Healing Therapies For Long Covid.
New Book On Long Haul Covid. Copyright Vir McCoy 2022. To be Published on Inner Traditions / Healing Arts Press spring 2023. A unique intuitive and comprehensive guide to Healing Long Haul Covid with over 350 scientific references.
The following are sample chapters of the forthcoming book. For self help purposes only. No part of this shall be sold or reproduced without the written consent of the author and publisher.
LIBERATING YOURSELF FROM LONG HAUL
An Integrative and Intuitive Guide to Healing Post-Acute Covid (PASC)
By Vir McCoy
DRAFT 11. April 2022
Publishing Info: Inner Traditions /Healing arts Press 2023
One Park Street
Rochester, Vermont
DRAFT ONLY: NOT FOR SALE
Copyright © 2022 by Vir McCoy
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Note to the reader: This book is intended as an informational guide. The remedies, approaches, and techniques described herein are meant to supplement, and not to be a substitute for, professional medical care or treatment. They should not be used to treat a serious ailment without prior consultation with a qualified health care professional.
To send correspondence to the author of this book, contact the author directly at liberatinglyme.com.
Disclaimer on How to Use This Book
Although readers may find these exercises, medicines, practices, and suggestions useful, they are made available with the understanding that this book arose out of the authors’ experiences and are not meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent Covid -19 or any other illness. The author is not a doctor and presents only his experience. Individuals afflicted with Covid-19 should engage in a program or treatment with a licensed qualified physician or other competent professional. The reader should regularly consult a physician in matters relating to his or her health, particularly concerning any symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention.
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1 – LONG HAUL SCIENCE
CHAPTER 2 – INTUITIVE ACCESS
CHAPTER 3 – MELT THE DISEASE IN LOVE
CHAPTER 4 – THE FIRE IN THE BELLY
CHAPTER 5 – CALMING THE STORM
CHAPTER 6- IMMUNE COMMUNE
CHAPTER 7 – TAKE OUT THE TRASH
CHAPTER 8 – DIET AND FOOD FOR LONG COVID
CHAPTER 9 – THE MEDICINES AND METHODS
CHAPTER 10 – CALLING ON THE MAGIC
CHAPTER 11 – WHY COVID?
APPENDICES
1. COVID LONG HAUL SIMPLE PROTOCOL
2. THE FIRE LOVE LOOP
3. COVID PANIC EMERGENCY MEDITATION
4. BLENDS AND RECIPIES
5. HOMEOPATHIC REPERTORY FOR COVID/LONG COVID
REFERENCES
INTRODUCTION
This book arose out of my journey with Long Haul Covid, or Post-Acute Sequelae Covid (PASC). I had previously dealt with Lyme disease from 2001-2009 and wrote a book on how I recovered, called: Liberating Yourself From Lyme, published with Inner Traditions in 2021. A great deal of that book can be applied here. My journey with Lyme was similar in the way of Long Haul Covid with the fatigue, anxiety and fear that arose, but much the physical symptomology of Covid was different for me. For example, I rarely if ever had a headache previous to Covid, and had never experienced MAST cell activation. I would say there was about a 20% similarity symptomatically.
The most important tool that arose during my battle with Lyme disease was an intuitive one, or becoming a medical intuitive during that process, that is, being able to see inside myself for diagnosis and remedies, and now applying the same tools to Long Haul Covid for complementing the healing process. As I also work as a scientist (biologist), my mind likes to know what’s going on too. This book spans the scientific to the spiritual, it is a full spectrum approach.
Since I was a child I have always been sensitive to sound and energy, in a way that seemed a bit unusual. These sensitivities and a love for nature brought me into the world of natural science as well as a passion for art and music. As an adult I now work as a field biologist and botanist, conducting rare plant and animal surveys, as well as a professional musician, touring venues and music festivals throughout North America. I have worked at both these crafts for over 30 years.
A third career developed along the way. I had struggled with health issues as a teenager and in my early twenties, which led me down the healing arts path. I went to massage school and I later obtained many certificates over the years in somatic and neuromuscular therapies. I also studied over the years: herbology, breathwork, meditation, anatomy and physiology, homeopathy, various healing modalities, and during my bout with Lyme, a study of antibiotics and many western pharmaceuticals. I have taught at workshops and conferences and do private consultations.
As I had been down the road of chronic illness before, I found my way out by creating my own protocol largely based on trusting my intuition, and backing it up with science. I take a very comprehensive approach, utilizing all the tools in the medicine kit.
When I was sick with Lyme disease, I began to “see” inside myself the way a shaman or medical intuitive might. I began to have sensory impressions or insights into what was going on inside my body, and remedies and things my body needed to heal came to me, like the way a dog craves grass, or some animals seek out specific plants when they are sick. These sensory impressions, or suggestions as I call them, provided a window into my healing, an ability I believe we all possess. I call it intuitive access, and believe this is an important tool for healing, and constitutes a major part of this book.
The intuitive process involves quieting the mind and tapping into your sensory perception. For example, we all get “hits” or that intuitive or gut feeling about something. It may come in the form of an image, a smell, a sound or word, or a feeling that seems to be beyond us. There is a difference between emotion, and sensory perception. Intuitive access comes from a relaxed, loving place. A place of listening. There are exercises in this book to help you cultivate this tool to find you own remedies and build the intuitive muscle.
Most of the remedies presented in this book came from this intuitive process and by taking copious notes during my illness. It has been both a humbling and validating process in many ways, teaching me to trust my intuition just as much as I would trust the knowledge of a doctor. I would often be “shown” a remedy and then find the medical research to back it up or have conversations with doctors to confirm and refine what I had intuited. This method helped me validate what I was seeing and sensing.
By utilizing my intuition, I am in no way invalidating science, in fact the opposite: I believe the scientific process is essential for collecting information, facts and validating (or not) what we intuitively hypothesize. This intuitive process is a kind of spiritual science, like an inner Sherlock Holmes looking for clues. As I would always look for the science to back up what I was intuiting (This wasn’t always possible), I was able to translate the symbology. As I have science brain, I am also able to grasp scientific articles, and did my best to cite original sources rather than cite “pop” science.
In addition to many common western medicines and herbs, I discovered several unusual medicines and techniques for healing Long Haul that I had never heard of, and I offer them here to help others as they have helped me. I also collected success stories from Covid Long Haul groups such as Survivor Corps. and many others. In addition, I read many a scientific paper on the nature and etiology of Long Haul Covid. Many doctors and practitioners I saw were also instrumental in protocols and various remedies.
The information presented in this book is broad, though not comprehensive, and includes not only my intuitive information but many success stories, protocols and promising remedies with the science to back it. Some suggestions and medicines are of an anecdotal and unproven nature, but I feel it is important to see what has worked for others. Sometimes science takes a moment to catch up to validating (or disproving) what may appear to be effective.
I rarely write about dosages in this book as I feel it is extremely important to work with a professional for that. And where a medicine may be particularly toxic or have a bad reaction with another medicine, I note that as so, or have eliminated it from this book. A hodgepodge of pills may work against you, and one persons’ remedy may be another’s poison, so always proceed with utmost caution, and again work with a qualified practitioner.
With Long Haul you must find the middle road: Find a good integrative or functional doctor or healer that understands Long Haul, and trust the intuitive process. Long Haul can be incredibly debilitating, but don’t be afraid to reach out to others for support and connection as well. We are not meant to do this alone.
Cracking the Long Haul Covid code has been an incredible group effort among scientists, doctors, practitioners, healers, and people like myself, searching for answers. It is my hope that this book not only teaches you to trust your intuition and unique path, but to find the remedies, practices and practitioners that work for you. Ultimately this book offering is to help you find a way through the suffering a lot quicker than I did, because Long Haul Covid is not fun, not fun at all. May this book be a piece of the puzzle.
MY STORY
Before I was sick with Covid, I was very healthy, bordering on athletic. I surfed, ran, swam, did yoga and breathwork, and exercised at least every two days. After having recovered from Lyme disease 13 years previous (2009) I considered myself very health conscious and on top of what worked for my body. I ate a mostly organic ketogenic diet with high fats, few grains, and lots of vegetables, tons of herbs and wheatgrass. I had plenty of love in my life, no real high stress, lots of meditation and so on. So much for that.
As studies are now showing, part of the problem is genetic, as we will explore later, as well as other predispositions. A component of my Long Haul, was likely that I had previously had Lyme disease and mold exposures, setting up for a malfunctioning or hypersensitive immune system, the other component was genetic as we discuss later.
My first symptoms of Covid-19 were in early December of 2020. It was likely the Alpha variety, and pre-vaccine. I likely contracted it during thanksgiving that year, as we had a few folks over, although no one else got sick. Unfortunately, I was not vigilant enough to wash my hands frequently and or wear a mask. I was a bit lazy about the seriousness early on. That was a tough lesson. If you are reading this book you’ve probably had Covid, but if you have not, stay vigilant, however that looks to you.
My symptoms were mostly mild, with some body aches and a low-grade fever for 3 days. I noticed I had lost my sense of smell after a week and that tipped me it might be Covid. I tested PCR positive on Dec 8. Except for the loss of smell the initial symptoms abated, but then a couple weeks later, Long Haul symptoms kicked in, with headaches (felt like a metallic ice cream headache or histamine alcohol hangover that never leaves), brain fatigue (More like a brain fire “electrical fizz or battery acid”), loss of smell, lethargy, weakness, general malaise, ringing in the ears, a mild cough (once a day for the first 4 months), sleeplessness, anxiety, an air hunger, jumbled thinking, depression and later a kind of mental “fritzing” or scrambled brain like going crazy. I also later had blurry vision in my right eye.
In addition, I suddenly developed a histamine (MAST cell activation) intolerance to certain high histamine foods that I had never experienced. I would get excruciating headaches and I had to sort out which foods now affected me. Foods that were “healthy” mainstays for me for years like sardines and fermented sauerkraut, had to be eliminated. Sometimes histamine headaches would be triggered for days from one food. Then I felt like I was going to die at times, like my brain and body just didn’t work anymore. It’s like someone pooped in your head. There were times I was in so much pain for so long I felt like giving up, as I know some do. Chronic pain can grind on a person and create a depression, but you must keep the faith and ride it out for the “Long Haul.” Plus, I have too many people I love including my newborn child, so I had to get well. I kept listening to the pain, going in there, using my intuitive tools, what’s it telling me? What is the matter? What does it need? I always took notes of my impressions.
I found an integrative M.D. in Los Angeles who understood Long Haul Covid, as well as returning to my old Lyme doctors, Doctor Stephen Harris and Dr. Runa Basu. Multiple blood tests showed an increase in cytokines and inflammatory markers (CCR5, IL10, and TNF-alpha) with increased glucose levels to prediabetic, C4A levels (chronic infection and inflammation), low testosterone levels, low CD-8/CD57 lymphocytes, high cholesterol, Increased levels of Epstein Barr Virus and other weird things like low uric acid. None of these symptoms or blood imbalances I had ever had before (Except CD57 with Lyme which had resolved years ago). These all turned out to be classic long-haul indicators and are typical with Long Haulers.
In addition to the MD,s I also went to herbalists, acupuncturists, homeopaths, osteopaths, Chinese medicine, did Neuroplasticity retraining (The Gupta Program) and various hands on and energy healers. As those with Covid know, you will do anything to get better. With all these treatments I also had to sort through my own intuitive protocol I was developing along the journey. Sometimes it was incredibly frustrating with waaaaay too many pills and was way too expensive to manage. But I kept at it and eventually narrowed it down to what was working for my body.
After a month my smell came back. Slowly but surely over a year I got better, narrowing down the remedies, foods, and practices outlined in this book. I wrote down my intuitive insights in a journal and always looked for correlated scientific research. As I understand scientific papers, I always went to the source paper when available. I slowly began to put together a protocol based on my intuitive “uploads”, with the guidance and feedback of doctors and healers. This protocol became unique to me, but resembled others protocols as well.
I tried everything from A to Z, which we discuss later in the book, including many herbs, homeopathics, western medicines, steroids, SSRI’s like fluvoxamine, Low dose Naltrexone, neuroplasticity programs, breathwork, diets, I.Vs, dissasociatives like Ketamine and psychedelics, shamanic ceremonies, bee venom, experimental drugs and pretty much anything. I tried the Pfizer vaccine after 8 months but had no noticeable change as some long haulers have. Then I took a second shot months later and improved approximately 30%. Hey, I’ll take it. There was no miracle cure for me, but a comprehensive integrative program as summarized in this book, including diet, western and alternative medicine, psycho-spiritual, mental and physical activities, and mostly of what came from my intuition, and really; time.
