279 replies to this topic

[Nemo888]

N95 with a hood and no reverse air is all we have in a city of a million. Our hospitals reach capacity regularly. There are no extra resources for epidemics other than a warehouse full of useless gear. If we do get Ebola cases we are going to lose many health care workers to contain it.

[Kalliste]

I just can't believe that it is so easily contagious as some people here are claiming. I think you are blowing it out of proportion and contributing to mass hysteria.

 

As I mentioned previously, ebola has been around for many decades, at least, probably for centuries roaming around Africa. I have read about "outbreaks" periodically in Africa since the 1980s. Never has there been a world-wide epidemic, even though there has been little monitoring (compared to today), no medications, no travel restrictions, etc... People from these areas of Africa have been travelling around the world for DECADES!! Read that again.....

 

DECADES.

 

For crying out loud, in the first half of the 20th century, men in Europe used to have great ape testicles grafted into their scrotums for a testosterone boost. If that didn't bring Ebola to Europe (as well as plenty of immigration for the last century), nothing will. If you are so sure that it can be spread through the air and can remain in someone for months with no symptoms and still be spread.....you have some big explaining to do. Why no hysterical threat of mass epidemics until, literally, the last month.

 

If you are saying it has mutated lately or something, then you are in the land of pure speculation.

 

All I am saying is be rational. Take rational precautions with the information we have.

 

Africa has been spinning the chamber on a big pandemic for long time. The place is a perfect breeding-ground for this. Maybe this Ebola crisis is it, maybe this will die down. I would be shocked if I lived the rest of my life* without the world suffering a major pandemic event.

 

 

*(hopefully forever of course, but most likely another couple of decades)

[Nemo888]

We always took Ebola and Marburg very seriously. We would literally burn villages to the ground to contain it. Sometimes with people still inside. We could get away with that before the internet and smart phones.

[Ark]

http://theantimedia....ebola-airborne/

[Mind]

Anyone going to step up to the plate and explain the "coconut oil against ebola" theory posited earlier in this thread?

 

Even with "suspected" cases cropping up in different areas of the world. I am still more worried about mass hysteria than ebola. Given that our "just-in-time" economic system relies on world-wide trade, mass quarantines of entire countries could potentially disrupt food/energy distribution in significant and unforeseen ways, leading to many deaths, inside and outside of Africa.

 

We live in a connected world. Instead of killing our neighbors, burning villages, crawling into caves/bunkers, we should be intelligently deploying our medical assets and research in order to battle existing (or emerging) threats. That is why I like this thread. Many thanks to those who have offered health advice!

[Nemo888]

Some are surely reacting inappropriately. But in my locality and I am sure many more health care resources are incapable of handling more than a handful of cases. Many in health care worry that this will be SARS all over again. Nothing seems to be have been learned from the last epidemic. Last time there was insufficient PPE and by the end of it 43% of those infected were health care workers. A number died. This is worth becoming vocal about as SARS was much less dangerous.

 

Mind you seem very comfortable with this eventuality if cases come here. Should we not be prepared and give workers the best protection available? Are a few dead RNs and RPNs acceptable if you can cut a few dollars from the budget? Your claim that it is not a problem and there is no need to be prepared was proved false when SARS came to North America. You cannot prepare after it is here. Resources need to be ordered now.

 

And burning villages worked great for 30 years. You probably never even heard of Ebola or Marburg.

Edited by Nemo888, 09 October 2014 - 07:36 PM.

[Ark]

Antiviral ingredients

Coconut Oil contains several healthy compounds, including two fatty acids with antiviral qualities: lauric acid and capric acid. Depending on the source/brand of the coconut oil, it will contain between 40 to 50% lauric acid and 8 to 10% capric acid. When these two fatty acids are metabolized in the body, they convert into monoglycerides, which are glycerol molecules named monolaurin and monocaprin. These two monoglycerices have been shown in research studies to cause disintegration of the viruses by destroying the fatty coat surrounding the herpes virus as well as HIV and Cytomegalovirus. Therefore scientists have been looking into using the antiviral quality of coconut oil.

Research showing anti viral qualities of capric acid and lauric acid

Monocaprin, one of the monoglycerides of capric acid and lauric acid, were found to be the most active of all the lipids tested, causing a greater than 100,000 fold reduction in the virus (HSV type 1) titer in 1 minute at a concentration of 20 mM, is the result of a study featured in October 1999 in “Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences”, and conducted by a team of researchers from the University of Iceland, Reykjavik. Based on this study , the authors suggested a topical gel be developed having capric acid and lauric acid as active ingredients to be used for preventing sexually transmitted diseases such as herpes virus, HIV, gonorrhea and Chlamydia.

[Mind]

Antiviral ingredients

Coconut Oil contains several healthy compounds, including two fatty acids with antiviral qualities: lauric acid and capric acid. Depending on the source/brand of the coconut oil, it will contain between 40 to 50% lauric acid and 8 to 10% capric acid. When these two fatty acids are metabolized in the body, they convert into monoglycerides, which are glycerol molecules named monolaurin and monocaprin. These two monoglycerices have been shown in research studies to cause disintegration of the viruses by destroying the fatty coat surrounding the herpes virus as well as HIV and Cytomegalovirus. Therefore scientists have been looking into using the antiviral quality of coconut oil.

