Kick COVID-19 to the Curb Paperback

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Doctor Endorsements & Reviews

“This extraordinary book by Drs. Angeli Akey and Kathleen O’Neil-Smith dissects COVID-19 from every perspective in plain and fun language, guides readers to navigate the paths to information, and counsels the public on a holistic and natural approach to defend themselves. The vast amount of serious science and knowledge is simply delivered in a light-hearted chat of game and history. The practical advice is embedded in daily activities and food selection. A truly great piece in democratizing the knowledge of self-care that is timely yet timeless.”

– Wenchun Qu, MD, PhD

Associate Professor of PM&R and Anesthesiology

Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science

“I spent 46 years in public health nursing, and 43 as a nurse practitioner and if I was still there this book would be an asset to me in the practice of patient education and empowerment.”

 C.L., public health nurse practitioner and patient

“Drs Akey and O'Neil-Smith have created an epic book in record time. Their combined academic genius, clinical experience, and mothering expertise come together in a book that should be in everyone's home. The clinical research and writing skills are superb and referenced yet readable by most audiences by using cartoons and a chess analogy. Their review is as complete and accurate as possible in a field of ever-changing data. It provides much-needed strategies to reduce fear around the pandemic AND gives self-help guidance to improve immunity and resilience which will no doubt save lives. This book is a masterpiece resource.”

– Ellie Campbell, DO, MS

Board Certified in Family Medicine and Integrative Holistic Medicine 

Board of Directors International College of Integrative Medicine

Board of Directors American Academy of Oral Systemic Health

“This is beautifully written. I think it is lively, simple, easily-understood and interesting. It seems to me a useful publication and a beautiful tribute to those you collaborate with.”

 – E.H., comparative literature professor and patient

“Drs. Akey and O'Neil-Smith in their new e-book Kick COVID-19 to the Curb provide a readable informative guide for the general public to help understand the medical aspects of COVID-19 and to provide practical tips for self monitoring and self management..."

– Joseph E. Thornton, MD 

Fellow, American Psychiatric Association 

Associate Professor of Psychiatry

University of Florida

"...Doctors Angeli Maun Akey and Kathleen O’Neil-Smith have been working for years learning how the body ages and reacts to environmental insults. Now, Drs. Akey and O’Neil-Smith have used their experience to bring a living resource to life. Their concise, easy to read primer provides the 3-essential ingredients for coping with our current health challenge – information, analysis, and practical steps forward..."

– Brian R. Stanton, Ph.D., U.S. Public Health Service (ret.), Ann M. Mueting, Ph.D., J.D., both of whom are patients

“Dr. Akey & Dr. O’Neil-Smith have done an outstanding job of clarifying the main concerns during this coronavirus pandemic as well as giving clear guidance on how to empower our immune system to best protect ourselves and those we love. This is a resource everyone needs right now to listen to and follow.”

– Dr. Anna Cabeca, Gyn & Women's health expert, best selling author of The Hormone Fix and Keto-Green 16 in Georgia

“Dr. Akey and Dr. O’Neil-Smith have done an amazing job of explaining in simple terms how you can fortify your immune system in these COVID19 times. Their description of the castle and how to fortify it as well as the interconnectedness of everything are just a few ways that their approach is truly unique.”

– Filomena Trindade, MD, MPH, ABOIM, ABFM, IFMCP, FAARM

author, teacher and international speaker

Description

This COVID-19 pandemic has created an unforeseen time in the history of medicine, our country, and our lives. We are all in this together. United, we will beat this common enemy. We sincerely hope that the concepts herein empower you to take control of your own personal health journey and win this “germ war.”

COVID-19 Vaccine Statement

We’re still investigating the COVID Vaccine at this time, and hopefully, by the time it is available for your tier, we’ll have formed an opinion based on the available information. Recommending the vaccine would be an individualized approach and our team has generally been conservative when recommending new drugs and interventions. At this time, we recommend fortifying your immune system while we further investigate the vaccine. We do not claim to have all the answers but we have progressive therapies that we can offer at this time. Receiving a vaccination is a personal choice. We partner with our patients to provide guidance on these types of treatment decisions.

