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Letter to My Community

For weeks, I have been carefully assessing the nature of COVID-19. Like most of my colleagues, I suspended my practice to prevent becoming a vector of disease. During this short time away, the world has been turned upside-down. The unprecedented series of events has culminated in a pervasive sense of panic and despair across our global community. We have a healthcare system ill-equipped to handle this pandemic and people with respiratory symptoms are being sent home from hospitals to manage alone! Yes, COVID-19 is formidable. I also see a new health crisis being created by the fierce psycho-emotional impact this is having on our populace. In response, I have created a plan to minimize risk while reopening my doors.

 

You are my family and I will continue to provide hands on care for you during this difficult time.

 

I have no fear for my own health and I am confident in my ability to help you. With proper support most people that contract COVID-19 will have mild symptoms. Despite what we’re hearing in the news, we’re not facing a complete mystery. Yes, COVID-19 is a novel coronavirus, but it closely resembles SARS-CoV which was less contagious and more deadly. We learned important lessons from that experience link. At the peak of the SARS outbreak in 2002, Dr. Deng Tietao, my mentor’s mentor, led a team of doctors at a large Chinese medicine hospital. When all the usual Western medicine treatments were failing, his team gained acclaim by achieving three highly significant results using herbs and acupuncture. Zero disease transmission to hospital health workers and staff. Zero disease progression requiring transfer of patients to other hospitals. Zero deaths by the disease. Dr. Deng carefully documented what worked and what didn’t. Colleagues in China have also been sending reports detailing effective treatments for COVID-19. You haven’t heard about this because American culture is not ready to welcome Chinese medicine into the mainstream. We are pushing for more research and look forward to a future in which integrated medicine offers the best of East and West. Until then, I will continue to offer medicine that has been shown to significantly reduce severity and duration of symptoms from viral infection while boosting overall health and wellness.

 

That said, I recognize the threat to our most vulnerable citizens. After battling pancreatic cancer for 2 ½ years, my mother passed away right as this pandemic hit the US. During her last few weeks, we rarely left her bedside. My heart bleeds for all those tortured by the fear that they could inadvertently deliver a painful death sentence by leaning in to kiss their fragile loved ones. These are special circumstances that require special care. Telemedicine appointments are recommended for those with serious chronic illness as well as their caretakers.

 

Distress Reduces Resistance to Disease

We do not know how this will unfold in the coming months, so it is important that we transition out of fight-or flight mode and attend to our well-being. Intense grief, anguish, despair, and isolation make us vulnerable to infection and chronic disease. In my grief, I believe I contracted the virus while out of the office. I had a sore throat for a few days, some fatigue, and a hot dry feeling in my lungs. I never developed a cough. The herbal medicine I used significantly reduced the malaise and I recovered quickly. 

 

Sore throat and/or fatigue may appear days before fever and cough. Please contact me ASAP.

I will continue to offer free telemedicine consultations for anyone with symptoms.

Medicine can either be mailed or picked up at the clinic.

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I am deeply concerned about people so racked by fear that they choose to stay alone inside their homes. Our wellbeing depends upon social interaction and physical contact. Social distancing is important and I absolutely support these precautions, however, there are serious consequences to isolation. We must balance our own needs with the need to protect those most vulnerable among us. Charles Eisenstein, author of The More Beautiful World our Hearts Know is Possible, recently published an article called The Coronation link. He shares many of my concerns. “The measures being instituted to control Covid-19, likewise, may end up causing more suffering and death than they prevent. Minimizing deaths means minimizing the deaths that we know how to predict and measure. It is impossible to measure the added deaths that might come from isolation-induced depression, for instance, or the despair caused by unemployment, or the lowered immunity and deterioration in health that chronic fear can cause. Loneliness and lack of social contact has been shown to increase inflammation, depression, and dementia. According to Lissa Rankin, M.D., air pollution increases risk of dying by 6%, obesity by 23%, alcohol abuse by 37%, and loneliness by 45%.”

 

If you are feeling lonely, depressed, or anxious, it is imperative that you reach out to your community. Choose a few safe people with whom to weather the storm. Regularly gathering with carefully chosen close friends will have benefits that far outweigh the risks. Make an agreement that you’re in quarantine together and care for each other if someone does become ill. This virus spreads easily and it is common for entire households to become ill.

 

Big Picture

Our entire civilization is experiencing a major shift. We've been given an opportunity to slowdown and attend to the things that truly matter. Staying healthy is about much more than preventing germs. These circumstances warrant a renewed commitment to cultivation of healthy body, mind, and soul.

