The Medical Advisor

Evidence continues to pile up on vitamin D’s therapeutic potential against COVID-19, as well as its usefulness for chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease. I published a review on the importance of vitamin D for COVID-19 prevention and treatment in October 2020 1   and was widely vilified as a result. Now, another review has been published highlighting vitamin D’s role in managing COVID-19 infection as well as preventing complications. Not only do vitamin D levels affect the severity of COVID-19 infection, the team wrote in the peer-reviewed journal Cureus, but maintaining optimal levels may reduce symptoms and related long-term problems. 2 Vitamin D Modulates Your Immune System, Reduces Inflammation One way vitamin D fights COVID-19 is via immune-modulating properties. It influences innate immunity by maintaining the integrity of physical barriers, helping to keep infectious agents from entering the body. It also affects adaptive immunity, increasing human cathelicidin LL-3

Genetically engineered (GE) mosquitoes created by biotechnology company Oxitec have been released in the U.S., even though the long-term effects could be disastrous. Oxitec is using Aedes aegypti (A. aegypti) mosquitoes for this real-world experiment, the species known to carry yellow fever, dengue fever, chikungunya, Zika, West Nile and Mayaro, (1) a dengue-like disease. (2) Oxitec genetically engineered the males to carry a "genetic kill switch," such that when they mate with wild female mosquitoes, their offspring inherits the lethal gene and cannot survive or reproduce in the wild. In the U.S., Oxitec is marketing the insects as Oxitec Friendly™ mosquitoes, trying to put a nonthreatening name on a reckless project that could quickly backfire. It may even be too late, as the GE mosquitoes have already been released in multiple locations. EPA Extended Oxitec’s Experimental Use Permit In April 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved an initial Experimental Us

Pomegranates have been enjoyed for thousands of years and are a symbol of hope and abundance in many cultures. In North America, they're often overshadowed by more common fruits like apples and oranges, but once you learn how to eat them, pomegranates can add valuable nutrition, including powerful antioxidants, to your diet. Pomegranates Contain Potent Antioxidants Pomegranate's benefits are primarily attributed to its antioxidant content. Antioxidants are nature's way of providing your cells with adequate defenses against attack by reactive oxygen species (ROS). With sufficient levels, your body will be able to resist cellular damage and aging caused by everyday exposure to pollutants. The fruit contains three types of antioxidant polyphenols, including tannins, anthocyanins and ellagic acid, in significant amounts. Ellagitannin compounds such as punicalagins and punicalins account for about half of the pomegranate's antio