It’s important to find a doctor or healer that has all the tools in the kit, from western to alternative, because your likely going to need them all. And as we all know sometimes we don’t care what it is, we just want to feel better. However, It can be incredibly frustrating to take piles and piles of pills with no results, and bounce from doctor to doctor, some of who had never even heard of “Long Haul.” I spent thousands of dollars looking for help. Often the alternative or integrative doctors are far more expensive than the ones insurance covers. I considered going on disability as others do. I scoured many a long-haul site looking for answers. I found some answers and am incredibly grateful to the doctors and others that helped me, but ultimately just like with Lyme, I listened to what my body was telling me was the way out. There is a great collective of people on the same path, all offering clues to the mystery of Long Haul. Chronic illness and pain can be unbelievably frustrating, but we have to tap into the warrior within to stay alive. But even greater, anchoring firmly in the part of myself that was not sick, the place beyond disease. This was my most important medicine, and hopefully yours, and I will help you to anchor in that place (plus it’s less expensive).
This book is not a substitute for a doctor, but hopefully a tool, to see what not only I intuited as a guide, but what you may intuit. Becoming your own medical intuitive as an adjunct tool is incredibly powerful and humbling. After all it is your body, and ultimately your willingness to heal and listen. Hang in there, there is a way through.
[FN] Note: When I speak about intuitive insights I will often use the word “see” or another word in quotes, this implies there was an intuitive sense, and not in the literal sense.
CHAPTER 1. LONG HAUL SCIENCE
I had many an intuitive moment over the course of the disease for remedies, practices and foods that would be helpful, but also the nature and etiology of the disease. Sometimes I didn’t understand what I was “seeing” or sensing, but I always looked to find the scientific evidence of what I was intuiting, and was able to put many pieces of the puzzle together over time. In this chapter we focus on the science and nature of the disease.
The scientific understanding of Long Haul Covid is still emerging with many doctors, scientists, patients and laypersons, racing to find answers. I can imagine that by the time you read this, new information and breakthroughs will occur, maybe even a miracle cure and I am sure some of the science presented below will be outdated.
The following are general overviews of the nature of Covid-19, and are presented here to have a basic scientific understanding of the disease, it is by no means comprehensive. There may be pieces of the puzzle I missed or arose after this book was written, so please forgive me. There are many references at the end of the book, and much more information online, if you so desire further scientific understanding.
ACUTE COVID - Viral infection
The Covid-19 virus consists of replicating RNA enclosed in a lipid membrane. On the outside of the membrane are spike proteins (actually they are glycoproteins: chains of amino acids with a sugar coating) that pierce cells and allow the virus to enter and replicate. The Covid 19 Virus accesses the body through the S1 spike protein via the angiotensin converting enzyme or ACE-2 protein receptors (found in the gut, heart and brain), which triggers infection and inflammation 1 ,2 .
As stated before, my initial infection was mild, but I remember this distinct feeling that it started or hit me in the gut first. I remember “seeing” the virus in my meditations, and I “heard” the sound of a machine, as if it was casting a metallic object over and over. I heard the sound, “Kachunk, Kachunk, Kachunk, Kachunk….” like a replicating little metal bug.
Is it alive? Most scientists say no, some say maybe. To me I would say – just barely.
It turns out that Covid-19 disrupts the gut microbiome where much of the immune system resides 3. In addition, a previous gut imbalance can indicate severity 4. I remember early on, I had a clear vison of my gut being torn up, like tiles from a floor that had been pulled up. It’s like Covid disables the army in your gut first, then goes and wreaks havoc. Sneaky little beasts. So, the gut then becomes a key place for healing. We will discuss rebuilding the gut more in Chapter 4 and Chapter 6.
Estimates (2022) say that approximately 80% (depending on the variant) of Covid cases will be initially mild while up to 20% can be severe (often with underlying conditions, age, and ethnicity factors), often involving the lungs, and hospitalization 5. These statistics are now shifting with the increased prevalence of Long Haul Covid (PASC), and the new variants including Delta and Omicron. Perhaps by the time you read this we will be done with Acute Covid, but I am sure still dealing with all the fallout of Long Haul.
Severe Acute Covid can create neurological disorders, micro clots, brain bleeding, stroke, vascular and neurologic inflammation, encephalitis, encephalopathy, epilepsy, pulmonary issues, neurodegenerative diseases, organ damage, and inflammatory-mediated neurological disorders, death and much more 6. A cytokine storm takes over and overwhelms the body and can cause permanent organ damage including the brain 7.
Unfortunately, I did have permanent kidney damage (about 25% loss of function) as well as I suspect some brain damage from Long Haul. Fortunately, the brain has plasticity and can heal around damaged areas as we shall see.
Viral replication
According to the latest study’s actual competent viral replication with Alpha was unlikely after 20 days but possible. There are however cases of viral shedding (viral debris/DNA) over more than 2.5 months and longer 8. However, it looks like, according to researchers, that Long Haul Covid is not a disease of a replicating virus, but the fallout or “trash” from it.
LONG HAUL COVID or POST ACUTE SEQUELAE COVID (PASC)
Many researchers and scientists call Long Haul or PASC a different disease from Acute Covid. Acute Covid is an infection or a replicating virus, whereas PASC is a disease of chronic inflammation, created from the damage to blood vessels and organs by leftover viral debris (spike proteins) of the virus (or spike proteins from the vaccine-see below), and a malfunctioning immune system with auto- antibodies gone haywire. Conservative estimates on August of 2021, place cases of Long Haul Covid at more than 15 million cases 9.
Long Haul Covid or PASC is defined loosely as having symptoms past 3 months. These symptoms can often differ from the initial infection or even come after being asymptomatic. They can include difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, tiredness or fatigue, symptoms that get worse after physical or mental activities (also known as post-exertional malaise), difficulty thinking or concentrating (sometimes referred to as “brain fog”), cough, chest or stomach pain, headache, tachycardia, fast-beating or pounding heart (also known as heart palpitations), joint or muscle pain, pins-and-needles feeling, diarrhea, sleep problems, fever, dizziness on standing (lightheadedness), rash, mood changes, change in smell or taste, changes in menstrual period cycles, hormonal disruption, thyroid issues increased glucose, mental disruption and psychiatric issues, hair loss, blurry vision that can lead to cataracts and so on. 10 Here is a link to an excellent video summarizing symptoms: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkSI87l8eqc.
The latest studies (2022) show that approximately 20-40% (or more) of mild and severe cases may develop into Long Haul Covid 11. The numbers are likely from the original Alpha strain, however there are many reports (at time of this writing) of Delta variant Long Haul, even after vaccination and in children 12. Long Haul Covid from other strains like Omicron, remain to be seen. Evidence in polls conducted by survivor corps also indicates that even previously vaccinated people, who had a “breakthrough” case, went on to develop Long Haul 13. This whole scenario results in immune dysregulation and gene changes 14. A Long Haul or persistent Covid syndrome can last for months and even years 15.
In my case, when asking my body intuitively why I had Long Haul Covid, I clearly “heard” the word, “genetics,” as well as getting a “hit,” that my previously having had Lyme disease set up a hypersensitivity in my immune system. This was before I had read anything about this.
Previous to infection with Covid, my blood tests showed normal levels of EBV, glucose, testosterone and cholesterol as well as normal levels of immune cells and vitamins and minerals. I had no real Lyme disease symptoms for over 13 years previous, and had tested negative for that many times. In short, I was just fine previous to Covid. We will see shortly how Covid can disrupt the homeostasis of the body and stir up latent “bugs” like Lyme.
In the following I present the evidence for predispositions to Long Haul, the two main working theories of the etiology of long haul, and other symptoms and issues that arise from the corresponding inflammation. It is by no means comprehensive, and new studies will bring more light.
Predispositions
There are many potential predispositions to PASC that are just being discovered, but they can include: diabetes, genetics, obesity, diet, gut dysbiosis, vitamin and mineral levels, stress levels and hypertension, elevated triglycerides and cholesterol levels, impaired insulin and higher levels of glucose, inflammation, previous infections, presence of Epstein Barr and other viruses, autoimmunity, exposure to toxins like molds, blood proteins and biomarkers like decreased CD8 T cells, and much more. 16, , 17, 18. 19. We discuss some of these factors later in the book.
There are also a number of genetic or DNA indicators being discovered that indicate a predisposition to Acute Covid and PASC 20. In addition to others, it appears that Neanderthal DNA may be one of the main culprits, as a study found that a higher level of Neanderthal DNA resulted in a greater chance of severe Covid. 21. This also correlates with studies that show many seemingly healthy people including children, can develop PASC 22. Conversely some Neanderthal DNA seems to protect us from Covid as well. 23. Interestingly I was tested for Neanderthal DNA (23 and me DNA test) and had higher levels (I think I knew this when I ate some “magic” mushrooms one time, but that’s another story).
Lingering Spike Proteins / Viral Debris
In very important studies done by Dr. Bruce Patterson and his team, they found a common culprit in Long Haulers: The lingering spike protein. In one study they found that in Long Haulers the non-replicating Covid S1 spike protein crosses the blood brain barrier, and persists inside a type of white blood cell called a non-classical monocyte. These non-classical monocytes normally patrol the blood vessel walls and they go all over the body. In Dr. Patterson’s study the spike proteins were found up to 15 months after the initial infection (at the time of writing) from those who had developed Covid early in 2020, lingering inside these non-classical monocytes. 24.
Another study, published in the journal of Lung cell physiology, conducted with Covid infected mice, researchers found the same thing – lingering spike proteins causing immune dysregulation 25 . In an important study, researchers led by Hiu Jiang at the University of Stockholm, found lingering spike proteins in the nucleus of embryonic kidney cells that impaired normal DNA damage repair and had the potential to turn these cells cancerous 26. Basically, the spike proteins disabled any DNA repair in the cells.
These spike protein carrying monocytes then attach to blood vessel walls via receptors called CCR5 and Fractalkine, creating elevated cytokines and vascular inflammation. Interestingly CCR5 is the same receptor that HIV uses, and there is similarity in some proteins in HIV as found in the spike protein 27. The spike protein carrying monocytes cause microtears to occur in the blood vessel walls, leaking plasma, and causing micro clots 28.
Normally these monocytes gobble up the virus and its spikes and die off, but in Long Haulers they can persist for months or years not breaking down properly. This reminds me of Lyme disease where you deal with similar “persistor cells” that cause all sorts of dysregulation and irritation. I wrote about this in my book, “Liberating Yourself From Lyme,” however in my experience Lyme kept replicating in the form of dormant cysts that could hatch and flare up. Lyme was more like a chronic infection, where Long Haul is more like a backed-up sewage system with non-replicating viral debris (spike proteins). Dr. Patterson and his team use CCR5, and Fractalkine antagonists (monocyte receptor blockers) to stop the monocytes from attaching to receptors, thereby stopping or slowing the inflammation (See Chapter 7 on Medicines and Methods).
In my intuitive meditations I saw just that: I have “seen” the spike proteins inside myself. To me they looked like colorful tinker toys, but one thing stood out, they were as hard as a rock. They looked like little rocks, or a grain of sand. They were like trash to me that would not break down, rotting and stinking up the place.
I also had a moment where I was “scanning” through the spike protein itself, and found the tiniest bit of intelligence, as if it had just a wee bit of programming in it. This turns out to be the case. In a study conducted in the scientific journal E-life, they found just that: The immune system does not recognize the spike protein or the spike protein avoids immunity by mutating and escaping from antibodies hiding out in white blood cells and in other cells 29 .
With lingering spike proteins, antibodies respond to the antigen presenting non-classical monocytes (white blood cells) with the spike proteins stuck inside, adding to the foray with an immune system in hypersensitive overdrive. In other words, it’s like they are saying to other immune cells, “help! there is something in me, come get it!” But there’s a problem. The spike proteins are inside the monocyte white blood cells that tried to clean them up in the first place. Then other cells come to the rescue and may end up just attacking the monocytes, setting up an auto-antibody or auto-immune situation as scientists have discovered. This sets up a massive inflammatory response.
Vaccine injury or Vaccine Long Haul
With the MRNA vaccines, a “script” is created to form fusion spike proteins in the body to help create antibodies. Normally the body makes the antibodies to Covid, and cleans out the remaining fusion spike proteins.