Additional information

Weight 1.5 lbs
Dimensions 11 × 8.5 in

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FAQ

#9: Are there any animal studies that suggest that antibodies from COVID-19 protect you from re-infection?

On May 1, 2020 a preliminary study found “neutralizing antibodies for SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) might protect Rhesus macaques which have undergone an initial infection from reinfection during early recovery days.”

Full reference: Bao, Linlin, Wei Deng, Hong Gao, Chong Xiao, Jiayi Liu, Jing Xue, Qi Lv, et al. “Lack of Reinfection in Rhesus Macaques Infected with SARS-CoV-2.” Preprint. Microbiology, March 14, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.03.13.990226

#10 What impact does vitamin D deficiency have on patients with COVID-19?Is there potentially a protective role?

A group of scientists at Northwestern University was compelled to look at vitamin D levels because they noticed an unexplained difference in COVID-19 mortality rates between countries whose populations had varying vitamin D levels. These scientists conducted a global analysis, which included the USA, and found a correlation in low vitamin D levels and a hyper-immune system response as well as increased mortality. Their discovery notes that "it is clear that vitamin D deficiency is harmful, and it can be easily addressed with supplementation...to help protect vulnerable populations."

Vitamin D is important for innate immunity and boosts immune function against viral diseases.

In addition, Vitamin D is immunomodulatory and is potentially important in preventing the cytokine storm that can be so devastating in the lungs.

 It's important to note that vitamin D will not necessarily prevent someone from contracting the virus. Healthy vitamin D levels are likely to reduce complications as well as prevent death in individuals who have been infected with the COVID-19 virus.

Further research is needed to elucidate the role of vitamin D in fortifying our immune systems.

For more detailed information on cytokine storm, please see pages 16 and 45 of the Kick COVID-19 to the Curb guidebook.https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/05/200507121353.htmhttps://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.08.20058578v4

#11 Is it safe for me to go back to work?

Available evidence regarding asymptomatic COVID-19 infection suggests that 40-45% of those infected with COVID-19 are asymptomatic and may be able to spread the virus to others for over 14 days. Thus, the virus has the ability to silently spread throughout populations.

When considering returning to work, it’s important to assess your occupational risk of contracting COVID-19, as well as your risk of death from COVID-19 (please see the next slide for risk assessment chart).

If infected, older people and people with chronic conditions, such as diabetes, obesity, and hypertension have a higher risk of dying from COVID-19.  The chart suggests that young people, who are low-risk, can return to work with appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and physical distancing.  Those who are at medium risk (yellow) should consult with their physician or health care professional.  Lastly, those who are at high risk (red) should continue to shelter at home.

Dr. Akey is evaluating her high-risk patients on a monthly basis and will be making individual recommendations based on the prevalence of COVID-19 and type of occupation.

More data is needed in order to clarify occupation-specific risks. At this time, physicians should conduct individualized risk assessments for patients and counsel patients who are at medium or high risk for poor health outcomes regarding their options.

#12 What can I do to prevent household transmission of COVID-19?

If you find that you have tested positive for COVID-19, it’s imperative to understand how household transmission occurs and how to take the proper precautions in order to prevent spreading the virus to your family and people who live with you. In a study conducted in China, it was found that the secondary attack rate of COVID-19 to family members in households is 16.3%. This is a higher secondary attack rate than that of two other coronavirus-related respiratory diseases, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), as well as the influenza A pandemic of 2009, at 13%. This higher rate may be the reason why there is a significantly higher number of infected cases compared to the two other coronavirus-related diseases.

The study also found that there was a dramatic difference between the secondary attack rate to children (4%) versus adults (17.1%), meaning children are less likely to become infected by an infected family member than adults. The secondary attack rate to spouses (28.7%) was also significantly higher than that of other adult family members (17.3%), most likely because of increased exposure to the infection source if spending more time with the spouse than other family members.

Some methods of preventing household transmission include being quarantined by yourself at home immediately after feeling symptoms or receiving your positive test result, having all family members utilize masks, dining separately, and residing alone. Results from the study showed that when following these rules, there were no infected family members in the 14 households tested and so the secondary attack rate was 0. This shows the effectiveness of solitary home quarantine after the onset of symptoms.

