Do NOT become a statistic!

Acid and Viruses

I was editing the first edition of my book Flush the Fat, when the world was hit with a global, viral pandemic called COVID-19. It became frightening, as it spread like wildfire killing the old and the vulnerable. As of writing this article at the beginning of July 2020, there have been millions infected world-wide, with symptoms ranging from mild to serious, and in many cases death. Here in Australia, so far, we have been lucky, as international and state borders were closed quickly preventing rapid spread of this killer virus and isolating us from the rest of the world. As we watched with bated breath, countries in Asia, Europe, North and South America, especially USA and Brazil, succumbed to the ravages of this virus that could not be contained or cured.

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Countries closed down, as people were told to stay at home, wash their hands, wear a mask and stay away from each other (social distance) if they had to go out for food, or if they were part of essential services. Panic set in as people started buying up food items and, for some reason, hoarding toilet paper. Aged care and nursing homes were locked down and visitors were not allowed, as these inhabitants were the most vulnerable. There were many deaths among the elderly.

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The economy ground to a halt as towns, suburbs and cities ceased to function. The world as we knew it was gone. Nothing was normal as doctors, scientists and politicians worked frantically to find a way to halt this death and destruction. Scientists around the world searched for a vaccine with the hope of something, anything, being discovered to stop this pandemic.

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After three months, due to all the health procedures put in place, restrictions started to ease in some countries. Prime Ministers and Presidents hesitatingly allowed businesses to open as the daily death toll numbers started to fall.

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A vaccine still has not been developed even though some data on various drugs looks promising. Vaccines take time to develop and, currently the only prevention is isolating and doing the practical things to keep everyone safe until some sort of cure or vaccine is found. However, even though drastic measures have been taken to stop the virus, it is still out there, and it is still deadly.

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Protecting ourselves and those we love

What can we do to protect ourselves and our loved ones? Let’s look, first of all, at what a virus is and why some people have virtually no symptoms and others die.

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Viruses are parasites, much smaller than bacteria, that need a host body to survive and replicate. Whereas bacteria can be treated with antibiotics, a virus is difficult to treat. There are antiviral drugs out there but unless they are used within 48 hours of contracting a virus, they are useless. Some people take a couple of weeks to show symptoms and by then, in most cases, the virus has taken hold and just has to run its course when hopefully, the immune system kicks in, antibodies are developed and the virus is neutralised.

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COVID-19 is an extremely virulent virus which means it can replicate and spread quickly. It can also mutate and change constantly which is again another reason it is difficult to treat. The Flu we have annually is similar. As different strains evolve it is difficult to control, making it necessary to come up with a different vaccine every year.

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There has been a lot of controversy surrounding a drug that has been used for many years to treat malaria and lupus called Hydroxychloroquine. There have been articles for and against it, so I started to check out the research, and found out some interesting facts of which people should be aware so that they can be proactive with their own health.  Apparently, this drug lifts the pH within the cells which prevents rapid replication and stops the virus in its tracks. pH is a measurement of whether a fluid is acid or alkaline. In the human body, the more alkaline you are the more you can fight off disease and infections.

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Most people today are very acidic which means that once the virus is contracted by a person with high acidity it has found the perfect host. It can now thrive and replicate. No wonder elderly people succumb to the virus as they are usually the most acidic, having built up acid over the years through a continuing diet and lifestyle that increases acid in the system. Aches and pains, and many diseases, are linked to high acidity which compromises the immune system leaving the person vulnerable to any virus.

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The COVID-19 virus replicates rapidly when in an ideal environment. It is because of this rapid replication that a sluggish immune system, and sometimes even a relatively healthy immune system, is slow to react and then, unfortunately in some cases, it is too late. When it finally realises that it is being overwhelmed, the immune system then over-reacts to kill the invader, which can of itself be deadly. When this happens millions of T-Cells are activated which can lead to septic shock and much tissue damage, especially in the lungs, leading to pneumonia. The T-Cells also activate Cytokines, which are a group of proteins that act as chemical messengers. This can cause a cytokine storm which reduces blood volume and blood pressure which in turn, reduces oxygen and nutrients in the body causing tissues to start dying.