However, in another forthcoming study conducted by Dr. Bruce Patterson and team, using the same methodology as described above, they found the same issue with people having similar Long Haul type symptoms from the vaccine only: The spike protein was found inside the non-classical monocytes from those who had only been vaccinated, months out of having been vaccinated 30. (Lecture – Paper coming).
In this case, the monocytes come along to eat the fusion spike proteins from the vaccine, but they can’t break them down and they get stuck like a splinter or grain of sand inside the cells just as with Covid, and one can develop Long Haul symptoms.
In addition, the study in Stockholm led by Hui Jiang, they suggest because of the toxicity and damage the spike protein does to DNA, that the full spike protein vaccines (Moderna, Pfizer, Johnson and Johnson) may not appropriate for a percentage of the population, but rather a protein subunit vaccine or other type of vaccine may be better for some with a predisposition to full spike proteins.
I personally know 7 good friends who have or had “Vaccine Long Haul” for months and all suffered similar long-term symptoms such as tachycardia, ringing in the ears, flare ups of other viruses causing shingles, rashes, hair falling out, brain fog etc.
What all this information suggests is that a percentage of the population that get Covid spike proteins or vaccine spike proteins, may develop Long Haul Covid, because of genetics and/or a predisposition, as they cannot properly break down the spike proteins and/or will have an auto-antibody malfunction. Vaccine Long Haul is likely less prevalent as studies are indicating as the total exposure to spike proteins from the vaccine is less than the actual infection 31. This has been seen in anecdotal evidence from doctor Patterson’s work, where approximately 10% of Covid Long Haulers were from the Vaccine only 32. Vaccine spike protein damage leaves out the initial damage and corresponding long-term effects from the infection itself, which adds to the foray and makes the symptoms (usually) worse.
Auto-antibodies / Anti-idiotype antibodies
In my intuitive meditations I remember hearing the word, “malfunction” with my immune system and seeing crossed wires in my brain. This suggested to me that my body was having a hard time dealing with this “trash.”
In a major review of scientific articles in the new England journal of medicine presented what is called the Network hypothesis of an anti-idiotype antibody or auto-antibody issue with Covid Log Haulers. Normally antibodies are made toward the spike protein, but because of a malfunction in some people, new antibodies are made to the old antibodies that look like the spike protein. The new antibodies think the old antibodies are the spike proteins too, and attack them 33. These autoantibodies also attack the ACE 2 enzyme that regulates the immune system as well as attacking white blood cells (likely the monocytes with spike protein) and other cells 34. The autoantibodies also cause blood clotting and microtear damage 35. This scenario is similar to autoimmune diseases like Lupus. 36. These antibodies have been discovered along with higher than normal protein levels in cerebral spinal fluid and the same auto-antibody situation was also found in some vaccinated persons 37.
I also “saw” very clearly in my meditations, bloody clots and tearing in the blood vessels, also with scabs attempting to heal over. It’s like to being allergic to your own blood, or Immune soldiers gone PTSD in a bombed-out city: quite the mess.
The damage from the initial infection, the lingering spike proteins in the monocytes, and the auto-antibodies can also trigger a cytokine storm with MAST cell (like an allergic response) activation that release histamines into the brain, causing brain neuroinflammation, vasodilation, congestion, “brain fog” 38, as well as a myriad of other PASC inflammatory symptoms such as: ringing in the ears, hair loss, rashes, heart palpitations (tachycardia), neurologic issues, lymphatic stagnancy, psychiatric conditions and much more 39. A histamine sensitivity to food can then develop (It did in my body). So then neutralizing these auto-antibodies becomes important as does breaking down or removing the spike proteins.
Cytokines
The dysregulation with the lingering spike proteins and auto-antibodies as discussed above, can cause a large increase (or decrease) in Cytokines. Cytokines are small proteins and include chemokines, interferons, interleukins, lymphokines, and tumor necrosis factor and are released by the immune system and immune cells. Cytokines are produced by a broad range of cells, including immune cells like macrophages, B lymphocytes, T lymphocytes and mast cells. Cytokines modulate the balance with immune responses, and they regulate the maturation, growth, and responsiveness of particular cell populations. Types of cytokines involved in Long Haul are TNF-Alpha, Interleukins (IL) IL2, IL-4, IL-6 ,IL-8, IL-10, and IL-13. Other cytokines include: GM-CSF, SCD40L, CCL5 (RANTES) CCL3 (MIP-1 ALPHA), IFN-GAMMA, VEGF, CCL4. 40. These create a Long Hauler panel or index when these are high. There are now tests for this cytokine Long Hauler Index at some labs. See covidlonghaulers.com for more information. I tested high for some of these cytokines, particularly CCL5 and TNF-Alpha.
The key Cytokines with Long Haul that are most important and show up with high levels are TNF-Alpha, CCL5 and IL6. IL6 in high quantities causes the blood vessels to dilate and literally become leaky and ooze. This can create a host of vascular congestion issues including brain swelling, confusion, low albumin, activation of fibroblasts and problems with the skin, increased heart rate and many inflammatory issues with Long Haul.
There are many medicines that can help to reduce these cytokines such IL6 such as Low Dose Naltrexone 41, and we explore this later in Chapter 7: Medicines and Methods.
[CAP] Insert Fig 1.1
Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) / Histamine
Mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) is one type of mast cell activation disorder (MCAD), and is an immunological condition in which mast cells inappropriately and excessively release chemical mediators, resulting in a range of chronic symptoms. When mast cells detect a substance that triggers an allergic reaction (spike protein?), they release histamine and other chemicals into the bloodstream. Histamine makes the blood vessels expand and the surrounding skin itchy and swollen 42.
Normally histamine is important for allergies, but in this case we run into a chronic histamine overload and suddenly any foods high in histamine exacerbate the issue. I developed histamine reactions to foods within a few weeks of Covid. I had never experienced that before. If I at the wrong food like sardines, Whammo!, massive headaches sometimes for days. We explore diet and medicines for calming this reaction in the following chapters.
Vagus Nerve and PTSD
The vagus nerve, which is the longest nerve of the autonomic nervous system, becomes impaired resulting in dysfunctional brainstem signaling. 43 The spike protein also impairs DNA repair as we have seen, so the body has a hard time healing 44. In addition the Sympathetic nervous system (which responds to flight or fight) gets stuck in a kind of Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) loop of alarm stemming from the limbic system and the Amygdala of the brain 45. We explore methods for healing this in Chapter Calming the storm
Vascular and Neural Inflammation
it appears that the spike proteins and auto-antibodies may be the major culprit in PASC but there can be organ and tissue damage from the Initial infection and corresponding inflammation in the nervous system and vascular system. In my intuitive meditations, I also images of bombed out buildings, blood cell damage, micro clots and smoking embers as if a fire had raged through my brain. All this creates post inflammation and a corresponding variety of symptoms that can manifest in different ways, such as hair loss, skin rashes, swelling, back pain and a myriad of other inflammatory caused issues.
Cortisol and Hormone disruption
An inflamed pituitary gland in the brain causes dysfunctions with aldosterone, lowered cortisol (which regulate stress and blood sugar or glucose) Insulin, and glucose 46, 47. In addition, from the pituitary imbalance, hormone imbalances occur with lower testosterone levels in men or irregular menstrual cycles in women. Blood tests with long haulers are often reflective of these imbalances.
Other Bugs
Previous immune dysregulation from infections like Lyme disease, Herpes family viruses like Epstein Barr, Varicella (shingles and chickenpox) Mononucleosis etc. may be stirred up and complicate, or even be the new problem 48. Candida albicans, normally kept in check along with molds can also flare up. It’s like the immune system is so taxed with Covid, any bug under the surface gets a “get out of jail free” card, and then they go wreak havoc. This flare up of EBV and other Herpes family is common with Long Haulers 49.
POTS
Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a blood circulation disorder characterized by a specific group of symptoms that frequently occur when standing upright and a heart rate increase from horizontal to standing of at least 30 beats per minute in adults, measured during the first 10 minutes of standing. Long Haul Covid can trigger these symptoms from the vascular inflammation. 50
Mitochondrial Imbalances
Mitochondria are organelles that serves as a cell’s primary source of energy production in the form of ATP. In the event of an infection, mitochondria contribute to immunity by engaging the interferon system, altering their structure, and inducing programmed cell death (apoptosis). Mitochondria get stressed from infections and are not as efficient, and they can become hijacked and severely damaged by the virus, creating more inflammation and cytokines. Defective mitochondria can also cause an iron buildup, increased coagulation and greater cell death 51. High antioxidant foods become important here, I had many a vision for blueberries, pomegranates, garlic, blackberries, oils and more.
Brain Damage / Mental Illness
Research has shown that Covid, even mild cases can permanently damage the brain 52. Long Covid has also been shown to cause mental illness, confusion, a kind of psychosis and derangement of thoughts and dreams 53. When I was at my worse I remember the feeling of anxiety and panic, as my brain no longer worked properly. A very real mental instability crept in with scrambled thoughts. I can see why some with Long Covid check into mental institutions. It can be very debilitating. I found the SSRI Fluvoxamine helped me considerably with this and has been found to be of great benefit for some long haulers 54.
Fortunately, there is a plasticity or reorganization of the brain where the brain can repair itself or find new neural networks and connections 55. Brain and neural enhancing drugs and herbs come into play here, especially the medicinal mushrooms like: Lions Mane Rieshi, Chaga and Turkey Tail, as well as micro-dosing psychedelic mushrooms 56, 57. We explore this later.
Cholesterol
A patient with high cholesterol increases his chances for severe or Long Covid, but also the virus synthesizes or sort of “backs up” cholesterol (HDL) in the system 58. This was my case where my cholesterol levels went up for no apparent reason other than Covid. Turns out the virus likes to infect cholesterol as well 59.
Gut Imbalances
Imbalances in the gut may influence the severity of all these inflammatory symptoms 60. And Covid disrupts the gut as well. Gut dysbiosis and leaky gut can drive chronic illness, including Long Haul 61. Specific flora may be compromised such as Bifidobacterium, a probiotic that has been found to be low in Long Haulers 62. We also look at a number of emotional issues, that can underlie this imbalance. See chapter 4 – The Fire In Your Belly and Chapter 6 on the section on the gut for discussion.
Tinnitus and Vision
The Vestibular nerve and Cochlear nerves are affected and can cause chronic vertigo and ringing in the ears. 63. I had consistent ringing in the ears all throughout Long Haul. I heard the word “vestibular” and saw the plant Iris. Iris versicolor turns out is a good homeopathic for ringing and buzzing in the ears. (See Appendix 5 for a list of helpful Homeopathics). Eyes can also be damaged by Covid. Neurological and hormonal damage can manifest as blurry vision and develop into cataracts, a symptom seen in many Long Haulers including myself 64.
Gas imbalance
An “air hunger” which I had is a common Long-Haul symptom. Covid patients may have lower levels of Carbon Dioxide (Hypocapnia) in the blood 65, and/ or reduced oxygen levels in blood (Hypoxia) 66. I often had images gas bubbles, the smoke from a bubbly water (Carbon Dioxide) and oxygen tanks in my intuitive meditations. There are breathwork exercises that can help this. We explore this later.
Exercise
Exercise also exacerbates the symptoms 67. If we do cardio exercise it increases the white blood cell count and ramps up the immune system, but that’s exactly what we don’t want. We want a calming of the immune system.
Glymphatic System
The lymphatic and glymphatic (Cerebral spinal fluid) systems get overwhelmed and backed up causing soreness in lymph areas in the neck with all the “trash” of the virus and dying cells. 68. The back of my head was always sore along the sides of my occiput, and I always had images of dirty bathrooms, clogged sewage systems, and piles of trash.
[A] Analogies
Army
The acute Covid infection storms through a body, it may be mild or severe, and creates all sorts of damage to blood vessels, neurons and cells. It’s like someone drops a bomb in your town, complete with smoldering fires, spike mines, rogue soldiers, smoking trash and damaged buildings. The immune army comes along to clean up the problem and break down the virus and spike mines. The immune army breaks down everything but in people with a predisposition, they can’t disarm the spike mines (They were not trained in this) and some soldiers end up getting confused and don’t recognize the spike mines at all. The spike mine also tricks the soldiers and some soldiers end up looking like more spikes. The immune system ramps up and sends out messages to other special forces to come help. New confused soldiers kill the old soldiers instead. The immune system in a sense becomes allergic to its own blood, attacking the spike “zombies” that it thinks are going to come back to life. But its’ too late, the soldiers start zapping innocent women and children and fellow soldiers. In addition, other “bugs” that were in prison like Epstein Barr virus, escape and wreak havoc as well while the guard is down. Then the medics and cleanup crew are overwhelmed as trash and dead soldiers are not being removed and back up, creating more inflammation, stagnant blood and lymph, like a broken garbage disposal with rotting trash.
