The mechanism involved in why NSAID medications like ibuprofen have been found to not help with treatment of COVID19 and may worsen the patient’s health instead has not been stated, however it likely involves COX1 and/or COX 2 inhibition.
NSAID medications (like ibuprofen and aspirin) or phytonutrients that act like NSAID medications (like wintergreen berries which contain methyl salicylate, chemically similar to aspirin, (3)) can be a cause of edema due to the COX 1 and COX2 inhibition effects of the drug. (1) The COVID19 virus is known to cause lung edema even in the early stages of the infection process before the symptoms are obvious. (2)
*Addition, an CDC/MedCram Update: Coronavirus Pandemic Update 40: Ibuprofen and COVID-19 (are NSAIDs safe?), trials of HIV medications, (7), includes the mechanism and controversy. Ibuprofen’s inhibition of COX2 would lead to a reduction in antibody production which wouldn’t help fight an infection, but it might also inhibit viral replication – net result, not sure whether to recommend using or not using it. Too large a dose might increase risk however. Aspirin has more activity than COX2 inhibition so it might be more of a risk for causing lung edema, especially if taken in large quantity. In the flu pandemic of 1918 a large increase in death rate occurred shortly after aspirin, a new medication at the time, was being recommended and in doses that are far larger than would be typically used now. (7)
(I was eating wintergreen berries in quantity,* 1/8-1/4 cup when I had problems with leg edema. They are botanically related to cranberries and are similar in tanginess and texture but taste like wintergreen/mint when raw. The wintergreen flavor isn’t retained after being cooked. *Don’t try this at home. 😉
Antioxidants can also be COX2 inhibitors (4) which can also be a cause of edema. Larger doses of a NSAID medication or phytonutrient would be more likely to cause fluid and sodium retention by the kidneys and lead to swelling due to edematous fluid build up in extracellular areas of the body. Non-selective NSAIDs inhibit both COX1 and COX2 and selective NSAIDs were developed that only inhibit the COX2 enzyme. (5)
We do need extra antioxidants during stress and infectious processes because the body is using them in greater quantities. We would also likely not be able to make as many of our own internally because our bodies would be dedicating more effort to making inflammatory cytokines to fight the infection. Too many inflammatory cytokines can become a problem though and providing extra antioxidants in the diet can help protect the body during conditions of infection such as a severe influenza. (6)
Dose makes the cure, dose makes the poison.
/Disclaimer: This information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes./
Laube M, Kniess T, Pietzsch J. Development of Antioxidant COX-2 Inhibitors as Radioprotective Agents for Radiation Therapy-A Hypothesis-Driven Review. Antioxidants (Basel). 2016;5(2):14. Published 2016 Apr 19. doi:10.3390/antiox5020014 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4931535/
Raymond C. Harris and Matthew D. Breyer, Update on Cyclooxygenase-2 Inhibitors. CJASN March 2006, 1 (2) 236-245; DOI: https://doi.org/10.2215/CJN.00890805 https://cjasn.asnjournals.org/content/1/2/236
Liu Q, Zhou YH, Yang ZQ. The cytokine storm of severe influenza and development of immunomodulatory therapy. Cell Mol Immunol. 2016;13(1):3–10. doi:10.1038/cmi.2015.74 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4711683/
Roger Seheult, MD, Coronavirus Pandemic Update 40: Ibuprofen and COVID-19 (are NSAIDs safe?), trials of HIV medications. CDC/MedCram.com https://youtu.be/dT6mHi_8V5E
The concern about the Coronavirus outbreak is valid as the infection seems more dangerous than a winter flu season. People who smoke or have a chronic lung condition, or are elderly or have other chronic conditions, or who are obese, may be at increased risk of having a more severe case of Coronavirus.
*This blogpost is continued in a longer podcast / transcript, Fear and Immunity.
