Everyone’s talking about being scared of the coronavirus, but what are the facts?
As per the World Health Organization, in December 2019 there was a cluster of pneumonia cases in China which is now known as the 2019 Novel Coronavirus. This is a new virus and what’s known about it now may change in the future.
Coronaviruses are a large group of viruses that consist of a core of genetic material surrounded by an envelope with protein spikes which gives it the appearance of a crown. Crown in Latin is called corona, and that’s how these viruses get their name. There are different types of coronaviruses that cause respiratory and sometimes gastrointestinal symptoms. Respiratory diseases can range from the common cold to pneumonia and in most people the symptoms tend to be mild.
However, there are some types of coronaviruses that can cause severe disease, these include SARS-COV (China 2003) and MERS-COV (Saudi Arabia, 2012). The 2019n-COV was first identified in China. It initially occurred in a group of people with pneumonia who had been associated with a seafood and live animal market in Wuhan. The disease since then has spread to others including family members and healthcare staff. There are currently many cases and the disease has spread within China and also to a number of other countries (including Thailand).
What is the origin of the virus?
It’s known that coronaviruses circulate in a range of animals. Sometimes these viruses can make the jump from animals to humans. This is called a spillover and can be due to a range of factors such as mutations in the virus or increased contact between human and animals. For example, MERS-COV is known to be transmitted from camels and SARS-COV from civet cats. The animal source of the 2019-NCOV is NOT KNOWN YET.
How is it transmitted?
The exact dynamics of how the virus is transmitted is yet to be determined. In general, respiratory viruses are usually transmitted through droplets, created when an infected person coughs or sneezes or through something that has been contaminated with the virus.
Who is most at risk?
Those in close contact with animals such as live animal market workers and those who are caring for people infected with the virus such as family members or healthcare workers.
How does the disease present? (Symptoms)
From what is known so far there could be a number of symptoms ranging from mild to severe. There could be fevers and respiratory symptoms such as cough and shortness of breath. In more severe cases, there has been cases of pneumonia, kidney failure, and death. The mortality rate is not known yet.
How can we tell whether someone is infected? (Diagnosis)
The infection can be diagnosed by a test called PCR (polymerase chain reaction). This test identifies the virus based on its genetic fingerprint.
What’s the treatment for the virus?
According to the WHO, there is no specific medication for the virus and the treatment is supportive care. There is currently no vaccine to protect against the virus. Treatment and vaccines are in development.
How do we prevent transmission of the virus?
This new virus currently has a limited geographic spread. However, there are a number of standard hygiene practices that have been recommended to protect against infection and further spread which include:
Covering your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing with a medical mask, tissue, or flexed elbow
Avoiding close contact with those who are unwell
Appropriate use of masks and personal protective equipment, especially in a healthcare setting
Washing hands regularly with soap and water or using alcohol based hand sanitizer
Actions that can be taken to prevent contraction from an animal source include:
Avoid unnecessary unprotected contact with animals
Washing hands after contact with animals or animal products
Ensuring that animal products are cooked thoroughly before they are consumed
Since the WHO information and video above went live, there has been an article on Bloomberg (you can find a link to it at the end of this post) that states “Thailand found good results after using a mix of two antiviral drugs on a Chinese patient who was in a serious condition with the novel coronavirus, according to a health ministry briefing. The patient’s condition significantly improved within 48 hours after the medical team decided to use antiviral drugs originally used for HIV and influenza in his treatment, Kriangsak Attipornwanich, a doctor at the state-owned Rajavithi Hospital who is treating the patient, told reporters at the Public Health Ministry briefing Sunday. The patient’s test result also turned negative, the doctor said.” If this treatment is continually shown to be effective, it could be a breakthrough for Thailand’s healthcare market and anyone around the world affected by the coronavirus.
One of the measures I’ve noticed the most since the news of this coronavirus is that everybody is wearing a mask to protect themselves. The WHO has released advice on this and the summary is here for your reference (you can also click on the link below for all the details):
Wearing a medical mask is one of the prevention measures to limit spread of certain respiratory diseases, including 2019- nCoV, in affected areas. However, the use of a mask alone is insufficient to provide the adequate level of protection and other equally relevant measures should be adopted.