Household cleaning and disinfection may also play a role in preventing household transmission of COVID-19. Everyone should engage in frequent hand hygiene (at least 20 seconds with soap and water or if that is not readily available, use hand sanitizer with 60% alcohol), and frequent disinfection of high-touch surfaces. These surfaces include light switches, doorknobs, tables, phones, desks, etc. To clean dirty surfaces, use soap or detergent and water prior to disinfecting with an EPA-registered household disinfectant. It’s important to stay safe when using household disinfectants and cleaning products by reading and following label instructions, wearing protective gear, as well as avoiding mixing chemical products.

Full References:

https://allmedx.com/q/Knowledge+and+Practices+Regarding+Safe+Household+Cleaning+and+Disinfection+for+COVID-19+Prevention?utm_source=Email2987&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Email2987&em_tag=25536%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6923e2.htm?s_cid=mm6923e2_w

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7184465/

#13: How do food and age modify one's risk factors?

  • Garbage IN=Garbage OUT
  • We eat: 3 meals per day, 21 meals per week, 1,092 meals per year, and 5,460 meals in 5 years
  • The SAD (Standard American Diet) can activate the inflammasome and change gene expression
  • Sugar and saturated fats increase inflammation
  • Constant grazing increases endotoxemia
  • Fasting → Burn fat → Ketosis → Autophagy (clean up old and damaged cells) → Cells become rejuvenated
  • Chronological age is a modifiable risk factor!!!!

Improves Immune Resilience!

#14: How do healthy fats affect the immune system?

  • Omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties and promote immune function in cell types such as macrophages and neutrophils.
    • Dosage: 4000 mg per day but consult your healthcare professional, as it can thin blood

Source: Gutiérrez, S.; Svahn, S.L.; Johansson, M.E. Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Immune Cells. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2019, 20, 5028. htps://doi.org/10.3390/ijms20205028

#15: How do I regain my sense of smell if I lost it due to COVID-19?

  • Persistent COVID-19 Olfactory Dysfunction
    • Only 12% of mildly symptomatic COVID-19 patients reported a persistent loss of smell and taste a month later, while the rest said their issues had either improved or resolved
    • Previously, about 2/3 of this cohort being treated at home for COVID-19 infection said they had lost their sense of smell and taste, the authors wrote in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery
    • A portion of these patients will recover their sense of smell and taste in the next few months after infection
  • Treatment of Persistent COVID-19 Olfactory Dysfunction
    • Maintain smoke and natural gas detectors
    • Monitor food expiration dates and nutritional intake
    • Deliberate sniffing of rose, lemon, clove, or eucalyptus for 20 seconds through each nostril, twice a day for ≥ 3 months (Olfactory training).

 

#16: What is the sequelae of COVID-19 Infection?

  • Sequelae is a condition which is the consequence of a previous disease or injury.
  • Patients who were infected with COVID-19 may face certain medical problems in the future post-infection
    • Some examples are pneumonia, tissue damage, and multiple organ failure
  • Commonly reported symptoms that linger after initial infection can range from fatigue and muscle aches to rashes and heart issues and inflammatory response
  • There is no reliable data yet on long-term sequelae from COVID-19
    • Survivors are often reporting their long-term symptoms on social media

 

 https://www.futuremedicine.com/doi/full/10.2217/fon-2020-0300 https://www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdisease/covid19/86482

#17: How does obesity affect the severity of COVID-19 infection?

  • Obesity is a strong, independent risk factor for respiratory failure, admission to the ICU, and death among COVID-19 patients
    • The risk of respiratory failure and admission to the ICU were significantly higher in patients with a BMI of 30-35
    • The risk of death was significantly higher in patients with a BMI over 35
  • Higher risk of severe illness among severely obese patients
  • Comorbidities with serious adverse outcomes of COVID-19 are:
    • Diabetes 
    • Hypertension
    • Coronary Heart Disease
      • Obesity is a known risk factor for these comorbidities

https://eje.bioscientifica.com/view/journals/eje/aop/eje-20-0541/eje-20-0541.xml

#18: How does nitric oxide affect blood flow?

