than the group receiving the placebo, who increased milk production by 32.09%. None of the participants dropped out during the study and no women reported unwanted side effects.

Milk thistle is also a bacteria-fighter: Data have shown that it may inhibit bacterial growth and biofilm formation.³⁰ In one study published in the Journal of Clinical Immunology,³¹ researchers evaluated the effects of silymarin and found it could reduce biofilm viability and that it had antibacterial activity against standard bacterial strains.

Researchers believe milk thistle's anti-inflammatory effects may be in part due to a two-phase process, similar to that used by curcumin and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is an antioxidant found in green tea.³² In the first phase there is an increase in the expression of genes associated with cellular stress. The second phase involves a longer suppression of gene expression and inhibition of inflammatory signaling pathways.

Silymarin can also activate AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK), which is an enzyme sometimes called the "metabolic master switch."³³ This is because AMPK plays an important role in regulating metabolism.

Silymarin can also inhibit mammalian target of rapamycin (mTor), which is beneficial since activation increases your risk of cancer. Historically, milk thistle had been used to treat those who had mental health conditions. Recently, it has been found silymarin has neuroprotective effects and may help address memory loss triggered by oxidative stress.³⁴

Effects on Neurological System and Blood Sugar

Animal models have been used to test the effects of silymarin on Alzheimer's disease,³⁵ Parkinson's disease³⁶ and cerebral ischemia.³⁷ In each study the researchers found that the test animals benefited from using supplementation to reduce the effects of the condition.

Unfortunately, there are few, if any, studies on whether silymarin might also be useful for other neurological diseases such as Hungtington's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and multiple sclerosis.³⁸

The compound has known effects on blood sugar.³⁹ Taking it daily can lower hemoglobin A1c levels, which means that for people with Type 2 diabetes and taking insulin, extra care has to be taken because it can cause your blood sugar to drop too low.

Take Care if You Plant Milk Thistle at Home

Before you consider planting milk thistle in your backyard, be forewarned: It's a highly invasive, quickly-spreading weed. You may not mind having it all over your yard, but it is no respecter of boundaries. This means it'll likely end up in your neighbor's yard as well.

Milk thistle is also toxic to livestock, so don't plant it outside if you have grazing animals nearby. It has adapted to growing just about anywhere, even in poor-quality soil. Ideally, the seeds should be planted in an area that gets full sun. Once the flowers have started to dry, they'll be ready for harvest.⁴⁰

Cut the flowers from the plant and place them in a paper bag. Store the bag in a dry place to allow the flower heads to dry. Once you're certain all the moisture is gone, shake the bag to separate the seeds from the flower head.⁴¹ The seeds are best kept in a dry, airtight container. Only remove them when you're ready to use them.

There are several ways to incorporate milk thistle seeds into your food. They can be powdered in a coffee grinder and sprinkled on salads, added to smoothies or raw juice. You can also use the seeds to make your own tea. You'll find a recipe for milk thistle tea in my past article "Magnificent Milk Thistle."

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Breathing is universal, habitual and nearly always automatic. When you get stressed, your breathing pattern and rate change. This often results in more chest breathing in response to a "fight or flight" situation, a response triggered by the autonomic nervous system.¹

In April 2019, a headline in The New York Times announced, "Americans Are Among the Most Stressed People in the World …"² This was slightly less than one year before the COVID-19 pandemic raised stress levels even further.

Americans are no strangers to stress. A poll was conducted in 2007 by the American Psychological Association (APA). In a press release they noted that one-third reported they were living with "extreme stress" and 48% thought their stress had "increased over the past five years."³ Russ Newman, APA executive director for professional practice, commented:⁴

"Stress in America continues to escalate and is affecting every aspect of people's lives — from work to personal relationships to sleep patterns and eating habits, as well as their health.

We know that stress is a fact of life and some stress can have a positive impact, however, the high stress levels that many Americans report experiencing can have long-term health consequences, ranging from fatigue to obesity and heart disease."

