A Note Regarding COVID-19

March 13, 2020
Dr. Jeremy Flagel
A Note Regarding COVID-19

I am reaching out to our patient community surrounding the outbreak of COVID-19, coronavirus. As each day progresses with new developments, I want to personally assure you of Insight Integrative Health’s dedication to the safety, health, and wellbeing of our patients and employees.  

With that said, I want to remind you that we are available for telemedicine appointments, These are easy to conduct and should be utilized if you are sick, have any symptoms, or are choosing to distance yourself from others. Both I and my coaches are available online. If you have an upcoming appointment and you would like to change it to an online appointment please contact Robin @ info@insight-integrative-health.com or (619) 832-3447. 

Many of you are asking what you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones from COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends everyday preventive actions to help stop the spread of respiratory viruses, including:

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Stay home when you’re sick.
  • Cover your entire mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands. If a tissue is unavailable, cough or sneeze into your bent elbow.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Some additional immune-boosting actions you might take (borrowed from Dr. Elisa Song):

  • Load up on foods and spices with antiviral properties. These include coconut oil, raw garlic, oregano, ginger, kimchi and other fermented foods, walnut, pomegranate, green tea, apple cider vinegar, and medicinal mushrooms (shiitake, maitake, reishi, cordyceps, turkeytail).
  • Eat lots of colorful fruits and vegetables. They are full of antioxidants which will destroy the free radicals that weaken our immune system and are responsible for making us feel sick when we catch a bug. Each color provides different antioxidant power – so be sure to eat a rainbow every day. 
  • Stay well-hydrated. Stick to water, coconut water, herbal teas, and bone broth. No soda or sugary drinks, please! What’s a good estimate for how much water you need at a minimum? Divide your body weight (in pounds) in half and drink that number in ounces!
  • Drink your bone broth! Bone broth has amazing immune-supporting properties.
  • Eat fermented foods. The probiotics contained in fermented foods have tremendous immune-boosting powers. Some examples of delicious fermented foods to try include kimchi, sauerkraut, pickles (try “real” pickles without added vinegar like Bubbies), miso, kefir, and kombucha.
  • XClear nasal Spray at end of every day

Current information indicates that this pandemic has a chance of being with us for a prolonged period of time and will quite possibly disrupt our everyday lives.  Simple hand hygiene and social distancing will slow its spread and allow our medical systems to best care for those that have a more severe response to the virus. 

We will update you when new information becomes available. Please continue to take good care of yourselves. 
 

In Health,

Jeremy Flagel, MD

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