Time to prepare: Five essentials to keep on hand

The influenza (flu) season is upon us.  In these days of powerful antibiotics, impressive hospitals and expensive diagnostic equipment, the influenza virus still kills otherwise healthy adults and children. 

It kills, in the US, nearly as many persons as who perish in automobile accidents, yet we assume that the ‘guardians in white coats’ will save us this potential killer.

Well, the reality is that we have very few options to treat this viral infection, once it takes hold.  We can, however, take steps to improve the immune system and thereby reducing the chances of contracting the illness or minimizing the potential for devastating morbidity.

These simple PREVENTIVE steps include:

1. Adequate zinc intake, i.e. 25 to 50 mg of a zinc chelate per day. NOT ZINC OXIDE, as this molecule does not absorb well, at all.

2. Age-appropriate dosage of B-complex vitamins. As we age, we actually need more of the vitamins as we absorb less as a percentage of ingested amount. Another ravage of aging.

3. Vitamin C, 500 mg two or three times daily.

Keep these five products handy. They work together to give rapid and profound symptomatic relief.

For treatment the flu or other viral upper respiratory disorders, it is best to start early in the illness.

NAC (n-acetyl cysteine) 500 mg three times daily.

NAC Great for Flu and other upper respiratory infections

Licorice Root Extract 450 mg, twice daily.

Licorice Root Antiviral

Lactoferring containing Colostrum 500 mg TWO capsules Four Times Daily, while acutely ill.

Lactoferrings to prevent and treat Flu

Mushroom extract capsules (these can be tricky) One capsule twice daily.

Mushroom Extract for Viral Infections

That being said, we can share our affiliate number with you.

Register using this affiliate number and you have full access to the Vital Nutrients product line.

I will be reviewing and featuring their products, from time to time, when one of them 'stands out' as necessary due to public health situation, newsworthy events e.g. COVID, or for routine 'notes from the Doc.'

Using the instructions below, you can order items that we use, items that we would like to stock and items that are of individual interest that would otherwise be impractical to stock.

For Pure Encapsulations:

Log onto https://patientdirect.pureencapsulationspro.com/

Register using the ‘Affiliate ID’ below:

Code: 079057

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Guaifenesin (Mucinex) once to four times, daily.

Guaifenesin for mucous relief

Drink plenty of water (this assists in clearing the secretions, which can plug up the airways and lead to pneumonia)

I personally believe that the flu vaccination is important.  Not because it necessarily prevents all flu infections (it doesn’t) but it does enhance the immune system so that if it is infected, the disease is milder. If you choose not to take the vaccine, in many ways, it is like taking a nice long road trip, without seat belts. The vaccine does not prevent the disease, it only makes it more survivable, and survivable with lesser permanent damage (scarring of the lungs.)

Translation: Less likely to be fatal.

Pharmaceutical Grade Vitamin & Mineral Products

David S Klein, MD, FACA, FACPM

copyright 2023 Stages of Life Medical Institute To become a patient, follow this link

Stages of Life Medical Institute 1917 Boothe Circle Longwood, Florida 32750 Tel: 407-679-3337 Fax: 407-678-7246

Invitation to a 'Doctor's Only' Vitamin Manufacturer. Pure Encapsulations.

PUre Encapsulations Nutraceuticals

We have an arrangement with Pure Encapsulations to give you direct and full access to their full line of nutraceuticals. At Stages of Life, we stock a number of their products but it is impossible, or at least impractical to stock them all.

That being said, we can share our affiliate number with you.

Register using this affiliate number and you have full access to the Vital Nutrients product line.

I will be reviewing and featuring their products, from time to time, when one of them 'stands out' as necessary due to public health situation, newsworthy events e.g. COVID, or for routine 'notes from the Doc.'

Using the instructions below, you can order items that we use, items that we would like to stock and items that are of individual interest that would otherwise be impractical to stock.

For Pure Encapsulations:

Log onto https://patientdirect.pureencapsulationspro.com/

Register using the ‘Affiliate ID’ below:

Code: 079057

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This is an example of one of our favorite products. Useful for viral upper respiratory tract infections. A well balanced mushroom derivative.

Mushroom Extract for Viral Infections

Pharmaceutical Grade Vitamin & Mineral Products

David S Klein, MD, FACA, FACPM

copyright 2023 Stages of Life Medical Institute To become a patient, follow this link

Stages of Life Medical Institute 1917 Boothe Circle Longwood, Florida 32750 Tel: 407-679-3337 Fax: 407-678-7246

Melatonin Helps Lower Blood Sugar: Good news for Diabetics and pre-diabetics!

One more piece of a very complicated diabetes and pre-diabetes puzzle.

Link to the PubMed Abstract

Quan X , Wang J, Liang C , et al: Melatonin inhibits tunicamycin-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress and insulin resistance in skeletal muscle cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun . 2015 Aug 7;463(4):1102-7.

Melatonin 10 mg Pharmaceutical Grade

Melatonin is a Pituitary Weight Loss Hormone

Melatonin is a naturally secreted hormone. Blood levels decrease as we age, as less and less is secreted by the pituitary. By no means is melatonin 'just for sleep.' It is a small hormone that finds its' way into many aspects of physiology, including blood sugar balance, insulin balance and weight control.

Melatonin is an Anti-Depressant, as well as a sleep aid, weight loss medication and maybe more!

Melatonin use has been demonstrated to have anti-depressant effects. The question is, "Is Melatonin a direct acting anti-depressant, or is restoration of sleep and normal sugar/insulin levels the effect that relieves depression?" Regardless, melatonin has demonstrated measurable effects as an anti-depressant.

More to come.

Melatonin is CHEAP

The most interesting problem with melatonin is that most of the products on the market are of such poor quality that they are unlikely to be effective. In spite of the fact that it is inexpensive, the vast majority of the melatonin products may not have any melatonin in them, at all. Sad as it is, the industry is not well-regulated.

The best products are manufactured to pharmaceutical specifications. Oddly, the finest products cost little more than the worst of the lot. Be careful and wise in your choices.

OK, now that I know some of the benefits, how is it used properly, what are the risks?

1. The typical dosage of melatonin in my practice is 10 mg at bed time, for starters. Some individuals will find that they need 20 mg, but 80% of the time 10 mg does the trick for sleep.

2. It is taken EVERY NIGHT at bed time. If it is taken 'as necessary for sleep,' it does not train the system to be regular and the outcome is inadequate.

3. In situations where a little 'extra kick' is necessary to induce sleep, use GABA (gamma-amino butyric acid) 750 mg at bed time.

Risks:

1. When starting Melatonin, some individuals will get vivid dreams. When this occurs, it may indicate that the sufferer is having difficulty entering REM sleep, often due to some type of trauma.

2. The mind tries to avoid the recurring nightmare and avoids REM. When the melatonin is administered it PUSHES the brain into REM and this can result in a nasty dream or two. It most frequently resolves after 3 to 4 days of use.

The very highest quality melatonin costs about twenty five cents a night!

Ours is manufactured for us by a GMP pharmaceutical company, assayed for purity and content.

Pharmaceutical Grade Vitamin & Mineral Products

David S. Klein, MD, FACA, FACPM

David S Klein, MD, FACA, FACPM

copyright 2023 Stages of Life Medical Institute To become a patient, follow this link

Stages of Life Medical Institute 1917 Boothe Circle Longwood, Florida 32750 Tel: 407-679-3337 Fax: 407-678-7246