  • About nitric oxide
    • It’s one of the most important molecules made by the human body
      • Controls oxygen and nutrient delivery to all cells in the body
      • Controls cell communication
      • Has anti-microbial properties that protect the body from invading pathogens
    • It’s a potent vasodilator that keeps arteries open & clean from plaque build-up
      • Shown to support healthy lowering of blood pressure
    • Foods like beets and leafy greens are rich in nitrite and nitrate that can be converted to NO when eaten
  • Ways to naturally improve N.O. production
    • Physical exercise
      • Moderate physical exercise stimulates the production of N.O.
    • Eating leafy green vegetables
      • Nitrate-enriched vegetables improves N.O. levels
    • Not using antiseptic mouthwash
      • Stop using antiseptic mouthwash if applicable
    • Oral hygiene
      • Maintaining good oral hygiene and sufficient stomach acid production

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1089860320301701

#19: How does COVID-19 affect children? Preparing Children for Back to School.

  • Most children and adolscents with SARS-2 infection have mild Covid-19 that does not lead to medical intervention.
  • In a report of 186 patients, organ-system involvement included the gastrointestinal system in 171 patients (92%), cardiovascular in 149 (80%), hematologic in 142 (76%), mucocutaneous in 137 (74%), and respiratory in 131 (70%).
  • There has been an emergence of a life-threatening hyperinflammatory syndrome across the United States that involves damage to multiple organ systems in predominantly previously healthy children and adolescents during the Covid-19 pandemic.
  • MIS-C is an uncommon complication of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children and adolescents (Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome-Children).
  • The recent emergence of reported cases in several countries during the descent of the Covid-19 epidemic sugguests that the increased detection of MIS-C in the later part of our surveillance period reflects a delayed onset after infection rather than an increase in community transmission.
    https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2021680?query=C19&cid=DM94776_NEJM_Subscriber&bid=222005963

    #20: How does melatonin affect Covid-19 infection?

  • Melatonin inhibits Covid-19-induced cytokine storm.
  • Because of melatonin's potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, it would normally reduce the high proinflammatory cytokine storm and neutralize the generated free radicals thereby preserving cellular integrity and preventing lung damage.
  • Melatonin has anti-viral actions against viruses other than Covid-19. The collective data, in addition to its very high safety profile, indicate that melatonin would be effective & support the recommendation of the published reports that encourage its use for this purpose.
  • It's inexpensive, non-toxic over a very wide dose range, has a long shelf-life and can be self-administered, which is a major advantage when large numbers of individuals are involved.
  • Thus, the use of melatonin to mitigate the Covid-19 pandemic would be feasible and a socially-responsible measure to attempt.
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7211589/

    #21: What is fascia and why is it important to our body? Why patients with Covid-19 "hurt all over"?

  • Fascia is a biodynamic tissue that connects every muscle, bone, organ, and nerve in the body.
    Available on: https://www.routledge.com/Fascia-Function-and-Medical-Applications/Lesondak-Akey/p/book/9780367531928

    #22: How does baseline glutathione levels affect the course of Covid-19?

  • The Covid-19 infection can result in severe outcomes such as the "cytokine storm."
  • The cytokine storm is a severe reaction where the body releases too many cytokines in the blood too quickly causing a harmful immune response.
  • This can include oxidative stress that decreases the production of reactive oxygen species and causes difficulty in the body's ability to detoxify its systems and repair damage in cells.
  • Glutathione is the most abundant antioxidant that plays a crucial role in the body's defense against oxidative stress/damage of cells, as well as regulation of various biological processes.
  • Glutathione deficiency appears to be a crucial factor in enhancing the oxidative damage in the lungs of COVID patients leading to severe respiratory distress, organ failure, and death.
  • Several studies have shown that higher levels of glutathione increase an individual's body responsiveness to viral infections.
  • Glutathione is shown to protect one's immune cells and is responsible for the optimal functioning of several cells in the immune system.
  • There is also evidence that it inhibits various viruses from replicating.
    https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/11/9/2073

    #23: What are the brain effects of Covid-19?

  • Neurologic Manifestations from Covid-19

    • Found high levels of ACE2 receptors among nasal cells that give structural support called sustentacular cells.

