Simple and Easy Ways to Prevent the Coronavirus

Do everything you can to protect yourself and enhance your health!! These steps will also prevent the flu as well as the coronavirus COVID-19 from spreading.

Most Important Fact

COVID-19 is spread from person-to-person between people who are in close contact (within about 6 feet). The respiratory droplets from coughs or sneezes are the culprit. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.

COVID-19 is also spread from contact with infected surfaces or objects and then touching your own mouth, nose, or possibly your eyes. But this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.

The big rub: You won’t know you have contracted the virus for up to 14 days. If you think you have been exposed, it is your responsibility to self-isolated from other people to prevent potentially infecting others without knowing it. Think in advance how you would isolate a family member who becomes sick.

Let’s give our bodies their best chance at overcoming these challenge. Let’s help them do what they are designed to do – fight unwanted invaders to avoid sickness and disease. Use these simple and easy ways to prevent catching the coronavirus.

Simple Things You Can Do for Your Health

I think most of us just want to know in plain language what to do NOW to prepare our bodies to resist the coronavirus (COVID-19). Although the flu, viruses and COVID-19 are all different, they respond in some similar ways. These practical suggestions give us a stronger immune system to fight them all.

These suggestions are not cures – there really aren’t any. They are ways to give our bodies the strength to fight for us by contributing to a healthier lifestyle under all circumstances.

Be Smart

1. Clean your nose. We all know about keeping our hands and face clean. Also, keep your nose clean with salt water sprays or a neti pot. Zicam also makes a nose swab that cleans the lower portion of your nostrils. Do this wash at least in the p.m. before bed.

2. Keep your hands clean.  Sneeze into your elbow or  a Kleenex (immediately throw it away).  Wash your hands often and well. Washing your hands with soap and water is always preferable to using hand sanitizer, if water is available. I really like alcohol wipes. I carry them with me when I go shopping or use a restroom away from home. I also use them for quick wipes on any commonly used surface. I have a 3-year old grandson, and day care can be brutal with all kinds of germs. (No refection on his day care, BTW.). But, kids put everything in their mouths. Remember neighbor kids and cousins, too. Oh, and by the way, I read recently to make sure you also wash the back of your hands.

In restrooms, I heard recently that authorities are recommending using your knuckle to flush the toilet. Not as dangerous as using the tip of your finger, which grabs the faucet, door knob, etc. Be sure to wash thoroughly, of course.  When using a public restroom, I like to use toilet paper or the paper towel as a wrap to open the faucet and door knob, etc.

Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces. Don’t forget elevator buttons, hand rails and touchscreens on phones, tables and ATMs. Several times a day, disinfect surfaces like your computer keyboard, phones and tables. Please don’t share!

I pumped gas yesterday, and jumped in my car. Now, I had sanitizer in the car, so I cleaned my hand. Good. BUT, I forgot to wipe down my inside and outside door handles, and my steering wheel. We have to come up with a new way of thinking that creates better cleanliness habits!

3. Clean your body. If you think you have been exposed from others sneezing and coughing within 6 feet of you while you were away from home, remove your clothes in your garage or laundry room and put them in a plastic bag. Do this before you enter your home. If you feel that you may have sneeze or cough droplets on your hair and body, take a shower or bath. Note: Limit showers per day to one unless you are taking precautions after a potential exposure.

4. Keep your house clean. We’ve all heard about washing our hands often and longer. But what about those door knobs, sink and bathroom features? What about the refrigerator door? Soap is good here, too.

Even better, use alcohol. Alcohol kills mold, bacteria and viruses. If you can find it, Ethyl alcohol is said to be more effective than Isopropyl alcohol. But, use whatever your can find. One of the best ways to prevent the coronavirus is the limit exposure to airborne water droplets that settle on surfaces around you by using alcohol to clean up!