Research showing anti viral qualities of capric acid and lauric acid

Monocaprin, one of the monoglycerides of capric acid and lauric acid, were found to be the most active of all the lipids tested, causing a greater than 100,000 fold reduction in the virus (HSV type 1) titer in 1 minute at a concentration of 20 mM, is the result of a study featured in October 1999 in “Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences”, and conducted by a team of researchers from the University of Iceland, Reykjavik. Based on this study , the authors suggested a topical gel be developed having capric acid and lauric acid as active ingredients to be used for preventing sexually transmitted diseases such as herpes virus, HIV, gonorrhea and Chlamydia.

 

 

Great reply. Thanks Ark.

[Danail Bulgaria]

I am afraid, that no drug or non - traditional thing will help.

 

Prevention is the key. The prevention is on many levels.

 

At government level:

Close the borders for Africa. It sems, that measuring the temperature of the incoming people from Africa does not work. Someone may be infected in a prodromal period and not to have any symptoms. Such a traveler may pass the check with a perfecly notmal temperature and infect many people before to die.

 

At local authorities level:

If the ebola already is in the US, then close under quarantine the state or the town with the 2? ebola US patients. Quarantine in an infectious diseases hospital chamber the people, who are with ebola. Crimate if they are death. Put under daily observation the people, who have been in a contact with the infected. Better isolate them too.

 

Your own prevention:

Personally you, avoid any contacts with people, who are with ebola. Equip from with preventive individual clothing and safety measures. Lets hope, that a safe vaccine will be ready soon.

 

All the other things are additional. They include the such called "immunity strength". Take vitamins, mainly vitamine C, use good food, including meat, don't overwork or oversterss (distress) yourself.

[APBT]

From 10 October Science Friday podcast: The Race to Contain, Rather Than Cure, Ebola

[Mind]

From 10 October Science Friday podcast: The Race to Contain, Rather Than Cure, Ebola

 

Some good discussion at that site as well...people suggesting possible courses of action.

 

Also, someone asking why our inept corrupt government isn't suggesting ways to combat the disease, methods to stay healthy, keep a strong immune system, etc...

 

I think it is up to us to figure out the best strategies and possible cures.

[Danail Bulgaria]

The thigs, that she says as general are true.

 

But she is talking about non - existing things - the repid test for identifying ebola. No such thing exist.

 

Most probabbly the government is not talking about ways to combat the disease, because cure does not exist too. The methods to stay healthy, keep a strong immune system are only additional.

 

 

In cases like this - danger of a disease with high mortal rate and no cure the survival stratedy is the profilaxy.

 

[Ark]

http://time.com/3499...tive-for-ebola/

[Ark]

I'm starting to believe Ebola can survive outside of the body for longer then we think. So perhaps doubling our decontamination protocols and everyone tripling their efforts in sanitation we can beat Ebola.

[RorschachRev]

If we can contain Ebola in Africa then we have succeeded in protecting first world countries. If we give up on treating in Africa, then we are much more likely to see it enter during the incubation phase. NYTimes seems to keep track better than most sites.

 

As for rapid testing, the CDC still claims that the test takes 48 hours. Strangely, and I avoided mentioning publicly, Sgt. Michael Monnig was released with a negative result in about 24 hours. Maybe we do have a rapid negative test? (White blood cell count may be enough?) A negative test is probably much faster.

[Nemo888]

If we can contain Ebola in Africa then we have succeeded in protecting first world countries. If we give up on treating in Africa, then we are much more likely to see it enter during the incubation phase. NYTimes seems to keep track better than most sites.

As for rapid testing, the CDC still claims that the test takes 48 hours. Strangely, and I avoided mentioning publicly, Sgt. Michael Monnig was released with a negative result in about 24 hours. Maybe we do have a rapid negative test? (White blood cell count may be enough?) A negative test is probably much faster.

It attacks macrophages. WBC probably won't work. The most important thing is to increase the safety at hospitals. We have two nurses with Ebola already. If this goes on like SARS hospitals will be overburdened soon and that will mean tired overworked health care workers. The exhaustion will eat into safety margins. Without reverse air and PAPR(powered respirators) health care workers will die needlessly. This will literally start killing people shortly. N95 in a room with poor air circulation is negligent. Many patient rooms have positive air and can spread droplets all over the hospital. SARS was ten years ago and we haven't learned a single thing or spent any money on emergency preparedness for an epidemic.

There isn't really anything regular citizens should do at this point. If hospitals get the resources they need it can easily be contained. Without them screw ups like the nurse in Spain and Texas are inevitable. These are the people keeping you safe. If you don't give them the needed PPE they will still save you. Some will die in the process though.

Edited by Nemo888, 12 October 2014 - 10:50 PM.

