In this 34 min excerpt from my live chat on 30th Dec with South African Actress, Gail Mabalane, I cover the equipment you should keep at home to be prepared in the event of infection. I give tips on prevention of covid-19 by proactively reducing your viral load. I also elaborate on principles of management of mild covid-19 as outlined in my viral “Home Medical Management of Mild Covid-19” video. This video is available on my IGTV @drsandhya_ramanathan, public FB page @drsandhyaramanathan & YouTube channel (👉🏼
The additional language dubs available include #French, #Spanish, #Portuguese, #Russian, #Arabic, #Hindi, #Tamil, #Telugu, #Marathi, #Gujarati, #Bengali, #Punjabi & #Sinhala.
Recommended equipment to have at home:
1. Pulse oximeter: normal range 95-100%. Seek urgent medical help if it drops below 93% or you develop shortness of breath. Monitor oxygen sats daily for the first 14 days of the illness.
2. Medium to Large sized Latex balloons
3. Drinking straws
Priming Immunity:
1. Eat healthy whole foods (avoid processed food, alcohol and sugary drinks)
2. Stay well hydrated with water
3. Sleep 8 hrs a night
4. Stay calm with a positive mindset
5. Immune supplements taken daily: Zinc, Vitamin C, Vitamin D and other optional ones eg. turmeric, echinacea etc
Reducing viral load:
1. Betadine or saline gargles twice daily
2. Saline nasal spray or rinsing with a few drops betadine concentrate twice daily
3. Steam inhalation with vicks especially if having loss of smell
4. Nasal decongestants eg. Otrivin nasal spray
Breathing exercises:
1. Box breathing: 3 seconds breathe out and hold and then 3 second inhale and hold. Focus on complete exhale to empty lungs and then deep inhalation after that will be reflex and optimise oxygen intake.
2. Blowing balloons while seated which creates positive end expiratory pressure similar to that created in mechanical ventilation.
3. Blowing bubbles through a straw into a glass of water will also be helpful
4. Prone sleeping to avoid collapse of air spaces at lung bases
Please watch & share these videos. In doing so, you will be saving lives.
🙏🏼
Dr Sandhya Ramanathan
General Practitioner
Auckland, New Zealand
BSc (Med) MBBS (Hons) DCH FRACGP FRNZCGP
