I'm so excited to share this podcast with you!

While sick (probably from the novel coronavirus), I wondered: 

With my value system of practical nontoxic living, what is the appropriate perspective given our novel coronavirus?

I wondered this for my family and I as much as for you.

More specifically, I was trying to understand:

Are toxic cleaning products worthwhile now because of the novel coronavirus?

Homebound with family members on wireless devices, are our EMF exposures undermining our immune response to covid-19? 

Is climate change going to make infectious diseases part of our new normal?

Can air pollution make you more vulnerable to covid-19?

There was one person who was perfect to have this conversation with: Dr. David O. Carpenter.

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Dr. David O. Carpenter enlightens us by answering these questions, as well as sharing four impactful strategies to optimize your immune response. He also addresses a popular theory that EMFs (like 5G) have contributed to the novel coronavirus.

This podcast is full of grounding, empowering, and practical information that will support your immune system against not just covid-19 but also many other health issues.

Podcast composer: Chris Robertson

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Dr. David O. Carpenter

Dr. Carpenter is a world-renowned research physician, author, editor, professor, and much more. Since 2001, he has been the Director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at SUNY Albany in upstate NY. The Institute is a Collaborating Center of the World Health Organization.

Dr. Carpenter has more than 435 peer-reviewed publications, 6 books and 50 reviews and book chapters to his credit. He has co-edited two books on EMFs and has served as the co-editor of the Bioinitiative Report (www.bioinitiative.org), a landmark summary on what the science has found from studies on how EMFs may affect our biology. The Bioinitiative Report shares findings from the review of 1800 scientific studies on how EMFs affects human health and development.

Since 2001, he has been the Director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at SUNY Albany in upstate NY. The Institute is a Collaborating Center of the World Health Organization. 

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I hope you find this podcast conversation as helpful, reassuring, important, and empowering as I do.

Podcast composer: Chris Robertson

Podcast Show Notes

[11:47] The novel coronavirus, covid-19

[13:15] Cytokine storm: body's immune system overreacts, which can damage organ systems and can lead to death even in a younger person; involved in autoimmune responses; like neurotransmitters in immune system; some are good, some are not.

This may explain why some young people with no known health issues are hospitalized and/or dying from covid-19.

[15:50] Possible health effects from covid-19

• Brain infection, encephalitis, nervous system
• Loss of smell and taste
• Liver and kidney damage
• Viruses can be transported to any organ system, including the brain, so appearance of the disease can vary

[18:57] Immune response

Many things affect our immune response

• Chemicals (immuno suppressants, which can influence response to immunizations)
• Metals (can be immune stimulants, may increase risks of autoimmune responses and allergies)
• EMFs
  • Science on whether it affects immune system is not convincing
  • Can effect immune system indirectly by contributing to sleep issues and anxiety, both of which affect the immune response
• Adequate sleep is very important
• Anxiety and emotions is strongly linked to the immune system; anxiety is not good for your immune system
  • Grief suppresses the immune system, making one susceptible to infection and death
• Electrohypersensitive people experience physical symptoms that may suppress the immune response
  • Reactive oxygen species tend to be higher in those with electrohypersensitivity
    • Damaging to the body
    • Accumulation may lead to aging
    • May exist in higher levels in those with EHS
• Turn off cell phone and WiFi at night!
• Most effects from EMFs on immune system may be indirect (but significant) rather than direct

[26:30] Did EMFs, or 5G, contribute to the novel coronavirus? 

There's no evidence of this.

Story of asthma occurring in higher incidences where McDonald's is. McDonald's existed in more high-income areas.

[28: 40] Eat a balanced diet

• Contaminants (PCBs, dioxins, DDT, pesticides) in diet
• What type of diet can optimize our health and immune response?

[31:27] Cleaning products

Does covid-19 make cleaning with toxic cleaning products and disinfectants worthwhile? 

[34:50] Open windows when outdoor air quality is good

Will opening windows help detox our home of covid-19 and toxic chemicals?

• Sick building syndrome
• Tuberculosis: Treatment often included going to the country and inhaling fresh air

[36:49] Infectious dose and viral load

Are the concepts of infectious dose and viral load relevant to our daily routines? These are very relevant concepts. One reason why social distancing is important.

[39:14] Young healthy people

Why are some healthy young people with no known underlying condition suffering severe, sometimes fatal, outcomes to the novel coronavirus? May be because of the cytokine storm. Their immune system is overreacting, causing internal damage. But that's all hypothesis because we don't yet have enough experience. But this is the theory for why young people died during the 1918 Spanish flu.

[40:34] Cigarettes, vaping, air pollution

Does air pollution make us more vulnerable to the novel coronavirus?

EMFs, air pollution from natural gas.

Anything that adversely effects your health, particularly your lungs, increases your risks to more severe outcomes.

More people die after days with high air pollution.

[42:30] Climate change and vector-born disease

Will climate change lead infectious diseases to become more common? Climate change will affect infectious diseases in a dramatic fashion. We will become much more vulnerable to diseases that had been in tropical areas.

The novel coronavirus probably originated in bats. A bat probably bit a mammal in the live animal market in Wuhan, China. Not related to climate change. But related to the close relationship between infected animal and human.

[45:46] Precautionary measures

Common sense approaches.

Get information from credible sources. Make decisions on solid evidence.

[51:30] Four practical strategies to optimize your immune response

Four key strategies to optimize our immune response--for the novel coronavirus and health in general. In addition to the recommended guidelines by our health authorities (like proper handwashing, physical distancing, and masks), and assuming that you are not infected:

1. Don't worry. Manage your stress and anxiety
2. Eat a healthy, balanced diet. Be aware of foods that are good for you, and not good for you.
3. Get good sleep
4. Stay connected to friends and family. Especially older people who may be lonely.

[53:05] A healthy perspective on imperfection

How can infected mom balance the risks and rewards of not being able to recommended guidelines perfectly?

Resources mentioned on the podcast

• Presidents Cancer Panel
• Bioinitiative Report

More on Dr. David O. Carpenter

• His profile with the University of Albany
• A report to the US Senate

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