HIGHLIGHTS –
- “There is mounting evidence of efficacy of Ivermectin to treat COVID.” – DALLAS NEWS-RECORD
- “This combination [hydroxychloroquine, zinc, and Ivermectin] saved every one of their COVID patients who received the entire five-day course of early outpatient treatment.” – THE DESERET REVIEW
- “A recent study suggests that the active ingredient in heartburn medications may reduce COVID-19 mortality risk.” – VERYWELL HEALTH
- “The Best Supplements to Boost Your Immune System Right Now” – HEALTHLINE
- “It is OK to discuss unapproved treatments with your health-care provider.” – PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
HEADLINE HEALTH – Honey and lemon. Gin and raisins. Ginseng and oysters. Effective home remedies for what ails us are essential to the management and preservation of our personal health; the search for what works best for you should be life-long.
Whether you are vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19, you are vaccine hesitant, or you have a valid medical reason or deeply held conviction that prevents you from getting a vaccine, being able to turn to effective home remedies gives you an opportunity to reduce COVID-19 symptoms, shorten the duration of your illness, and avoid overcrowded hospitals where mortality rates are high.
Controversy, hearsay, and half-truths frequently accompany popular sources of information about home remedies, especially where COVID-19 is concerned. The objective is not necessarily to find a panacea or a cure-all; instead, seek potential remedies that have been widely used, and for which the benefits appear to clearly outweigh any risks. Look for sources of information that are free of undue financial self-interest or an overriding political agenda.
Here, HEADLINE HEALTH reviews the use of ivermectin, HCQ, vitamin and mineral supplements, over-the-counter remedies, and other potential avenues for treating COVID-19 without relying on medical intervention alone. This review is hardly exhaustive; check your inbox for updates in daily emails from HEADLINE HEALTH.
DALLAS NEWS-RECORD, Dec 31, 2021: “There is mounting evidence of efficacy of Ivermectin to treat COVID.”
Viewpoint | Douglas Wright – There is mounting evidence of efficacy of Ivermectin to treat COVID. I spoke to more than one practitioner who have experience prescribing Ivermectin. Most indicate they see improvement in lung function in 48 hours.
In Peru, large scale dosing of Ivermectin was used to treat an outbreak of COVID in 2020. A report in New Microbes and New Infections in September 2021 gives the story. Ten states in Peru participated in the wide scale use of Ivermectin.
In 30 days, there was a [93%] decrease in the death rate from COVID in these 10 states. Even more interesting, during the study a new president was elected in Peru. He immediately stopped the use of Ivermectin in these 10 states and the death rate climbed up to nearly the same level in another 30 days.
All health care providers adhere to the same oath: “First, do no harm.” COVID can be deadly. An overflow of patients can overwhelm a health care system causing patients with other illnesses to suffer until services are available. Booster vaccinations may not be the best treatment for everyone.
A well-studied, inexpensive effective oral medication appears to be highly effective for the treatment of COVID. If all this is true, then why is an older man asking his dentist for advice about a drug that should be available from any licensed primary care provider?
We must make Ivermectin available in our pharmacies so clinicians may use this medication along with other medications and their best clinical judgment to treat COVID. COVID is a killer, 800,000 Americans have already perished. We should fight COVID with all the medical tools available. It is time to look at the studies and listen to the science.
[EDITOR’S NOTE: Official opposition to the use of ivermectin for Covid has not changed: “The FDA has not authorized or approved ivermectin for use in preventing or treating COVID-19 in humans or animals. Ivermectin is approved for human use to treat infections caused by some parasitic worms and head lice and skin conditions like rosacea. Currently available data do not show ivermectin is effective against COVID-19.” – FDA website, 12/10/2021. Consult your doctor.] FULL ARTICLE.
THE DESERET REVIEW, Jan 10, 2022: “Truth, Lies and COVID Treatment”
Justus R. Hope, MD – Two Southern California doctors caught the FDA, CDC, and NIH in a big fat lie. They did a study involving 7,000 of their own patients.
While the official position has been that there is no effective early outpatient treatment for COVID-19, Dr. George Fareed and Dr. Brian Tyson treated their patients with a repurposed cocktail of safe and commonly used drugs that have been approved for other diseases.
They used Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) – often used to treat Lupus or Rheumatoid arthritis in combination with Zithromax – an antibiotic often used for bronchitis. Then, they combined these with Zinc, a cheap over-the-counter supplement. This combination is known as the Zelenko Protocol, named after Dr. Vladimir Zelenko, who saved many hundreds of patients in New York. Later, they added Ivermectin.
Far from being dangerous, as fraudulent studies and a dishonest FDA told us, this combination saved every one of their COVID patients who received the entire five-day course of early outpatient treatment.
No one needs to fear COVID after they learn the truth. What we need to fear are lies from our captured regulators and media.
Although Harvard-trained Dr. Fareed told the US Senate about this treatment in November of 2020, and the Desert Review published an Open Letter to Dr. Fauci to acknowledge this treatment, neither the US regulators nor Dr. Fauci dignified Dr. Fareed with an answer.