Symptoms can be non-noticeable or similar to a cold or mild flu. Digestive symptoms might occur in addition to lung symptoms, dry, non-productive cough, and chest pain, hot and cold feverish chills, and extreme tiredness. Smoking increases risk of lung symptoms developing into pneumonia. Recovery seems to take longer than for a cold or flu with some people needing hospital care for weeks with a ventilator for breathing. (World/national Coronavirus Statistics) Approximately 2-14 days from exposure to symptom onset, gradually developing symptoms with a cough and chest discomfort, fever, and shortness of breath/difficulty breathing being common symptoms. (Graphic by Robert Roy Britt)
Some people may be infectious without having developed symptoms yet, or at all possibly for the 20-29 year old age bracket based on South Korea’s more extensive testing of their population. (graphic-South Korea & Italy rates of COVID-19)
People seem to be most contagious before symptom onset and in the first week of illness. (link) Twenty days infectious is average and generally is reduced by the time coughing symptoms are over. Thirtyseven days infectious is the longest measured. (Zhou et al., 2020) Wearing a face mask while infectious might help protect others but is generally not recommended as necessary for people who are not sick. A Public Service video about reducing rate of infection by hand washing, staying home, focusing on not infecting others while we don’t know who might be contagious but not showing symptoms yet. (@thejuicemedia)
Contagion risk also seems worse than the flu or a cold as the virus can survive on surfaces longer than average, possibly a week or more. Respiratory droplets may be the usual route of infection however there also may be a risk of infection from an infected person’s bowel movement. Thorough hand washing with soap and plenty of water is more likely to disrupt the cell membrane of virus and remove them physically than depending on hand sanitizers which are designed for bacteria not virus.
Alcohol in the hand sanitizer may also be drying to the skin which also can increase risk of open sores which can allow infection to enter the body more easily. Moisturize with a hand lotion while the skin is still damp to seal in some of the water. Hand lotions don’t replace moisture, they add to an oily coating on the skin that helps prevent moisture loss.
Strengthening Immune Function – food and nutrients, rest, and water, cut down on sweets, increase positive thinking & stress coping habits.
*Nutrition is not a guarantee of not becoming infected with something but it can increase the likelihood of not becoming infected or not developing as severe symptoms, as seen in the Ebola outbreak (see embedded link) and with research on vitamin D and respiratory infection rate (see video link).
Sugar and high fructose corn syrup generally reduce immune health and may provide simple calories that support infectious microbes more than our own health. (Defeating the Coronavirus with Immunity & Hydrotherapy, Dr. Eddie Ramirez, Youtube)
Sleep helps the body recover and cope with healing or fighting infection.
Water is essential for the body to be able to have a thin protective layer of mucous in which white blood cells can more easily find and remove infected cells.
Positive feelings of hope and love are more likely to support health than fear and anxiety. Doris Day’s attitude in the song lyric may be more helpful, “Whatever will be, will be, que sera sera,” along with common sense health habits.
Vitamin C and/or zinc lozenges may be soothing for the throat and help immune function. Elderberry is also rich in antioxidants and may also be available in immune supporting lozenges.
The orange zest layer of the orange peel can be trimmed to leave the white pith to be eaten with the sweet orange wedge. The white membrane is a source of nobiletin.
The white pithy membrane of an orange peel has beneficial phytonutrients and is also fairly mild like the inner peel of a pomegranate. Use a vegetable peeler or sharp knife to trim off just the outer layer of orange zest and then the sweetness of the orange sections will taste okay along with the white membrane.
The orange peel pith contains a phytonutrient, nobiletin, that may help with weigh loss too. (Orange Juice Molecule May ‘Drastically’ Reduce Obesity, Arterial Placque, slashgear.com)
Nobiletin is a chemical that promotes our circadian cycles and may be protective against metabolic syndrome. Genetic studies on animals suggest that differences in the CLOCK circadian protein can cause symptoms of metabolic syndrome – obesity, high blood lipids and blood sugar, low insulin levels, fatty liver, and respiratory uncoupling. (He, et al, 2016) Respiratory uncoupling changes the way mitochondria produce energy and if the changes continue for long may lead to worse dysfunction of the mitochondria which may lead to cancer (Seyfried, et al, 2014), or other chronic health problems. (Ruiz-Ramirez, et al., 2016) Research with nobiletin as a cancer treatment suggests that it stops cancer growth by deactivating cancerous genes. (plantmedicines.org)
Orange peel extract has also been studied for use against Coronavirus and it helped reduce replication of the virus. (Ulasli, et al., 2014)
Chen Pi, dried tangerine peel, is a traditional Chinese medicinal product sold as an anti-viral and digestive support. (alibaba.com/Chen Pi) Improving bioaccessibility of nobiletin with peanut protein nanoparticle encapsulation, for anti-cancer potential as a medication: (Ning, et al., 2019) Chen Pi is traditionally used as a digestive aid and for respiratory conditions that involve too much thick mucous. Chen Pi is thought to help thin the mucous and promote a more productive cough. (esgreen.com/Chen Pi)
Other immune supporting nutrients that may help against a Coronavirus infection include Nrf2 promoting sulfarophane and resveratrol. Elderberry is a good source of anthocyanins and other antioxidant phenols, blueberries and black beans would also be rich sources. Zinc and selenium are minerals with antioxidant function. (selenium sources) Having adequate Vitamin A and D is essential for immune function. NAC and lipoic acid are antioxidants. Nrf2 pathways increase our own internal production of antioxidants. (Other foods: Nrf2 Promoting Foods)
Both high dose vitamin C and zinc are listed as potential therapeutics for treatment of patients with COVID-19 and Chloroquine, the anti-malarial that was found helpful for treatment of the infection in China, is a zinc ionophore. (14) Zinc ionophores help with autophagy and apoptosis – the killing and engulfing of infected cells by white blood cells. (15)
Cytokine Storm Syndrome & Vitamin C Infusion, — webinar for medical professionals.
An over-reaction of the immune system called Cytokine Storm Syndrome or sepsis shock can be the cause of death from COVID-19 infection rather than the breathing problems and pneumonia symptoms. Some people may be more genetically at risk of having the inflammatory over-production of cytokines. (Cytokine Storm Syndrome/genetics) They are involved in killing infected cells but an excess can cause organ failure and lead to death. Intravenous Vitamin C Infusion can be safe and nontoxic for treating sepsis shock (Fowler 2014) and may improve survival rates (ScienceDaily) and is a strategy that was used in Wuhan, China for COVID-19 patients. (Video update by Dr. Cheng) (Clinical Trial/Peng) (Protocol used in China for Vitamin C Infusion IV treatment) A free webinar for medical professionals is being offered March 26 regarding Intravenous Vitamin C Infusion for COVID-19 treatment, see this for registration information. The webinar is now available as a video that can be viewed at any time, see the website: isom.ca. The Vitamin C Infusion technique is being used for COVID19 patients in a large hospital chain in New York, based on the improved survival rate seen in Shanghai China, (NYPost)
Patients from Wuhan with COVID-19 who were in the ICU had more cytokines, (“IL2, IL7, IL10, GSCF, IP10, MCP1, MIP1A, and TNFα.”, (Huang, et al, 2020)), than patients who weren’t sick enough to be admitted to the ICU. Other possible guidance to check for cytokine storm besides the cytokine levels is C-Reactive Protein and serum ferritin levels. (Teachey 2016) The medication Anakinra may be treatment. (comment)
From a nutrition care perspective – the Nrf2 promoting foods also tend to inhibit the inflammatory NfKb pathway which leads to increased production of TNFalpha and other cytokines.
Chloroquine phosphate, 500 mg BID, was used as a treatment in China per a comment on a medical site. (Detailed document with specific recommendations, may be helpful medication as a preventive or treatment.) It is an anti-malarial drug. and the virus seems to be interfering with heme in red blood cells, a little similar to malaria taking over red blood cells. ( Dr’s summary; and his ref list) Artemisinin is an extract of the herb woodruff that is used to treat malaria. It is available as an herbal supplement. (nobelprizemedicine/pdf)
With a new strain of virus we are learning how to treat it and how it spreads and being brand new, no one has immunity against it. Being a coronavirus puts it in the same group as colds and flus which can mutate slightly and we can catch the illness more than once.
The COVID-19 may also be able to be infectious to people who already recovered. (LATimes) The cases of reinfection may also be the same infection in the patient seeming to get better and then relapsing again.
Prevention is safest. Wash hands and surfaces thoroughly and regularly. Soap, water, and scrubbing physically helps break down virus membranes and remove the virus from skin and other surfaces. Hand sanitizer is not more effective than thoroughly washing with soap and water. antibacterial ingredients are designed against bacteria, not virus.
Disclaimer: Opinions are my own and the information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes.
“Supplements thought to be useful in the prevention of coronavirus infection include NAC, elderberry, spirulina, beta-glucan, glucosamine, selenium, zinc, lipoic acid, sulforaphane, resveratrol, vitamin D, Bifidobacterium bifidum strain probiotics and sporebiotics. ”
Origins – not a bat in China, genetically traced to the US around Aug/Oct 2019.
*That link includes some speculation about origins of the current Coronavirus strain – supporting the immune system and reducing infection rate and severity of disease is necessary whether the strain was from bats in the wild or a lab or from a lab manipulation of a strain from bats – saving lives needs to be a goal now.
(statement from Robert Kennedy Jr) “He [Taiwan Virologist] demonstrated that only the US has all the five known strains of the virus (while Wuhan and most of China have only one, as do Taiwan and South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam, Singapore, and England, Belgium and Germany), constituting a thesis that the haplotypes in other nations may have originated in the US. Korea and Taiwan have a different haplotype of the virus than China, perhaps more infective but much less deadly, which would account for a death rate only 1/3 that of China. [*so infection rates from South Korea may not be represent the risk for all ares] Neither Iran nor Italy were included in the above tests, but both countries have now deciphered the locally prevalent genome and have declared them of different varieties from those in China, which means they did not originate in China but were of necessity introduced from another source. It is worth noting that the variety in Italy has approximately the same fatality rate as that of China, three times as great as other nations, while the haplotype in Iran appears to be the deadliest with a fatality rate of between 10% and 25%. (7) (8) (9)” (globalresearch.ca) (news stories). (transcript of a video) There seems to be at least two strains, more information is needed to understand the significance of that (abcnews.com).
Reference List – incomplete, see links within the blogpost also.
Vitamin C for the Treatment of Coronavirus (COVID-19), free webinar scheduled for March 19, 2019, International Society for Orthomolecular Medicine, https://isom.ca/vitamin-c-coronavirus/
“Chill out, bruh,” * – an anonymous online reply to a Thread about mental health tips. It might mean: “Relax brother” – you are loved, we are one. Yet it may also be helpful taken literally – “Get cooler brother,” you may be overheated and that can literally lead to an increased heart rate which may be interpreted as anxiety, fear, or even anger and lead to emotional explanations for a feeling that was actually caused by a physically too hot summer day, or too many layers of clothing or blankets in a room that got over hot.
*Before getting into more detail, a disclaimer – the phrase chill out or bruh are not things I would typically say, it just caught my attention. Like telling a woman to smile, saying chill out to someone might be more like pouring gasoline on a fire than a bucket of water – it just might make the person more angry because you are interfering. Asking if they would like you to get them a glass of water might be more helpful.
*This post can be listened to on a new podcast series – How are you Feeling?. See this webpage for links: (peace-is-happy.org/how-are-you-feeling) to the three episodes about Crankiness, and Mindfulness.
The rate of violence does tend to increase during hot summer months but can also be higher during warmer winter days compared to cooler ones. Violence rates during summer months on average are about 7% higher than in winter months and the rate of disorderly conduct is about 9% higher during summer months. (1)
With the expected increases in average temperatures due to climate change, planning ahead for the cooling needs of communities may help keep people happier, safer, and healthier.
Overheating is bad for the brain and the heart, and may increase insomnia/poor sleep.
Other risks of overheating can be more about personal health than anger and violence – being overheated regularly can result in having a more rapid heart rate regularly, which may increase long term health risks to the cardiovascular system (2) and possibly to the brain. Hot flashes can be a factor in heart palpitations that women may feel during menopause. (3) More hot flashes during menopause may be a risk factor involved in the increased rate of Alzheimer’s dementia for post-menopausal women compared to younger women and men. (4) Symptoms of cardiovascular problems in women may be more subtle than acute chest pain and women may not seek help in time to prevent a heart attack. (Mayoclinic.org/heart disease symptoms in women, 5)
Hot flashes can also occur during more severe autoimmune disease or alcohol withdrawal in more severe alcoholism, (6), but the symptom would typically be called night sweats instead of hot flashes. Night sweats can also be a side effect of some types of medications and may occur with anxiety disorders and other health conditions in addition to autoimmune disease. (Mayoclinic.org/Night sweats causes (7)) People with autoimmune disease, cardiovascular or thyroid problems may be at more risk of overheating than people of more typical health. Younger children, Senior Citizens, and pregnant people would also be at more risk of overheating.
Poor sleep quality might be part of the cardiovascular and Alzheimer’s health risk of being overheated. Our body and brain temperature normally chills, literally cooling down, before we drift off to sleep and the temperature of our brain remains cooler during sleep than during our awake hours. Insomnia tends to involve more active thoughts seemingly disrupting the ability to relax and go to sleep but it also involves, literally, the brain staying at normal body temperature instead of cooling. Gel packs designed for sprained ankles that can be kept in the freezer may be helpful during insomnia or at other times when overheated. Wrap the freezer temperature gel pack in fabric and place it on the forehead while trying to relax before sleep or at other times when feeling overheated.
Another brain cooling strategy that might help with relaxing when insomnia and racing thoughts are a problem: Dimethyl glycine (DMG) is an amino acid that has calming and relaxing effects in the brain. It may be low in vegetarian or vegan diets as meats are a good source. It is available as a powder from weight lifting types of companies online. One quarter to one half teaspoon of the DMG powder mixed in a lower acidity* fruit juice or water taken before bed may also help the body and brain to cool down to a pre-sleep temperature. (*An amino acid is a normal part of protein foods and the pure powder is an acid making plain water seem tart like lemonade, without the lemony flavor, so mixing it with a low acidity juice like blueberry, apple or pear juice makes a milder beverage than adding orange or lemon juice.)
Poor sleep quality can increase risk of dehydration and harm to kidney health because less of a hormone involved in hydration is made (vasopressin). We lose about a liter/quart of water during sleep anyway so a good health habit to start with each morning is a glass or two of water before reaching for a caffeinated beverage like coffee which is a diuretic. (8)
“Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and celebrate the journey.” – Fitzhugh Mullan
Relaxing can also involve our thoughts, and practicing mindfulness/meditation can help our brain learn more calming habits even when not meditating.
Our thoughts certainly can be part of insomnia, anger, or other emotional over reactions. The practice of mindfulness can help retrain the brain to react more calmly with acceptance of whatever the situation is – overheated? – make a paper fan, get a glass of water, remove a sweater, instead of more proverbially getting hot under the collar – angry at someone or something else. Yes, the office is too hot, or the day is too hot, or the blankets are too hot, getting more angry about it just gets the brain more active and even hotter physically. Thinking uses a large amount of energy and creates heat. We lose about 60% of our body temperature from our heads which is why wearing a hat in cold temperatures can help you stay warm.
Mindfulness or meditation may seem mysterious but it is quite simple – being present, noticing the anger at the overheated feeling and letting it go in the moment rather than focusing it more on the thermostat or fossil fuel companies. Short term reactions can be coped with calmly which frees up more brain energy for planning a constructive response to the concern such as helping to organize the building of a local recycling center. Jon Kabat-Zinn describes seven underlying attitudes to try to include in the practice of mindfulness in his book Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness, (9). Whatever you are doing can incorporate a more mindful attitude about it – simply meaning being more in the moment rather than worrying about the past or future or fairness or unfairness.
The attitudes to try to develop for living more mindfully according to Jon Kabat-Zinn, MD, include:
Non-Judging acceptance of thoughts or feeling, even if judgmental.
Patience to let time take the time it needs for healing, or for the clock to reach the end of the work day and be present in each moment.
Beginner’s Mind, a child-like openness to experiences without expectations based on previous experiences or what you may have been told.
Trust – in yourself and your own understanding of you. Trying to copy someone else’s meditation style is not mindfulness or meditation – so no mysteries – trust what feels right to you – in each moment.
Non-Striving, let go of goals, especially the goal to relax, or the goal to relax specifically for 15 minutes or 30 minutes or however many minutes – like saying “Chill out, bruh,” you may just get more anxious or angry. Some people may find going for a walk or doing the dishes or sweeping the floor to be meditatively relaxing.
Acceptance – of your current state of health or other issues can help work through stages of grieving if need be rather than staying angry or in denial about the issues. Appreciating your body and life in the now can help free up energy to work towards changing things rather than being stuck in anger or denial or mired down in depression. Change happens, getting old is not for sissies, to paraphrase Bette Davis.
Letting Go or non-attachment – we tend to cling to positive experiences and don’t want them to end and resist negative experiences and try to avoid thinking about them or doing them – but the dishes still need to be washed. Mindfulness or meditation works towards accepting both positive and negative without clinging or resisting. “Que sera sera, whatever will be, will be,” to quote Doris Day’s famous song lyric.
