MST Continus (morphone). Why has this drug been "discontinued"

The 'discontinuation' of this drug, MST Continus, has been announced by MIMS (March 2021). I suspect that MST Continus was 'discontinued' because it had to be banned. Discontinuation appears to be the new word that the pharmaceutical medical establishment uses because it sounds less dramatic, and less harmful to the reputation of the drugs industry. I have written about this recently about another drug, Phyllocontin (aminophylline).

So what is the basis for my suspicion? It is contained within the MIMS article, from which I have extracted these two statements.

• "All strengths of MST Continus (morphine) prolonged-release granules for oral suspension are being discontinued because of difficulty sourcing a key excipient." (my emphasis).
  
• "Healthcare professionals should not initiate MST Continus in new patients. Individuals currently prescribed MST Continus granules should be contacted for a treatment review." (my emphasis).

So which is it? If it is a difficulty sourcing a key ingredient that is one thing. But if the drug is safe and effective why have doctors been told not to use it, and to stop using it with patients already using it? 

• The first statement declares that the reason for 'discontinuation' concerns logistical issues. 
• The second clearly indicates that the drug has been banned, because for patients it is either ineffective, unsafe, or both.

If there should be any lingering doubt in your mind that MST Continus is not a dangerous drug you should read the (rather lengthy) Patient Information Leaflet that accompanies the drug, available here.

This drug has been withdrawn because it is yet another pharmaceutical drug that has seriously damaged the patients for which it has been prescribed for many years.

Long Covid and Homeopathy

Everyone's experience of Covid-19 will be a personal one, largely depending on their general health, and the strength of our immune system. Some people can be ill for a few weeks; others will feel better within a few days; many will barely know that they have contracted the virus. However, for a few people Covid-19 can cause symptoms that last for months. Conventional medicine is calling this 'Long Covid'.

Patients who complain of 'long Covid' report many symptoms, such as sore throat, fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain, problems with memory and concentration, insomnia, heart palpitations, fever, dizziness, joint pain, anxiety and depression, tinnitus, loss of appetite, nausea, stomach pain, diarrhoea.

One question, or clarification about 'Long Covid' is rarely, if ever, asked. Is 'Long Covid' just someone struggling to recover from the virus? Or is this a patient who went down with the Covid-19 virus seriously enough to be given a cocktail of pharmaceutical drugs, and is actually suffering from the aftermath of adverse drug reactions? 

Post Script 2025: there is now good evidence that the cause of Long Covid has more to do with the recovery from the vaccines than the virus - read here.

I have written before about the awful drugs given to patients placed on ventilators: so how many people suffering from "Long Covid" were patients who were placed on a ventilator; or were vaccinated?

In homeopathy we have always had a word or phrase for these 'lingering' illnesses - "never well since" - as homeopaths recognise that this is a common experience - the difficulty in overcoming an illness or disease, or even a shock or life trauma.

For instance, the symptom"never well since influenza" comes up with a single remedy (in the repertory I usually use) = Gelsenium, a remedy frequently with patients with influenza, as well as those struggling to recover full health following influenza. It would certainly be one of the remedies I would first think of  first if faced with a "Long Covid" patient, although I would want to do more reseach before settling on this remedy. Another top would be Arsenicum Album, which has been widely used by the Indian government's medical health service in both the prevention and treatment of Covid-19. But there are many more remedies to consider.

Homeopaths around the world are are busy treating Covid-19, and also Long Covid too. We do this quietly, in part to avoid being attacked by the conventional medical establishment, as in this recent Daily Mail article demonstrates. So, very quietly, for anyone who has an open mind, suffers from Long Covid, and has discovered that conventional medicine has little or no treatment, let's inform you about what homeopathy is actually doing.

First, we are treating Covid-19 according to its symptoms, not its conventional diagnosis. We always do this - with any illness. And what we know is that Covid-19 symptoms are similar, if not identical, to influenza symptoms. We ask the patient about his/her symptoms, and then match the patient with a remedy we know to have similar symptoms. As the Faculty of Homeopathy states, homeopathy has been using remedies extensively for flu-like symptoms. and in epidemics around the world. Indeed, it has been doing so for over 220 years. The Faculty mentions two remedies, Gelsemium 30c and Bryonia 30c which have been "commonly used for flu-like symptoms and have a long-established, traditional usage over many years". 

Without doubt this is the other benefit of homeopathy. Not only does it work, homeopathy does not have to 're-invent the wheel' every time a new virus appears.

So as conventional medicine has little or no treatment treatment for Long Covid (although it does have a complicated and long-winded 5-point plan for Long Covid support) perhaps you might like to pursue the possibilities of using homeopathy to treat Long Covid.