And although Dr. Fareed earned the title of California Rural Physician of the Year in 2015 with the coveted Plessner Award, he was advised to stop speaking about his treatment as it was considered “misinformation.”
For Dr. Brian Tyson, it was even worse. After traveling to Washington DC and announcing his success in late 2020, YouTube took down his video. The board even threatened Dr. Tyson’s license.
[EDITOR’S NOTE: Official opposition to the use of hydroxychloroquine for Covid has not changed: “Based on ongoing analysis and emerging scientific data, FDA has revoked the emergency use authorization (EUA) to use hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine to treat COVID-19 in certain hospitalized patients when a clinical trial is unavailable or participation is not feasible. We made this determination based on recent results from a large, randomized clinical trial in hospitalized patients that found these medicines showed no benefit for decreasing the likelihood of death or speeding recovery.” – FDA website, June 15, 2020. Consult your doctor.] FULL ARTICLE.
VERYWELL HEALTH, September 07, 2021: “Over-the-Counter Heartburn Drugs May Help Treat COVID-19”
Carla Delgado – A recent study suggests that famotidine, the active ingredient in heartburn medications, may reduce COVID-19 mortality risk.
In the July study, researchers analyzed 22,560 COVID-19 patients who were taking a type of medication called histamine antagonists. This type of drug is used to treat heartburn and several brands are available over-the-counter (OTC).
The researchers also looked at whether patients were taking other common OTC drugs aside from famotidine such as cetirizine (Zyrtec), loratadine (Claritin), and aspirin.
After statistically analyzing the data, the researchers found that famotidine appeared to reduce the risk of death for 1,379 patients who were sick enough to require respiratory support .
The study also showed that combining famotidine with aspirin may decrease the relative risk for death by 32.5%. FULL ARTICLE.
HEALTHLINE, April 19, 2021: “The Best Supplements to Boost Your Immune System Right Now”
Jillian Kubala, MS, RD – Vitamin D: Vitamin D enhances the pathogen-fighting effects of monocytes and macrophages — white blood cells that are important parts of your immune defense — and decreases inflammation, which helps promote immune response.
Low vitamin D levels are associated with an increased risk of upper respiratory tract infections, including influenza and allergic asthma.
Recent research suggests that taking this vitamin may protect against respiratory tract infections.
Depending on blood levels, 1,000 to 4,000 IU of supplemental vitamin D per day is sufficient for most people.
Zinc: Zinc is needed for immune cell development and communication and plays an important role in inflammatory response. Zinc also specifically protects tissue barriers in the body and helps prevent foreign pathogens from entering.
A deficiency in this nutrient significantly affects your immune system’s ability to function properly, resulting in an increased risk of infection and disease, including pneumonia.
According to research, 16% of all deep respiratory infections worldwide have been found to be due to zinc deficiency.
Many individuals in the United States have marginal zinc deficiency related to intake or absorption. Older individuals are generally at an increased risk.
Taking zinc long term is typically safe for healthy adults, as long as the daily dose is under the set upper limit of 40 mg of elemental zinc.
Vitamin C: Vitamin C supports the function of various immune cells and enhances their ability to protect against infection. It’s also necessary for cellular death, which helps keep your immune system healthy by clearing out old cells and replacing them with new ones.
Vitamin C also functions as a powerful antioxidant, protecting against damage induced by oxidative stress, which can negatively affect immune health and is linked to numerous diseases.
Supplementing with vitamin C has been shown to reduce the duration and severity of upper respiratory tract infections, including the common cold.
All in all, these results confirm that vitamin C supplements may significantly affect immune health, especially in those who don’t get enough of the vitamin through their diet.
The upper limit for vitamin C is 2,000 mg. Supplemental daily doses are typically between 250 and 1,000 mg.
[NOTE: The author states that currently, no research supports the use of any supplement to protect against COVID-19 specifically. Still, keeping your immune system healthy year-round is key to preventing infection and disease. Be sure to talk with a healthcare professional before starting any supplements.] FULL ARTICLE.
PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, Dec 14, 2021: “Is it OK to ask your doctor about unapproved treatments?”
Jeffrey Millstein, MD | Expert Opinion – Off-label medication use should always involve open discussion of risks and benefits, a foothold for shared decision-making between clinicians and patients. Never take an unapproved drug on your own; you may overlook details which can be dangerous. Use of the wrong formulation, or potentially toxic doses may be very harmful, as in the case of ivermectin, where ingestion of the more concentrated veterinary formulation has caused many adverse effects.
It is OK to discuss unapproved treatments with your health-care provider. Like any medical inquiry or concern, your treatment questions should be received seriously, not scornfully. In these times of uncertainty and rapid changes in our understanding of a pandemic still very much in our midst, clear and honest communication between patients and clinicians has never been more important.
Jeffrey Millstein is a primary-care physician and medical director for patient experience-regional practices at Penn Medicine. FULL ARTICLE.