[cherrysilver]

I think the real pink elephant in the room is the danger of Ebola being brought into the country by terrorists.  Hospitals won't be able to contain or deal with the fallout.  Sorry, but I have very little faith in our government to deal with situations like this, it's been proved time and time again.  Then again, terrorists are far to altruistic to contemplate something like this.  Just ask the guys who lost their heads.

[shifter]

What other antiviral foods are there and are there types that negate each others effects if taken together or enhance it.

 

If I had the disease and I (for example) ate 100g coconut oil a day and also drank large-ish amounts of olive leaf extract liquid and sprinkle generous amounts of  tumeric powder over my meals would they synergistcally work or would the effects I'm after be diminshed or even work against me?

 

What are other foods or nutrients (like vitamin C) that are known to be anti viral and can you take them with fellow anti viral foods for the anti viral effects.

 

Why wouldn't people have tried this though already in Africa?? All they seem to be able to do is 'make them comfortable'. Why hasn't anyone 'experimented' on giving them a regime of these kinds of foods to see if it lowers the mortality. It seems an easy enough experiment without actually 'experimenting' (the word experimentation and applying to humans has a negative connotation). But what else have they to lose? The medical staff that go over there should bring with them heaps of these foods and see.

 

 

 

 

[Ark]

http://www.wnd.com/2...-be-contagious/

[PWAIN]

Shifter, I think most don't know they have it until they exhibit symptoms. Then they can't keep anything down. Preventive steps like eating the stuff you listed prior to infection is well out of the budget of most.

[Danail Bulgaria]

What other antiviral foods are there and are there types that negate each others effects if taken together or enhance it.

 

If I had the disease and I (for example) ate 100g coconut oil a day and also drank large-ish amounts of olive leaf extract liquid and sprinkle generous amounts of  tumeric powder over my meals would they synergistcally work or would the effects I'm after be diminshed or even work against me?

 

What are other foods or nutrients (like vitamin C) that are known to be anti viral and can you take them with fellow anti viral foods for the anti viral effects.

 

Why wouldn't people have tried this though already in Africa?? All they seem to be able to do is 'make them comfortable'. Why hasn't anyone 'experimented' on giving them a regime of these kinds of foods to see if it lowers the mortality. It seems an easy enough experiment without actually 'experimenting' (the word experimentation and applying to humans has a negative connotation). But what else have they to lose? The medical staff that go over there should bring with them heaps of these foods and see.

 

There are no survival foods. Sorry. Whatever you eat, if you got the ebola with the 70% death rate, you are equally death, no matter if you eat coconuts or not.
 

[xEva]

one of the most important things in surviving something like this is to have adequate weight, like with bmi 19+. one should be able to fast for at least a week and be able to lose at least 10 lbs. and not just fat of course.

 

this is because, once the symptoms start, an ebola patient cannot keep much down and also because fasting is the best response to most, albeit not all, infections (think xenophagy) 

[Danail Bulgaria]

I am not sure which is better - fasting, or providing yourself with vitamins, quality meat and fresh froots.

[xEva]

what i meant was one should be well-nourished. if one cannot keep food down, what vitamins? fasting is a natural response to severe injury or most infections, but if the internal resources are not adequate this would lead to starvation. i believe that's what is missing in mortality curves for underweight people: i.e. they die because of lack of internal resources when faced with severe illness with sudden onset.

 

when the body wants to fast, aka doing autophagy, the appetite disappears -- though, instead of embracing it, many of bio-control-freaks on this board would likely force themselves to down a bunch of pills --as usual -- including appetite-stimulants and autophagy-inducers.

[Danail Bulgaria]

Whatever. This will not heal you from Ebola.

[Kalliste]

Eva is right. Being in excellent physical condition will go a long way with most problems aside from the ones that initiate hypercytokinemia.

Personally I doubt most supplements will do all that much if you are hit with Ebola.

[Nemo888]

Once you get it you won't be taking vitamins. Only nursing care will increase your chances. Hypercitokinemia is irrelevant as Ebola attacks your immune system. When you are projectile vomiting and having diahrea with a fever over 103 only another person caring for you can prevent dehydration and possibly fatal electrolyte imbalances. Sepsis or an unregulated fever sending you into a seizure are common ways to go too. You will need a nurse to give you IV's, antiviral meds and some form of liquid nutrition.

Once infected the most crucial factor influening your survival chances is competent nursing.

[xEva]

Whatever. This will not heal you from Ebola.

 

the mortality is not 100%. even some villagers in africa manage to survive without the state of the art nursing care.  you recon, what 'heals' them?

[Danail Bulgaria]

Well, all of the mass killing epidemies in the world did not kill 100% of the infected. There always come out this question - why someone died, and the one next to him survived. Still there is not an exact answer. Fasting and diets are speculations.

[Nemo888]

The mortality rate does fluctuate between as low as 30% and as high as 70% likely dependent on nursing interventions xEva. As a general rule it is the complications that kill during an epidemic.

Edited by Nemo888, 13 October 2014 - 05:32 PM.