This Newsletter is focused on the Johnson and Johnson Vaccine Updates. Additionally, because February was Heart Health month, we have some key pieces on that subject, including our first newsletter focus on Nitric Oxide. If you haven't gotten your vaccine yet, please read the article below on Vaccines as this is an important decision for everyone.

Good News, good news and more good news, with caution! As of Monday, March 8th, SB County average daily new cases are down from a high of 413 to 62, our weekly death rate peaked on Feb 13th at nearly 6 deaths per day, which is down to 1 per day now. Of course the low death rate is the most important stat. Active cases have decreased more than 10 fold, from a high of 3,256 to 272 as of March 8th! That is MASSIVE improvement.

These positive changes are the result of the drop from the holiday peaks created by too much social gathering in closed spaces, and people being much more careful since the peaks. We are likely beginning to see the benefits of the vaccine roll out as well.

You are well aware the first 2 vaccines have been rolling out and as of last Friday, March 5th, our 3rd Vaccine, the Johnson and Johnson vaccine has arrived in SB! Additionally, some of the rules and regulations on businesses have been relaxed and we are slowly, but excitedly moving in the direction of even less restrictions.

One negative is the increased presence of some new Covid strains. This picture is not yet 100% clear, but it does appear that what is being called the California Strain spreads faster and possibly more dangerous. There is a detailed report below regarding the new strains. The other concern is that locally and nationally there has been a very recent flattening out of the curve of new cases. In SB we are actually up 17% from our low of last week on the 2 week rolling average. It is suggested by the "experts" that this is possibly due to people suddenly becoming less cautious again and also possibly the new strains. Time will likely tell.

Also, please forward this newsletter to your friends and family.  By doing this you can help others reduce their risk and, at the same time, reduce their fear, and hopefully get Santa Barbara back to "open for business".

Laurie, the kids and I will be on a ski trip to Tahoe, so I will be out of the office on Wednesday, March 10th, through Tuesday, March 16th. I will have additional hours Monday, March 8th, from 8:00-12:30 and 2:30-5:30, Tuesday, March 9th, from 9:00-12:00 and 2:00-6:00 and Wednesday, March 17, from 8:00-12:30 and 2:30-5:30. If you need care while I am gone, please see Dr. Niko or Dr. Mark. They are here to help you.

Nitric Oxide (NO) is a gas naturally produced by the body that is important for many aspects of health. The most important function is vasodilation, meaning it relaxes the inner muscles of the blood vessels, causing them to widen and increase circulation. For this reason, it is one of the most researched molecules regarding the role it plays in supporting cardiovascular health. Nitric oxide production is essential for overall health because it allows blood, nutrients and oxygen to travel to every part of the body effectively and efficiently. NO has also been shown to act as a cell signaling molecule, affecting numerous activities of the nervous, immune, gastrointestinal and endocrine systems.

As we age, our bodies become less efficient at producing NO. In fact, by 40 years old, the enzyme function responsible for generating the active form of NO is reduced to about 50%. By 60 years old, enzyme function falls to only 15%. Certain medications are also known to decrease NO synthesis, including NSAID’s, oral contraceptives, antibiotics, SSRI’s, and acid blockers. Factors causing oxidative stress, like alcohol, nicotine, environmental toxins, pollutants and others also limit NO production. Additionally, sedentary lifestyles, certain genetic predispositions and chronic stress all adversely affect available levels of NO in the body.

Updated Key COVID Focuses

A new virus variant has one or more mutations that differentiate it from the wild-type or predominant virus variants already circulating among the general population. As expected, multiple variants of SARS-CoV-2 have been documented in the United States and globally throughout this pandemic.

B.1.427/B.1.429, aka The California Variant

At this time, it is unclear if the vaccines in use will be any less effective against this variant.

B.1.1.7, aka The UK Variant

First documented in the United Kingdom, this variant carries a large number of mutations and has since been detected around the world, including in the United States (US). This variant was first detected in the US at the end of December 2020. In January 2021, scientists from the UK reported early evidence that suggests the B.1.1.7 variant may be associated with an increased risk of death compared with other variants. More studies are needed to confirm this finding.

B.1.351, aka The South Africa Variant

Another variant of SARS-CoV-2 known as B.1.351 emerged independently of B.1.1.7. According to a non-peer-reviewed preprint article, this variant shares some mutations with B.1.1.7. Cases attributed to B.1.351 have been detected outside of South Africa, and this variant was first detected in the US at the end of January 2021. Preliminary evidence from non-peer-reviewed publications suggests that the Moderna mRNA-1273 vaccine currently used in the US may be less effective against this variant, but additional studies are needed.

P.1, aka The Brazil Variant

In Brazil, a variant of SARS-CoV-2 known as P.1 emerged; it was first identified in January 2021 in travelers from Brazil who arrived in Japan. This variant was detected in the US at the end of January 2021. There is evidence to suggest that some of the mutations in the P.1 variant may affect the ability of antibodies (from natural infection or vaccination) to recognize and neutralize the virus, but additional studies are needed.