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Slow the virus by being more alkaline

The more acidic you are the more the virus will take hold. It can only enter the cell by a process called fusion and the more acidic you are the easier this fusion occurs with the membrane of the cell. By being more alkaline this process is slowed down. Once inside the cell, rapid reproduction of the virus takes place if the cell is highly acidic.

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It is important that zinc comes into play if the virus gains access to the cell, as it binds to a protein, preventing the enzymes that cause rapid replication and excessive inflammation, to work efficiently.  Zinc needs a special channel or ionophore to be able to enter the cell and it has been found that Hydroxychloroquine is a zinc ionophore, thus allowing this important mineral to be drawn into the cell and therefore allowing it to do its job of binding to the protein which slows the virus down.

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Hydroxychloroquine increases the pH of the cell because it has a slightly alkaline base. It will go throughout the body and raise the pH inside and outside of the cells. A higher pH will slow down the virus, giving the immune system time to respond appropriately without over-reacting and giving it a chance to kill it before it gets out of hand.

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Vaccines and new drugs being developed are all well and good, but they are still drugs and as you know, drugs tend to have many side effects. These new drugs will take time to be developed as much testing needs to be done and even when they are rolled out it will be too late for many people.

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So, what can we do to protect ourselves? I think it is obvious that we need to get our system more alkaline, as alkalinity seems to be the key in preventing this terrible virus from going from asymptomatic and mild, to a serious and sometimes deadly conclusion.

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You also need to make sure that you have adequate zinc levels to turn off the inflammatory pathway which will help to slow down viral replication within the cell. A blood test will show what your zinc levels are. Zinc is difficult to absorb and some foods inhibit its absorption. Phytate which is naturally found in some food sources such as cereals, beans, grains (especially rice), corn, nuts, and seeds, can be considered an anti-nutrient if consumed in excess. These foods have a detrimental effect on zinc absorption. The amino-acid, methionine, helps with zinc absorption and eating animal proteins such as red meat and chicken helps to increase zinc’s delivery into the cells.

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Quercetin is a natural pigment found in many fruits and vegetables and can be bought as a supplement. It also helps with zinc absorption and is considered a zinc ionophore. If you are low in zinc and can’t get Hydroxychloroquine, then Quercetin would be a good alternative.

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A diet that is high in alkaline foods and drinking alkaline water daily, will help to increase pH within the cells. Most people today don’t eat enough alkaline foods and therefore become increasingly acidic. As we age and continually eat more acid than alkaline foods, acid levels increase in the body leading to sickness and disease. The body gets out of balance, the immune system becomes compromised and bacteria, viruses and fungi take hold causing sickness, disease and sometimes death. It was Nobel Prize winner Otto Warburg, a scientist from many years ago who stated that “viruses, bacteria and fungi cannot survive in an alkaline environment.”

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At this very minute people all over the world are contracting this deadly COVID-19 virus. Some people have no symptoms whereas others die a horrible death. It seems to be mainly the elderly and sick that succumb but younger people and even a few children have died. As there is currently no cure or vaccine, it is imperative that we take our health into our own hands and do what we can to protect ourselves and our loved ones. We need to slow down this virus to prevent it from taking hold by getting as alkaline as possible, so that the body’s immune system has time to work properly and produce antibodies to kill it.

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Eat more alkaline foods and drink alkaline water daily to build up your body’s defence system and reduce acid.  Alkaline foods consist of many green vegetables and some fruits. Our company, Eko Health, has great re-mineralising filters that you can use to alkalise your water. We have alkaline filter sticks and Eko Crystals sachets. Just add these products to normal tap water and drink this water regularly throughout the day. Using tap water and adding our Eko products make it a much cheaper option than buying bottled water which is becoming more and more expensive. This alkaline mineralised water can also be used for cooking and making tea and coffee.

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As you become less acidic and more alkaline you will not only feel better, but your body will be healthier and your immune system stronger. This will help you fight off sickness and disease and give your body a chance against the killer virus COVID-19.

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Anita Wdowiak 10/07/2020

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