UNITED STATES─I admit that in the beginning, I truly believed the safest thing for us to do during this pandemic was to simply stay home. It did make sense to flatten the curve to alleviate the inundation of patients to our hospitals. Also, there was no panacea out there to protect us, so couch sitting gave us a small sense of control over our health.

But I slowly came to realize that there is a lot more we can do to protect ourselves from viruses like COVID-19.  The power we have literally lies within us – our immune system.

So my concern is this: Why have we not heard anyone in any media except comedian Bill Maher address the super significant role our immune systems play in keeping us healthy?

If they are speaking out, it sounds more like a whisper.  Every day, every news outlet should be pummeling us with the basics – no smoking, and to better manage our weight, rest, exercise and alcohol consumption.  At least these basics don’t affect the bottom lines of pharmaceuticals that sponsor most of our media outlets. And managing these basics can take place near our couch while socially distancing ourselves.

But there is much more we can do besides the above. There are vitamins and supplements that play an enormous role in supporting our immune systems so that we might either be asymptomatic or only get a mild version of this intimidating virus.

Do you recall the measles outbreak a few years ago that had parents and the media apoplectic over this disease and calling for mandatory vaccinations?  Because the fear was so widespread, it would have calmed parents tremendously if they were given the power to lessen the severity of measles, but I cannot recall one medical professional in the news – TV or print – who offered up scientifically sound advice on what parents could give their children.

This is odd, because both the CDC and the WHO recommend Vitamin A to reduce the complications of measles. They had specific guidelines for administering this vitamin; namely, once a day for two days at 50,000 iu for infants less than 6 months, 100,000 iu for infants 6 to 12 months, 200,000 iu for children one year and older.

How many parents were made aware of this? Could it be that if we knew that the measles could be safely managed, we wouldn’t be so hysterical to buy a vaccine from a pharmaceutical company who sponsors the very media we watch?

So maybe we can open our minds to the idea that there are several ways to boost our immune system while awaiting a vaccine for COVID-19 that may or may not be available or effective for quite a while.

If you want to self-empower, please check the following examples that strengthen your immune system to better manage the flu, just as Vitamin A could better manage the measles:

Zinc, Quercetin, Vitamin D, Elderberry

Many — but not all doctors — don’t appreciate the powerful benefits of the above.  That’s why you should talk to doctors who do. And do your own research too, with the guideline of taking any of the above only under the supervision of a healthcare professional. Too little could be ineffective; too much of any good thing could become a bad thing, and Zinc and Vitamin D should be monitored to ensure safe dosing.

With all of the above said, we might find it curious to wonder why Dr. Fauci (whom I greatly admire) nevertheless doesn’t advise us to be more proactive, advising instead that we remain inactive on our couch. Is he being silenced? Why aren’t we asking how President Trump can recommend hydrochloroquine and disinfectant, but scientists standing next to him can’t recommend Zinc and Elderberry?

If Vitamin A relief was withheld from us, what are the odds that Zinc, Vitamin D, Quercetin and Elderberry, among other things, are also kept under the radar?  We all should ask ourselves this one question:

Who benefits from us not knowing?

The media should take to heart the words of Martin Luther:  You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say.