If masks are to be used, this measure must be combined with hand hygiene and other infection prevention and control (IPC) measures to prevent the human-to-human transmission of 2019-nCov.
Wearing medical masks when not indicated may cause unnecessary cost, procurement burden and create a false sense of security that can lead to neglecting other essential measures such as hand hygiene practices. Furthermore, using a mask incorrectly may hamper its effectiveness to reduce the risk of transmission.
Here’s an image explaining pros and cons of using different masks:
We need to be mindful of the source of information when we read anything because there is a lot of #FakeNews about the coronavirus. Here’s an image that addresses the myths and facts of a corona virus. The one that stands out the most is that the common flu kills 60 times more people annually than coronaviruses.
In summary, practice hand hygiene and wear an N-95 mask if you really want to wear one.
Take care of yourselves and be mindful of your surroundings and decisions.
Information shared by Devi Bajaj Founder and Director of Enliven Health Concierge
Below are links to some articles related to the topics above:
Chet Adkins, Chef/Owner of JUA Izakaya and Little Market is a dear friend and one of our favorite chefs in Bangkok. He knows how to make meals that are extremely high in quality, wholesome, and delicious. One fine Saturday night, while enjoying his poke bowl alongside the best burger in Bangkok, we started chatting about the food industry and how everyone is moving to healthier choices. This is when I decided he would be the perfect person to interview about this topic as he loves food as much as my husband and I do combined (now that’s a lot of love) but he also understands the importance of taking care of himself.
Have a read of our discussion below and feel free to leave comments with your opinion on this topic.
As a chef with restaurants focused on yakitori and cheeseburgers, what do you think about the global gravitation to a plant based diet?
I think there should be balance. If we as humans want to achieve balance in life as well as on earth there must be balance. If we all ate only plants the ecosystem of the earth would be unbalanced. The same goes for eating meat. Everyone can’t eat just one or the other. I also think the way big corporations are marketing what they call plant based meat are basically feeding people super processed food. This food is as bad or worse than eating fast food (which in its definition is horrible for your body).
I have a HUGE sweet tooth and after endless research that shows sugar is essentially the devil, I’m really trying to be more conscious of the amount of sweets I intake. In your opinion, what are the “healthiest” natural foods I should have to satisfy my craving?
I always eat fruit for my sweet tooth. If you choose the right fruits they don’t contain as much sugars as most desserts you would buy somewhere. Fruits also have many different health benefits including dietary fiber, vitamins, anti-oxidants and nutrients. Thats why I will eat a pint of blueberries before a piece of cake.
There are so many people in the world with allergies and sensitivities to certain foods, do you notice the number of people with special requests increase in your customer base? If so, what are the most common foods that your clients are allergic to, and how do you substitute without compromising in flavor?
My girlfriend has a few major allergies so with that being said lately I have been thinking of her when I create new dishes. I have compassion for people who can’t eat certain things and do my best to cater to their needs by modifying a dish to suit the requirements.
Most people have common allergies like wheat, dairy, nuts etc. If you start creating a dish with this in mind there is no need to substitute, its already designed not to have these ingredients and will be as tasty as one with them included. Sometimes you just have to think of another source for that umami you are looking for to compliment the dish.
What are your thoughts on the concept of “food as medicine”?
I believe there needs to be much more research done on this. Indigenous people have been doing this for many centuries. I do know that when you are feeling like you’re coming down with a cold you can use certain food as a defense against it with foods high in vitamins to boost your immune system. I think that food directly relates to health and your body will also crave what it needs when it needs it.
Sweet or savory? Which is worse for the human body, salt or sugar?
Your body needs both to survive. The key here is also balance. Not eating too much of either is best. I would say the sugar is worse, its in everything and hard to control intake. Too much of anything is not going to be good for you.
If there was one so-called unhealthy type of food or dish that you would never live without, what would it be and why?