Car analogy
It’s like the immune engine is racing and not in gear, as the carbonator is flooding the engine. Meanwhile someone poured sand (spike proteins) in the transmission and the car won’t go into gear as the tranny is not working properly. The racing engine creates too much gas and backfires clogging up the tailpipe with exhaust and pollution.
Basically, the whole thing is a shitshow.
[B] Summary
In addition to predispositions both genetic and pre-existing, there appear to be a number of factors pointing to the drivers of Long Haul Covid. The major components from my research and intuition appear to be:
1. Damage from the initial infection and corresponding damage.
2. Lingering spike proteins
3. Auto-antibodies / malfunctioning immune system
4. Other viruses and bacteria that have flared up.
5. Vascular and neural Inflammation resulting from above, leading to a myriad of symptoms, MCAST, blood clotting, brain fog, headaches, hormonal and chemistry imbalances etc.
6. The limbic system- Stuck in a trauma loop with an immune system in overdrive
7. Backed up lymphatic and glymphatic system
Goals:
The following become our goals, and are outlined in the rest of the book:
1. Decrease inflammation, MAST cell histamine and the Cytokine storm – Put the fire out.
2. Block/ Calm down/stop/die off (apoptosis), the overactive monocytes and rogue immune cells. Block these monocytes from docking/binding at their receptor sites (CCR5 and Fractalkine) on blood vessels. Repolarize
4. Dissolve the spike proteins (and blood clots) with medicines, or re-educate the immune system and new white blood cells to recognize and dissolve the spike proteins / let them go.
5. Get better blood flow, oxygen and CO2 to the brain.
6. Lymphatic and Glymphatic drainage and detoxification.
7. Get the gut microbiome in top shape and heal the gut lining.
8. Eradicate any lingering Covid RNA or other viruses like EBV and bacteria that have flared up.
9. Heal the genetics (Epigenetics) or underlying emotional and ancestral traumas, or predispositions (if possible) that may be adding to the dysregulation of the immune system.
10. Retrain the brain with neuroplasticity retraining programs like NRDS and the Gupta Program which work with the Amygdala and the Limbic System. Stand down the PTSD soldiers. Calm down the sympathetic nervous system. Stimulate the vagus nerve
11. Get the Mitochondria back on Track.
12. Time - Give the immune system time and rest.
CHAPTER 2 INTUITIVE ACCESS
In this chapter we will shift gears from science to what I call spiritual science. If our goal is healing, one of the most important tools you have is your own intuition. This tool was instrumental in my own healing. This to me is really what this book does best, teach you to be your own medical intuitive.
These words came to me years ago when I was battling Lyme disease, and again they are appropriate here. They have been a tremendous source of inspiration over the years:
THE HEALING DECREE OF IMMUNITY
Walk in Love
Walk in Peace
Ask the matter,
what’s the matter?
End the mental chatter.
Look closely what do you see?
Work with the physicality
Bless your Body,
And the Enemy.
Liberate those that Seek to Harm Thee
Stand Firm Against Those That Seek to Harm Thee
Forgive yourself From the Past
Support your immune system to do its task
Learning to Listen
Years ago (about 2004) when I was suffering with Lyme disease, the doctor I was seeing put me on intravenous antibiotics. I went into the hospital every day for forty days, and I would lie in the hospital bed while an intravenous (IV) bag was hooked up to me to receive ceftriaxone, an antibiotic. Lyme had gotten into my brain as was causing horrible symptoms. This was about 2 years into my battle with Lyme disease, which left me bedridden and in and out of countless doctors and piles of pills. I was desperately looking for answers.
One day while lying in the hospital bed with the IV, I had a glimpse of another way to heal: My brain felt like it was on fire and swollen, and I was moaning, covered in sweat. As I lay in the hospital bed, I began to cry. I was in a state of utter despair. What in the hell was going on? Why was I sick again after taking antibiotics? I began to pray for help, for anyone or anything to show me what was going on, to show me the way.
I remember thinking I could still breathe so I focused on my breathing. Because I couldn’t think properly (Lyme jumbles your brain), I began to feel more. If I can still feel, and I can still breathe, and I can still love, I still exist, I thought. If I still exist then what’s the matter?
Then I “felt” into my brain and asked, What’s the matter? as if my brain were a little baby. I imagined I was cradling it. Very gently and lovingly, I asked again, What’s the matter? I felt like a mother who senses something is wrong with her baby, even though the baby can’t speak. With all of the love and tender feelings I could muster, I “cradled” my brain and asked again: What’s the matter? I love you, brain. What’s the matter?
Then a miracle happened. I had a vision. I saw a beautiful large oak tree in the woods, and up the side of the trunk, shelf mushrooms were growing. Not the kind on the ground, but the ones that grow on the tree. Rows and rows of these beautiful mushrooms spiraled up the tree toward the sky in my vision.
I remembered I “saw” three kinds. Two I recognized from my work as a field biologist: one type was reishi mushrooms, another was turkey tail mushrooms, and the third I had to wait till I got out of the hospital to look up, but it was called chaga.
I need these, I thought.
The vision was so clear and in a place of love that I knew there must be something to it. Once I was out of the hospital, I researched the mushrooms. It turns out that reishi mushrooms have been used for thousands of years as an immune booster in Chinese medicine. Turkey tail mushrooms are also immune boosters and are part of an anticancer drug currently being developed and tested called PSK, and chaga is another incredible immune booster (Stamets 1999). These mushrooms have become quite popular today but back in 2004, I hadn’t heard much about them.
A short time after getting out of the hospital, I read in National Geographic about Ötzi the Iceman. Ötzi, a 5,300-year-old man who had been mummified in ice, was found in the Alps in 1991 by hikers on an unusually warm day. He was brought to scientists, who examined him to discover how he died, what he ate, and what diseases he suffered from. It turns out Ötzi had Lyme disease (Hall 2011). Reading this nearly bowled me over. Lyme disease, I realized, had been around for a long time, or at least some version of it has. Ötzi wore a belt with a leather pouch, and guess what was in that pouch? Shelf mushrooms like I had seen in my vision: tinder fungus or polypore (Fomes fomentarius), and birch polypore (Fomitopsis betulina). Both mushrooms are antibiotic and antiparasitic (Stamets and Zwickey 2014). Then I got chills. I speculated he was treating his Lyme disease with these mushrooms. Whether he had visited a shaman or had intuited this cure himself, I have no doubt he was using them to treat himself. I used the information from the article as validation, confirming my intuition that reishi and shelf mushrooms could help me heal. They became a big part of my healing from Lyme disease back then. I completely healed from Lyme disease by listening to that deeper wisdom and creating my own protocol based on my intuition.
These mushrooms today have become quite popular and as with Lyme they are very helpful with Long Haul Covid. Back then in 2004 there wasn’t much information about them. But it was this powerful intuitive vision that led me down another path: that perhaps the answers are already there, we just have to accessthem. Intuition became a powerful tool in my medicine kit.
Intuitive science
After I got out of the hospital, I began to hone my intuitive skills, much like one would practice an instrument or develop a muscle. I began to practice the art of intuitive sensory perception inside my own body, and wrote down what I was seeing, tasting, smelling, and hearing during my meditations. What we call clairvoyance, clairaudience, and so on is, as Carl Jung suggested, the spirit speaking symbolically (Jung 1968). I would then do research on what I was experience and look for the science to validate my intuition and hone in on proper doses with doctors and practitioners.
These tools became invaluable when I was hit with Long Haul Covid, once again I went back to this artform of listening, and I would see, hear, taste, smell (once it came back), the remedies, medicines and practices my body was showing me I needed to heal. A place beyond the mind.
The Holographic Medicine Chest
Our physical bodies have evolved and adapted on Earth for millions of years. All the plants, animals, and minerals that make up Earth have evolved and adapted along with us. Our bodies are made up of the basic mineral building blocks of Earth and, I believe, are infused with the breath or spirit that animates all life (or however you see it). It is this interface of spirit and matter that many call the soul. Many cultures access this as a place of feeling and being rather than thinking. When you are in this state of your soul, plant and animal spirits and angels can communicate in the form of symbols, images, dreams, synchronous events, feelings, and sensory impressions, which are much more palpable. We need to quiet the mind, relax, and enter into a feeling of love to sense this. Though our ancestors wove it into their daily lives, most of us have forgotten this ancient wisdom and, along with it, the innate ability to know what or how we need to heal. I believe we all have the ability to access this information, though some people are more naturally attuned to it than others. In reality, there is what I call a “holographic medicine chest” that we all can access. All the minerals, plants, animals, and medicines in and on Earth that have been here for millennia are potential medicines waiting to be discovered. But in order to access this we have to “end the mental chatter.”
Though we are more removed from our instincts than animals, humans are still animals with the capacity to know what we need to heal. We can access our intuition through meditation, dreams, movement, breath, relaxation, dance, stillness, and many other healing modalities. A healer can also hold the space and be a catalyst for this exploration as well.
As I believe we each possess this remarkable gift, we need to create the space for the magic to unfold. We have to practice the art of intuitive sensory perception, as I call it.
The Intuitive Process
We all have had experience with this, the “ah ha,“ moments, the sixth sense, the hits, the downloads, trusting the gut, the guidance, and the intuitive insights into the nature of reality. When you listen to the body’s wisdom, the deep messages or sensory impressions of the soul, it can help guide you toward finding life balance. Your intuition can magically show you what can be helpful in your healing. You must be open to listening to these messages from your body, mind, and soul The pain asks us to embody, to use all the tools in our kit, to open into the places that may be frightening, and to discover the healing gifts hidden within the suffering.
We can access the intuition in the “Liminal space” that place between the worlds, between the mental and the spiritual. That feeling when we just wake up from sleep. The intuition may come in the form of an image in your mind eye, or a smell, a thought, a word, a sound, a feeling, a synchronicity and so on. Your sensory perception becomes a window into the body. This is an important tool for healing, to be able to feel into the body to perceive what it is that the body needs. The body/spirit will show you what it needs to heal, but we have to listen, to quiet the mind.
Intuitive Meditation:
Lie down and get comfortable. Put on some calming music or nature sounds. Close your eyes. Begin to take some deep breaths. Breath in- counting 4, breathe out counting 6. Squeeze your whole body and let go. Relax. Feel your feet. Relax them. Soften. Feel your head. Relax the jaw with the exhale.. Breathe. relax the eyes and Breathe. Relax the ears, breathe. Relax the back of the neck, breathe. Let the head melt into your heart. Imagine it is like melted butter, folding into your chest, into your heart. As if your sensory perception of the world now comes from your heart. Imagine a flame like a candle there. Now begin to think of the things you love. A pet, a partner, a child, trees, the ocean, snowcapped mountains etc. Keep thinking of what you love until you generate the feeling of love. Take a deep breath. Now take that feeling of love and cradle a painful area in your body. Bring it into your heart and cradle it from there. it could be an arm, your brain, your liver or your whole immune system. Whatever is calling for attention the most. Hold that place like a mother would hold her baby. Rock it gently. Tell it you love it. Use all your senses and feel into it. Lovingly ask “What’s the matter?” What do you need? Breathe and listen…What’s it saying? What’s it feel like? What’s it look like? See, Taste, Smell, Hear, Listen with your sensory perception. Breath, relax and listen. Stay in this place as long as you like, returning to the feeling of love, by thinking about what you love if you wander. Then when you are ready thank yourself and open your eyes.
If anything came to you, write it down in an intuitive journal, even if you have no idea what it is. Perhaps it was a food, maybe an object, maybe a pill you need, maybe a word, maybe something else like an image of a person, maybe a metallic feeling. We are looking for clues. Be open to anything. Sometimes there may be nothing, or just the pain that you sense. That’s OK, just keep practicing, as it takes time. Practice this art again and again. This is a powerful tool, a way out, maybe even a cure.
I found the best time to do this meditation is in the morning, when you just wake up and are in that subliminal or in-between state of waking and dreaming we call the liminal space, but you can do it anytime. Using the intuition, it’s like building a muscle, as we practice the art of intuitive sensory perception. It’s like a Sherlock Holmes looking for clues and hints inside the body. We all have this ability, some have developed it more, some don’t trust it, and so some have left it behind. But most of us would say to always trust your gut, and listen to your heart. Consider building this practice, building this tool, become your own investigator into the nature of illness. What’s there? What’s under the surface?
