Background

Members of the International College of Integrative Medicine are physicians, dentists and other medical professionals committed to providing integrative primary and preventive health care to the broadest possible range of consumers. We encourage research, work towards the creation of a better health care system, support the advancement of medicine, and provide for the safety, health and well-being of our patients.

ICIM is closely monitoring the Coronavirus situation with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC,) the World Health Organization (WHO) and local/regional health agencies. The situation is very fluid regarding the numbers of cases being reported daily. Since this virus is newly identified and particularly dangerous for seniors, it is associated with great fear. The downstream supply chain interruption will probably have greater impact than the infection itself. We wish to provide hope that there are many strategies for prevention and many opportunities for treatment, and to encourage community support for those kept in isolation or quarantine.

As an organization, we believe that objectively reporting the known scientific facts will reduce fear and panic surrounding the disease. Furthermore, conventional medicine offers no treatment currently (other than supportive care). Importantly, integrative physicians have a large armamentarium of preventive and treatment protocols which have been successfully used for other similar viruses, including for other strains for coronaviruses. We believe it is our obligation and privilege to share these with the community at large. We recommend consultation with an experienced physician, naturopath or herbalist for anyone exploring integrative remedies.

We encourage prevention and offer integrative therapies that have sound science to support their use for both prevention and treatment.

Prevention of viral illnesses: Begin with the basics

• Eat clean food (fresh, local, mostly produce, free of preservatives, dyes, additives and pesticides).
• Drink clean water (filtered, not from a plastic bottle).
• Exercise most days of the week (30 min to target heart rate 5 days per week).
• Sleep soundly 7-8 hours per night.
• Spend time daily in gratitude, prayer, and meditation.
• Consider daily saline lavage of mucus membranes (neti pot).
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.¹
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Stay home when you are sick (14 days quarantine after known COVID-19 infection).
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe. Pay attention to instructions. Some cleaners require 10 MINUTES of contact tame for disinfection to occur.
• Follow CDC’s recommendations for using a facemask. CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19. Facemasks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others. The use of facemasks is also crucial for health workers and people who are taking care of someone in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
• If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty. For information about handwashing, see CDC’s Handwashing website.²
• Take your basic supplements daily. The physicians of the Orthomolecular Medicine News Service and the International Society for Orthomolecular Medicine urge a nutrient-based method to prevent or minimize symptoms for future viral infection. Vitamin C, Vitamin D, magnesium, zinc, and selenium have been shown to strengthen the immune system against viruses according to an article by Andrew Saul.³ The following inexpensive supplemental levels are recommended for adults; for children reduce these in proportion to body weight:
  • Vitamin C: 3,000 milligrams (or more) daily, in divided doses.
  • Vitamin D3: 2,000 International Units daily. (Start with 5,000 IU/day for two weeks, then reduce to 2,000)
  • Magnesium: 400 mg daily (in citrate, malate, chelate, or chloride form)
  • Zinc: 20 mg daily
  • Selenium: 100 mcg (micrograms) daily

Treatment of vital illness such as COVID-19

Conventional treatment

According to the CDC, no specific treatment for COVID-19 is currently available.⁴

If you are taking the blood pressures medicines ACE-inhibitors or ARBs (common names include ramipril, lisinopril or losartan) DO NOT discontinue them without consulting your physician.

Traditional antivirals used for influenza ARE NOT effective for SARS-CoV2 virus infection.

Integrative treatment

(The vast majority of COVID-19 cases are mild or even asymptomatic and no treatment is required.)

For more severe cases: Osteopathic manipulation of the upper thoracic spine to include the “rib raising technique” increases lymphatic outflow and helps modulate the sympathetic nervous system. This allows for more blood flow to the area and more air flow into the lungs.^{5, 6}

Integrative treatments for viral illnesses

Early evidence suggests these therapies may be very helpful in mild, moderate, and severe cases.⁷

• American ginseng
• Echinacea
• Elderberry (Sambucol) ***controversial as the niger type may worsen “deep damp” infections according to TCM philosophy
• Vitamin C –China and Korea are reporting success in treating patients with IV Vitamin C.
• Sambucus Formosana Nakai (Caffeic acid)
• Ultrafine colloid silver (nasal spray and nebulized silver hydrosol is safest for nebulizing)
• Traditional Chinese Medicines (shuanghuanglian with honeysuckle, Chinese skullcap and forsythia, Bupleurum, Heteromorpha, and Scrophularia scorodonia; Lycoris radiata, Artemisia annua, Pyrrosia lingua, Lindera aggregate, Isatis indigotica, Torreya mucifera and Houttuynia cordata

Integrative treatments for sepsis

In life-or-death critical situations like sepsis where conventional medicine does not offer significant success:

• Vitamin C IV 1.5 grams every 6 hours (6 grams total daily), given with hydrocortisone and thiamine
• Vitamin D
• Quercetin⁸
• Naringin
• The probiotic Bacillus sp strain LBP32
• Boswellia (Frankincense)
• Lomatium dissectum
• Astragalus
• Andrographis paniculate
• IV oxidative therapies: IV ozone and IV low dose hydrogen peroxide
• Zinc + chloroquine (and/or quercetin and green tea)^8, 9