Noodles! I can’t go a day or two without eating them as I love them so much. Living in Thailand it’s hard to not eat them for me. I mean there is such variety that I could eat 10 different types a week and not get sick of them. They are my biggest weakness!
What is your advice regarding eating healthy to people who live to eat?
My advice would be to try to eat a variety of healthy foods all the time and save your big high calorie meals for eating out. Restaurants (most don’t care how much butter, sugar, salt etc. they put in their food) are trying to make the food so good that you can’t get enough of it. If you eat out all the time you should choose things that are as healthy as possible and save yourself for you guilty pleasures that you can’t live without. Happy Eating!! Stay Healthy!!
Essentially, Chet says a balanced diet is key. If you are interested to learn more about how to achieve and maintain a balance diet we will be happy to put you in touch with one of our experts in the field of nutrition and/or gut health.
Interview led by Devi Bajaj Founder and Director of Enliven Health Concierge
Below are links to some articles related to the topics above:
My college roommate (and bestie!) Barbara Jenkins is a Nursing Supervisor at hospital in San Francisco, California. I think of her often because I know she puts her life at risk everyday when she goes into work. We finally got a chance to catch up and I realized that everyone would benefit from the information she shared because many may be wondering the same things I was about her and all the other heroes on the front lines. Before we get into discussion about the situation, I’ll have her introduce herself:
Tell us a bit about yourself.
Hi my name is Barbara and I am a nurse at a busy hospital! My family and I currently live in San Francisco and have been sheltering in place (SIP) for 7 weeks now. My husband works in tech and has been working from home since early March and we have a 7 month old daughter, Nora. Nora is not quite sure what is happening but enjoys spending extra time with her parents but is a little skeptical of us when we wear masks.
How did you get into nursing?
In college I worked in a medical research lab and enjoyed the work but wanted a more personal interaction. I started volunteering at the hospital and instantly knew that I wanted to become a nurse. I love caring for other people and being able to support them through difficult times. After finishing nursing school, I was able to work in many different hospitals in the US.
What is your day at work like now since COVID19 started?
It is very different. The emergency room has slowed down (maybe because of the fear of coming to the hospital), we have cancelled all elective surgeries and we have limited visitors. The halls seem eerily quiet. Right now, we have only a few COVID positive patients admitted a week. Because we have “flattened the curve” we have the time and resources to provide excellent care to our patients.
How do you feel about having to go to work on the front lines and coming home to a baby and husband?
It is a little bit stressful, but as nurses we take care of patients with many contagious diseases and I don’t want to bring any of them home to my family. I follow precautions at work, shower and change when I get home and monitor my temperature several times a day.
You have parents and grandparents that are over 60. What would you tell them to do now to stay safe?
I tell my grandparents to stay home but stay mentally and physically active. They like to sit on their front porch and wave at neighbors walking by. I have asked them to reach out to friends to help them with errands. They have figured out how to Zoom and look forward to seeing Nora during our Saturday morning “meetings”.
What would you advise to those that are immunocompromised?
Stay home if possible. Make sure the people you live with are also sheltering in place, washing hands, and following precautions. Be in close contact with your doctor.
Do people need to be scared to go to the doctor?
Don’t be scared to go to the doctor, if needed. There have always been sick people in the doctors’ office (patients with the flu, RSV, etc). If it could be done virtually that is great, but some issues need to be addressed in person. We went to the pediatrician in early March for Nora’s 6 month appointment. They removed the toys from the waiting area (I have always been nervous about the germs on those) and really separated well babies from sick babies). The staff took precautions to keep themselves and us safe.
Do you think that only essential staff and emergency cases should be going to a hospital nowadays?
If you need urgent medical care, come to the hospital. Please don’t delay care that you need because of COVID. We don’t want patients to get sicker at home because they are scared to come to the emergency room.
What does it mean to be asymptomatic and why is this so dangerous?
Asymptomatic is when people develop no symptoms but are active carriers of the virus. Some people are presymptomatic meaning that they currently have no symptoms but are infected and are incubating the virus. Then there are the mildly symptomatic people who may attribute their symptoms to other illnesses or allergies but the people they may infect can become very sick. All three of these categories of individuals are dangerous because they can unknowingly infect others with COIVD19.