Fortunately, your breathing is not completely automatic. Controlled breathing is one strategy that has proven effective in reducing physiological stress indicators and improving feelings of being calm.

This means you can control your breath to help manage stress, improve relaxation and make greater strides to take control of your health. Let's start with a short explanation of some of the different parts of the nervous system.

Functions of the Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Systems

Stress and your body's reactions to environmental stimuli that cause stress are survival mechanisms. However, chronic activation of the system causes the consistent release of hormones that produce harmful physiological changes.

While the fight-or-flight response is critical if you're facing down a bear or running from an assailant, ongoing exposure to societal stress can raise your risk of chronic disease and death.⁵ Your response to a stressful situation begins in the amygdala of your brain, which plays a role in how you handle the emotions associated with stress, joy and other scenarios.⁶

The amygdala sends a signal to the hypothalamus, which communicates to the body through the autonomic nervous system. This system controls functions in the body that happen automatically, such as your heart rate, blood pressure and breathing.

The autonomic nervous system has two parts, one that raises the alarm and another that helps calm you down. The sympathetic nervous system signals the fight-or-flight response to begin. This gives you the energy and focus you need to flee from a risky situation. Once the danger has passed, the parasympathetic nervous system helps apply the brakes to the release of hormones so that the body can rest.

Each of these changes happen quickly and without any input from you. This is why you can jump out of the way of a snake in the grass before you fully recognize there's anything in your path.

Keeping the sympathetic nervous system revved up and ready has a detrimental effect on your health. By using controlled breathing, you can calm yourself and create real physiological changes, including:⁷

• Lowering your heart rate and blood pressure
• Lowering levels of stress hormones
• Balancing carbon dioxide and oxygen blood levels
• Improving immune functioning and energy levels
• Increasing feeling of being calm

Box Breathing Reduces Stress and Promotes Health

The technique of box breathing is what SEALS use. In this video, Mark Divine of SEALFIT demonstrates box breathing and tactical breathing. He explains tactical breathing is used during performance to calm the mind when you're under duress. For those of us not in combat situations, this might happen in the boardroom, during an athletic competition or while taking a test.

SEALS use box breathing as the practice technique, so tactical breathing is effective when it's needed. There are four steps and each is done for the same amount of time. Breathing affects how you think and feel.⁸ Lynne Everatt is an author, personal trainer and wellness expert from Toronto. She spoke to a reporter from Forbes, saying:⁹

"Stress and anxiety trigger neurocircuitry that was designed to be used sparingly to deal with life-or-death threats, not on a daily basis as a response to gnarled traffic, a toxic boss or work overload.

Chronic stress has a corrosive effect on the brain that has been linked to degeneration of the hippocampus (the brain's memory center) and impaired functioning of the prefrontal cortex that can manifest in our lives as depression, dementia and impaired executive function."

To begin practicing box breathing, get in a quiet place where you can concentrate and maintain good posture. Ideally, you'll want to measure how many cycles or minutes you can do the technique and work up to five minutes.¹⁰

Do each step below with focus and intention on your actions. Most people who use this technique recommend inhaling and exhaling to a count of four or five. Either is acceptable as long as each phase takes same the length of time.

Nose Breathing Offers Many Advantages

Breathing through your nose offers specific health benefits. Researchers have found that people who usually breathe through their mouth have a higher risk of sleep problems and attention deficit disorders.¹¹ One theory for this is the difference in brain oxygenation.

Individuals who mouth breathe tend to hyperventilate or get more oxygen than is needed.¹² This lowers the level of CO2 in the body, which is important since you need a balance of oxygen and CO2 to function optimally. Nose breathing helps accomplish this.

Your vagus nerve is the major part of the parasympathetic nervous system.¹³ Diaphragmatic breathing, which you may have heard as slow abdominal breathing, triggers the vagus nerve and stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system. Since the 1970s, deep breathing has become a central part of helping reduce stress and anxiety, widely accepted by Western clinicians.¹⁴

By stimulating the vagus nerve and thus the parasympathetic nervous system, nose breathing can help reduce stress, anxiety and the release of stress hormones. Breathing through your nose helps you to breathe less.