This does not mean abandon your doctors or healers, it simply means that there is a powerful tool, an adjunct to your healing right there inside of you, you just have to listen.
An Integrative and Intuitive Guide to Healing Post-Acute Covid (PASC)
By Vir McCoy
DRAFT 11. April 2022
Publishing Info: Inner Traditions /Healing arts Press 2023
One Park Street
Rochester, Vermont
DRAFT ONLY: NOT FOR SALE
Copyright © 2022 by Vir McCoy
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Note to the reader: This book is intended as an informational guide. The remedies, approaches, and techniques described herein are meant to supplement, and not to be a substitute for, professional medical care or treatment. They should not be used to treat a serious ailment without prior consultation with a qualified health care professional.
To send correspondence to the author of this book, contact the author directly at liberatinglyme.com.
Disclaimer on How to Use This Book
Although readers may find these exercises, medicines, practices, and suggestions useful, they are made available with the understanding that this book arose out of the authors’ experiences and are not meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent Covid -19 or any other illness. The author is not a doctor and presents only his experience. Individuals afflicted with Covid-19 should engage in a program or treatment with a licensed qualified physician or other competent professional. The reader should regularly consult a physician in matters relating to his or her health, particularly concerning any symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention.
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1 – LONG HAUL SCIENCE
CHAPTER 2 – INTUITIVE ACCESS
CHAPTER 3 – MELT THE DISEASE IN LOVE
CHAPTER 4 – THE FIRE IN THE BELLY
CHAPTER 5 – CALMING THE STORM
CHAPTER 6- IMMUNE COMMUNE
CHAPTER 7 – TAKE OUT THE TRASH
CHAPTER 8 – DIET AND FOOD FOR LONG COVID
CHAPTER 9 – THE MEDICINES AND METHODS
CHAPTER 10 – CALLING ON THE MAGIC
CHAPTER 11 – WHY COVID?
APPENDICES
1. COVID LONG HAUL SIMPLE PROTOCOL
2. THE FIRE LOVE LOOP
3. COVID PANIC EMERGENCY MEDITATION
4. BLENDS AND RECIPIES
5. HOMEOPATHIC REPERTORY FOR COVID/LONG COVID
REFERENCES
INTRODUCTION
This book arose out of my journey with Long Haul Covid, or Post-Acute Sequelae Covid (PASC). I had previously dealt with Lyme disease from 2001-2009 and wrote a book on how I recovered, called: Liberating Yourself From Lyme, published with Inner Traditions in 2021. A great deal of that book can be applied here. My journey with Lyme was similar in the way of Long Haul Covid with the fatigue, anxiety and fear that arose, but much the physical symptomology of Covid was different for me. For example, I rarely if ever had a headache previous to Covid, and had never experienced MAST cell activation. I would say there was about a 20% similarity symptomatically.
The most important tool that arose during my battle with Lyme disease was an intuitive one, or becoming a medical intuitive during that process, that is, being able to see inside myself for diagnosis and remedies, and now applying the same tools to Long Haul Covid for complementing the healing process. As I also work as a scientist (biologist), my mind likes to know what’s going on too. This book spans the scientific to the spiritual, it is a full spectrum approach.
Since I was a child I have always been sensitive to sound and energy, in a way that seemed a bit unusual. These sensitivities and a love for nature brought me into the world of natural science as well as a passion for art and music. As an adult I now work as a field biologist and botanist, conducting rare plant and animal surveys, as well as a professional musician, touring venues and music festivals throughout North America. I have worked at both these crafts for over 30 years.
A third career developed along the way. I had struggled with health issues as a teenager and in my early twenties, which led me down the healing arts path. I went to massage school and I later obtained many certificates over the years in somatic and neuromuscular therapies. I also studied over the years: herbology, breathwork, meditation, anatomy and physiology, homeopathy, various healing modalities, and during my bout with Lyme, a study of antibiotics and many western pharmaceuticals. I have taught at workshops and conferences and do private consultations.
As I had been down the road of chronic illness before, I found my way out by creating my own protocol largely based on trusting my intuition, and backing it up with science. I take a very comprehensive approach, utilizing all the tools in the medicine kit.
When I was sick with Lyme disease, I began to “see” inside myself the way a shaman or medical intuitive might. I began to have sensory impressions or insights into what was going on inside my body, and remedies and things my body needed to heal came to me, like the way a dog craves grass, or some animals seek out specific plants when they are sick. These sensory impressions, or suggestions as I call them, provided a window into my healing, an ability I believe we all possess. I call it intuitive access, and believe this is an important tool for healing, and constitutes a major part of this book.
The intuitive process involves quieting the mind and tapping into your sensory perception. For example, we all get “hits” or that intuitive or gut feeling about something. It may come in the form of an image, a smell, a sound or word, or a feeling that seems to be beyond us. There is a difference between emotion, and sensory perception. Intuitive access comes from a relaxed, loving place. A place of listening. There are exercises in this book to help you cultivate this tool to find you own remedies and build the intuitive muscle.
Most of the remedies presented in this book came from this intuitive process and by taking copious notes during my illness. It has been both a humbling and validating process in many ways, teaching me to trust my intuition just as much as I would trust the knowledge of a doctor. I would often be “shown” a remedy and then find the medical research to back it up or have conversations with doctors to confirm and refine what I had intuited. This method helped me validate what I was seeing and sensing.
By utilizing my intuition, I am in no way invalidating science, in fact the opposite: I believe the scientific process is essential for collecting information, facts and validating (or not) what we intuitively hypothesize. This intuitive process is a kind of spiritual science, like an inner Sherlock Holmes looking for clues. As I would always look for the science to back up what I was intuiting (This wasn’t always possible), I was able to translate the symbology. As I have science brain, I am also able to grasp scientific articles, and did my best to cite original sources rather than cite “pop” science.
In addition to many common western medicines and herbs, I discovered several unusual medicines and techniques for healing Long Haul that I had never heard of, and I offer them here to help others as they have helped me. I also collected success stories from Covid Long Haul groups such as Survivor Corps. and many others. In addition, I read many a scientific paper on the nature and etiology of Long Haul Covid. Many doctors and practitioners I saw were also instrumental in protocols and various remedies.
The information presented in this book is broad, though not comprehensive, and includes not only my intuitive information but many success stories, protocols and promising remedies with the science to back it. Some suggestions and medicines are of an anecdotal and unproven nature, but I feel it is important to see what has worked for others. Sometimes science takes a moment to catch up to validating (or disproving) what may appear to be effective.
I rarely write about dosages in this book as I feel it is extremely important to work with a professional for that. And where a medicine may be particularly toxic or have a bad reaction with another medicine, I note that as so, or have eliminated it from this book. A hodgepodge of pills may work against you, and one persons’ remedy may be another’s poison, so always proceed with utmost caution, and again work with a qualified practitioner.
With Long Haul you must find the middle road: Find a good integrative or functional doctor or healer that understands Long Haul, and trust the intuitive process. Long Haul can be incredibly debilitating, but don’t be afraid to reach out to others for support and connection as well. We are not meant to do this alone.
Cracking the Long Haul Covid code has been an incredible group effort among scientists, doctors, practitioners, healers, and people like myself, searching for answers. It is my hope that this book not only teaches you to trust your intuition and unique path, but to find the remedies, practices and practitioners that work for you. Ultimately this book offering is to help you find a way through the suffering a lot quicker than I did, because Long Haul Covid is not fun, not fun at all. May this book be a piece of the puzzle.
MY STORY
Before I was sick with Covid, I was very healthy, bordering on athletic. I surfed, ran, swam, did yoga and breathwork, and exercised at least every two days. After having recovered from Lyme disease 13 years previous (2009) I considered myself very health conscious and on top of what worked for my body. I ate a mostly organic ketogenic diet with high fats, few grains, and lots of vegetables, tons of herbs and wheatgrass. I had plenty of love in my life, no real high stress, lots of meditation and so on. So much for that.
As studies are now showing, part of the problem is genetic, as we will explore later, as well as other predispositions. A component of my Long Haul, was likely that I had previously had Lyme disease and mold exposures, setting up for a malfunctioning or hypersensitive immune system, the other component was genetic as we discuss later.
My first symptoms of Covid-19 were in early December of 2020. It was likely the Alpha variety, and pre-vaccine. I likely contracted it during thanksgiving that year, as we had a few folks over, although no one else got sick. Unfortunately, I was not vigilant enough to wash my hands frequently and or wear a mask. I was a bit lazy about the seriousness early on. That was a tough lesson. If you are reading this book you’ve probably had Covid, but if you have not, stay vigilant, however that looks to you.
My symptoms were mostly mild, with some body aches and a low-grade fever for 3 days. I noticed I had lost my sense of smell after a week and that tipped me it might be Covid. I tested PCR positive on Dec 8. Except for the loss of smell the initial symptoms abated, but then a couple weeks later, Long Haul symptoms kicked in, with headaches (felt like a metallic ice cream headache or histamine alcohol hangover that never leaves), brain fatigue (More like a brain fire “electrical fizz or battery acid”), loss of smell, lethargy, weakness, general malaise, ringing in the ears, a mild cough (once a day for the first 4 months), sleeplessness, anxiety, an air hunger, jumbled thinking, depression and later a kind of mental “fritzing” or scrambled brain like going crazy. I also later had blurry vision in my right eye.
In addition, I suddenly developed a histamine (MAST cell activation) intolerance to certain high histamine foods that I had never experienced. I would get excruciating headaches and I had to sort out which foods now affected me. Foods that were “healthy” mainstays for me for years like sardines and fermented sauerkraut, had to be eliminated. Sometimes histamine headaches would be triggered for days from one food. Then I felt like I was going to die at times, like my brain and body just didn’t work anymore. It’s like someone pooped in your head. There were times I was in so much pain for so long I felt like giving up, as I know some do. Chronic pain can grind on a person and create a depression, but you must keep the faith and ride it out for the “Long Haul.” Plus, I have too many people I love including my newborn child, so I had to get well. I kept listening to the pain, going in there, using my intuitive tools, what’s it telling me? What is the matter? What does it need? I always took notes of my impressions.
I found an integrative M.D. in Los Angeles who understood Long Haul Covid, as well as returning to my old Lyme doctors, Doctor Stephen Harris and Dr. Runa Basu. Multiple blood tests showed an increase in cytokines and inflammatory markers (CCR5, IL10, and TNF-alpha) with increased glucose levels to prediabetic, C4A levels (chronic infection and inflammation), low testosterone levels, low CD-8/CD57 lymphocytes, high cholesterol, Increased levels of Epstein Barr Virus and other weird things like low uric acid. None of these symptoms or blood imbalances I had ever had before (Except CD57 with Lyme which had resolved years ago). These all turned out to be classic long-haul indicators and are typical with Long Haulers.
In addition to the MD,s I also went to herbalists, acupuncturists, homeopaths, osteopaths, Chinese medicine, did Neuroplasticity retraining (The Gupta Program) and various hands on and energy healers. As those with Covid know, you will do anything to get better. With all these treatments I also had to sort through my own intuitive protocol I was developing along the journey. Sometimes it was incredibly frustrating with waaaaay too many pills and was way too expensive to manage. But I kept at it and eventually narrowed it down to what was working for my body.
After a month my smell came back. Slowly but surely over a year I got better, narrowing down the remedies, foods, and practices outlined in this book. I wrote down my intuitive insights in a journal and always looked for correlated scientific research. As I understand scientific papers, I always went to the source paper when available. I slowly began to put together a protocol based on my intuitive “uploads”, with the guidance and feedback of doctors and healers. This protocol became unique to me, but resembled others protocols as well.
I tried everything from A to Z, which we discuss later in the book, including many herbs, homeopathics, western medicines, steroids, SSRI’s like fluvoxamine, Low dose Naltrexone, neuroplasticity programs, breathwork, diets, I.Vs, dissasociatives like Ketamine and psychedelics, shamanic ceremonies, bee venom, experimental drugs and pretty much anything. I tried the Pfizer vaccine after 8 months but had no noticeable change as some long haulers have. Then I took a second shot months later and improved approximately 30%. Hey, I’ll take it. There was no miracle cure for me, but a comprehensive integrative program as summarized in this book, including diet, western and alternative medicine, psycho-spiritual, mental and physical activities, and mostly of what came from my intuition, and really; time.
It’s important to find a doctor or healer that has all the tools in the kit, from western to alternative, because your likely going to need them all. And as we all know sometimes we don’t care what it is, we just want to feel better. However, It can be incredibly frustrating to take piles and piles of pills with no results, and bounce from doctor to doctor, some of who had never even heard of “Long Haul.” I spent thousands of dollars looking for help. Often the alternative or integrative doctors are far more expensive than the ones insurance covers. I considered going on disability as others do. I scoured many a long-haul site looking for answers. I found some answers and am incredibly grateful to the doctors and others that helped me, but ultimately just like with Lyme, I listened to what my body was telling me was the way out. There is a great collective of people on the same path, all offering clues to the mystery of Long Haul. Chronic illness and pain can be unbelievably frustrating, but we have to tap into the warrior within to stay alive. But even greater, anchoring firmly in the part of myself that was not sick, the place beyond disease. This was my most important medicine, and hopefully yours, and I will help you to anchor in that place (plus it’s less expensive).
This book is not a substitute for a doctor, but hopefully a tool, to see what not only I intuited as a guide, but what you may intuit. Becoming your own medical intuitive as an adjunct tool is incredibly powerful and humbling. After all it is your body, and ultimately your willingness to heal and listen. Hang in there, there is a way through.
[FN] Note: When I speak about intuitive insights I will often use the word “see” or another word in quotes, this implies there was an intuitive sense, and not in the literal sense.
CHAPTER 1. LONG HAUL SCIENCE
I had many an intuitive moment over the course of the disease for remedies, practices and foods that would be helpful, but also the nature and etiology of the disease. Sometimes I didn’t understand what I was “seeing” or sensing, but I always looked to find the scientific evidence of what I was intuiting, and was able to put many pieces of the puzzle together over time. In this chapter we focus on the science and nature of the disease.
The scientific understanding of Long Haul Covid is still emerging with many doctors, scientists, patients and laypersons, racing to find answers. I can imagine that by the time you read this, new information and breakthroughs will occur, maybe even a miracle cure and I am sure some of the science presented below will be outdated.
The following are general overviews of the nature of Covid-19, and are presented here to have a basic scientific understanding of the disease, it is by no means comprehensive. There may be pieces of the puzzle I missed or arose after this book was written, so please forgive me. There are many references at the end of the book, and much more information online, if you so desire further scientific understanding.
ACUTE COVID - Viral infection
The Covid-19 virus consists of replicating RNA enclosed in a lipid membrane. On the outside of the membrane are spike proteins (actually they are glycoproteins: chains of amino acids with a sugar coating) that pierce cells and allow the virus to enter and replicate. The Covid 19 Virus accesses the body through the S1 spike protein via the angiotensin converting enzyme or ACE-2 protein receptors (found in the gut, heart and brain), which triggers infection and inflammation 1 ,2 .
As stated before, my initial infection was mild, but I remember this distinct feeling that it started or hit me in the gut first. I remember “seeing” the virus in my meditations, and I “heard” the sound of a machine, as if it was casting a metallic object over and over. I heard the sound, “Kachunk, Kachunk, Kachunk, Kachunk….” like a replicating little metal bug.
Is it alive? Most scientists say no, some say maybe. To me I would say – just barely.
It turns out that Covid-19 disrupts the gut microbiome where much of the immune system resides 3. In addition, a previous gut imbalance can indicate severity 4. I remember early on, I had a clear vison of my gut being torn up, like tiles from a floor that had been pulled up. It’s like Covid disables the army in your gut first, then goes and wreaks havoc. Sneaky little beasts. So, the gut then becomes a key place for healing. We will discuss rebuilding the gut more in Chapter 4 and Chapter 6.
Estimates (2022) say that approximately 80% (depending on the variant) of Covid cases will be initially mild while up to 20% can be severe (often with underlying conditions, age, and ethnicity factors), often involving the lungs, and hospitalization 5. These statistics are now shifting with the increased prevalence of Long Haul Covid (PASC), and the new variants including Delta and Omicron. Perhaps by the time you read this we will be done with Acute Covid, but I am sure still dealing with all the fallout of Long Haul.
Severe Acute Covid can create neurological disorders, micro clots, brain bleeding, stroke, vascular and neurologic inflammation, encephalitis, encephalopathy, epilepsy, pulmonary issues, neurodegenerative diseases, organ damage, and inflammatory-mediated neurological disorders, death and much more 6. A cytokine storm takes over and overwhelms the body and can cause permanent organ damage including the brain 7.
Unfortunately, I did have permanent kidney damage (about 25% loss of function) as well as I suspect some brain damage from Long Haul. Fortunately, the brain has plasticity and can heal around damaged areas as we shall see.
Viral replication
According to the latest study’s actual competent viral replication with Alpha was unlikely after 20 days but possible. There are however cases of viral shedding (viral debris/DNA) over more than 2.5 months and longer 8. However, it looks like, according to researchers, that Long Haul Covid is not a disease of a replicating virus, but the fallout or “trash” from it.
LONG HAUL COVID or POST ACUTE SEQUELAE COVID (PASC)
Many researchers and scientists call Long Haul or PASC a different disease from Acute Covid. Acute Covid is an infection or a replicating virus, whereas PASC is a disease of chronic inflammation, created from the damage to blood vessels and organs by leftover viral debris (spike proteins) of the virus (or spike proteins from the vaccine-see below), and a malfunctioning immune system with auto- antibodies gone haywire. Conservative estimates on August of 2021, place cases of Long Haul Covid at more than 15 million cases 9.
Long Haul Covid or PASC is defined loosely as having symptoms past 3 months. These symptoms can often differ from the initial infection or even come after being asymptomatic. They can include difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, tiredness or fatigue, symptoms that get worse after physical or mental activities (also known as post-exertional malaise), difficulty thinking or concentrating (sometimes referred to as “brain fog”), cough, chest or stomach pain, headache, tachycardia, fast-beating or pounding heart (also known as heart palpitations), joint or muscle pain, pins-and-needles feeling, diarrhea, sleep problems, fever, dizziness on standing (lightheadedness), rash, mood changes, change in smell or taste, changes in menstrual period cycles, hormonal disruption, thyroid issues increased glucose, mental disruption and psychiatric issues, hair loss, blurry vision that can lead to cataracts and so on. 10 Here is a link to an excellent video summarizing symptoms: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkSI87l8eqc.
The latest studies (2022) show that approximately 20-40% (or more) of mild and severe cases may develop into Long Haul Covid 11. The numbers are likely from the original Alpha strain, however there are many reports (at time of this writing) of Delta variant Long Haul, even after vaccination and in children 12. Long Haul Covid from other strains like Omicron, remain to be seen. Evidence in polls conducted by survivor corps also indicates that even previously vaccinated people, who had a “breakthrough” case, went on to develop Long Haul 13. This whole scenario results in immune dysregulation and gene changes 14. A Long Haul or persistent Covid syndrome can last for months and even years 15.
In my case, when asking my body intuitively why I had Long Haul Covid, I clearly “heard” the word, “genetics,” as well as getting a “hit,” that my previously having had Lyme disease set up a hypersensitivity in my immune system. This was before I had read anything about this.
Previous to infection with Covid, my blood tests showed normal levels of EBV, glucose, testosterone and cholesterol as well as normal levels of immune cells and vitamins and minerals. I had no real Lyme disease symptoms for over 13 years previous, and had tested negative for that many times. In short, I was just fine previous to Covid. We will see shortly how Covid can disrupt the homeostasis of the body and stir up latent “bugs” like Lyme.
In the following I present the evidence for predispositions to Long Haul, the two main working theories of the etiology of long haul, and other symptoms and issues that arise from the corresponding inflammation. It is by no means comprehensive, and new studies will bring more light.
Predispositions
There are many potential predispositions to PASC that are just being discovered, but they can include: diabetes, genetics, obesity, diet, gut dysbiosis, vitamin and mineral levels, stress levels and hypertension, elevated triglycerides and cholesterol levels, impaired insulin and higher levels of glucose, inflammation, previous infections, presence of Epstein Barr and other viruses, autoimmunity, exposure to toxins like molds, blood proteins and biomarkers like decreased CD8 T cells, and much more. 16, , 17, 18. 19. We discuss some of these factors later in the book.
There are also a number of genetic or DNA indicators being discovered that indicate a predisposition to Acute Covid and PASC 20. In addition to others, it appears that Neanderthal DNA may be one of the main culprits, as a study found that a higher level of Neanderthal DNA resulted in a greater chance of severe Covid. 21. This also correlates with studies that show many seemingly healthy people including children, can develop PASC 22. Conversely some Neanderthal DNA seems to protect us from Covid as well. 23. Interestingly I was tested for Neanderthal DNA (23 and me DNA test) and had higher levels (I think I knew this when I ate some “magic” mushrooms one time, but that’s another story).
Lingering Spike Proteins / Viral Debris
In very important studies done by Dr. Bruce Patterson and his team, they found a common culprit in Long Haulers: The lingering spike protein. In one study they found that in Long Haulers the non-replicating Covid S1 spike protein crosses the blood brain barrier, and persists inside a type of white blood cell called a non-classical monocyte. These non-classical monocytes normally patrol the blood vessel walls and they go all over the body. In Dr. Patterson’s study the spike proteins were found up to 15 months after the initial infection (at the time of writing) from those who had developed Covid early in 2020, lingering inside these non-classical monocytes. 24.
Another study, published in the journal of Lung cell physiology, conducted with Covid infected mice, researchers found the same thing – lingering spike proteins causing immune dysregulation 25 . In an important study, researchers led by Hiu Jiang at the University of Stockholm, found lingering spike proteins in the nucleus of embryonic kidney cells that impaired normal DNA damage repair and had the potential to turn these cells cancerous 26. Basically, the spike proteins disabled any DNA repair in the cells.
These spike protein carrying monocytes then attach to blood vessel walls via receptors called CCR5 and Fractalkine, creating elevated cytokines and vascular inflammation. Interestingly CCR5 is the same receptor that HIV uses, and there is similarity in some proteins in HIV as found in the spike protein 27. The spike protein carrying monocytes cause microtears to occur in the blood vessel walls, leaking plasma, and causing micro clots 28.
Normally these monocytes gobble up the virus and its spikes and die off, but in Long Haulers they can persist for months or years not breaking down properly. This reminds me of Lyme disease where you deal with similar “persistor cells” that cause all sorts of dysregulation and irritation. I wrote about this in my book, “Liberating Yourself From Lyme,” however in my experience Lyme kept replicating in the form of dormant cysts that could hatch and flare up. Lyme was more like a chronic infection, where Long Haul is more like a backed-up sewage system with non-replicating viral debris (spike proteins). Dr. Patterson and his team use CCR5, and Fractalkine antagonists (monocyte receptor blockers) to stop the monocytes from attaching to receptors, thereby stopping or slowing the inflammation (See Chapter 7 on Medicines and Methods).
In my intuitive meditations I saw just that: I have “seen” the spike proteins inside myself. To me they looked like colorful tinker toys, but one thing stood out, they were as hard as a rock. They looked like little rocks, or a grain of sand. They were like trash to me that would not break down, rotting and stinking up the place.
I also had a moment where I was “scanning” through the spike protein itself, and found the tiniest bit of intelligence, as if it had just a wee bit of programming in it. This turns out to be the case. In a study conducted in the scientific journal E-life, they found just that: The immune system does not recognize the spike protein or the spike protein avoids immunity by mutating and escaping from antibodies hiding out in white blood cells and in other cells 29 .
With lingering spike proteins, antibodies respond to the antigen presenting non-classical monocytes (white blood cells) with the spike proteins stuck inside, adding to the foray with an immune system in hypersensitive overdrive. In other words, it’s like they are saying to other immune cells, “help! there is something in me, come get it!” But there’s a problem. The spike proteins are inside the monocyte white blood cells that tried to clean them up in the first place. Then other cells come to the rescue and may end up just attacking the monocytes, setting up an auto-antibody or auto-immune situation as scientists have discovered. This sets up a massive inflammatory response.
Vaccine injury or Vaccine Long Haul
With the MRNA vaccines, a “script” is created to form fusion spike proteins in the body to help create antibodies. Normally the body makes the antibodies to Covid, and cleans out the remaining fusion spike proteins.
However, in another forthcoming study conducted by Dr. Bruce Patterson and team, using the same methodology as described above, they found the same issue with people having similar Long Haul type symptoms from the vaccine only: The spike protein was found inside the non-classical monocytes from those who had only been vaccinated, months out of having been vaccinated 30. (Lecture – Paper coming).
In this case, the monocytes come along to eat the fusion spike proteins from the vaccine, but they can’t break them down and they get stuck like a splinter or grain of sand inside the cells just as with Covid, and one can develop Long Haul symptoms.
In addition, the study in Stockholm led by Hui Jiang, they suggest because of the toxicity and damage the spike protein does to DNA, that the full spike protein vaccines (Moderna, Pfizer, Johnson and Johnson) may not appropriate for a percentage of the population, but rather a protein subunit vaccine or other type of vaccine may be better for some with a predisposition to full spike proteins.
I personally know 7 good friends who have or had “Vaccine Long Haul” for months and all suffered similar long-term symptoms such as tachycardia, ringing in the ears, flare ups of other viruses causing shingles, rashes, hair falling out, brain fog etc.
What all this information suggests is that a percentage of the population that get Covid spike proteins or vaccine spike proteins, may develop Long Haul Covid, because of genetics and/or a predisposition, as they cannot properly break down the spike proteins and/or will have an auto-antibody malfunction. Vaccine Long Haul is likely less prevalent as studies are indicating as the total exposure to spike proteins from the vaccine is less than the actual infection 31. This has been seen in anecdotal evidence from doctor Patterson’s work, where approximately 10% of Covid Long Haulers were from the Vaccine only 32. Vaccine spike protein damage leaves out the initial damage and corresponding long-term effects from the infection itself, which adds to the foray and makes the symptoms (usually) worse.
Auto-antibodies / Anti-idiotype antibodies
In my intuitive meditations I remember hearing the word, “malfunction” with my immune system and seeing crossed wires in my brain. This suggested to me that my body was having a hard time dealing with this “trash.”
In a major review of scientific articles in the new England journal of medicine presented what is called the Network hypothesis of an anti-idiotype antibody or auto-antibody issue with Covid Log Haulers. Normally antibodies are made toward the spike protein, but because of a malfunction in some people, new antibodies are made to the old antibodies that look like the spike protein. The new antibodies think the old antibodies are the spike proteins too, and attack them 33. These autoantibodies also attack the ACE 2 enzyme that regulates the immune system as well as attacking white blood cells (likely the monocytes with spike protein) and other cells 34. The autoantibodies also cause blood clotting and microtear damage 35. This scenario is similar to autoimmune diseases like Lupus. 36. These antibodies have been discovered along with higher than normal protein levels in cerebral spinal fluid and the same auto-antibody situation was also found in some vaccinated persons 37.
I also “saw” very clearly in my meditations, bloody clots and tearing in the blood vessels, also with scabs attempting to heal over. It’s like to being allergic to your own blood, or Immune soldiers gone PTSD in a bombed-out city: quite the mess.
The damage from the initial infection, the lingering spike proteins in the monocytes, and the auto-antibodies can also trigger a cytokine storm with MAST cell (like an allergic response) activation that release histamines into the brain, causing brain neuroinflammation, vasodilation, congestion, “brain fog” 38, as well as a myriad of other PASC inflammatory symptoms such as: ringing in the ears, hair loss, rashes, heart palpitations (tachycardia), neurologic issues, lymphatic stagnancy, psychiatric conditions and much more 39. A histamine sensitivity to food can then develop (It did in my body). So then neutralizing these auto-antibodies becomes important as does breaking down or removing the spike proteins.
Cytokines
The dysregulation with the lingering spike proteins and auto-antibodies as discussed above, can cause a large increase (or decrease) in Cytokines. Cytokines are small proteins and include chemokines, interferons, interleukins, lymphokines, and tumor necrosis factor and are released by the immune system and immune cells. Cytokines are produced by a broad range of cells, including immune cells like macrophages, B lymphocytes, T lymphocytes and mast cells. Cytokines modulate the balance with immune responses, and they regulate the maturation, growth, and responsiveness of particular cell populations. Types of cytokines involved in Long Haul are TNF-Alpha, Interleukins (IL) IL2, IL-4, IL-6 ,IL-8, IL-10, and IL-13. Other cytokines include: GM-CSF, SCD40L, CCL5 (RANTES) CCL3 (MIP-1 ALPHA), IFN-GAMMA, VEGF, CCL4. 40. These create a Long Hauler panel or index when these are high. There are now tests for this cytokine Long Hauler Index at some labs. See covidlonghaulers.com for more information. I tested high for some of these cytokines, particularly CCL5 and TNF-Alpha.
The key Cytokines with Long Haul that are most important and show up with high levels are TNF-Alpha, CCL5 and IL6. IL6 in high quantities causes the blood vessels to dilate and literally become leaky and ooze. This can create a host of vascular congestion issues including brain swelling, confusion, low albumin, activation of fibroblasts and problems with the skin, increased heart rate and many inflammatory issues with Long Haul.
There are many medicines that can help to reduce these cytokines such IL6 such as Low Dose Naltrexone 41, and we explore this later in Chapter 7: Medicines and Methods.
[CAP] Insert Fig 1.1
Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) / Histamine
Mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) is one type of mast cell activation disorder (MCAD), and is an immunological condition in which mast cells inappropriately and excessively release chemical mediators, resulting in a range of chronic symptoms. When mast cells detect a substance that triggers an allergic reaction (spike protein?), they release histamine and other chemicals into the bloodstream. Histamine makes the blood vessels expand and the surrounding skin itchy and swollen 42.
Normally histamine is important for allergies, but in this case we run into a chronic histamine overload and suddenly any foods high in histamine exacerbate the issue. I developed histamine reactions to foods within a few weeks of Covid. I had never experienced that before. If I at the wrong food like sardines, Whammo!, massive headaches sometimes for days. We explore diet and medicines for calming this reaction in the following chapters.
Vagus Nerve and PTSD
The vagus nerve, which is the longest nerve of the autonomic nervous system, becomes impaired resulting in dysfunctional brainstem signaling. 43 The spike protein also impairs DNA repair as we have seen, so the body has a hard time healing 44. In addition the Sympathetic nervous system (which responds to flight or fight) gets stuck in a kind of Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) loop of alarm stemming from the limbic system and the Amygdala of the brain 45. We explore methods for healing this in Chapter Calming the storm
Vascular and Neural Inflammation
it appears that the spike proteins and auto-antibodies may be the major culprit in PASC but there can be organ and tissue damage from the Initial infection and corresponding inflammation in the nervous system and vascular system. In my intuitive meditations, I also images of bombed out buildings, blood cell damage, micro clots and smoking embers as if a fire had raged through my brain. All this creates post inflammation and a corresponding variety of symptoms that can manifest in different ways, such as hair loss, skin rashes, swelling, back pain and a myriad of other inflammatory caused issues.
Cortisol and Hormone disruption
An inflamed pituitary gland in the brain causes dysfunctions with aldosterone, lowered cortisol (which regulate stress and blood sugar or glucose) Insulin, and glucose 46, 47. In addition, from the pituitary imbalance, hormone imbalances occur with lower testosterone levels in men or irregular menstrual cycles in women. Blood tests with long haulers are often reflective of these imbalances.
Other Bugs
Previous immune dysregulation from infections like Lyme disease, Herpes family viruses like Epstein Barr, Varicella (shingles and chickenpox) Mononucleosis etc. may be stirred up and complicate, or even be the new problem 48. Candida albicans, normally kept in check along with molds can also flare up. It’s like the immune system is so taxed with Covid, any bug under the surface gets a “get out of jail free” card, and then they go wreak havoc. This flare up of EBV and other Herpes family is common with Long Haulers 49.
POTS
Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a blood circulation disorder characterized by a specific group of symptoms that frequently occur when standing upright and a heart rate increase from horizontal to standing of at least 30 beats per minute in adults, measured during the first 10 minutes of standing. Long Haul Covid can trigger these symptoms from the vascular inflammation. 50
Mitochondrial Imbalances
Mitochondria are organelles that serves as a cell’s primary source of energy production in the form of ATP. In the event of an infection, mitochondria contribute to immunity by engaging the interferon system, altering their structure, and inducing programmed cell death (apoptosis). Mitochondria get stressed from infections and are not as efficient, and they can become hijacked and severely damaged by the virus, creating more inflammation and cytokines. Defective mitochondria can also cause an iron buildup, increased coagulation and greater cell death 51. High antioxidant foods become important here, I had many a vision for blueberries, pomegranates, garlic, blackberries, oils and more.
Brain Damage / Mental Illness
Research has shown that Covid, even mild cases can permanently damage the brain 52. Long Covid has also been shown to cause mental illness, confusion, a kind of psychosis and derangement of thoughts and dreams 53. When I was at my worse I remember the feeling of anxiety and panic, as my brain no longer worked properly. A very real mental instability crept in with scrambled thoughts. I can see why some with Long Covid check into mental institutions. It can be very debilitating. I found the SSRI Fluvoxamine helped me considerably with this and has been found to be of great benefit for some long haulers 54.
Fortunately, there is a plasticity or reorganization of the brain where the brain can repair itself or find new neural networks and connections 55. Brain and neural enhancing drugs and herbs come into play here, especially the medicinal mushrooms like: Lions Mane Rieshi, Chaga and Turkey Tail, as well as micro-dosing psychedelic mushrooms 56, 57. We explore this later.
Cholesterol
A patient with high cholesterol increases his chances for severe or Long Covid, but also the virus synthesizes or sort of “backs up” cholesterol (HDL) in the system 58. This was my case where my cholesterol levels went up for no apparent reason other than Covid. Turns out the virus likes to infect cholesterol as well 59.
Gut Imbalances
Imbalances in the gut may influence the severity of all these inflammatory symptoms 60. And Covid disrupts the gut as well. Gut dysbiosis and leaky gut can drive chronic illness, including Long Haul 61. Specific flora may be compromised such as Bifidobacterium, a probiotic that has been found to be low in Long Haulers 62. We also look at a number of emotional issues, that can underlie this imbalance. See chapter 4 – The Fire In Your Belly and Chapter 6 on the section on the gut for discussion.
Tinnitus and Vision
The Vestibular nerve and Cochlear nerves are affected and can cause chronic vertigo and ringing in the ears. 63. I had consistent ringing in the ears all throughout Long Haul. I heard the word “vestibular” and saw the plant Iris. Iris versicolor turns out is a good homeopathic for ringing and buzzing in the ears. (See Appendix 5 for a list of helpful Homeopathics). Eyes can also be damaged by Covid. Neurological and hormonal damage can manifest as blurry vision and develop into cataracts, a symptom seen in many Long Haulers including myself 64.
Gas imbalance
An “air hunger” which I had is a common Long-Haul symptom. Covid patients may have lower levels of Carbon Dioxide (Hypocapnia) in the blood 65, and/ or reduced oxygen levels in blood (Hypoxia) 66. I often had images gas bubbles, the smoke from a bubbly water (Carbon Dioxide) and oxygen tanks in my intuitive meditations. There are breathwork exercises that can help this. We explore this later.
Exercise
Exercise also exacerbates the symptoms 67. If we do cardio exercise it increases the white blood cell count and ramps up the immune system, but that’s exactly what we don’t want. We want a calming of the immune system.
Glymphatic System
The lymphatic and glymphatic (Cerebral spinal fluid) systems get overwhelmed and backed up causing soreness in lymph areas in the neck with all the “trash” of the virus and dying cells. 68. The back of my head was always sore along the sides of my occiput, and I always had images of dirty bathrooms, clogged sewage systems, and piles of trash.
[A] Analogies
Army
The acute Covid infection storms through a body, it may be mild or severe, and creates all sorts of damage to blood vessels, neurons and cells. It’s like someone drops a bomb in your town, complete with smoldering fires, spike mines, rogue soldiers, smoking trash and damaged buildings. The immune army comes along to clean up the problem and break down the virus and spike mines. The immune army breaks down everything but in people with a predisposition, they can’t disarm the spike mines (They were not trained in this) and some soldiers end up getting confused and don’t recognize the spike mines at all. The spike mine also tricks the soldiers and some soldiers end up looking like more spikes. The immune system ramps up and sends out messages to other special forces to come help. New confused soldiers kill the old soldiers instead. The immune system in a sense becomes allergic to its own blood, attacking the spike “zombies” that it thinks are going to come back to life. But its’ too late, the soldiers start zapping innocent women and children and fellow soldiers. In addition, other “bugs” that were in prison like Epstein Barr virus, escape and wreak havoc as well while the guard is down. Then the medics and cleanup crew are overwhelmed as trash and dead soldiers are not being removed and back up, creating more inflammation, stagnant blood and lymph, like a broken garbage disposal with rotting trash.