What does it take for a COVID19 patient to get discharged from the hospital? Do they have to test negative?
Not all positive patients are in the hospital, many patients are self quarantining at home. If you do need medical assistance for a period of time, you do not need to be negative to be discharged. Some patients are able to return home but San Francisco also has hotels and nursing homes dedicated to housing COVID positive individuals.
How do you think life will change post-COVID?
Healthcare will change. There will be less people in the hospital and everything will move towards virtual care.
What are the drawbacks of healthcare moving towards virtual care?
It can be harder for some people to access if they are not set up with computers, cameras and online health accounts.
If there was one thing you could do if you were in charge to make the situation more manageable for front line workers, what would it be?
To be consistent. I feel like a lot of the initial panic was due to inconsistent messages and guidance. In the US, we do not have a national healthcare system and different healthcare systems are still responding differently. Companies are using different tests and have different protocols.
What’s the most heartwarming thing you’ve seen since covid19 began?
How our community has come together. Yesterday our neighbor turned 6 years old and his friends drove by his house in their decorated cars to celebrate with him.
Is there any advice you have for the general population?
Stay home, stay safe!
Thanks so much for your insight, Barb! I’m sure your information will help everyone that reads this in one way or another. Stay safe and thank you for being a true hero on the front lines.
Interview led by Devi Bajaj Founder & Director of Enliven Health Concierge
The holidays are here! This means lots of celebrations filled with delicious food and drink. We firmly believe in enjoying ourselves while keeping our health and wellness in check so we’ve created a series of tips for staying healthy during the holidays:
Our favorite tip from the ones listed above is the final one: don’t feel guilty! Enjoy yourself and don’t beat yourself up if you overdo it once in a while. Life is for living and having a good time! I also make it a point to continue intermittent fasting as much as I can throughout the holidays so my body has time to repair and rebuild itself. Have a look at our previous posts here and here to learn more about how intermittent fasting works.
Now let’s have a look at the tips for healthy holiday drinking:
The key with drinking during the holidays is the same as eating – find a balance so you’re able to have a good time without going overboard or being frustrated by restricting yourself too much!
Now on to fitness tips:
Make sure you get in some exercise over the holidays – even if it’s just a walk at the park or a 15 minute stretch routine a day (Fitness Blender is an awesome resource and here is a link to one of their great stretch videos), your body and mind will thank you. Your body is the only place you have to live in, so give it the most love you possibly can and take care of it.
Have a look at more tips from some of our favorite Health & Wellness Portals and their thoughts on staying healthy during the holidays:
It was during my time at AAFA that I learned about Antibiotic Resistance, but before getting into the details of resistance, let’s first understand what antibiotics are. As defined by the World Health Organization, antibiotics (or antibacterials) are medicines used to prevent and treat bacterial infections. Antibiotics CANNOT treat viral infections, such as cold, flu, and most coughs (https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/10278.php). “Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria change in response to the use of these medicines. Bacteria, not humans or animals, become antibiotic-resistant. These bacteria may infect humans and animals, and the infections they cause are harder to treat than those caused by non-resistant bacteria. Antibiotic resistance leads to higher medical costs, prolonged hospital stays, and increased mortality. The world urgently needs to change the way it prescribes and uses antibiotics.” (https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/antibiotic-resistance)
Have a look at this infographic from the WHO explaining how Antibiotic Resistance Spreads:
The reason I started this post mentioning that I’ve lived in Bangkok for most of my life is because during my childhood I went to so many doctors in this city when I have a cold or cough and the doctor almost automatically prescribes antibiotics. Before there was widespread knowledge about antibiotic resistance, this was the norm. Now that we know the threats it poses, before taking antibiotics for something that may not be bacterial in nature, please ask your doctor if you really need them. And if you know someone who frequently takes antibiotics for simple sneezes and sniffles, let them know they could be endangering themselves and their loved ones. (https://health.clevelandclinic.org/when-antibiotics-stop-working-whats-next/)
Have a look at this short but informative video about using antibiotics correctly and take action where needed:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZX97bIbZBQ(ask him to embed the video in the post pls)
Don’t get me wrong; antibiotics are not the devil. They are extremely effective to treat bronchitis, pneumonia, strep throat, ear infection, and pinkeye – as long as they’re caused by bacteria. If used correctly and only when required, there is nothing wrong with taking antibiotics.