Bonus attitudes that are helpful for living mindfully according to Jon Kabat-Zinn: Non-harming, generosity, gratitude, forbearance, forgiveness, kindness, compassion, empathic joy, and equanimity. (pages 21-31, 9)
Full Catastrophe Living may seem like a negative title for a book about mindfulness however Jon Kabat-Zinn explains his reasoning in the introduction. Life is full of ups and downs and acceptance of the catastrophes and the joys is life. The downs help make the ups that much more joyful and today’s catastrophe is tomorrow’s funny story or important lesson.
In Cognitive regulation treatment patients are taught to modify their thinking in ways that can help modify their emotions. What we think about what we are feeling can make things better or worse for our mood and for our health. Four basic strategies or lessons for patients to learn and practice are described in a research article about an area of the brain that may be involved in helping us control our fear response. (10)
Changing what we are thinking about an issue can help us modify our emotions and reactions to the issue.
The experiences that a person has had in the past may help us control our feelings about new experiences.
Learning new information can help us modify our thoughts and emotions about an issue or event.
‘Catastrophizing’ can be a common thought process where irrational thinking about an issue can lead us to believe that things are worse than they really are.
Whether a catastrophe is real or as bad as we think it seems, accepting the situation can help us calm down enough to cope with it better. Overheated bodies may make us feel angry or anxious and pausing to recognize those feelings, ‘Gosh I am sweaty and thirsty, and cranky and maybe I should get a glass of cold water before making this important phone call,’ can help save us some real catastrophes of our own making.
Cooling down and calming down can also help protect our heart and brain health as over stressed and/or overheated can increase flow of calcium and glutamate into our cells through TRP channel membranes that can be opened by high temperatures. (11) Ten deep breaths and one glass of cool water can be helpful for our body, brain, and mood.
Disclaimer: This information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of Fair Use. It is not intended to provide individual guidance. Please seek a health care provider for individualized health care guidance.
Jon Kabat-Zinn, Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness, (1990, 2013 revised edition).
Kroes MCW, Dunsmoor JE, Hakimi M, et al. Patients with dorsolateral prefrontal cortex lesions are capable of discriminatory threat learning but appear impaired in cognitive regulation of subjective fear. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci. 2019;14(6):601–612. doi:10.1093/scan/nsz039 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6688449/
Yue Z, Xie J, Yu AS, Stock J, Du J, Yue L. Role of TRP channels in the cardiovascular system. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2015;308(3):H157–H182. doi:10.1152/ajpheart.00457.2014 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4312948/
Activity and skill building centers with a focus on pollution and long term fertility of individuals and the environment is an idea I described in this document: Pre-conception Education Centers project proposal. The centers might have a local environmental cleanup or mitigation goal or might have gardening or make products for fund raising and skill development.
Integrity Centers could be a preventative care community center for people before they need an addiction rehab center. Dr. David Gruder, clinical and business psychologist, defines integrity as a balance of our three core human natures – me, we, and us all: me – a drive for self authenticity; we – a drive for a sense of connection in relationships; us all – a drive for a sense of greater purpose within the larger community. (1)
Me – Community gardens can provide skill building help and – we – fresh food for a community. Us all – Urban areas could benefit from more pocket gardens and rooftop gardens by also providing more places for excess water to go during severe rainstorms or melting snow. Concrete doesn’t allow water to drain into the ground and sewer systems get over flooded. More planters and ground cover that is porous allows more water to seep directly into the ground or into containers that will slowly allow the water to evaporate or be used by the plantings.
Community centers can vary from community to community while including the basics of cooking and growing some healthy food and sharing it together with love and acceptance of diversity.
At the global level the Integrity perspective, Me, we, us all, can help tackle climate change adaptations:
Me – eat more bean/lentil meals in place of meat based meals. Use environmentally safe products.
We – Invest in environmentally sustainable companies.
Us all – Participate in an environmental clean up day.
Climate change is happening and the sooner humans as a group face that fact and work together to change how we do things the sooner we will slow the rate at which the changes are occurring. It is not something we can stop as many of the chemicals collecting in the environment and in the oceans will be there for centuries. Over 11,000 scientists from 153 countries joined together to make a statement about climate change: “Scientists have a moral obligation to clearly warn humanity of any catastrophic threat and to ‘tell it like it is.’” The group suggests six steps for humans to take to slow down the environmental changes that are correlated with expanding economic consumption and population. Wealthy human habits are not sustainable for the planet. (2)
Changes to make now for a better future, recommendations by over 11,000 scientists:
Energy – leave fossil fuels in the ground, switch to sustainable energy production.
Short Lived Pollutants – refrigerants, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and other chemicals like methane and black carbon (soot) also add to global warming changes in the atmosphere and oceans.
Nature – protect biodiversity and natural ecosystems. Planting trees and wetlands, sea grasses and mangroves can help reduce global warming emissions by a third.
Food – switch to more plant based diets, reduce use of animal products in the diet from ruminants (methane emitting cattle), and use more minimal tillage agricultural methods.
Economy – switch the focus of economic markers of success from profit to sustainable ecosystems and human equality. Is it a good business for employees and the community and the surrounding environment? Or is it a business with a quarterly profit report?
Population – slowing population growth reduces the need for water and food. Making family planning methods and education available to girls and women can help support human equality and a sustainable population.
World Scientists’ Warning of a Climate Emergency, Ripple WJ, et al., Nov. 5, 2019 (2)
“A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but ought to be.“
– Rosalynn Carter
Community centers and other organizations that already exist could take on these goals. Integrity Centers or Pre-conception Planning Centers could be virtually based resources for use by any organization that wanted to access the educational materials.
Community centers can be a place to share skills and learn new ones, to make new friends and spend time with old ones, and to participate in social activities for fun, for health, and/or for care of the environment. Community centers can provide more positive role models in a child’s life and provide meals and company for those who are hungry for food or friendship. Preventative health education and life skills could be taught and practiced. Emergency preparedness for individual and community needs could be planned for and taught. Projects for hands-on volunteering and learning could be planned and achieved for community and individual benefit.
“Tackling destructive emotions and practicing loving-kindness is how we should live in the here and now. I am convinced we can become happier individuals, happier communities and a happier humanity by cultivating a warm heart, allowing our better selves to prevail. ”
Our better selves like a happy me, we, and us all, — happy individuals, communities, and a happy humanity and world.
“It is only by recognizing our own darkness that we can stop projecting it on the world around us“. – Carl Jung
Carl Jung was a psychiatrist with a valid observation – until we recognize the things we are ashamed of or suppress within ourselves we will have a difficult time to not share that shame or suppressed belief with others around us.
Projection is a term used to describe how someone projects or attributes their own problems on others. We see what we expect to see, we see what we are familiar with, and tend to not be as observant of unique situations. We project what we know or expect onto the world around us – our sight isn’t blind as much as it is pre-programmed. To truly observe without any bias is a rare skill. I grew up with things that were consistent and also many things that were not consistent from grouchy moods to unexpected traveling and piling into the car for a museum outing – ups and downs. Life wasn’t perfect but it was interesting. Community centers could add more interesting experiences to the lives of young and old people – mixtures add interest and zest to life.
Factors that may affect health:
Social support and early childhood experiences.
Sleep.
Exercise.
Water.
Nutrition.
Toxins from the environment, air, food and water.
Genetics and epigenetics.
Access to Healthcare.
Environmental and human health are connected, economic stress and human health are also. The interconnectedness of societal problems and solutions can be visualized as a tip of the iceberg problem – suicide, addictions, mass shootings and other violence are the visible tip of societal problems that are connected by economic inequality and stress and environmental pollution and reduction in biodiversity. Economic and environmental stress can increase behavioral health problems and add to social factors and living conditions that increase physical health risks. (3)
Environmental and individual health are connected too. Learning how can also provide guidance for lifestyle changes that might help improve health.
Resources regarding economics and environmental change:
Climate change is real – according to financial advising company Morgan Stanley and myths about what is involved may be inhibiting investment in climate change solutions: Six Climate Investing Myths Debunked.
What might not be as good an investment in the environment is the financialization of ecosystem protections – pay us to protect some endangered species’ habitat and we will skim off part of the money as profit. Watch the documentary for free: Banking Nature, OffGuardian.
Economic moderation – for the industrious read this first – about Financialization of the modern world: “Yeah, It’s Still Water,”- we can’t eat stock bubbles or money, or concrete. None of those things are part of a healthy ecosystem. Economic and environmental stress can increase health risks and possibly risk of addictions or anger and violence. More equality could be healthier for everyone and the economy.
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