Car analogy
It’s like the immune engine is racing and not in gear, as the carbonator is flooding the engine. Meanwhile someone poured sand (spike proteins) in the transmission and the car won’t go into gear as the tranny is not working properly. The racing engine creates too much gas and backfires clogging up the tailpipe with exhaust and pollution.
Basically, the whole thing is a shitshow.
[B] Summary
In addition to predispositions both genetic and pre-existing, there appear to be a number of factors pointing to the drivers of Long Haul Covid. The major components from my research and intuition appear to be:
1. Damage from the initial infection and corresponding damage.
2. Lingering spike proteins
3. Auto-antibodies / malfunctioning immune system
4. Other viruses and bacteria that have flared up.
5. Vascular and neural Inflammation resulting from above, leading to a myriad of symptoms, MCAST, blood clotting, brain fog, headaches, hormonal and chemistry imbalances etc.
6. The limbic system- Stuck in a trauma loop with an immune system in overdrive
7. Backed up lymphatic and glymphatic system
Goals:
The following become our goals, and are outlined in the rest of the book:
1. Decrease inflammation, MAST cell histamine and the Cytokine storm – Put the fire out.
2. Block/ Calm down/stop/die off (apoptosis), the overactive monocytes and rogue immune cells. Block these monocytes from docking/binding at their receptor sites (CCR5 and Fractalkine) on blood vessels. Repolarize
4. Dissolve the spike proteins (and blood clots) with medicines, or re-educate the immune system and new white blood cells to recognize and dissolve the spike proteins / let them go.
5. Get better blood flow, oxygen and CO2 to the brain.
6. Lymphatic and Glymphatic drainage and detoxification.
7. Get the gut microbiome in top shape and heal the gut lining.
8. Eradicate any lingering Covid RNA or other viruses like EBV and bacteria that have flared up.
9. Heal the genetics (Epigenetics) or underlying emotional and ancestral traumas, or predispositions (if possible) that may be adding to the dysregulation of the immune system.
10. Retrain the brain with neuroplasticity retraining programs like NRDS and the Gupta Program which work with the Amygdala and the Limbic System. Stand down the PTSD soldiers. Calm down the sympathetic nervous system. Stimulate the vagus nerve
11. Get the Mitochondria back on Track.
12. Time - Give the immune system time and rest.
CHAPTER 2 INTUITIVE ACCESS
In this chapter we will shift gears from science to what I call spiritual science. If our goal is healing, one of the most important tools you have is your own intuition. This tool was instrumental in my own healing. This to me is really what this book does best, teach you to be your own medical intuitive.
These words came to me years ago when I was battling Lyme disease, and again they are appropriate here. They have been a tremendous source of inspiration over the years:
THE HEALING DECREE OF IMMUNITY
Walk in Love
Walk in Peace
Ask the matter,
what’s the matter?
End the mental chatter.
Look closely what do you see?
Work with the physicality
Bless your Body,
And the Enemy.
Liberate those that Seek to Harm Thee
Stand Firm Against Those That Seek to Harm Thee
Forgive yourself From the Past
Support your immune system to do its task
Learning to Listen
Years ago (about 2004) when I was suffering with Lyme disease, the doctor I was seeing put me on intravenous antibiotics. I went into the hospital every day for forty days, and I would lie in the hospital bed while an intravenous (IV) bag was hooked up to me to receive ceftriaxone, an antibiotic. Lyme had gotten into my brain as was causing horrible symptoms. This was about 2 years into my battle with Lyme disease, which left me bedridden and in and out of countless doctors and piles of pills. I was desperately looking for answers.
One day while lying in the hospital bed with the IV, I had a glimpse of another way to heal: My brain felt like it was on fire and swollen, and I was moaning, covered in sweat. As I lay in the hospital bed, I began to cry. I was in a state of utter despair. What in the hell was going on? Why was I sick again after taking antibiotics? I began to pray for help, for anyone or anything to show me what was going on, to show me the way.
I remember thinking I could still breathe so I focused on my breathing. Because I couldn’t think properly (Lyme jumbles your brain), I began to feel more. If I can still feel, and I can still breathe, and I can still love, I still exist, I thought. If I still exist then what’s the matter?
Then I “felt” into my brain and asked, What’s the matter? as if my brain were a little baby. I imagined I was cradling it. Very gently and lovingly, I asked again, What’s the matter? I felt like a mother who senses something is wrong with her baby, even though the baby can’t speak. With all of the love and tender feelings I could muster, I “cradled” my brain and asked again: What’s the matter? I love you, brain. What’s the matter?
Then a miracle happened. I had a vision. I saw a beautiful large oak tree in the woods, and up the side of the trunk, shelf mushrooms were growing. Not the kind on the ground, but the ones that grow on the tree. Rows and rows of these beautiful mushrooms spiraled up the tree toward the sky in my vision.
I remembered I “saw” three kinds. Two I recognized from my work as a field biologist: one type was reishi mushrooms, another was turkey tail mushrooms, and the third I had to wait till I got out of the hospital to look up, but it was called chaga.
I need these, I thought.
The vision was so clear and in a place of love that I knew there must be something to it. Once I was out of the hospital, I researched the mushrooms. It turns out that reishi mushrooms have been used for thousands of years as an immune booster in Chinese medicine. Turkey tail mushrooms are also immune boosters and are part of an anticancer drug currently being developed and tested called PSK, and chaga is another incredible immune booster (Stamets 1999). These mushrooms have become quite popular today but back in 2004, I hadn’t heard much about them.
A short time after getting out of the hospital, I read in National Geographic about Ötzi the Iceman. Ötzi, a 5,300-year-old man who had been mummified in ice, was found in the Alps in 1991 by hikers on an unusually warm day. He was brought to scientists, who examined him to discover how he died, what he ate, and what diseases he suffered from. It turns out Ötzi had Lyme disease (Hall 2011). Reading this nearly bowled me over. Lyme disease, I realized, had been around for a long time, or at least some version of it has. Ötzi wore a belt with a leather pouch, and guess what was in that pouch? Shelf mushrooms like I had seen in my vision: tinder fungus or polypore (Fomes fomentarius), and birch polypore (Fomitopsis betulina). Both mushrooms are antibiotic and antiparasitic (Stamets and Zwickey 2014). Then I got chills. I speculated he was treating his Lyme disease with these mushrooms. Whether he had visited a shaman or had intuited this cure himself, I have no doubt he was using them to treat himself. I used the information from the article as validation, confirming my intuition that reishi and shelf mushrooms could help me heal. They became a big part of my healing from Lyme disease back then. I completely healed from Lyme disease by listening to that deeper wisdom and creating my own protocol based on my intuition.
These mushrooms today have become quite popular and as with Lyme they are very helpful with Long Haul Covid. Back then in 2004 there wasn’t much information about them. But it was this powerful intuitive vision that led me down another path: that perhaps the answers are already there, we just have to accessthem. Intuition became a powerful tool in my medicine kit.
Intuitive science
After I got out of the hospital, I began to hone my intuitive skills, much like one would practice an instrument or develop a muscle. I began to practice the art of intuitive sensory perception inside my own body, and wrote down what I was seeing, tasting, smelling, and hearing during my meditations. What we call clairvoyance, clairaudience, and so on is, as Carl Jung suggested, the spirit speaking symbolically (Jung 1968). I would then do research on what I was experience and look for the science to validate my intuition and hone in on proper doses with doctors and practitioners.
These tools became invaluable when I was hit with Long Haul Covid, once again I went back to this artform of listening, and I would see, hear, taste, smell (once it came back), the remedies, medicines and practices my body was showing me I needed to heal. A place beyond the mind.
The Holographic Medicine Chest
Our physical bodies have evolved and adapted on Earth for millions of years. All the plants, animals, and minerals that make up Earth have evolved and adapted along with us. Our bodies are made up of the basic mineral building blocks of Earth and, I believe, are infused with the breath or spirit that animates all life (or however you see it). It is this interface of spirit and matter that many call the soul. Many cultures access this as a place of feeling and being rather than thinking. When you are in this state of your soul, plant and animal spirits and angels can communicate in the form of symbols, images, dreams, synchronous events, feelings, and sensory impressions, which are much more palpable. We need to quiet the mind, relax, and enter into a feeling of love to sense this. Though our ancestors wove it into their daily lives, most of us have forgotten this ancient wisdom and, along with it, the innate ability to know what or how we need to heal. I believe we all have the ability to access this information, though some people are more naturally attuned to it than others. In reality, there is what I call a “holographic medicine chest” that we all can access. All the minerals, plants, animals, and medicines in and on Earth that have been here for millennia are potential medicines waiting to be discovered. But in order to access this we have to “end the mental chatter.”
Though we are more removed from our instincts than animals, humans are still animals with the capacity to know what we need to heal. We can access our intuition through meditation, dreams, movement, breath, relaxation, dance, stillness, and many other healing modalities. A healer can also hold the space and be a catalyst for this exploration as well.
As I believe we each possess this remarkable gift, we need to create the space for the magic to unfold. We have to practice the art of intuitive sensory perception, as I call it.
The Intuitive Process
We all have had experience with this, the “ah ha,“ moments, the sixth sense, the hits, the downloads, trusting the gut, the guidance, and the intuitive insights into the nature of reality. When you listen to the body’s wisdom, the deep messages or sensory impressions of the soul, it can help guide you toward finding life balance. Your intuition can magically show you what can be helpful in your healing. You must be open to listening to these messages from your body, mind, and soul The pain asks us to embody, to use all the tools in our kit, to open into the places that may be frightening, and to discover the healing gifts hidden within the suffering.
We can access the intuition in the “Liminal space” that place between the worlds, between the mental and the spiritual. That feeling when we just wake up from sleep. The intuition may come in the form of an image in your mind eye, or a smell, a thought, a word, a sound, a feeling, a synchronicity and so on. Your sensory perception becomes a window into the body. This is an important tool for healing, to be able to feel into the body to perceive what it is that the body needs. The body/spirit will show you what it needs to heal, but we have to listen, to quiet the mind.
Intuitive Meditation:
Lie down and get comfortable. Put on some calming music or nature sounds. Close your eyes. Begin to take some deep breaths. Breath in- counting 4, breathe out counting 6. Squeeze your whole body and let go. Relax. Feel your feet. Relax them. Soften. Feel your head. Relax the jaw with the exhale.. Breathe. relax the eyes and Breathe. Relax the ears, breathe. Relax the back of the neck, breathe. Let the head melt into your heart. Imagine it is like melted butter, folding into your chest, into your heart. As if your sensory perception of the world now comes from your heart. Imagine a flame like a candle there. Now begin to think of the things you love. A pet, a partner, a child, trees, the ocean, snowcapped mountains etc. Keep thinking of what you love until you generate the feeling of love. Take a deep breath. Now take that feeling of love and cradle a painful area in your body. Bring it into your heart and cradle it from there. it could be an arm, your brain, your liver or your whole immune system. Whatever is calling for attention the most. Hold that place like a mother would hold her baby. Rock it gently. Tell it you love it. Use all your senses and feel into it. Lovingly ask “What’s the matter?” What do you need? Breathe and listen…What’s it saying? What’s it feel like? What’s it look like? See, Taste, Smell, Hear, Listen with your sensory perception. Breath, relax and listen. Stay in this place as long as you like, returning to the feeling of love, by thinking about what you love if you wander. Then when you are ready thank yourself and open your eyes.
If anything came to you, write it down in an intuitive journal, even if you have no idea what it is. Perhaps it was a food, maybe an object, maybe a pill you need, maybe a word, maybe something else like an image of a person, maybe a metallic feeling. We are looking for clues. Be open to anything. Sometimes there may be nothing, or just the pain that you sense. That’s OK, just keep practicing, as it takes time. Practice this art again and again. This is a powerful tool, a way out, maybe even a cure.
I found the best time to do this meditation is in the morning, when you just wake up and are in that subliminal or in-between state of waking and dreaming we call the liminal space, but you can do it anytime. Using the intuition, it’s like building a muscle, as we practice the art of intuitive sensory perception. It’s like a Sherlock Holmes looking for clues and hints inside the body. We all have this ability, some have developed it more, some don’t trust it, and so some have left it behind. But most of us would say to always trust your gut, and listen to your heart. Consider building this practice, building this tool, become your own investigator into the nature of illness. What’s there? What’s under the surface?
This does not mean abandon your doctors or healers, it simply means that there is a powerful tool, an adjunct to your healing right there inside of you, you just have to listen.