What about bleach? It can be effective on bacteria and viruses, but it is easily inactivated by organic material. It can be caustic to the nose and mouth, as well as skin. NOTE: Beach takes the color out of mold, but does not kill it. Mold lives beneath the surface, where bleach cannot penetrate.

Adopt Healthy Practices

1. Sleep. Your immune system requires large amounts of energy, so it depends on adequate sleep to function at full capacity. The Mayo Clinic and other experts warn that not getting enough quality sleep makes you more likely to get sick from exposure to a virus. Aim for a minimum of 7-8 hours of quality restful sleep each night. Natural supplements that help are magnesium (soothing stress) and melatonin (reset your body clock).

2. Take vitamins. Of course, vitamin C. You can read pros and cons about whether vitamin C works. As for me, I believe. Studies are finding that high doses of antioxidants – in particular, vitamin C – can help not only prevent, but also treat coronavirus. It appears to help by stopping the excessive inflammatory response in the lungs and suppressing the spread of the virus in the body. In general, vitamin C helps to boost the function of the immune system, which can prevent the coronavirus from making you sick. If you are not taking vitamin C now, start with 1000 IU per day, and build up gradually. If you get diarrhea, cut back the dosage.

Vitamin D. Most of us are sun deprived this time of year. D3 with K2 is best. D vitamin is important to every cell in your body. Start with 1000 IU per day. Again, check with your doc. There are tests to measure your vitamin D levels, so you can be more precise in the amount you take.

Zinc – Necessary to support immune health and shorten the duration of illness. Deficiencies increase susceptibility to infections and decrease capacity for the immune system to combat illness.

Check with your health provider regarding how much you should take if you are trying to prevent the coronavirus.

3. Drink lots of water. Just common sense.  Just do it! Wash those toxins and impurities right out of your body. I run my tap water through a filtration pitcher, and drink 8 to 10 glasses per day. I am not a fan of plastic water bottles. Studies suggest disposable, plastic water bottles can harbor hundreds of tiny bits of plastic, and we’re drinking them down with bottled H2O.  AND what about the garbage floating in our oceans?

4. Use essential oils. I love essential oils. Oil of Oregano seems to fight everything. Do your homework. There is a ton of information on the web. Google about them. If you are not taking them internally, you don’t have to buy the most expensive brands. Just make sure the come from a reputable company. Many essential oils are antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal. Check out this article about essential oils, which was written for mold sickness. Most of this information works for viruses as well.

5. Get sunshine. It is speculated that the ultraviolet light in sunlight kills viruses. Researchers aren’t sure about the heat. However, the sun does lots of other good things to help our body create our own vitamins and process better. It also helps your mood to be outside.

The best thing I’ve read recently about handling activities with all the cancellation of events and restrictions:  Getting outdoors – not cancelled!

Eat Better Food

1. Quit sugar. It’s acidic, and when your body has a pH of 6.0 or less, viruses (and molds) are very happy. They love an acidic body and they love to snack on sugar. It’s a super food for viruses and mold. Dairy is acidic. Also, most animal protein is acidic. Eat the best, safest meat/poultry you can afford and don’t overindulge. For more information, read what sugar does to promote disease.
By the way, there are foods that turn to sugar in your body – alcohol and carbohydrates are just sugar in another form.

2. Eat alkaline foods. You want your body to be neutral or slightly alkaline. Eat plenty of fruits and veggies. Less meat. If you don’t know your body’s pH, you can buy test strips at the drug store. Emergency old fashioned remedy to be more alkaline – 1/2 teaspoon of bicarbonate soda in a glass of water one time per day.

And love those veggies! Try a wide variety.

3. By the best food you can afford. Most people think fresh is best. It usually is if it is local and recently harvested. However, frozen food is often flash processed right after harvesting, and it a great (and sometimes) better choice. Choose canned food last. It is often filled with alot of water, and some folks are concerned about the metal leaching into the food. Make sure you’re eating a healthy well-rounded diet based on real foods, going to the bathroom regularly to eliminate toxins, and healing any issues you may have like leaky gut syndrome.

