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investigating what makes certain populations more have it, or exposing others unnecessarily if you do.
vulnerable to severe illness. However, we know from other • Cover your cough with your elbow or tissues. Teach
viral illnesses that there are ways to reduce our your kids proper cough etiquette. And if you use a
susceptibilities to serious illness. tissue, immediately throw it into the trash and wash
Infection + Susceptibility = Symptoms your hands.
If we can reduce our individual susceptibility to • Keep your distance. Try to stay at least 6 feet away
serious illness, our likelihood of developing mild symptoms from anyone who is obviously sick with fever and/
if we are infected is much higher. So let’s take a look at or respiratory symptoms.
some of the possible ways that we can reduce our • Irrigate your nose. While we do not know if nasal
susceptibilities to protect our families. irrigation makes a difference for prevention of
There are commonsense measures to protect yourself COVID-19, I believe that one of the MOST
from COVID-19 that you should be practicing regardless preventive things you can do for any viral
of whatever virus is circulating at the moment. The only respiratory illness is to irrigate your, and your
unique recommendation with COVID-19 is to avoid children’s, nasal passages with saline or Xlear nasal
unnecessary contact with non-domesticated animals due spray at the end of every day and after any potential
to presumed animal-human transmission. Other exposure (work, school, playgroups, plane travel,
commonsense measures to protect yourself and prevent etc.). One study found that people who did
spread of illness include: preventive daily nasal irrigation had significantly
fewer episodes of upper respiratory symptoms,
• Wash hands frequently, especially before eating or shorter symptom duration and fewer days with
touching your face. Washing hands with warm soap nasal symptoms compared to those who did not
and water for at least 30 seconds is the best option. irrigate their nose daily. Xlear is a saline nasal
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This study found that washing hands even with spray with xylitol and grapefruit seed extract, both
plain running water without soap was more of which have antimicrobial properties. You cannot
effective than ethanol-based hand disinfectants at overdo it, and will not get “addicted” to it. Other
killing the Influenza A virus! But you have to wash options for nasal irrigation are a regular saline
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your hands the RIGHT WAY! Be sure to read my spray, Neti pot, and other sinus rinses like Neilmed.
article Handwashing & Coronavirus: Are you doing **Apart from regular hand washing, I believe that
it the right way? to teach your kids (and yourself!) daily and frequent nasal irrigation is one of the
how to do it correctly. MOST important things that we can do to prevent
• Use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. If influenza and other viral respiratory infections
you don’t have access to soap ad water, an alcohol- from taking hold.** This is because after exposure
based hand sanitizer is the next best thing. But it to a virus, the influenza virus tries to invade and
has to be at least 60% – this is the percentage found multiply in your nasal passages for at least 1-2 days
to kill coronavirus in studies. With the run on before you develop any symptoms. Nasal irrigation
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Purell, you may need to make your own – but you can wash away viral particles before they have the
have to make it the RIGHT WAY to have opportunity to take hold, and thereby prevent many
coronavirus-killing effects. Read my article for infections from happening in the first place!
recipes on How to Make Your Own 60% Alcohol- • Load up on foods and spices with antiviral
Based Hand Sanitizer. properties. These include coconut oil, raw garlic,
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth! Do oregano, ginger, kimchi and other fermented foods,
your best to keep those little fingers away! The first walnut, pomegranate, green tea, apple cider vinegar,
step is helping children (and adults) be mindful and medicinal mushrooms (shiitake, maitake,
how how often we actually do touch our faces! reishi, cordyceps, turkeytail).
Varying studies have shown that we touch our faces • Eat lots of colorful fruits and vegetables. They are
on average 23-50 times per hours. So help your full of antioxidants which will destroy the free
children notice when they’re touching their faces so radicals that weaken our immune system and are
they can pay attention to not touching their faces responsible for making us feel sick when we catch a
even when you’re not with them. And instead of bug. Each color provides different antioxidant power
nagging them to “Stop touching your face!”, focus – so be sure to eat a rainbow every day. If you’re kids
on the positive and what they CAN do, not what aren’t the hugest vegetable eaters yet, give them their
they shouldn’t. Try “Keep your hands down” for a antioxidant dose with a smoothie packed with fruits
change. AND veggies, use that smoothie to make jello with
• Stay home when you’re sick, unless you need grass-fed gelatin or popsicles, sneak pureed
urgent medical attention. You may be increasing vegetables into your spaghtetti sauce, soups, chilis, or
your possible exposures to COVID-19 if you don’t whatever other way you can think of – be creative!

Song—Coronavirus Pediatrician's Perspective Integrative Medicine • Vol. 19, No. 2 • April 2020 33