Are you worried that you may take antibiotics too often? Or unsure if you take them when you don’t need to? Reach out to us and we will be happy to hear more about your concerns and find a way to help you.
Written by Devi Bajaj Founder and Director of Enliven Health Concierge
I’m a person focused on having a routine and I believe this keeps me both physically and mentally healthy (and sane). I aim to intermittently fast for at least 16 hours a day for 5 days a week (to let the cells in my body rest, rebuild and repair), workout 3-5 to times a week, and sleep at least 6 hours a night.
My husband is in an entirely different field of work. His event management job requires him to be on his feet for 12-16 hours at a time, sleep late and eat only when (or if) he gets a break. As a result he was often fatigued and would come home from work sneezing or with the sniffles.
I was determined to find a way to make him feel better, without it being complicated or taking too much of his time because I knew if I told him it would take longer than an hour every couple weeks that he (and I) wouldn’t succeed in the long term. After reading up on my favorite online portals for healthy living (I’ve listed a few of them at the bottom of this post for your reference) and discussing with colleagues in the field of health and wellness, I decided what he should try to do to make him feel better. There was a consensus across the board that he needs to replenish the nutrients and vitamins in his body, so I suggested direct insertion of these essentials into his blood stream intravenously.
The most popular IV for rejuvenation across the world is called the “Myers’ Cocktail” developed by Dr. John Myers of John Hopkins Medical School. It is compromised of the following components:
He was nervous at first, but after speaking to the doctor who explained the benefits of the IV (but making it a point that this is not a long term solution, however ensured that it can help in the interim while he moves towards a healthier lifestyle), he said he’ll give it a shot. On the day of the first drip he had a slight fever and was feeling very tired which resulted in a good night’s sleep and more energy the next day and coming weeks. IV drips work by increasing the blood concentration of several essential vitamins and minerals beyond that which can be achieved when supplementing orally. For example, Vitamin C given intravenously has been found to reach blood concentrations more than 50 times greater than what can be achieved when given orally. (https://theremedyroom.com/2014/01/what-is-a-meyers-cocktail/), therefore definitely helping immunity if needed.
With the doctor’s recommendation we also started him on melatonin supplements for when he flies (he has major anxiety and this helps to calm him down), and to ease his mind and put him to sleep easier for the nights when his mind is racing. He used to have terrible acid reflux problems and applying intermittent fasting to his lifestyle has essentially cured that. Furthermore, a family member suggested that he start taking metamucil (https://www.metamucil.com/en-us/articles/Fiber-101/metamucil-faqs) which is a plant-based fiber supplement to aid digestive health (we’ll get more into gut health in an upcoming post, so stay tuned).
It’s been a couple months now and he generally seems to feel better from his lifestyle adjustments, and the occasional Myers’ cocktail. The main result is that it’s helped his immunity (he now rarely comes home with a cold) and makes him feel hydrated. It’s important to note that IV drips are not a substitute for healthy habits in your daily life—these should not be seen as quick fixes (https://www.wellandgood.com/good-advice/iv-drip-therapy-health-risks/).
Before getting into the habit of adding IV drips to your routine, ask yourself if you can obtain the vitamins, minerals and nutrients by having a well-balanced diet that meets your needs. If after trying that you don’t see any improvement, it may be time to check if your vitamin and micronutrient levels require supplementation. We have a team of specialists who can support if you reach to that point, or even if you’d like to ask some questions about your health and chat further so do feel free to reach out.
Written by Devi Bajaj Founder and Director of Enliven Health Concierge
Some of our favorite Health & Wellness Portals and their thoughts on IV therapy:
