New York doctor Craig
Spencer is the latest person to be diagnosed with Ebola in the United States.
As a physician working with Doctors Without Borders, he had recently returned
to the US after treating patients in Guinea, Africa, which is one of the three
hardest-hit countries with Ebola.
After
returning home, the doctor traveled on the subway, rode in a taxi and visited a
public bowling alley … before discovering he had a fever and seeking medical
care.
The case marks the
fourth case of Ebola diagnosed in the United States, and each has prompted
quarantines among close contacts.
Clearly, Ebola is
contagious – so much so that even two nurses wearing protective gear were
infected while caring for Ebola patient “zero” (the first laboratory-confirmed
case of Ebola to be diagnosed in the United States).
But they were in direct
contact with contagious bodily fluids …
What many are wondering
is … how worried do you need to be?
Can you pick up Ebola by
riding in a taxi or picking up a bowling ball?
Can you get infected by
going to the hospitals where previous Ebola patients have been treated?
And what about if you
end up sitting next to an ill person on a plane … should you be concerned?
Here I want to help set
the record straight about Ebola … including the best way to truly avoid getting
it. But first it helps to understand what exactly Ebola is …
What is Ebola? Why is it
So Deadly?
There are five known
Ebola virus species, four of which can cause disease in humans (the fifth can
cause disease in nonhuman primates). It’s thought that the virus was originally
introduced to humans from contact with a wild animal carrier – such as a fruit
bat, monkey, forest antelope, porcupine, chimpanzee or gorilla.
The virus , which has at
least a 50 percent mortality rate (an in some cases 90 percent), is so
dangerous because it attacks virtually all of your organs and tissues while
also dampening your immune response.
It causes bleeding,
organ failure and damage to blood vessels and connective tissue. Characteristic
symptoms, which may develop after several days of being ill with fever, sore
throat, fatigue, muscle pain and headache include:
→ Bumpy red rash and skin flaking
→ Severe diarrhea, nausea and vomiting
→ Bleeding from the eyes, ear, nose, mouth,
mucus membranes and rectum
→ Bruising and skin hemorrhages
-->Chest pain, confusion, bloodshot eyes,
hiccups or seizures
As explained by the Washington Post:
“The virus attacks
immune cells in the bloodstream, which carry the infection to the liver, spleen
and lymph nodes. Ebola blocks the release of interferon, a protein made by
immune cells to fight viruses… Infected immune cells migrate out of the spleen
and lymph nodes, through the bloodstream or lymph ducts to other tissues and
organs.
Proteins released by
immune cells create widespreadinflammation, which can damage the tissue
lining blood vessels, causing them to leak. When immune cells known as
macrophages are attacked by Ebola, they release proteins that cause coagulation
in the bloodstream, blocking blood flow to organs such as the liver, brain and
kidneys. Red
blood cells break apart when moving through small vessels filled with clots. The spleen
becomes overwhelmed with broken blood vessels.
As cells in the liver
are destroyed, the blood
loses its normal ability to clot, exacerbating any internal or external hemorrhaging … Ebola damages
many kinds of tissue in the body, either by the virus infecting cells or by the
body’s extreme inflammatory response.
– A breakdown of the adrenal glands leads to
dangerously low blood pressure and a decreased ability to produce steroid
hormones.?
– The body’s connective tissues are attacked, as
are the cells that line body cavities and surfaces.?
– Liver failure and kidney failure often occur.?
– An infected pancreas can cause severe
abdominal pain.
– Intestinal damage causes diarrhea and
dehydration.”
Death is usually the
result of extreme low blood pressure, multi-organ failure or shock.
Ebola Spreads Via Bodily
Fluids
Ebola is spread via
bodily fluids – vomit, diarrhea, blood, sweat, semen, etc.
The virus is killed by
heat and requires a moist environment to survive (so dried bodily fluids aren’t
likely to be infectious).
Further, it’s thought
that it’s only possible to transmit Ebola afteryou begin to experience
symptoms; prior to that, levels of the virus are thought to be too low to pose
a risk to others.
Taken together, this means
that in order to be infected with Ebola you’d need to have direct contact with
an ill (symptomatic) person’s bodily fluids (and then transmit them to your
body by touching your eyes, nose, mouth, etc.).
Simply being in the same
city with an isolated Ebola patient is therefore not a concern … and even if
you were to come across someone in a public place who later turns out to be
infected, your risk of getting sick is still extremely low, unless, of course,
the person was vomiting and you touched the vomit and/or were in close
proximity to it (in which it would be possible to inhale airborne particles of
the fluid).
As of October 23, there
were 10,141 Ebola cases worldwide, including 4,922 deaths.
In the United States,
there have only been four cases. A major outbreak in America is extremely
unlikely, and it’s important to keep that in perspective.
That being said, the
World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the Ebola crisis in West Africa
is “vastly underestimated,” and expects the outbreak to “continue for some
time.”
With international
travel occurring daily, it’s true, at least theoretically, that an Ebola
outbreak on U.S. soil is only a plane trip away.
I’m not trying to spread
fear … remember that the United States is far better equipped to contain and
treat Ebola cases as they arise than West Africa, and due to the close contact
needed for transmission, widespread Ebola illness is highly unlikely.
Still, the risk is out
there, so it’s far better to be prepared in any way you can …
How to Avoid Getting Ebola
The steps to avoid
getting Ebola are the same as they are for many other infectious diseases,
including:
→ Washing your hands with soap and water
regularly (or using a hand sanitizer if you don’t have access to a sink)
→ Avoiding contact with the bodily fluids of
someone who might be ill (sweat, vomit, semen, saliva, diarrhea, etc.)
Primarily, however, the
key to avoiding infectious diseases of all kinds is to build your immune system so it is capable of defeating invading
pathogens. Leading a healthy lifestyle is the best way to do this:
– Eat right – minimize processed foods and focus on whole foods: plenty
of vegetables, fruits, healthy fats, grass-fed meats, free-range eggs,
wild-caught fish, nuts and seeds
– Exercise regularly
– Get proper sleep
– Manage your stress
– Avoid smoking and drinking excessively
Replenish Your Body's
Proteolytic Enzymes!
Beyond the steps above,
be sure to replenish your body’s supply of natural systemic proteolytic
enzymes! I cannot stress this enough...
You see, while viruses
can be difficult to kill (some more so than others), they’re not invincible.
For instance,
ultraviolet radiation is one of the most potent viral killers, as it breaks the
virus’ capsid, which means it can’t inject its genetic material into your cells
(UV radiation also destroys virus’ genome). Chlorine works to kill viruses in a
similar fashion.[vi]
Among proteolytic
enzyme's many “talents” in your body is the ability to “eat up” the protective
coating on a virus.
They also very
significantly stimulate your immune system, helping it to further rid your body
of viruses, for an effective two-pronged
virus-busting attack.
“The Complete Book of
Enzyme Therapy” explains:
“Oral enzyme
combinations … synergistically increase the antiviral effects of the immune
system and the break-down of circulating immune complexes. Systemic enzyme
therapy is used to fight the virus and strengthen the body as a whole. Enzymes
also reduce inflammation, stimulate the immune system, improve circulation,
help speed tissue repair, bring nutrients to the damaged area, remove waste
products and enhance wellness.”
Proteolytic enzymes are
naturally produced in your pancreas, but your natural production declines with
age; these inflammation-busters become largely depleted as you hit 40 and over.
By Jesse Cannone, CFT,
CPRS, MFT
Co-Founder, Healthy Back Institute
