Q & A: Coronavirus and Chronic Conditions | Ashok Gupta | Gupta Program |

Okay, a warm, warm welcome back to our Facebook Live event looking at chronic illness and COVID 19 and seeing the interrelationship between the two. And so we've just gone through information about if you are worried about the virus and if you get COVID 19, how you can prevent yourself from getting fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome, where we do potentially see a second wave of illness coming as a result of that. And secondly, if you already have those conditions, what are the chances of you getting the condition, what are the chances of some complications occurring and what you can do about that? So we just shared some of that information in our first Facebook Live and now we're just going to go and look at your questions. Okay. So if you just bear with me here, I'm just going to find the feed and then find some of your questions. So please do ask your questions in the, in the comments section and then we'll be able to answer them. Okay? So hello to a few people out there. So hello to Marie, tuning in from Germany, welcome to you. Hello to Shelley. Good morning from Las Vegas. She says Elizabeth from California, welcome to you. Vicki saying how long per day do you need to meditate to gain a protective benefit? Very good question, Vicki. So when they have done studies on the optimal level in order to boost your immune system, the magic number is 20 minutes. Okay, so 15 to 20 minutes of meditation, we know can have that positive effect. Now, of course, please remember that each of us is starting from a different starting point in terms of how effective our immune system is right now and also how deep we can go into meditation. So to be safe, I would advise meditating twice a day during this pandemic. That's 20 minutes in the morning before breakfast and 20 minutes in the evening before dinner or in the evening later on. So those are the ideal times. So I'd aim for the 20 seeing further complications in people with chronic illness, which is the good news. But once again, we want to take precautions. Andrea, tuning in from Chile, welcome to you. Miriam says how can we deal with a period of severe chronic infection? So a period of. I just want to read that rightly, I'm assuming you mean a period of chronic pain after experiencing a virus infection. So no energy and lots of pain. And we see this in a lot of our patients. So once again, it's because our brains, our insula, our amygdala and other parts of the brain anterior cingulate thalamus, they've gone into a state of hyper defense. Their priority now is saying, hey, We've just experienced this really traumatic virus. Although we fought it off, we might still be in danger. What happens if that virus comes back? Therefore, we will overstimulate the immune system and the nervous system. So in that case, Miriam, what I'd love for you to do, if it's something you'd like to do, is to take on the Gupta program. And you can take a free 28 day sample of our Gupta program, free 28 day trial at www.guptaprogram.com. and once again, please do like and share both of our videos today. So once again our Q and A here. Please do share that Q and A video on your feeds, on your Facebook, etc. On your Instagram. There some of us joining on Instagram as well. It's great to be on Instagram live for the first time. Shelley says for those of us who have autoimmune diseases and are really scared of going out, do we really need to stay isolated for the upcoming months or years? You know, Shelley, I'm going to be honest with you, we don't know yet. Certainly we know that those who are above 65 for the coming months, even once we come out of lockdown, it's important that they stay isolated for as long as possible. Because although the chances of them contracting COVID 19 is much lower, the risk factors are much higher. Now, for those of us who have autoimmune conditions, I think once again the jury is out. Does it affect people more severely? We don't know at the moment. So better to take precautions and yes, stay isolated. If you already have some very complex, by the sounds of it, autoimmune diseases and autoimmune conditions, just try and stay isolated until we understand more about the effects on people with those conditions. Lara shares Just want to say that a Dutch doctor already warned on television that they're seeing a large group right now of young people not recovering from COVID 19 and having symptoms of chronic fatigue. Well, that's really interesting, Lara. And I think once again we don't need to panic right now. Post viral fatigue is a very common phenomenon and it occurs very commonly in flu. The issue is that because COVID 19 is more severe than flu, the traumatic impact on our physiology and our nervous system may be more severe. In which case it's important that this information gets out there. That that deep rest, not rushing back to school or university or to a job, really making sure you're fully over it before you go back into the workplace is so important because that really reduces your chances of it becoming a long term chronic illness. So let's really share that information out there. Ro says hello from Scotland. Hello to you, Ashok. What natural things to help with our immune system against viruses? The number one thing, and I know it sounds boring, the number one thing that you can do is not think right. Come on, doctor, give me this pill or this thing that's going to boost my immune system. The number one thing that boosts our immune system far more than anything else that we can do is, is what is in the MEND protocol. Once again, meditating deeply and regularly. Efe energizing the body. So if you don't have these illnesses, making sure you get physical exercise, N for nighttime routine, getting good, deep, long sleep, and then D for diet. Lots of fruits and vegetables. That's simply as it is. The fruits and vegetables boost our microbiome. They really make sure that our microbiome, 80% of which sits in the gut, produces the right chemicals to fight off bacterial infections and viruses. 