There are now a number of websites that deal with the homeopathic treatment of Covid-19, and as the symptoms of Long Covid as similar/identical the same remedies will be effective for either - if the symptoms match the remedy will work. 

Both first, all these sources of homeopathic information emphasise the importance of natural immunity, and supporting the immune system; by eating a healthy diet, with particular attention being paid to vitamins C and D, and zinc supplementation, by regular exercise, by getting sufficient sleep, and so on. Both then they go on to provide short remedy descriptions that mirror the symptoms of Covid-19, and 'Long Covid'. Here, I am using two of these sources

This remedy descriptions emanate from from Robin Murphy, a world famous homeopath, who has made an extensive study of respiratory illness. He recommends these remedies - when the symptoms match.

Antomonium Arsenicosum: Lung, disorders. Emphysema with excessive dyspnea and cough; shallow breathing. Dyspnea, worse on eating and lying down. Loss of appetite. General sick feeling. Anxiety about health. Fear of death. Restlessness. Tickling dry cough. Coughs are worse by eating and on lying down.

Antomonium Tartaricum: Rattling Mucus, Great dyspnea and fits of suffocation. Oppressive breathing, must sit up. Snoring and difficult breathing. Pneumonia with extreme prostration, bedridden with exhaustion.Lungs are congested. Rattling of mucus, Thick white mucus. 

Camphora: Sudden sinking of strength, pulse small and weak. Limbs cold with cramps. Icy coldness of the whole body, sudden sinking of strength, pulse small and weak. Wants covers off and then on alternately with internal burning heat and anxiousness. Extreme prostration, bedridden with exhaustion. Low blood pressure, Low body temperature.  

Carbo Veg: Craves fresh air, and wants to be fanned all the time. Panting and Gasping for air. Icy coldness of the whole body, sudden sinking of strength, pulse small and weak. Apathetic. Anxious, Delirium. Distressed. Listless. Coma. Prostration. Unresponsive. Cough worse in evening, going from a warm to cold place, in bed. Great weakness on exertion. Extreme prostration, bedridden with exhaustion. Low blood pressure, Low body temperature. 

China Officinalis: Dehydration, Dizziness, Fainting. Weakness. Blood, loss. Anaemia. Worse from sweat or diarrhoea. Better from hard pressure, warmth. Better from loosening the clothes. Intermittent fever, chills. Influenza. Feels worse after mental exertion, emotional upset or loss of vital fluids. Sensitive to the cold wind and drafts. Diarrhoea. Bloated abdomen, flatulence, colic. Edoema. Food tastes bitter. Belches a lot which tastes bitter. 

Fatigue after the virus, or 'long covid'. Many people report a sense of fatigue that lasts long after the other symptoms have gone. This can happen after the common flu and it is called CFS or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Many cases of ME I have seen started right after a particularly bad bout of flu. There are a few remedies that help with this:

Phosphoric Acid, Sulphur or China. China has nausea as well, the difference with the other two remedies depends on the individual’s symptoms.

The second link offers a "short guide ... to help you choose the right remedy for friends and family". It suggests remedies that might be appropriate in each stage of the Covid virus.

In the early stages try the remedy Aconite. It can often prevent an infection getting established by stimulating the immune system to react. It may be needed in later stages if the person is very tense and afraid of dying.

Stage II. For the stage where the infection has taken hold but the person is not severely ill these are a few of the possibilities:

Phosphorus. There may be  hard exhausting cough with burning in the chest. Phosporus types can be fearful when alone and want company, maybe someone to hold their hand. They may need cold drinks and can crave ice-cream. Lying on the left side makes their problems worse. Most of the cases of coronavirus I have treated so far have recovered after this remedy.

Bryonia
The person may hold their chest when coughing, because in Bryonia any movement tends to be painful, or make them worse. Dry painful cough. The patient is dry and very thirsty. 9pm is their worst time. They want to be left alone and keep still.

Gelsenium
Gelsemium types are weak and sleepy and can’t keep their eyes open. Nervous trembling. Paralysed by fear. Not thirsty.

Stage III. If the person is seriously ill with lung problems consider these remedies:

Ant Tart
In these cases you may hear rattling in the chest but the cough doesn’t have the power to raise the mucus. Drowning in mucus. The person is often sleepy and weak, maybe with blue lips and a white tongue. (But blueness (cyanosis) can indicate other remedies too.)

Ars Alb
The person is usually very chilly and restless and wanting someone near, and wanting sips of water. Often worse around midnight to 2am.

Bryonia
See notes in stage II above

Camphor
This remedy and Conium are often needed for the elderly. In camphor the patient is in a state of collapse and is very cold, but may not want covers. They may be hardly breathing, nearly fainting, and snoring as they breathe. Not many of you will have this remedy at home, but it is an important one for coronavirus.

Conium
In Conium the patient sometimes has to sit up in a hurry straight after lying because of the cough, especially in the evening.. The cough may be triggered by a tickle in the larynx (other remedies too), or a part of the body getting cold.

Hepar Sulph
If the person has lost their sense of smell and taste consider this remedy. The person is very chilly and keeps every bit of themselves well covered. They may cough more if they uncover even part of the body. Sudden attacks of breathlessness.  Generally hypersensitive. Purulent mucus, offensive perspiration.

Ipecac
Unlike most of the other remedies this one is worse from warmth. Also they are not thirsty. They can feel sick or be vomiting, but the tongue is clean. There may be choking, gasping, or retching.

Kali Carb
Often this person wants to sit leaning forward as this position helps their breathing and their cough (Ars Alb also). They are often worse around 3am. Thick mucus. Stitching pains. They may hate draughts. Possibly easily startled. Sometimes a remedy has some strange features in its "symptom picture". In kali carb one of the strange things is swollen upper eyelids. Such features of the patient make it easier to see what remedy to give.

Nux Vom
Nux vomica people are often irritable. They can feel chilled just by moving around under their covers. Many people’s coughs and breathing problems can be worse, like nux vomica's, at around 3am. But the nux vomica cough can be worse from midnight until morning, or first thing in the morning, on waking.

Phosphorus
See notes in stage II above. Also: the coronavirus pneumonia usually affects both lungs, but in phosphorus the left lung can be the worst. Blood in the sputum.

Spongia
In Spongia the cough has a sawing sound and can be better from warm drinks or eating and worse from talking. The throat is sometimes dry and tight. Bending the head forward or backward can help. Spongia problems are often worse on waking up.

These remedies can be obtained from Homeopathic Pharmacies. But to be more certain of the good match it is usually better to contact a qualified homeopathic practitioner.

THE BUDGET (2021). The economy is in deep crisis: but there is one vital question yet to be asked: but will it ever be answered?

The UK's annual budget was announced earlier this week. The economy is in deep, long-term trouble. We were told that government spending has created a national debit apparently unparalleled outside the two 20th century World Wars. It will take many years, perhaps decades, to pay it off. To date the economy has declined by about 10%; many viable business, large and small, have gone bust, unemployment has rocketed. And the process of recovery remains uncertain.

All this economic mayhem has been, we are told, is the result of the Covid-19 pandemic!

This is not true. The economic mayhem has NOT been caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, it has been caused by government policy in response to the Covid-19. It is the result of massive government spending on its favoured medical response, the direct result of social distancing and lockdown policies.  As a response to the pandemic none of these policies have been particularly successful but they have been the exclusive cause of our economic problems.

The important question is - were they necessary? 

And were they proportionate to the size of the problem faced?

If Government policy had been a measured, appropriate response to the size of the problem presented by the pandemic it would have been understandable. It was not. The economy has been compromised by a 'pandemic' whose outcomes have not been significantly worse outcomes than a bad influenza season. Over 99% of those who tested positive for the virus survived. Few of those who did die did not die of the virus - they died with it - the vast majority died from serious underlying health conditions, compounded by the virus. Even so, the number of deaths during the pandemic has not been significantly higher than the average number of deaths that would have normally been expected.

Government policy might also have been acceptable if the policy it adopted had been the only possible response to the pandemic. It was not. If natural immunity had been placed central to the policy the economy could have been kept open for everyone whose immune system was sufficiently strong to ensure they would either not catch the virus, or would not have become severely ill if they did. Only those people whose immune system had been compromised would have had to suffer long-term social distancing and lockdown disruption. Most of the economic life of the country could have continued.

Incidentally, this criticism of government policy is not made as a party-political point. If the main opposition had been in control of government there would have been even more social distancing, more lockdown, indeed, more of every nonsense policy but for longer. They would also have based their policy on "the best scientific-medical advice". And it is this medical advice, from conventional medical science, that is the culprit in the whole Covid-19 policy, and its economic and social consequences. All our poltical parties are investing in a medical system that just does not work. It is not only ineffective, it is dangerous, more interested in selling vaccines than supporting our health through natural immunity.

At some point in the near future, when the MSM-created panic dies down, a retrospective attempt should be made to compare (i) the seriousness of the pandemic with (ii) the social and economic cost of the government's response to the pandemic. 

Whether this is done remains to be seen but it is certainly not part of the current budget debate, and in the longer term it won't be in the government's interest, or the interests of the conventional medical establishment, to ask the question. So it may never be done. 

Yet anyone who has lost their job or livelihood; anyone whose education has been compromised; anyone whose mental health has been harmed; anyone with serious illness whose treatment has been halted; anyone whose social relationships with loved ones have been undermined at important times; indeed, everyone should look at the statistics relating to Covid-19 and ask

Has our suffering been worthwhile?

