AutoAccident.com has always taken a holistic approach to our clients’ health.  What that means is that our prime consideration is that injured clients recover from their injuries.  Traditional medicine has its place in that, but we are also open to alternative medical practices that most clients find helpful.  Our country is now presented with the pandemic of COVID-19, and our response will be no different.  We are using a combination of traditional and alternative measures to combat the spread of the virus among our employees and clients, and we want to share here our Coronavirus protocol in a holistic personal injury law office.

Our main office is in Sacramento, California, only a few miles from U.C. Davis Medical Center.  Our city has already seen its first transmission of unknown (presumed community) origin.  Given the ease of transmission, more cases are expected.  From all reports, it appears the virus hits the elderly and immunocompromised the hardest.  We all have a responsibility to prevent transmission and protect those that are most vulnerable.

The first step in controlling the virus is prevention.  The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has a list of ways to minimize the spread of the virus, all of which we are implementing throughout our office.

• Avoid contact with those who are sick.  All employees who feel as though they are coming down with something are ordered to stay home.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, and immediately throw the tissue in the trash.  We recently ordered an abundant supply of Kleenex and have handed boxes out to all employees and placed others liberally throughout our office space.
• Frequent reminders – avoid touching one’s eyes, mouth, nose.
• We are cleaning frequently-touched surfaces and objects several times per day with a disinfecting cleaner.
• We have placed signs in our kitchen areas instructing our staff to wash their hands three times per day for 20-30 seconds with surgical soap, which our office has provided.
• We distribute zinc lozenges, which are effective against coronavirus infection.

Beyond the CDC recommendations, our office has also implemented the following:

• Use of high-quality air filters throughout the office
• Diffusion of specific essential oils known to have antiviral qualities.
• Immunity boosting Ginger Juice Tea made fresh on-site and distributed to our staff in the morning.  Ginger tea made from ginger juice is thought to be an easy and proven way to raise our own natural immunity.

This recipe requires a juicer.  It was created by Stephen Harrod Buhner and included in his book Herbal Antivirals, linked below.  We highly recommend this book written in 2012, which has a specific protocol that may help protect people from the Coronavirus and another that may help those already infected.

Juice 1-2 pounds of ginger root (no need to peel).  Juice and refrigerate, then pour:

3-4 ounces of the ginger juice into a cup along with:

The juice from ¼ of a lime
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1 large tablespoon of honey
6 ounces of hot water

Traditional medicine has little to offer to prevent Coronavirus transmission.  Ribavirin, Indomethacin, and corticosteroids are the primary conventional medicines that help fight viruses and treat inflammation.

Many herbs have proven to reduce the likelihood of infection and aid in recovery once infected.  Some of them are:

• Licorice
• Goldenseal
• Chinese Skullcap
• Cordyceps
• Astragulus

A vaccine to address the new virus cannot be expected for approximately one year.  All organisms on earth are subject to infections, and while humans have been in existence for around 200,000 years, plants have been around for approximately 700 million years.  All living things have been and will continue to be assaulted by viruses. 

Plants, over millennia, have developed ways to survive the viruses that have sought to eliminate their species, and we look to what they can offer to boost our human immunity.  We suppose that China may be in a better position to minimize this virus’ effect because of the country’s long history of utilizing plant medicines.

• Ginger root – (as in the tea recipe above) is a potent antiviral
• Yogurt – is one of the best-known sources of probiotics, which boost your immune system
• Shitake mushroom – shown to decrease inflammation and increase immune markers
• Black tea – contains tannins that help fight viruses such as influenza
• Selenium – One brazil nut provides more than the RDA of this essential nutrient.  One nut is a natural addition to your diet, and it makes good sense to do so now: selenium deficiency is associated with heightened incidence, severity, and progression of viral infections
• Garlic – raw garlic has antiviral and antibacterial properties
• Zinc lozenges – since so many viruses originate in the throat, it is advised to take zinc, an immunity booster and virus fighter, in lozenge form so that the mineral can coat the throat, theoretically attacking any germ that may wish to enter.

If, after taking all steps to prevent the spread of illness and boost your immunity, you begin to feel a little run down or a tickle in your throat, take Oscillococcinum, which is used to reduce flu symptoms.  It must be taken before the virus really settles in, however, so again, have a supply on hand and take it at the first sign that something is not right.

Specific protocols have been developed to help those affected by various stages of severity.  Feel free to call Megan or Ed of our office for further information.

As this Coronavirus spreads, many people experience a great deal of fear and anxiety.  At times like this, we have found it helpful to reflect on how people of other ages have dealt with challenging times.  We recommend reading Meditations by Marcus Aurelius and Seneca’s Letters from a Stoic.

We have implemented a Coronavirus protocol within our holistic personal injury office because we want to keep our staff and clients healthy.  If you are worried about the pandemic and would like to know what you can do to take preventative measures or want to know which plants or herbs may help if you are infected, give our office a call.   The protocol can be complicated, and we can offer reading recommendations. In essence, one we are currently using and finding very useful is Herbal Antivirals: Natural Remedies for Emerging & Resistant Viral Infections by Stephen Harrod Buhner.  We also have the contact information for renowned herbalists if you would like to consult with an alternative practitioner.

Editor’s Note: This page has been updated for accuracy and relevancy [cha 8.26.21]

Photo by CDC on Unsplash

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