A Mutant is Upon Us
A letter from Dr. K to his patients….
| A Mutant is Upon Us
Dear Families, Just when we thought society was going to calm down, multiple new calamities hit at once. Our government is struggling to manage and our hospitals are reaching their limits. I hope this becomes the conclusion to a very challenging year and moment in human history. I also hope that in the coming months 2021 will bring a lot more light and health into everyone’s lives.
CHANGE IN OUR OFFICE POLICY Right before the holidays, we had two close calls with COVID, where two families found out they were positive a few days after being in the office. Fortunately, nothing came of this, all our families are safe, and we have all been tested repeatedly and all tests resulted as negative and we are all symptom-free. To protect our staff, their families and most importantly you and your families, we have implemented a few changes to our office policy and procedures. 1) We are inviting our families to do telehealth visits for the next few weeks until the current surge calms down. For those who really wish to come into the office, in-office visits are still available. 2) We REALLY need your help if you are coming into the office. Prior to your appointment, you will be receiving a call asking you to confirm that you have had no exposure to COVID and are symptom-free. To guarantee that everyone in the office will be safe, we are requiring you to confirm this before you can come in. Unfortunately, we will have to cancel in-office appointments if this confirmation is not obtained. 3) You will be brought immediately into a room when you arrive to prevent any cross-exposure between families in the office. 4) We are continuing to wipe down all surfaces regularly and have multiple air purifiers going as before.
COVID MUTANT I am sure you have all heard of the mutated version of COVID that is now spreading around the world, and likely this new virus is already spreading in our community. Because of the changes in its spike proteins, this virus is even more transmissible than the prior virus and requires us to be more cautious than before. Now more than ever, wearing masks, doing social distancing, etc. are important! There are some news channels who are suggesting that this virus is more dangerous to children. Some are suggesting this virus can infect them more easily and potentially even cause greater harm. Fortunately, these claims do not seem to be substantiated. From the data that is out there, there is no conclusive evidence to suggest that this virus is any more harmful or deadly to children than the prior version of COVID. This discussion is eloquently summarized in this Washington Post article https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/12/30/new-covid-strain-schools/ The article references a JAMA article which beautifully demonstrates that risk of COVID to children (and adults) versus other causes of death. As a parent, I found this article reassuring.
As noted in the article, what we don’t know is if children can become a greater source of community spread. How does this impact you? If you have children in school, be cautious if you have a vulnerable adult within your pod. If the adult is very compromised, you may wish to pull your kid from school. If your child is not in school, and by some miracle their school will reopen in the coming weeks/months, what do you do? I suspect that by the time the schools reopen for most children, we will be past the current surge. I also believe that the benefits of children being in school far outweigh the risks to them. Now, it will be up to you to determine the benefits and risks to your entire family unit to determine if your child should return. I do know that the schools that are open are being extremely cautious to limit and control any possible risk of viral spread. Hopefully, in the coming weeks and months, we will learn more about this virus and the risk it poses to us all.
RECOVERING FROM THE COVID TRAIN WRECK For some, COVID causes horrible inflammation and other difficult symptoms. Unfortunately, the challenges do not end there. Quite a few people develop debilitating chronic fatigue/weakness, brain fog, amongst other findings that can linger for weeks. If you recall, in a prior email I discussed the effects of COVID on the mitochondria, and how mitochondrial dysfunction may even be related to the life-threatening blood clots that some develop. Guess what chronic fatigue, weakness, brain fog and memory problems are also a sign of? Mitochondrial dysfunction! When the mitochondria struggle, the adrenal glands fall apart. Without the adrenal glands, there is little cortisol to help you wake up in the mornings. Cortisol is also needed for blood pressure control, so many people feel light-headed and dizzy often. Fortunately, all of this can be fixed with a few supplements! 1) CoQ10 is the most wonderful “vitamin” for the mitochondria. It acts as a mitochondrial antioxidant and can play an invaluable role in stabilizing and optimizing mitochondrial function. Ubiquinone is easily found. Ubiquinol is a CoQ10 form that is thought to absorb more effectively into the cells and produces greater effect. Standard dosing is 100mg 1-2 times a day. Some have suggested doses as high as 200-300mg twice a day. Limit these higher doses to a few days if you do elect to take it. We carry a high quality product at the office if you are interested. 2) B-Complex and Magnesium are all very important for also optimizing mitochondrial function. If you are taking a B-Complex, make sure it has methyl-folate, and this typically insures other higher quality B vitamins as well. As an alternative, you can also elect to take a “mito-cocktail,” which is a combination of vitamins that are meant to support mitochondrial function. Below are a few examples: a. https://www.pureformulas.com/mitochondriaatp-120-vegetable-capsules-by-pure-encapsulations.html b. https://femologist.com/collections/public/products/atp-fuel-mitochondrial-support c. https://www.neuroneeds.com/product/spectrum-needs/ (also available at office) 3) PQQ – Pyrroloquinoline Quinone is a rather remarkable compound that is thought to help reduce inflammation and, most importantly, help regenerate the mitochondria. It may serve an invaluable role in helping restore your mitochondria to optimal functioning. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2804159/ I would suggest using PQQ for 1-2 weeks after having COVID and then stopping. While this compound has many magical properties, it also seems to support cellular regeneration, and at a theoretical level, long term use of this compound may not be wise. I suggest 10-20mg once a day for 1-2 weeks. This supplement is easily found online through numerous companies. 4) Eleuthero – Siberian Ginseng or Eleutherococcus is a magical plant that can help restart the adrenal glands and bring them back to life. If you wake up exhausted in the mornings, are getting lightheaded, feeling drained, etc., then Eleuthero will become your best friend. This powerful, stimulating plant can work magic and may be the most valuable supplement you have in recovering from COVID. Please avoid taking Eleuthero if you have high blood pressure. Be aware that the stimulating nature of Eleuthero can also cause some to feel so stimulated, that they become anxious. Typical dosing is 500-1,000mg each morning. If you are horribly fatigued, you can take another dose 10am-1PM. Avoid taking after 2PM, as you may have trouble falling asleep. Nature’s Way has a good and rather inexpensive product, and can easily be found online and in most health food stores. Hang in there. You have been running the hardest, longest marathon of your life. We are all exhausted and stressed. Just know that a finish line, a light at the end of the tunnel, is inching closer. While our society is not out of the woods, hopefully things will become much better than they have been.
Sincerely, Pejman Katiraei |
1821 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 501, Santa Monica, CA 90403 Phone (310) 828-9998 • Fax (310) 405-0908