Personal Suggestions

1. Limit makeup and health care products or use more natural brands. It’s just me, but I have decided to limit makeup to necessary times until all this virus scare blows over. Makeup is not managed by the FDA. Most brands contain harmful chemicals that hurt your body’s immune system. Your body is too busy trying to take care of the poisons your feed it and put on it, to be able to effectively fight a virus! It you’ve had your makeup for months, time for the trash – especially if you have been sick. AND, don’t share!! You can find more information on makeup at www.ewg.org. And, what about toothpaste, mouthwash, soap and shampoo? Read labels and buy the best quality your can afford. 

2. Use virtual hugs, smile more and stay home if you are sick. You all have already heard about not shaking hands, being careful who you kiss and hug, and so much more information. You already know to stay home if you are sick, or think you might have been exposed. If you are sick, you definitely don’t want to infect anyone else.  Connect with friends and loved ones through video chats, phone calls, texting and email.

3. Wear a Mask. For goodness sake, if you think you are exposed to any flu or virus, wear a mask! As for me, I have no problem with wearing a mask if I am concerned about that I have been exposed. I don’t want to spread the virus to someone else. Likewise, I don’t want to get exposed. If masks don’t protect you from viruses and germs, why do doctors all wear them? I am sure they are trying to prevent the coronavirus, as well as all kinds of other scarey germs!

To Summarize

I read a few comments by Dean Ornish that I thought were profound. He said to be healthy:

1. Be well.That’s the alkaline food, healthy food choices, exercise, lots of clean water. That’s also taking care of our personal and spiritual needs. Don’t forget meditation and prayer.
2. Exercise more – It helps every body part, all the time – not just when we have flu and coronavirus scares. (talking to myself). Light to moderate exercise strengthens the immune system, so don’t overdo it.
3. Stress less – Stressing about an epidemic is creating a situation that makes us more stressed. Stress = more susceptible. Emotional stress not only increases inflammation, but it also puts a damper on your immune system – meaning double trouble when it comes to your body’s ability to fight off invaders. Taking steps to minimize stress and finding healthy ways to process the unavoidable stress can go a long way in keeping your immune system healthy.Deep belly breathing and meditation/prayer help the body to reduce stress. You can find tons of helpful sites online that provide step by step instructions. Visit Harvard Health Publishing for more ways to cope with coronavirus anxiety.Listen to the news, but take it all with a grain of salt. There’s a lot of hype out there! Be diligent, but keep a cool head. Exercise helps. Hobbies are great. Play often and hard! The more you obsess, the more you hurt your body’s immune system.
4. Love more. It is a good idea to keep our hands and our lips to ourselves during these days, so virtual connections are best – just keep them going. Stay in touch with the ones you love. AND, I’m thinking we need to love ourselves and our bodies more! Also, let’s encourage each.

Helpful Links

Centers for Disease Control (CDC
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease
Harvard Medical Publishing

Be well!

There’s no wonder we all need to protect our immune systems. We are barraged each day by pseudo foods and fast foods full of chemical ingredients. We are exposed to hundreds of chemicals and pesticides in makeup, toothpaste, and cleaning products that wreck havoc on our organs and hormones. And then there’s air pollution, noise pollution, EMF concerns (mobile and WIFI communications) and heavy metals.

The COVID-19 viral outbreak is a serious issue, but stressing out about it will suppress your immune system and make you more prone to all infections. Many studies have shown that chronic stress lowers the activity of your immune system and makes you more prone to infection.

Implement the suggestions above. You will help protect yourself from COVID-19, help other prevent the coronavirus, as well as boost your overall health and wellness. If our citizens take more of an interest in ongoing health and preventive care, we will have least one very positive outcome from this virus.

Blessings! And do what you need to do to be the healthiest you can be!
Carolyn Willbanks
Mold-Help.org

Author: Carolyn Willbanks