From eNewsletter 5/5/5021

DID YOU KNOW why we often recommend adenosyl/hydroxycobalamin as a supplemental vitamin B12 source? You may have a genetic predisposition that does not allow you to utilize vitamin B12 optimally from food. You may also lack energy or take medication that depresses mitochondrial function (our cells energy producer). Methylcobalamin, which is the more commonly recommended source of supplemental vitamin B12, has a different purpose, which is to optimize methylation. Aside from genetic screening, how would you know if you need methylcobalamin or adenosyl/hydroxycobalamin? Of course, looking at your serum B12 and ferritin levels can tell us if you need B12. Specifically for methylcobalamin, a homocysteine blood test is the ideal snapshot to see how well you are methylating and utilizing vitamin B12, folate, and vitamin B6. For adenosyl/hydroxycobalamin, a methylmalonic acid (MMA) test indicates if there is a mitochondrial deficiency.
UPDATE - COVID-19 Vaccine Information We updated this document Monday May 5th.
Virus Prevention And Treatment Vaccines will minimize COVID-19 related mortality and hospitalizations, but SARS-CoV-2 is not going away, as evidenced by its ever-mutating variants. Moreover, SARS-CoV-2 is not the only virus we fight. There are influenza (flu), norovirus (stomach flu), adenovirus (common cold), and four other coronaviruses (common cold), among others.We highly recommend continuing your immune support. For more information, refer to our Prevent and Fight Viruses 2.0 Protocol.
COVID-19 Condition Monograph For those interested in conventional and integrative treatments for COVID-19 with over 250 references, this is our COVID-19 Condition Monograph.
Post-COVID Syndrome The official diagnosis for post-COVID syndrome (PCS) are symptoms that last for 12 weeks or more. If you, a family member, friend, coworker, or neighbor is suffering from PCS, diligently following our Post-COVID Syndrome Action Plan for purchase, or free to paid members here, can bring measurable improvement.
What Happened to the Flu? And Musings From Star-Crossed Nutritionists
Steve and Bonnie: Joyously, things are starting to open up in some parts of the US and the world. Chicago and New York City announced that they are opening up in July. Fans are attending sporting events. Disney World is fully open. Europe is welcoming fully vaccinated Americans.
Unfortunately, other parts of the world are still tragically in the throes of the pandemic (i.e. India). Some nations are even entering their first total lockdown (i.e Turkey). We can only be hopeful that things will turn in the right direction for everyone sooner rather than later.
Did anyone notice that the United States had the lowest influenza rate and number of deaths since records have been kept? Influenza cases were so low they were almost non-existent (see above image; look for the red line with the red triangles).
Why did this occur?
It was not because the flu shot was so effective, because the percentage of Americans vaccinated for the flu dropped precipitously during the pandemic, and public health experts only guessed half of the active strains.
It was not because SARS-CoV-2 somehow muscled out influenza for access to hosts.
It happened because of public health measures taken to lower transmission of SARS-CoV-2: masks, social distancing, etc. Interestingly, the highest numbers of influenza cases, while still low, were in states who adhered the least to mask wearing, social distancing, etc.
Influenza has a much more difficult time jumping from person to person, so with such extreme measures being taken to prevent transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the influenza virus had fewer opportunities to infect.
It will be fascinating to see how public health experts will extrapolate this data and put it into practice for the future. For example, to reduce deaths in the elderly, nursing homes may ask workers and residents to wear masks, only during the height of the flu season, as a preventive measure when residents are not in their rooms.
To our dismay, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) released their most recent stance on vitamin D screening, and shockingly, recommended AGAINST testing all Americans vitamin D levels at routine wellness screenings.
Are we disappointed? Very much so. The main reason, of course, is that we know it is a critical piece for evaluating one's overall health. Moreover, insurance companies use the USPSTF recommendations to decide if they will pay for tests and procedures. This means that doctors can only order vitamin D tests for certain conditions, but not for overall routine wellness screenings. This eliminates tens of millions of Americans from vitamin D screening, especially those who need it the most because they cannot afford to pay out of pocket.
Egregious, outrageous, uncouth, and just plain dumb are a few thoughts we have regarding this recommendation.
Which takes us to our final point. As wonderful as it is to see the light at the end of the tunnel, at least for the United States, it is evident that except for a small contingent like yourself, we have learned very little as a country about preventing the next pandemic.
Vaccines can create a false sense of security because while hospitals won't be overrun, we are still putting a band-aid on the underlying issues that plague us. We are still vastly overweight as a population. We are vastly undernourished, even though overweight. We are still vastly out of shape mentally and physically. The numbers of vulnerable individuals for the next pandemic have risen, not fallen, even with the horrific numbers of those who have passed on.
Disappointingly, the $1.9 trillion COVID relief package that passed recently included funding for many different programs. What’s conspicuously lacking is any acknowledgement or attempt to address COVID using nutrition and lifestyle strategies that are well supported by the science.
Hence, we must to a person, take ownership of our health and do our part to improve the prospects of a wounded nation.
HOW MUCH CAN I EAT AWAY FROM HOME? This article is reserved for NCI Well Connect Members. You can get this article by signing up here. You can get our free eNewsletter by signing up at the top of our website.
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