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Reduce the impacts of stress on your system by looking for activities that bring you joy. So many people have been finding comfort in baking bread that yeast has been added to the list of common “out of stock” items and Bob’s Red Mill is doing a Sourdough Starter instructional guide via email. Take time outside daily. Physical activity and sun exposure are essential for healthy immune function. Continue to avoid crowded places, but take this wonderful opportunity to find solace in wild nature, especially if you have children. State and federal mandates are limiting access to wild areas, so please be mindful before venturing out. As of this writing the federal forests and BLM land are still open. Wander off the beaten path. Seek out mushrooms. Clear your lungs by breathing in the fresh forest air. If your best option is meandering through your own neighborhood, take time to notice  spring flowers, carefree bird song, and each neighbors smiling face (even if you wave from across the street…we’re all in this together). Time outside reminds us about the cyclical nature of life. Everything, even this pandemic, has a season and being outside offers a visceral reminder that this too shall pass. Even in the dead of winter, we trust that spring will return.

 

If you are working overtime to provide essential services, please do what you can to prioritize self-care! As a business owner and mother of three, I know how hard it can be. You must care for yourself or you will be unable to care for others. May you be well. We thank you for the gifts you give.

 

Contact me if you would like support. Acupuncture and herbs boost immunity, calm the nervous system, and help restore a sense of peace and calm. I am also here to listen to your concerns and help you navigate these challenging circumstances.  

 

Now for the practical matters concerning appointments:

  • The best way to reach me is via email: contact@drelizabethrowan.com

  • You can either schedule by emailing me your availability or through the "Book Appointment" buttons on this site.

  • We’ve implemented all the standard sanitation precautions in the clinic and request that you exercise care in your hygiene and behaviors.

  • Everyone will be offered herbal medicine to strengthen immunity and help prevent this virus from penetrating the lung tissue.

  • If you develop a sore throat or unusual fatigue, please email me to discuss options for care.

  • If you arrive early, please plan to wait in your car until the appointed time. We will go directly into the treatment room.

  • Instead of collecting payment at time of treatment, payments are now being made via electronic invoice.

  • If you prefer, we can schedule a telemedicine appointment or home visit.

  • I will be closely monitoring everyone that enters the clinic to prevent contamination of our environment.

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Can CoVID-19 be caught from a person who has no symptoms?

  • According to the World Health Organization, "The main way the disease spreads is through respiratory droplets expelled by someone who is coughing. The risk of catching COVID-19 from someone with no symptoms at all is very low. However, many people with COVID-19 experience only mild symptoms. This is particularly true at the early stages of the disease. It is therefore possible to catch COVID-19 from someone who has, for example, just a mild cough and does not feel ill.  WHO is assessing ongoing research on the period of transmission of COVID-19 and will continue to share updated findings."

 

Some final thoughts about nutrition and self-care:

  • Wash hands carefully with plain soap and water.Handwashing is like a do-it-yourself vaccine,” according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Washing with plain soap and water has been shown to reduce bacterial presence on hands by 82%, and studies upon studies point to the beneficial health impacts of washing with plain soap. Clearly the chemical properties of plain soap and its tendency for increasing handwashing time are enough to dramatically increase the health of consumers without adding antibacterial compounds. So, while the FDA has banned household soaps containing many common antibacterial ingredients, handwashing with plain soap will remain a cornerstone of public health and should continue to be a major part of your daily hygiene. link

  • Eat a diet of whole natural foods. Here are my top picks for boosting immunity:

    • Brussels sprouts

    • All other brassicas – including cabbage, broccoli, kale, and cauliflower

    • Garlic

    • Broth made from bones, mushrooms, and/or sea vegetables

    • Mushrooms like shiitake, maitake, chaga, and reishi

    • Walnuts, brazil nuts, almonds, and cashews – rich in trace minerals

    • Citrus fruits (drink a glass of water with lemon juice upon rising each morning)

    • Honey (naturally anti-pathogenic)

    • Sweet potatoes

    • Fresh herbs like thyme, parsley, cilantro, and basil

    • Berries

    • Gargle with warm water and a naturally mineral rich salt (like Real Salt)

  • Reduce consumption of processed sugar. Replace with pure maple syrup and honey. Dates are a wonderful sweet treat to calm cravings.  

  • Allow time for extra sleep when possible.

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