In today's reality, foreseeing the risks for developing complications after ARVIs like coronavirus for patients is a must for every health practitioner. Do you know exactly which patient is at higher risk to develop nasty problems due to COVID-19 or any other respiratory viral infection? What parameters should be checked to evaluate for the immunity before meeting the virus?
Let’s take a closer look at this.
According to official statistics, more than 254 million people in the world already got infected with coronavirus. However, the question is, does statistics take into account the consequences after winning over the virus? How would the infection affect the condition of organs and systems in the body, what complications would a person get unfolding later?
What should you, as a practitioner, to pay attention to and why is it important to assess the risk for possible complications? They are often even more severe than the virus itself. The body is weakened by infection, it is vulnerable and unable to fully recover, which may lead to severe concomitant diseases of the heart, lungs, brain, kidneys, blood vessels and other vital organs and systems, including chronic disorders. To avoid the serious undesirable consequences, it is important to understand the very mechanism of spreading of viral infection and the actual causes of complications.
The main cause for getting respiratory viral infections is the lack of antiviral immunity. Once a virus invades the body, it starts interacting with a cell, wasting its resources, producing own replicas. Usually, as a result of such interaction, the cell dies, and the viral replicas target new cells more and more.
The development of any respiratory viral infection undergoes in several stages:
- Stage 1: an incubation period of up to 7-10 (rarely up to 40) days, which may be symptomless.
- Stage 2: symptoms of cold manifesting on the 7-10th day of being infected.
- Stage 3: in case the body is not able to cope up with the virus at the peak of the immune response – on the 10th (sometimes up to 40th) day – there is a high risk for developing viral and bacterial pneumonia or acute respiratory failure.
- Stage 4: septic shock, the risk of lethal outcome increases.
According to statistics, the risk of having viral infection developing into something serious is higher for the elderly people. This is due to the fact that for majority of elderly people, the body fails to fully adapt to metabolic stress or, speaking in Ayurvedic terms, there is an active accumulation of Ama (metabolic wastes) in the body.
Metabolic stress affects the digestive fire, which in turn leads to decrease of energy (Ojas) - the unique substance, the essence of the nervous, immune, endocrine and partially reproductive systems.
According to Ayurveda (Indian medicine), the efficiency of the innate and acquired immunity is conditioned by the power of Ojas. As for Western medicine, it is about the role of the interferon protein, which is synthesized in the body from the moment of infestation and it stimulates other cells to form a defense against the virus.
Metabolic stress causes a decrease in the digestive fire or, in other words, the quality of metabolism in the tissues, which determines the ability to absorb hydrolysis products, ensures proper functioning of the detox systems – liver, kidneys, lymphatic system and microbiota (microflora).
Digestion is a complex physiological and biochemical process ensuring that food undergoes specific changes after being consumed. Surprisingly, our antiviral immunity is closely related to the gut microbiota. The food that we consume is processed by enzymes, then it undergoes hydrolysis, after which the primary nutrients are absorbed into blood plasma. A part of the food goes further and is transformed by the action of the fire of digestion of the microbiota. It is the microbiota that gives the body the second wave of nutrients, which is essential for the immune system to work at its max capacity. At the same time, microbiota forms products of bacterial decomposition, the metabolites, able to get into the internal environment of the body, elevating the inflammation threshold and predisposition to viral disorders.
How to assess the level of metabolic stress?
With the help of the VedaPulse system, you analyze two integral indices: adaptation level (immune state) and metabolic stress level (the ability to adapt to metabolic stress).
Based on the results of assessing patient's heart rhythm, the program shows the adaptation ability of the body: index between 30 and 50 points means that the body is able to adapt to metabolic stress in a most efficient way, between 50 and 80 – adaptation resource is still sufficient, but the restoration mechanism in the body is tensioned, above 80 points – the stress level is extremely high. Under 15 – excessive accumulation of wastes in the body.
Metabolic stress index of 75 points and below indicates accumulation of metabolic wastes and weak immune response. Falling between 0 and 50, which is the lowest range, the index xorresponds to inability of the body to detox and a high probability for developing complications like pneumonia, cytokine storm and other conditions.
Similarly, using the VedaPulse® Professional device, you can assess the effectiveness of the body's detox systems, the nature of immune response, the inflammation threshold, and the degree of psychosomatic imbalance.
What other parameters can be assessed by VedaPulse®?
VedaPulse® Professional is multi-functional decision support system for naturopathic, Ayurvedic or any other holistic practice that is capable of providing information on the functional health and constitution-based recommendations.
Organ Pulses (Meridians) module reflects the condition of the major organs and functional systems.
EpiGenetics module will show mathematical probability of genetic polymorphysms and reflect the effectiveness of epigenetic programs.
How to reduce metabolic stress?
To prevent possible complications, it is important to increase immunological resistance to viruses. Personified detox (cleansing) programs will help reduce metabolic stress at any age, and the following options are possible:
- The diet is supposed to be light, preferably vegetarian. Heavy foods increase metabolic stress.
- It is recommended to take products rich in probiotics, such as dairy products or special probiotic supplements (since dairy products may turn out to be highly amagenic).
- Use spices and spicy combinations such as Trikatu, that contains two types of pepper and ginger, which is good for increasing the effectiveness of digestion.
- Therapeutic fasting.
- Take nutraceuticals, as they help to correct the chemical composition of food and cleanse the body. A healthy microflora induces the synthesis of interferon by bacterial cells, which means it stimulates the body's antiviral resistance and helps reduce the risk of complications after a viral infection.
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Use herbs! (Western and Eastern herbal medicine).
There are certain groups of herbs that are important in both prevention of viral diseases and treatment. Herbal Encyclopedia software module is your weapon of choice - choose among 350+ herbs that fit exact patient. - Use essential oils. Coniferous oils (fir, eucalyptus), tea tree oil are powerful preventive agents that have a positive effect on the physical and etheric bodies, purifying them. The Aroma Encyclopedia software module is designed to help you create an individual aromatherapy recipe.
- Breathing exercises and yoga for prevention and recovery (Surya Namaskar - a wonderful set of asanas charging you with energy for the whole day).
- Meditation, clearing the mind from negative thoughts and attitudes. Check out the Meditation module that shows the dynamics of vital indices during therapeutic breathing, and will help you evaluate the effectiveness of relaxation during meditation practices.
- Stimulate biologically active points. EHF therapy software module provides you with the map of biologically active points that should be stimulated with a portable physiotherapy device.
For regular remote monitoring of patient's health condition via Telemetric service (cloud-based), use the VedaPulse® Home device, which is designed to keep a practitioner and a patient connected on any distance.
Now, if you follow all the recommendations above, there is a chance to significantly increase antiviral resistance by reducing the level of metabolic stress and improving digestion. Healthy digestive system helps the immune system resist viruses and reduces the risk of bad outcomes after infections.