The Ebola Virus
Pretty
scary stuff we are reading about these days. What concerns many of us is that
we are too often not told the truth. We have learned from sad experience that
the media (news reporting agencies) and the marketers (those trying to sell
products) are more motivated to manipulate our behavior than give us honesty
and truth. As a result, many of us have become skeptical, suspicious and
cautious of what we are being told.
And
so it is with this latest outbreak of the contagious disease - Ebola.
Firstly, I tend not to trust what the American Media is telling us, especially in the face of what is being reported overseas. We are not being told about the US bioweapons lab that has been kicked out of Sierra Leon who was working with Ebola. We are not being told about the research suggesting that this strain of Ebola is different from the one that first surfaced in 1976. We are not being told of documented cases contracted without direct contact - meaning that it was and can be spread through the air. And it is not being discussed what we (as individuals and families) can do to prevent or avoid exposure. No mention in the popular media of doing ANYTHING to prevent or prepare. [Don’t want the populace to get all riled up - just keep telling them they are comfortable and safe].
The
truth is, it is difficult to know when we are being told the truth or when we
are being manipulated with half truths or outright misinformation. Most people
are simply too busy to bother with “all of the negative news”. Wars, financial
crises, fires, immigration debates, terrorism (terrorism was just in 2001 right?)
- It is all so negative. We’ve got kids to get ready to get back in school,
family reunions, parties and social gatherings, skiing on the lake, hiking in
the woods, training for the next race, etc. Nope, no time for negative stuff.
Now
I am not suggesting that THIS IS IT. That this Ebola outbreak will
spread to become the next worldwide pandemic - the last being the 1918 Spanish
Flu, which killed millions (that was with a 2.5% death rate). However, real or
not, I believe this is an opportunity for us to discuss and prepare for the
WHAT IF.
First,
understand that prevention is far better than grappling for a cure. This Ebola
virus is scary and can kill up to 90% of those infected. Your number one
strategy for this and any other contagious disease is referred to as social distancing. Honestly,
nothing else has proven effective. This can range from wearing a protective
mask and keeping your distance to walking into your house, closing the door,
and not come out for 90 days (and not let anyone or anything else in). Period.
Wow,
that is kind of harsh. However, if a potentially deadly contagious disease
becomes widespread, you need to prepare and have the ability to exercise every
option. If you do not have the personal resources to take care of yourself, you
risk exposure.
As a
natural health care practitioner, I hear a lot of talk (and read A LOT) about
peoples natural remedies. Understand, that there is not one remedy that will
cure-it-all. We must understand the nature of the enemy (the disease). In the
case of Ebola - it is a virus. Medicine does not have an effect drug or
treatment for viral illnesses. Generally, the goal with viral infections is to
keep the person alive long enough for their own immune system to finally kill
the virus.
Here
is what Ebola does that is fatal: It gobbles up all Vitamin C in the body. No
one actually knows the exact mechanism involved in how this is done, but that
is what is observed. Scientists know that vitamin C drops to zero and all the
symptoms of Ebola are consistent with a complete loss of Vitamin C.
"The very first symptoms of Ebola are exactly the same as scurvy, which is caused by inadequate Vitamin C. With the absence of Vitamin C, blood vessels become very weak and start to leak losing blood. Ebola causes massive internal bleeding, loss of blood, and shock resulting in death (up to 90% of the time). This 90% number that is often thrown around represents the most impoverished, malnourished populations. The range is actually between 25% to 90% depending on the level of health of the population base exposed. This is a pretty convincing argument to be well nourished and healthy. I would rather face a 75% chance of surviving than 10%. Some researchers suggest Ebola can be stopped simply by taking enormous doses of Vitamin C until the immune system succeeds in killing off the virus."
Characteristic
skin lesions or sores develop, which are actually multiple tiny areas of
bleeding into the skin that surround the hair follicles. With Ebola virus and
other viral hemorrhagic fevers, the disease tends to reach epidemic proportions
in areas where Vitamin C deficiency and malnutrition are more prevalent, such
as some of the African countries (or possibly to those of us whose diet are
less than nourishing). Because of this, it would make sense to ensure that you
are getting plenty of Vitamin C and are eating a diet that promotes a healthy
immune system. Understand that consuming sweets and sugar will compromise a
strong immune response.
When treating for an infectious disease (Ebola or just the common flu), Vitamin C is taken to bowel tolerance. Plainly put, this mean that you keep taking vitamin C until you get the runs (diarrhea). This signal from the body tells you that you have got enough. When I was in school in the early 1980’s, studying the work of Linus Pauling (winner of the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 1954), I decided to put this to the test. I wanted to see how much Vitamin C I could take in a day for the flu I had contracted. 75,000mg (that’s 75grams) of Vitamin C before I reached toleration.