    • These cells are located in an area called the olfactory neuroepithelium, where odor-sensing neurons are found.
    • 200-700 times more concentrated!
    • Published in April 2020
      - 214 patients, mean age 52.7, with Covid-19 infection, 88% had severe infection according to their respiratory status. Complications of severe versus non-severe infection.
      - Skeletal Muscle Injury: (17 [19.3%] vs 6 [4.8%])
      - Impaired consciousness: (13 [14.8%] vs 3 [2.4%])
      - Acute cerebrovascular diseases (CVD): (5 [5.7%] vs 1 [0.8%])
      Sources:
      Mengfei Chen, Wenjuan Shen, Nicholas R. Rowan, Heather Kulaga, Alexander Hillel, Murugappan Ramanathan Jr, Andrew P. Lane; European Respiratory Journal 2020; doi:10.1183/13993003.01948-2020
      Mao L, Jin H, Wang M, et al. Neurologic Manifestations of Hospitalized Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Wuhan, China. JAMA Neurol. 2020;77(6):683–690. doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2020.1127
      JAMA Neurology. Neuropathogenesis and Neurologic Manifestations of the Coronaviruses in the Age of Coronavirus Disease 2019: A Review.JAMA Neurol 2020 Aug 01;77(8)1018-1027, AS Zubair, LS McAlpine, T Gardin, S Farhadian, DE Kuruvilla, S Spudich; JAMA Neurology Neuropathogenesis and Neurologic Manifestations of the Coronaviruses in the Age of Coronavirus Disease 2019: A Review JAMA Neurol 2020 Aug 01;77(8)1018-1027, AS Zubair, LS McAlpine, T Gardin, S Farhadian, DE Kuruvilla, S Spudich

      #24: How does COVID-19 infection affect blood vessels?

    • Several findings that are novel suggest that endotheliopathy and platelet activation are important features of COVID-19 in hospitalized patients.
    • Although previous studies have examined VWF elevations exclusively in the ICU setting, VWF is also elevated in non-critically ill patients with COVID-19. Critical illness is associated with further elevations in VWF, as well as increases in soluble P-selectin and sCD40L when compared with controls

      • These results provide biochemical evidence that endotheliopathy and platelet activation are ubiquitous in COVID-19-associated coagulopathy and might play key roles in the progression of disease.
      • The study proposes that COVID-19-associated coagulopathy is an endotheliopathy that results in augmented VWF release, platelet activation, and hypercoagulability, leading to the clinical prothrombotic manifestations of COVID-19-associated coagulopathy, which can include venous, arterial, and microvascular thrombosis.
      • The factors responsible for this endotheliopathy and platelet activation are uncertain but could include direct viral infection of endothelial cells, collateral damage to the tissue as a result of immune infiltration and activation, complement activation, or any number of inflammatory cytokines believed to play a role in COVID-19 disease.
        Sources: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanhae/article/PIIS2352-3026(20)30216-7/fulltext#seccestitle140

        #25: How does the COVID-19 pandemic impact physical activity?

      • Physical activity is critical to cardiovascular health and deemed essential during the pandemic. Part of the strategy to reduce the spread of the virus is through social isolation, but social isolation runs the risk of reduced PA with potential long-term consequences.
      • Inactivity for any reason reduces heart health and increases the long-term risk of coronary artery disease and sudden cardiac death. The positive impact of PA on the prevention of coronary artery disease and sudden cardiac death reduction is well known dating back to the London Bus Drivers study.
      • While both heart and peripheral muscle are infected by viruses, heart muscle infection has both short- and long-term consequences. COVID-19 is no different and may, as a novel virus, trigger more extensive tissue damage in the heart. Heart muscle infection leads to myocarditis with the potential for acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, and/or arrhythmia.
      • During the COVID-19 pandemic, physical activity and exercise will play both a positive and a negative role in individual health outcomes. On the negative side, COVID-19 infection increases risk of cardiac damage and cardiac death during exercise and the increased risk may extend into the post infection time period.
      • Physical activity during any systemic viral disease is not recommended because the inflammatory reaction within the muscle cells and coronary artery walls put an affected individual at risk for sudden cardiac death during and after the infection. Data from post mortem analysis is showing this to be true for COVID-19 patients also.
      • Our recommendation for healthy individuals during and following the COVID-19 pandemic is to remain physically active and exercise while socially distanced when you are well, stop exercise when you develop symptoms or signs of an infection, and return to PA and exercise slowly following recovery.
        Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266633762030025