This might sound like a bad recommendation, yet many people chronically over-breathe and deplete their carbon dioxide reserves. Chronic mouth breathing has been associated with several health problems, including:

• Sleep apnea¹⁵
•  Bronchoconstriction with exercised-induced asthma^16,17
• Abnormal facial development^18,19
• Poor dental health²⁰
• Hyperventilation, which results in reduced oxygen to your brain and heart^21,22

More Breathing Techniques to Improve Health

As I've written before in "Top Breathing Techniques for Better Health," the function behind box breathing that reduces stress, raises your CO2 level and signals your parasympathetic system is diaphragmatic breathing. You can easily assess your body's tolerance for CO2 at home, using a technique developed by Dr. Konstantin Pavlovich Buteyko.²³

This Russian physician discovered that the level of CO2 in your lungs correlates with your ability to hold your breath after a normal exhalation. Begin by sitting straight with your feet flat to the floor. Take a small breath in and out through your nose. After exhaling, pinch your nose to keep air from entering and then start your stopwatch. Hold your breath until you feel the first desire to breathe. When you feel that urge, resume breathing and note the time.

Your first breath should be calm and controlled through your nose. If you feel like you had to take a deep breath, then you held your breath too long. What you just measured is called the "control pause," or CP. This is a reflection of the tolerance your body has for carbon dioxide. Most people can hold it 20 to 40 seconds, but 40 to 60 is optimal. Anything lower than 40 may be reason for concern.

One strategy for improving your CP is to raise your fitness and endurance levels. Another is to improve your breathing technique by expanding your abdomen rather than lifting your shoulders. When your shoulders lift during inhalation, it's called vertical breathing.

This can make you feel taller and it does not involve extending your stomach. However, correct breathing causes your midsection to widen and is called horizontal breathing. This engages your diaphragm, which allows you to take a more complete breath and stimulate your vagus nerve.

Nose Breathing Nitric Oxide May Have Antiviral Properties

Another reason to breathe through your nose is to raise the production of nitric oxide (NO).²⁴ Your body produces NO in other places as well, including your endothelial cells. This is a soluble gas that has some exceptional health benefits, some of which I discuss in "The Importance of Healthy Bacteria in Nitric Oxide Production."

Many of those benefits may be a result of NO being a signaling molecule. Doctors use the gas in a number of clinical settings, including to help reverse pulmonary high blood pressure in newborns. NO produced by your endothelium helps to relax arteries and reduce blood pressure. This helps to promote oxygenation to all your organs.²⁵

Another benefit of inhaled nitric oxide has been in the treatment of viral infection. Clinical trials are currently underway for the treatment of people infected with SARS-CoV-2. The principal actions that could help combat COVID-19 include:²⁶

• Dilating pulmonary arteries to help the lungs get more blood
• Opening bronchial airways to increase oxygen delivery
• Directly eliciting antiviral activity against the virus

Louis J. Ignarro, Ph.D., author of the article in The Conversation, was one of three recipients of the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine in 1998. The group of pharmacologists discovered how nitric oxide was produced and how it functions in the body.²⁷ Nitric oxide is produced in the nasal cavity, but not in the mouth.

This means that those who chronically breathe through their mouth are bypassing production that can be inhaled into the lungs.²⁸ This direct delivery helps increase air flow and blood flow within the lung tissue, and it inhibits the growth and replication of viruses and other microorganisms. There is a clinical trial currently underway to:²⁹

"… determine whether inhaled NO improves short term respiratory status, prevents future hospitalization, and improves the clinical course in patients diagnosed with COVID-19 specifically in the emergency department."

You can help boost your NO production at home using a simple, four-minute exercise three times a day. Dr. Zach Bush, whose triple-board certification includes expertise in internal medicine, endocrinology and metabolism, named the exercise the Nitric Oxide Dump. He says it is anaerobically efficient and the more you do it, the better it works.