Overall the Variants may be one of the reasons for our most recent increase in new cases, and one of the reasons we still have to be cautious.

This is from one of my first newsletters on Covid back in March 2020, and this is still the most critical information when it comes to being healthy in unhealthy situations.

Doing everything we can to create a healthy immune system is critical as well as taking care of our overall health and of course living a healthy lifestyle.

Do everything you can to create a very relaxed state on a daily basis.

The key here is to be prepared! If you are taking the Host Strengthening Program then you have these on hand and can easily ramp up as soon as you feel something coming on. It is easy to build resistance if you are quick to respond with the below.

If COVID-19 is even suspected, Add:

If compromised breathing, oxygen levels or severe cough, Add:

If loss of taste or smell, Add:

Important Note: If you are not noticing improvement within the first 3 days, call the office and let them know what your primary symptoms are. We have many other immune products that may be necessary for you. Also, if necessary, we can set up a phone consult. You can also email me.

Viral Protection Product Handout, (a more detailed write up of each of our immune products)

Since my last newsletter, more information on the vaccines has emerged and the most important news is the availability of the Johnson and Johnson Vaccine. This is the vaccine I am recommending to my patients who have not yet gotten a vaccine and want one. With the cautions that are covered toward the bottom of this article.

Let me start by clarifying some essential information in understanding what we know these vaccines do for us at this point. In order to get approval, the vaccine companies had to prove only two key benefits: First that they reduced the severity of COVID-19 infections, and second that they reduced the number of COVID-19 positive PCR tests.  Of course, they had to prove a very specific degree of safety also. 

A key factor is that these vaccines were not tested on very compromised individuals and this is the area, along with highly allergic individuals and pregnant women, that caution is most important.

People who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 do not need to quarantine if they are exposed to the coronavirus. In the updated guidance, the CDC said such quarantining is not necessary for fully vaccinated people within three months of having received their last doses as long as they do not develop any symptoms. "Fully vaccinated" means that at least two weeks have passed since a person has received the second dose of a two-dose vaccine or one dose of a single-dose vaccine

This also applies to those who had previously been infected. As long as they remain asymptomatic, they would not need to quarantine after re-exposure. This "free pass" is good for 3 months after the end of their initial symptoms.

The following are new guidelines released by the CDC on March 8th:

Fully vaccinated Americans can gather with other vaccinated people indoors without wearing a mask or social distancing, according to long-awaited guidance from federal health officials. In spite of this I would recommend some caution for higher risk individuals until we know more about the variants.

The recommendations also say that vaccinated people can come together in the same way with people considered at low-risk for severe disease, such as in the case of vaccinated grandparents visiting healthy children and grandchildren.

1.  If you don’t want to get COVID-19, protect yourself from any interaction with someone who is out and about, especially if they do not practice careful protocols themselves.  If you fall into the "high risk" group, it is possible to completely protect yourself by staying away from others or practice the info in #2 below.

2.   Spending time with others that you are not sure are safe should be done outdoors while maintaining a distance of 6 feet or more.  There is a dramatic difference in the ability of being exposed in the open air vs. a closed space, where if someone is infected the aerosol particles can concentrate over time. Fresh air is your friend.  Spending time outdoors in nature is also a big plus when it comes to our immune and mental health.

3.   Taking a preventative protocol on a daily basis will decrease your likelihood of both getting sick, and if you happen to become COVID-19 positive, it will increase your resistance, which should reduce your degree of symptoms.  Please see our very important article regarding Omega 3's reducing mortality risk in COVID-19 positive patients. This is brand new, critical research.

4.   If you or a loved one becomes COVID-19 positive and have any symptoms at all, then contact me ASAP if they want to strengthen their Immune System to better fight any infection. I have not had one COVID-19 positive patient of the more than 30 that I have supported who ended up in the hospital, and all but one were dramatically improved within 3 – 5 days. Some of those patients were quite sick when we started, including very low Oxygen levels.  Being able to stay out of the hospital is a huge plus.

5.   Don’t watch the mainstream media coverage of Coronavirus and get confused by misinformation and stressed by the common approach of news agencies who love drama and spread fear.  Fear is VERY unhealthy, especially when it occurs over a long period of time.

6.   Have fun, eat healthy, get your exercise (outdoors if possible) and spend time with loved ones who are not sick and those that are not likely to be positive.  

7.   Go to Great Lengths to protect anyone you know who is at high risk: this is still Key. No matter how many people test positive, IF none of them are high risk, our situation is dramatically different. Then the hospitals are NOT busy and death rates are very, very low.

Please know we are here to serve you and yours in every way we can, so please reach out to us if you have any health care needs we may be able to help you with.