IBUPROFEN AND CORONA VIRUS: Do Ibuprofen and Other Anti-Inflammatory Medications Increase Your RIsk?
Have you seen posts of people warning you against taking Ibuprofen for fever or any symptoms of COVID19?
I had received an audio message warning about the dangers of taking Ibuprofen with COVID 19. Since then, I have seen different forms of postings. For instance, one circulated post states, “Ibuprofen kicks-starts the Corona Virus 10x”. Wow!…. But is this true, is this based on research?
Meanwhile, family members are taking naproxen for other problems, as needed. Will this increase their risk? We are all in a situation where we would rather minimize our risk, so what really is the answer?
"The World Health Organization has reversed an earlier statement advising people with COVID-19 against self-medicating with ibuprofen, though the French government has maintained its stance, adding to confusion about a drug that’s been bought heavily in recent days."
On March 11, the French Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, tweeted, in French: “taking anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, cortisone…) could be (an) aggravating factor for the infection. If you have a fever, take paracetamol.”
Paracetamol is another generic name and is the same medication as acetaminophen.
The tweet brought up a lot of controversy and concern.
Where did the concern about NSAIDS and COVID19 come from?
A study regarding COVID19 in nearly 1300 “gravely ill” patients in China noted that between 12- 30% of these ill patients had Diabetes and/or high blood pressure.
The theory is that these patients were on medications that could raise their ACE2 levels. ACE2 sites are places where the Corona Virus can attach to. Anti-inflammatory medications also raise this level.
There have also been anecdotal cases of people who became seriously ill who had used ibuprofen.
These reports leave many questions, for sure.
- What percentage of the Chinese population in total have high blood pressure and diabetes?
- People have taken ibuprofen for fever and sore throat with the virus, how many people who are seriously ill with COVID19 have taken acetaminophen?
Ibuprofen can have serious side effects, totally unrelated to COVID-19.
These include: stomach pain and stomach ulcers, liver or kidney problems, high blood pressure, and studies have found that they can increase the risk for heart attacks or strokes.
Already before COVID-19, The Mayo Clinic advised people to "take only the dose you need for as short amount of time as possible to limit the risk of heart attack or stroke."
If you start having symptoms of COVID19, talk to your doctor’s office about their recommendations for you and your family.
The consensus among experts is that there is a lack of evidence. There is no widely accepted data about ibuprofen and COVID-19. However, some organizations have advised caution and suggest acetaminophen as a possible preferable treatment for symptoms.
Consider your usual method of taking over the counter medications and anti-inflammatory medications. For instance,due to a history of a kidney problem, I rarely take Ibuprofen. I will take acetaminophen for headaches, or other aches or pains on occasion. Other members of my family have taken anti-inflammatory meds as needed. More often, I use essential oils and a very “clean”, grown well and tested, CBD product as first-line measures. They have worked well for me, and I am hoping that they are also helping my body’s immune system stay healthy.
How about you? If you had the Corona Virus, did you take any medications? If you have not had the virus, would you take ibuprofen or acetaminophen?
Toilet paper, paper towels, hand sanitizer. Will these, in themselves, prevent illness? I think we can all agree there. They are helpful tools, but only a small part of a good plan for staying as healthy as possible.
I have eight ways that can help you stay healthy, not just now, but going forward as well.
1. Washing Hands Plus!
Washing hands: water over hands, then soap, thoroughly wash with the suds 20 seconds, then rinse well. The next step is important Do not shut off the water just yet!
First, dry your hands with paper towels, then turn the water off with the paper towel and toss the paper towel into the trash can.
Wait! One more step! Have you ever wondered how many germs your newly washed hands are picking up from the bathroom door handle?
In public bathrooms, consider this! Use a paper towel to open the bathroom door (to protect against the germs from those who DON'T wash their hands or who don't wash them well). Then toss this paper towel into the trash on your way out the door.
Mind you, this part can take a bit of tricky footwork, holding the door open while tossing the paper towel. :) But I feel so much better doing it!
2. Keep TP and paper towels, as well as food, on hand at home, but don't stockpile it. No matter how much TP a person has, it won't wash your hands for you or help your immune system.
3. Carry a small bottle of sanitizer with you, in your purse or car. Use when needed, it doesn't hurt to take the extra precaution of cleaning hands after leaving public buildings.
4. Eat as nutritiously as possible to bolster your immune system. Eat fruits and vegetables of a variety of colors to get nutrients of many kinds. Drink plenty of fluids.