The exercise can be done at home with no equipment and can accommodate every fitness level. It works by stimulating the release of nitric oxide. You'll find more about the exercise, how to do it and why it's so beneficial at "Fitness Checkup: Why You Need to Try the Nitric Oxide Dump Workout."

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As health officials continue to expect a second wave of COVID-19 this fall, spreading information about how to prevent it is becoming crucial. One of the most important strategies in this regard is to optimize your vitamin D level.

Vitamin D not only helps regulate immune function and prevent respiratory illnesses in general, but mounting data analyses show clear parallels between vitamin D levels and the risk of infection, severity and mortality from COVID-19 as well.

While U.S. authorities are still trying to debunk (and even instill fear) of vitamin D supplementation, British and Scottish authorities appear to be embracing a more sensible approach.

The British Frontline Immune Support Team, founded "to make available some of the best quality immune supportive products … to help keep those on the NHS (UK National Health Service) frontline resilient and strong," is already providing health care workers with free nutritional supplements known to bolster and regulate immune function.

This includes liposomal vitamin C, vitamin D and zinc. As noted on frontlineimmunesupport.com, the group's fundraiser page:¹

"Immune supportive packs are sent directly to each individual NHS healthcare worker who signs up for this initiative — and they receive all products for FREE. We currently have hundreds of NHS staff already signed up ready to go; and with your contributions we can supply and reach thousands more."

The Frontline Immune Support Team point out that vitamin D:²

"… plays a critical role in your immune defense system, both in reducing flu-like days of illness if your blood level is sufficient, and in helping your immune system respond when under viral attack. It speeds up recovery from pneumonia.

Two in five adults have a level of vitamin D below 25nmol/l, especially in late winter months such as February and March, that is likely to almost double their risk of flu. A vitamin D level above 100 nmol/l correlates with the lowest numbers of flu-like days. The moral of the story is to get your level up as quickly as possible."

Public Health Scotland and the British NHS are also assessing the evidence to determine whether vitamin D should be prescribed to in-hospital patients and as a prevention to high-risk groups.³

Vitamin D Level Correlates With Risk of Respiratory Infection

Clinical trials using vitamin D against COVID-19 are currently underway,⁴ but we don't need to wait for results to know that vitamin D optimization is a good idea. SARS-CoV-2 is an enveloped virus, which means it's more difficult for your immune system to identify and destroy it.

However, as noted by The Frontline Support Team, we already know higher vitamin D levels are inversely associated with infection by many other enveloped viruses, including dengue, hepatitis, herpes, HIV, rotavirus, respiratory syncytial virus and influenza.^5,6

Vitamin D also strengthens cellular junctions, thereby making it more difficult for viruses to gain entry through your eyes, ears, lungs and mucus membranes. This in turn makes the infection less likely to migrate down into your lungs.⁷ Importantly, vitamin D also strengthens the adaptive arm of your immune system, and its ability to produce antibodies.⁸ According to a June 17, 2020, report by The Guardian:⁹

"Public health officials are urgently reviewing the potential ability of vitamin D to reduce the risk of coronavirus. It comes amid growing concern over the disproportionate number of black, Asian and minority ethnic people contracting and dying from the disease, including a reported¹⁰ 94% of all doctors killed by the virus …

The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) began this work last month and is considering recent evidence on vitamin D and acute respiratory tract infection in the general population. Evidence will be considered on specific population groups, including those of different ages and BAME [black, Asian, minority ethnic] groups.

In a parallel development, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) is conducting a 'rapid' evidence review on vitamin D 'in the context of Covid-19' with support from Public Health England (PHE)."

Vitamin D — 'Designer Drug' Against Viral Infections

Adrian Martineau, a professor of respiratory infection and immunity at Queen Mary University of London, is currently leading the "Covidence UK Study,"¹¹ an effort to collect data about how vitamin D deficiency impacts your COVID-19 risk. If you live in the UK, you can sign up for the Covidence UK study here.

Martineau tells The Guardian that COVID-19 deaths among black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) staff within the NHS raises important questions about vitamin D status.¹²

"Vitamin D could almost be thought of as a designer drug for helping the body to handle viral respiratory infections. It boosts the ability of cells to kill and resist viruses and simultaneously dampens down harmful inflammation, which is one of the big problems with Covid," he told the paper.

Why People of Color Are at Increased Risk

There's a simple reason why BAME groups are more susceptible to COVID-19. Darker skin requires far more sun exposure to produce adequate vitamin D, so much so that dark-skinned individuals living north of the equator are virtually guaranteed to be chronically deficient.

According to data collected by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2005 and 2006, and published in 2018, 82.1% of black American adults and 62.9% of Hispanic adults are deficient in vitamin D.¹³ As noted in that paper, lower melanin levels are protective of vitamin D deficiency, and the darker your skin, the more likely you are of having a low vitamin D level.

The good news is that this predisposition is easily and inexpensively remedied. The Frontline Support Team has made good strides toward protecting health care workers, so far supplying about 750 NHS frontline staff with free supplement packs. But the general public also needs it, too. At bare minimum, the public needs the information.

Scotland Issues Guidance on Vitamin D

In Scotland, government COVID-19 guidance now includes taking a daily vitamin D supplement. As reported by the Scotland Herald:¹⁴

"Official Scottish Government guidance issued on June 3 states that everyone, including children, 'should consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D.'

However, it is 'specifically recommended' to all pregnant and breastfeeding women; infants and children under five years old; people from minority ethnic groups with dark skin such as those of African, African-Caribbean and South Asian origin, who require more sun exposure to make as much vitamin D; and people who are confined indoors."

US Ignores Vitamin D Impact

In stark contrast, U.S. health agencies appear to have little interest in helping the public support their immune system through appropriate nutrition, but would rather have you rely on drugs and vaccines.

The U.S. National Institutes of Health recommends¹⁵ getting your vitamin D from food and beverages only, despite the fact that dietary intake of vitamin D is insufficient to reach and maintain the level required to prevent viral illnesses and other chronic diseases.

That said, some health experts are speaking out. Among them is former CDC director Dr. Tom Frieden, who wrote an opinion piece for Fox News in which he suggests vitamin D may reduce COVID-19 mortality rates, especially in those who are deficient.¹⁶

He goes on to say supplementation has reduced the "risk of respiratory infections, regulates cytokine production and can limit the risk of other viruses such as influenza." Much of the damage from COVID-19 occurs with a "cytokine storm," during which the body's inflammatory system goes into high gear, damaging organs and increasing mortality rates. He writes:¹⁷

"We can do lots of things to improve our resistance to infection. These include getting regular physical activity, getting enough sleep, stopping smoking and other tobacco use, and, for people living with diabetes, getting it under control.

Taking a multivitamin that includes Vitamin D, or a Vitamin D supplement, probably can't hurt, and it might help. As we continue to work to mitigate the impact of COVID-19, anything we can do to strengthen our resistance is a step in the right direction."

Similarly, Dr. John C. Umhau, a public health specialist at the NIH, has argued that vitamin D is one of the "most studied and most important host factor impacting survival from COVID-19."¹⁸ He also points out that "A government-sponsored research strategy to address this issue has not been developed, as officials explained that there was no mandate to explore an alternative to the existing vaccination program."

Considering the hazards inherent in fast-tracking a COVID-19 vaccine, and seeing how previous attempts at creating a safe and effective coronavirus vaccine have all failed, putting all of the public health eggs in the vaccine basket is questionable in the extreme.

What Science Says About Vitamin D

By now, there's a very long list of scientific evidences pointing toward vitamin D optimization as being a crucial component for preventing another spike in COVID-19 deaths.

In the video above, Ivor Cummins, chief program officer for Irish Heart Disease Awareness, explains how higher levels of vitamin D may reduce your risk of negative outcomes from COVID-19. Studies supporting this view include but are not limited to the following:

A scientific review19 in the journal Nutrients concluded vitamin D can reduce the risk of infection by lowering the rate at which the virus replicates and reduce the pro-inflammatory cytokines that damage the lungs, leading to pneumonia. Vitamin D also helps increase concentrations of anti-inflammatory cytokines that may help protect the lungs. The researchers recommended those at risk take: "… 10,000 IU/d of vitamin D3 for a few weeks to rapidly raise 25(OH)D concentrations, followed by 5000 IU/d. The goal should be to raise 25(OH)D concentrations above 40–60 ng/mL (100–150 nmol/L)."

Vitamin D is an important component in the prevention and treatment of influenza20 and upper respiratory tract infections21 — While vitamin D does not appear to have a direct effect on the virus itself, it strengthens immune function, thus allowing the host body to combat the virus more effectively.22 As detailed in "Vitamin D Prevents Infections," research shows high-dose vitamin D supplementation lowers the risk of respiratory illnesses and lung infections in the elderly by 40%. As noted by an author of that study, "Vitamin D can improve the immune system's ability to fight infections because it bolsters the first line of defense of the immune system." Importantly, vitamin D also suppresses inflammatory processes. Taken together, this might make vitamin D quite useful against COVID-19, because while robust immune function is required for your body to combat the virus, an overactivated immune system is also responsible for the cytokine storm we see in COVID-19 infection that can lead to death. As noted by pulmonologist Dr. Roger Seheult in the video below: "What we want is a smart immune system — an immune system that takes care of the virus but doesn't put us into an inflammatory condition that could put us on a ventilator."

Research23 published in 2009 suggests fatality rates during the 1918-1919 influenza pandemic were influenced by season, with greater numbers of people dying during the winter (when vitamin D levels are at their lowest) than the summer. According to the authors:24 "Substantial correlations were found for associations of July UVB dose with case fatality rates and rates of pneumonia as a complication of influenza. Similar results were found for wintertime UVB. Vitamin D upregulates production of human cathelicidin, LL-37, which has both antimicrobial and antiendotoxin activities. Vitamin D also reduces the production of proinflammatory cytokines, which could also explain some of the benefit of vitamin D since H1N1 infection gives rise to a cytokine storm."

Research25 published in 2017 — a meta-analysis of 25 randomized controlled trials — confirmed that vitamin D supplementation helps protect against acute respiratory infections. Importantly, this analysis also discovered daily or weekly supplementation of vitamin D had the greatest protective effect in those with the lowest vitamin D levels.26 In other words, large, infrequent bolus doses do not work well. Those with severe vitamin D deficiency who took a daily or weekly supplement cut their respiratory infection risk in half, whereas the acute administration of high bolus doses of vitamin D had no significant impact on infection risk.

Data analysis27 by GrassrootsHealth shows people with a vitamin D level of at least 40 ng/mL reduced their risk of colds by 15% and flu by 41%, compared to those with a level below 20 ng/mL.

Findings from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA)28,29 suggest vitamin D deficiency could have serious implications for COVID-19. The researchers recommend adults over 50 take a vitamin D supplement year-round (not just in winter) if they don't get enough sun exposure to optimize their levels.

According to the vitamin D review paper30 "Evidence That Vitamin D Supplementation Could Reduce Risk of Influenza and COVID-19 Infections and Death," published in the journal Nutrients, April 2, 2020: "Through several mechanisms, vitamin D can reduce risk of infections. Those mechanisms include inducing cathelicidins and defensins that can lower viral replication rates and reducing concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines that produce the inflammation that injures the lining of the lungs, leading to pneumonia, as well as increasing concentrations of anti-inflammatory cytokines … To reduce the risk of infection, it is recommended that people at risk of influenza and/or COVID-19 consider taking 10,000 IU/d of vitamin D3 for a few weeks to rapidly raise 25(OH)D concentrations, followed by 5000 IU/d. The goal should be to raise 25(OH)D concentrations above 40–60 ng/mL (100–150 nmol/L). For treatment of people who become infected with COVID-19, higher vitamin D3 doses might be useful."