80% of our immune system sits in our gut. So the things we put into our mouth directly impact our immune system. And there's a study in the 70s which showed that when we have sugar, it depresses our immune system for many hours. So I'd love for you once again to cut out sugar. That's definitely an immunosuppressant. Okay. Alcohol, once again, want to cut that out. Smoking, and then we want to have much more fruit and vegetables. All those things we know we should be eating. Lots of pulses and lentils that also boost our immune system. Turmeric, ginger, all of those good things. And we want to cut out the processed foods. Once cut out the red meat and highly processed foods, things with a lot of toxins inside them which compromise our immune system and keep us in that TH2 dominance of over inflamed systems. Nikki says. Does echinacea help boost the immune system? Now, for many years, it was believed that echinacea didn't boost the immune system, and it was a kind of urban myth. Now, some recent studies have shown that echinacea can support the immune system moderately. Okay, so it's perhaps something that we can choose to take as a mix of different things, but it's not a magic bullet for the immune system. And when it comes to meditation, 20 minutes is in one sitting. So not split up into 10 minutes over here, 5 minutes over here. Unfortunately not. No 20 minutes minimum in one sitting. Joyce says hello from Nebraska. Welcome to you. Abigail shares is mcas. So that's mast cell Activation syndrome or Lyme reversible. Abigail, the good news is that we have many people who you will see on our website the success stories, who have mast cell and have Lyme who have successfully, partially or fully recovered from the condition using the Gupta program. And the reason for this is that MCAS is essentially as a result of this overactive immune system. Okay, so whether MCAS is actually a condition in and of itself or is simply a subcondition of this overstimulation, you know, that's moot. And Lyme I believe once again can trigger post viral fatigue syndrome, which can then turn into ME and chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia. But the Lyme is essentially an opportunistic infection that keeps resurging as a result of the fact that the system is in this over inflammatory response. So absolutely, Abigail, I believe these conditions are reversible and I'd love for you to experience the Gupta program. Now, I knew people can ask me controversial questions, so Sara asked me here. What are Your thoughts on 5G? Could it be causing damage to our bodies? Therefore, is electrical sensitivity not treatable using these methods? All right, now let me be very clear. I am not someone who's a supporter of increased, I suppose, electromagnetic fields and electrical wiring around us. All these gadgets we have around us and all these electrical fields which are being generated, I'm not a big fan of that. I do believe that they in some shape or form might contribute to, I suppose, a defensive response from our bodies. We are electrical beings. What do you think is transmitted all through our nervous system? It's electrical signals. At the same time, I will state my personal view and it's up to you what you believe. I do not believe that 5G has triggered this illness. I do not believe that 5G is triggering any of the symptoms. I do not believe that 5G has mutated this virus and created what we're seeing around us. I don't believe any of that. And it's a very, very simple reason. Although people are linking the outbreak in Wuhan to the establishment of 5G, it is very clear that throughout human history, you can go back thousands and thousands of years, coronaviruses and bacterial infections have always existed, they've always mutated, they've often jumped from animals. And so this is nothing new. And when we have this virus around us, we're often looking for rationalizations and trying to understand and that's where conspiracy theories come from. But actually what we're experiencing is nothing that has not been predicted in the past. We Always knew that actually we were vulnerable as a species to some kind of virus jumping from an animal to a human. It's happened from for millennia. It happens, in fact, over the last 20 years, it has happened numerous times, well before 5G or even 4G was created. And in fact, the virus is spreading in countries which don't have 5G. So for instance, Iran, it spreads severely in Iran. Iran has no 5G networks or transmitters at all. In fact, even in the US where it's actually being transmitted severely right now, there are many states where 5G doesn't exist. Okay, so I think we can remove that from our minds in terms of the connection between 5G and this virus, in terms of 5G affecting our bodies. If you do suffer from electrical sensitivities, once again, we have successfully treated people for those sensitivities. So yes, we may be surrounded by more electrical fields, but this overreaction from our bodies that causes the symptoms of electrical sensitivity. That is an overreaction. And you might say, well Ashok, that doesn't make sense. Surely as evolutionary beings, why would our system overreact? Our bodies and our systems can overreact to novel stimuli. And the classic example of that is how people are passing away from COVID 19 they are passing away because