5. Apply a few drops of select quality essential oils to the bottoms of your feet daily. Many people swear by it, and have had some great results from using oils, so why not? (This is where it is important to note, that not all essential oils are created equal. Buying cheaper oils at the nearby store does not give you peace of mind that you are actually getting 100% essential oils in the bottles.)
6. Get in some walking or other exercise. Play with your kids and your pets. Take part in the things in life that are fun. Seek out humor and enjoy a good laugh!
Those positive endorphins are good for you!
7. Hopefully, you do not begin to have any fatigue or malaise, followed by fever and cough. But if you do, keep away from other people, to avoid passing it along. If you become ill, call your doctor's office for guidance.
8. Be grateful for your health, and all that you have in life. Take a few moments to reflect on this every day. Pray. A positive mindset is very powerful!
And, remember! Spring and summer are coming! Really. And what isn't better then?
Hang in there, and stay strong!
Til next time,
Gladys
Methods for attaining better health include better rest and sleep.
This blog contains 7 ways to achieve better sleep. Some of these may be new for you, other tips may be a little reminder of what you already know.
Maybe you can set a new resolve to attain better sleep. I know I need to reset this resolve myself from time to time! :)
1. Take a bath or shower just before retiring for the night. The body temperature will warm up with the bath or shower, but then cool off afterward. The body needs this dip in internal temperature to sleep well.
Use a toxin-free bath and shower gel with essential oils infused to help you achieve that relaxed state of mind. ( I love the bath and shower gels I use, message me for more info about them J )
2. Cut off technology with screens at least one hour prior to bedtime. The blue light emitted from these screens is detrimental to good sleep
If you wish to read, read a book rather than an eBook. Or listen to a calming audiobook, or listen to familiar favorite music. Your body’s melatonin level is affected by light. Melatonin is a hormone in your body that helps set your sleep cycles.
When you must work on your laptop in the evening, or otherwise be exposed to screens, consider wearing blue light blocking eyeglasses. These are readily available for as little as $14.
3. Avoid caffeine intake after your noon meal. Caffeine actually plugs the adenosine receptors in your body that would normally help with “time to go to sleep” hormone levels. In addition to blocking these receptors, adenosine is left out and about. As it breaks down, it makes you feel more tired in the late afternoon, often spurring a person to drink yet more caffeinated beverages.
The resultant “caffeine Kick” drops off pretty quickly elsewhere in the body, but has a long half-life in your brain, keeping you awake long after the lights are off. Decaf coffee has a lot less caffeine than regular coffee, but still has some, and with its long half-life in the brain, can keep you awake into the wee hours as well.
4. One of the most difficult of the recommendations to actually follow is to get consistent sleep hours. Following the same sleep schedule on both weekdays and weekends will help you fall asleep more quickly with better sleep quality.
Most of us have difficulty maintaining this kind of schedule, and will take a nap here and there. If you find you must take a nap, keeping it to a short 15 to 20 minutes may avoid the pitfalls of a messed up sleep schedule and hormone shifts.
5. Talk about your renewed efforts for better sleep with your family. Support from family members can be helpful, with home activity, lights, and sounds.
6. Avoid drinking alcohol just prior to sleeping. Alcohol can help you fall asleep more quickly, and to sleep more deeply at first. Unfortunately, alcohol intake is related to reduced REM sleep, and overall, results in poorer quality sleep.
7. Using a diffuser with essential oils that are calming in the evening can help you relax and sleep better. Many “oily” folks run their diffusers in the living or family room in the evening. Others set the diffuser to run at the bedside.
Another alternative if you don't have a diffuser is to put a drop or two of these essential oils on to the palm of one hand, rubbing your hands together, then applying the oils to the bottoms of your feet.
Favorite oils for the evening include Lavender, Cedarwood, Vetiver, and blends such as Peace and Calming or Stress Away. I have included a bedtime recipe for your diffuser below:
Sweet Dreams (diffuser recipe)
Put water into the diffuser to the “fill line”
Add 3 drops Lavender essential oil
Then 2 drops Cedarwood essential oil
And 2 drops Peace and Calming essential oil
I hope you enjoy this combination in your diffuser!
Contact me here for MORE INFO!
Caution!
Not all essential oils are equal! Essential oils bought on the shelf in your neighborhood store are not
equal to quality essential oils that are produced without toxins or additives.
Every day!