Understand that there have been no published trials or studies with Ebola or hemorrhagic fever and Vitamin C. It has been suggested that a disease of this nature and intensity could require as much as 500 grams (that’s 500,000 mg of Vitamin C - classically used as Ascorbic Acid) per day to reach bowel tolerance. Again, there is no cure for Ebola. The goal of any and all treatment strategies is to support the person by keeping them alive long enough for their own body’s immune system to win the raging war against the virulent infection.
The
sicker a patient is, the more ascorbic acid will be tolerated by mouth before
diarrhea results. This is what is meant by bowel tolerance. Vitamin C or ascorbic
acid is taken to support the immune system in a degree that will give the body
as much vitamin C as it can use.
Depending on the individual symptoms, you can determine how many doses
of vitamin C will be taken. I generally
suggest 5 grams (5,000 mg) per dose. So
if the goal for the day is 30 grams that would be given in six - 5 gram doses.
A dose can be taken as 1 teaspoon of ascorbic acid crystals (or the vitamin C
equivalent of 5 grams) in ½ cup of water or juice. The goal is to take enough
vitamin C to be just short of bowel tolerance. Once bowel tolerance is reached,
back off a bit. Continue with intensive Vitamin C doses until symptoms are
completely gone. I would continue taking it in lower doses until you are
completely “out of the woods“.
The
following chart can give you an estimation of the number of doses to divide
amount of vitamin C in.
USUAL
DOSES FOR BOWEL TOLERANCE
GRAMS ASCORBIC
ACID NUMBER OF DOSES
CONDITION
PER 24 HOURS PER 24 HOURS
normal 4 - 15 4 - 6
mild
cold 30 - 60 6 - 10
severe
cold 60 - 100+ 8 - 15
influenza 100 - 150 8 - 20
ECHO,
coxsackievirus 100 - 150 8 - 20
mononucleosis 150 - 200+ 12 - 25
viral
pneumonia 100 - 200+ 12 - 25
hayfever,
asthma 15 - 50 4 - 8
allergy:
food - Environment 1 - 50 4 - 8
burn,
injury, surgery 25 - 150+ 6 - 20
anxiety,
stress & exercise 15 - 25 4 - 6
cancer 15 - 100 4 - 15
ankylosing
spondylitis 15 - 100 4 - 15
rheumatoid
arthritis 15 - 100 4 - 15
bacterial
infections 30 - 200+ 10 - 25
infectious
hepatitis 30 - 100 6 - 15
candidiasis 15 - 200+ 6 - 25
Many
in the natural healing arena suggest their favorite remedies as being the cure
for practically everything. Whether it be essential oils, colloidal silver,
oregano oil, herbal remedies, or whatever, I suggest having some Vitamin C (as
ascorbic acid, calcium ascorbate or sodium ascorbate) on hand. I would suggest
getting plenty as it can be stored for a very long time and is relatively inexpensive.
You can purchase ascorbic acid crystals (and
just about everything else under the sun) from sources such as Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HMG6BCG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
The
rule at our house is that when anyone gets sick, EVERYONE takes the medicine
(that’s herbal medicine). By following the bowel tolerance method, you can also
get an indication of the body’s level of health. You can test or dose someone to the point of bowel
tolerance. If someone can all of a
sudden take 50 grams of vitamin C, then something may be up.
In
the case of Ebola - there is a 2 to 21 day incubation period (most often 4-9
days). This means that a person can be infected with Ebola and actively
spreading the disease BEFORE they ever have a symptom.
While
medical reporters in the United States continue to assure us that infection can
only occur from direct person-to-person contact there are several published
studies that suggest this virus has been spread from aerosol droplets (a sneeze
or cough). The Public Health Agency of Canada warns of this on their website. http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/lab-bio/res/psds-ftss/ebola-eng.php
In
preventing and treating conditions with so many unknowns, I recommend using
several approaches simultaneously. Take your herbal remedies to boost and
strengthen the immune system. Use your silver and essential oils. But also
consider Vitamin C. For more information on natural remedies to strengthen your
immune system see my Blog article on Influenza. http://drkylechristensen.blogspot.com/2014/01/prepared-for-flu-during-sunday-school.html
Is
Ebola going to become the next worldwide pandemic. No one really knows.
However, epidemiologist assure us that something is coming – if not now, then
sometime in our future. Discussions of such dire events and illnesses are not
pleasant, but it is far better to be prepared than hoping we will always be
immune from disaster. Being prepared as best you can “just in case” is prudent
advice that perhaps can give a little peace of mind.
Dr.
Kyle Christensen
August
19, 2014