of an over response, a cytokine storm from the immune system which is over responding to the virus and actually causing death. So that is an example of how our bodies don't always get it right. So we have a question about fresh air and oxygen and keeping the immune system strong and whether wearing a mask long term possibly weakens our immune system. Right, so short term wearing of a mask. Yep. So let's say you, you're going into a shop, let's say, or some kind of other indoor space. Wearing a mask short term shouldn't really have an impact on your immune system. Now, in terms of wearing a mask, longer term, there is a possibility of it potentially weakening your immune system. And that would be in the case of, let's say in a workplace where people are wearing masks all day. Can it have an impact? Now if, in terms of the research, there's no definitive answer to that, what we do know is that it can cause short term issues such as breathing difficulties or gasping for air or dizziness as a result of the reduction in the amount of oxygen going into the system. Okay, so yes, if you are wearing it long term, it's definitely advisable to then take a break, go outside, breathe, etc. And then go back to wearing the mask. But if you're wearing it in the supermarket for 15 minutes or so, that shouldn't have too much of an impact. Naomi says is there any evidence of the effect of meditation on an activated autoimmune response? Yes, Naomi, absolutely. So there's plenty of evidence that what meditation does is reduce that auto inflammation that's coming from the autoimmune response. So generally, autoimmune conditions are where our own immune system starts attacking our own cells through the inflammatory response. And meditation impacts so many different genes and gene expressions and can reduce that response. And some of that evidence is in the medical studies on the coronavirus challenge as well. Andrea is saying day 10 of the coronavirus challenge is down. Yes, we thought we would wait until we got feedback from of you lovely people using it. And we've had some feedback and we will be releasing day 10 shortly. Does it matter what type of meditation we choose to do? The meditation can be of different types and different sorts. The ones where I think there's been the most research has kind of been the more mindful meditation where we're becoming aware of thoughts and letting them go and then focusing on a sound or an image. And those types of meditations are within the coronavirus challenge or the MEAN or the Gupta program. So I'd focus on those because there's been the most research conducted on those. Miriam says if we have sleep issues, is it okay to take melatonin if we can't sleep? I would advise melatonin only in the short term. Okay. Because we don't know the longer term effects of taking it regularly, we don't know if there's addictive effects, etc. Once again, the research is mixed on this. So as a very short term remedy, if you really can't sleep, but you really need to sleep for the next day, then perhaps melatonin can support your sleep. Maharishi Song is asking a question. It's a beautiful name. I don't know if that's your real name. Hello, Ashok. I'm Fran. Right. She's declared her real name is Fran. Can you explain what is happening in the immune system of those who are totally asymptomatic with COVID 19. Okay. So remember that we are all, as human beings, regularly fighting off viruses and bacterial infections. We may not have symptoms. So what happens is that first layer of epithelial cells in the nose, they're our first protective layer against viruses entering the body. And generally I would hypothesize that those who are asymptomatic, it's where the virus has not entered the lungs necessarily. And what may have happened is it's being fought off in the nose area or in the throat area by the white blood cells and coordinated attack from the immune system. And in terms of then being asymptomatic, as I said, people don't realize, but we are regularly fighting off opportunistic infections all the time. They already exist in our bodies. And when there's been a dip in our immunity, some of those get reactivated, such as hsv. And when that happens, our immune systems kick back in to recognize those opportunistic infections and fight them off. So in the same way, I would hypothesize that this is what is happening in those that are asymptomatic. Now, at the same time, some people are reporting that there have been some post viral effects even in those who had very mild symptoms. Now what's going on there? We're not sure. I would hypothesize that once again, the illness may have been potentially traumatizing for the brain because it was so severe. And the brain may err on the side of caution and start producing mild stimulation of the immune system causing over inflammation. Okay, so we're coming up to the end of our Facebook live here and it's once again, it's been wonderful to be able to answer your questions. So I'm just going to pick out a couple more questions and then we'll end our Facebook live. Shelley says one of my rare autoimmune conditions is Lambert Eaton. That's one I haven't come across actually. And it does attack our lungs. And if we have compromised lungs already, does that really push us into the high risk category and will the mask really help when we have to go out? Thank you. So Shelley, yeah, I understand your concerns and certainly I would consult with your doctor or medical practitioner on that question because that's not a particular autoimmune condition that I'm familiar with. But certainly I would say take the precautions and that probably does put you into high risk category because if you get the COVID 19 virus and that does get