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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
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