A GrassrootsHealth review of an observational study involving 212 COVID-19 patients in Southeast Asia identified a correlation between vitamin D levels and disease severity. Those with the mildest disease had the highest vitamin D levels, and vice versa. In the initial study group of 212 patients (see Table 1 below), 55 had normal vitamin D levels, which was defined as greater than 30 ng/ml; 80 had insufficient levels of 21 to 29 ng/ml and 77 had deficient levels of less than 20 ng/ml. According to the research done by GrassrootsHealth, 40 ng/mL is the lower edge of optimal, with 60 ng/mL to 80 ng/mL being ideal for health and disease prevention. Despite that, the benefit of having a vitamin D level above 30 ng/mL was clear.

In a study31,32 that looked at data from 780 COVID-19 patients in Indonesia, those with a vitamin D level between 20 ng/mL and 30 ng/mL had a sevenfold higher risk of death than those with a level above 30 ng/mL. Having a level below 20 ng/mL was associated with a 12 times higher risk of death.

Research33,34 posted on the preprint server MedRxiv June 10, 2020, reports a combination of vitamin D3, B12 and magnesium inhibited the progression of COVID-19 in patients over the age of 50, resulting in "a significant reduction in proportion of patients with clinical deterioration requiring oxygen support and/or intensive care support."

Check Your Level Before You Start Downing Supplements

On the upside, news about vitamin D appears to be reaching the masses. According to Foodnavigator-Asia, sales of the Japanese FANCL brand of vitamin D were 2018% higher in April 2020 compared to April 2019.³⁵ While that's a good sign, it's important to remember to get your vitamin D level tested before you start supplementing.

The reason for this is because you cannot rely on blanket dosing recommendations. The crucial factor here is your blood level, not the dose, as the dose you need is dependent on several individual factors, including your baseline blood level.

Data from GrassrootsHealth's D*Action studies suggest the optimal level for health and disease prevention is between 60 ng/mL and 80 ng/mL, while the cutoff for sufficiency appears to be around 40 ng/mL. In Europe, the measurements you're looking for are 150 to 200 nmol/L and 100 nmol/L respectively.

I recently published a comprehensive vitamin D report in which I detail vitamin D's mechanisms of action and how to ensure optimal levels. I recommend downloading and sharing that report with everyone you know. A quick summary of the key steps is as follows:

>>>>> Click Here <<<<<

Take Your Vitamin D With Magnesium and K2

As previously detailed in "Magnesium and K2 Optimize Your Vitamin D Supplementation," it's strongly recommended to take magnesium and K2 concomitant with oral vitamin D. Data from nearly 3,000 individuals reveal you need 244% more oral vitamin D if you're not also taking magnesium and vitamin K2!³⁸

What this means in practical terms is that if you take all three supplements in combination, you need far less oral vitamin D in order to achieve a healthy vitamin D level.

Help Us Spread the Word!

Remember, while vitamin D is important for everyone, key target populations are the elderly and people of color. It's now beyond evident that COVID-19 affects the elderly far more severely, on average, than younger individuals, and those living in nursing homes and assisted living facilities seem to be at an extraordinarily increased risk of dying from COVID-19.

Add to that the increased hospitalization rate and mortality among people of color, and it should be easy to see that targeting these two groups with commonsense strategies such as vitamin D optimization can, and most likely will, have a tremendous impact on COVID-19 mortality rates in the future. As Robert Brown with the McCarrison Society, a nutrition think tank, told the Scotland Herald:³⁹

"The biological pathways by which vitamin D can help reduce severity of Covid-19 are well established and the real-life evidence from within this pandemic is growing. What's needed now is for government to be bold and act now to mitigate the risk of a second wave returning in the winter."

That said, don't let government's failure to address vitamin D to stop you from taking control of your own health. Vitamin D supplements are inexpensive and readily available, as are vitamin K2 and magnesium. If we can get the word out, we are likely to significantly quell any reemergence of COVID-19, and eliminate most of the racial disparities we see among patients with severe illness.

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