into your lungs and you already have inflammation as a result of your autoimmune condition in the lungs, then that's two sources of pneumonia potentially, which would put you in the high risk category. So yes, I would take precautions. Now in terms of masks, as you know, we did a video on masks and it's very controversial area. I cannot believe that in certain countries they aren't making masks mandatory. It's really important to Wear a mask. And let me explain why. Firstly, if we have the virus ourselves and we're asymptomatic, wearing a mask really prevents it from being spread to others. So it's like a community service that we're doing that we will never know sometimes if we have the virus or not. But by wearing a mask, we are protecting our fellow man and woman. So just for the love of others, please wear a mask. So that's reason enough. Secondly, there's a lot of. But by wearing a mask, we are protecting our fellow man and woman, so just for the love of others, please wear a mask. So that's reason enough. Secondly, there's a lot of people saying, oh, but a mask doesn't really stop you from getting infected. Now, that's not quite true, actually. From the research that we've done, and based on the size of the coronavirus, if you make the right kind of mask, even if it's not a medical mask, like an N95 mask or an FFP3 mask, even if you make the right kind of mask from the right kind of material, it still is able to protect you. So, as an example, an N95 mask protects you 95% of the time from a virus or a bacterial infection that's small enough to enter through that mask. But if you, let's say, make your mask from two layers of cotton with a sheet of paper in the middle, or actually from a tea towel. Yeah, kitchen. I don't know what they call it in America, the tea towel. I can't remember now, but basically the things you wipe the dishes with, if you make a mask out of that, studies have shown that that gives you an 83% reduction in the chances of getting a virus. So although they may not fully 100% protect you, having a mask certainly reduces the chances. And the second thing is viral load. We know that not only is it whether you're infected or not, but how much of the virus penetrates into your nose and mouth for it to then create an actual infection or ongoing infection. So that matters. So when you're wearing a mask and it's tightly around your nose and mouth and tightly protecting you, you're going to reduce the amount of viral load that comes into your system. So, you know, we've done a lot of research in this area and we just cannot understand why certain authorities, especially in the uk, but also in the us, are not making masks mandatory. And I believe that in certain Anglo Saxon cultures, this idea of civil liberties, of not forcing things on the population is what is being prioritized right now. And I, and I understand that. But certain countries like Spain and Italy have enforced mandatory wearing of masks on public transportation and in public areas. Why are some countries doing that but not others? The science is still the same. The science hasn't changed. But why are certain countries saying, oh, it's okay, you know, we strongly suggest you wear a mask and then you go on the tube here in London or on the bus and only 10 or 20% of people are wearing a mask. You know, it's just incredible. So Please lobby your MPs or lobby your parliamentarians and tell them why are we not making masks mandatory? It really will make an impact. Even if it just reduces the infections by 10%, it still makes an impact. So it's really, really important that we do this. What's your perspective on social distancing? So once again, if we are outside, especially if there are lots of UV rays from the sun, our chances of contracting it are very low. So you still keep the 2 meter rule, but as long as you're 2 meters away from people outside, your chances of infection are very, very low. Okay, so that's the, that's the first thing. Indoors, the chances of you being infected are higher even with the 2 meter rule. So that's why we encourage wearing a mask even indoors, because we know that aerosols can hover in the air for up to a few minutes. So let's say you've kept two meters away from somebody, but someone coughs. Coughing can create an aerosol effect in a confined area where there isn't a lot of ventilation. And that can hover in the air. Some studies have shown for up to three hours. Now if you walk into that space and you don't have a mask, you've got a higher chance of then ingressing that particular virus. So yeah, we want to be, you know, cautious. Okay, so once again, we're just finishing up our Facebook live here. Sorry if I didn't get to all of your questions. So what I'd love for you to please do share this very valuable information on your Facebook feeds, your Twitter, your Instagram, right across social media, especially within groups of me, CFS patients and fibro patients, mcs. Please just share this information because it could be potentially life saving. Especially our first video which was me talking about post viral syndromes occurring in patients and then those with those chronic illnesses already, what they can do to reduce their chances. Okay. So please do share this widely. So I hope you've enjoyed today's session and it's been lovely to be with you live here on Facebook and certainly we'll be doing this again soon. Once again, if you're interested in the Gupta program, you can use the coupon code Peace and go onto the website. You get 15% off. At the moment, we're having that whilst we're having these financial challenges that people are facing with the pandemic. So thank you so much for watching and we'll see you again soon. Thank you and goodbye.