As long as conventional medicine remains dominant, and in control of most health services, everything and everyone is at risk of these viral epidemics. 

• if it affects us our economy and social life is destroyed
• if it affects birds or animals they are culled, often in large numbers
• if it affects trees they are felled

Moreover, any new virus will produce exactly the same mayhem. So we are best advised to begin asking questions about the safety, efficacy and patient outcomes of conventional or pharmaceutical medicine - now, without delay!

Covid-19. How do we sort "information" from "misinformation" from Government Propaganda from vested Pharmaceutical interests? Or is 'Big Brother' in control?

There is a complexity of information coming through, mainly on the internet, about the origins of the Covid-19 virus, the seriousness of the pandemic, and the safety and effectiveness of the new Covid-19 vaccines. I have given links to some of the more recent information I have seen below - just an example of the questions that are being raised. 

But first, I want to consider the reason for doing so, and particularly to ask the questions we all need to ask about each one of these links, and why they are being ignored, or dismissed as 'disinformation by government, the medical establishment, and the mainstream media (MSM).

By sharing these links, I suspect I will be accused of peddling "misinformation" and perhaps even censored now by social media.

My general concerned about this situation are as follow:.

• Do all these articles constitute "misinformation", or "fake news"? Are they to be routinely dismissed in this cavalier way, with examination or investigation?
• Why is the official information, provided by government, the medical establishment, the MSM, and now Social Media, so monotonously identical?
• How can the general public distinguish between what is "real information" and what is "misinformation"? Can they rely on what the government, the medical hierarchy, and the MSM tell us? Is it telling us the whole truth?
  
• Indeed, why does government, the medical establishment, and the MSM routinely dismiss any article that is even critical of their message?
• Why is the general public not being informed about the reasons WHY these, and similar articles, are considered to be "disinformation"?
• Why does the MSM not investigate such articles in order to discover whether they are true, and if false, tell us about the reasons they have arrived at this decision?
• Why does the MSM, who like to describe themselves as 'the free press', never investigate or report to us any information that is contrary to the message of government, and the conventional medical establishment?
• Does the MSM believe that the only information the public is allowed to have is the information that government, and the conventional medical establishment, wants us to know? If so, is this the proper role of a 'free press' within a democratic society.
• Why are people who are 'vaccine hesitant' dismissed out of hand, and abused as being over-influenced by 'fake news' and 'misinformation', and never given a voice.

Does it not all sound a little like "BIG BROTHER"?

As someone who has always questioned what I am being told, particularly when it is the message of  powerful governments and big, influential corporations, I wonder why the information in these articles are either being ignored, or never mentioned, or if mentioned just dismissed "disinformation" without any reasons being given. 

In the past I have always noted that such a strategy has more to do with the propaganda of powerful and influential vested interests, commercial and political groups who don't want to be questioned, and have sufficient control to avoid questioning. It is a strategy that has more to do with partial propaganda, or cover-up than it is good government, or good health care provision, or good journalism. So let's have a look at just a few of the articles that are being ignored, and dismissed as 'misinformation'.

Investigation links Fauci to controversial experiments that may have led to Pandemic

• Has this investigation been investigated? Did it happen or is it misinformation? Why does the MSM not discuss it's findings, notably that the origins of the virus came from a USA funded Chinese laboratory? Has anyone questioned Fauci about the allegation, has he been asked to respond?
  

Why Covid-19 vaccine testing is a farce

• Is it true that the control group in vaccine tests were given another vaccine rather than a placebo? Can this allegation be confirmed? Why has there been no investigation? Why has the MSM debated the criticism of vaccine testing, why has this been ignored, why have we not been told? Is it really misinformation?
  

UK (Government) Data show 402 reports of deaths following Covid-19 vaccines

• Does this data exist? If so why has government not informed us? Why has the medical establishment not responded, what is their view about what happened? Why has the MSM not investigated or told us about this data? Is the failure to do so the result of it being 'misinformation', or is it a medical cover-up?
  

Numbers of injuries reported to CDC after Covid-19 vaccines climbs by nearly 4,000 in one week.

• Is this true? This is an official USA government body so surely it can be verified? Yet it has not been mentioned by any official governmental, medical or MSM channel. Why is this? If it is true can the vaccines be described as "safe"? Are patient outcomes not a matter of public concern?
  

Tanzanian government skeptical about safety of Covid-19 vaccines

• Is it sceptical? What is the basis of the scepticism? Why are the reasons for scepticism dismissed as 'misinformation' rather than forming a basis for discussion about vaccine safety?
  

Whistleblower. 25% of residents in German nursing home died after Pfizer vaccine.

• Is this true? Can the story be corroborated or not? Why has the news, true or false, not been made public? Why has there been no official mention of this, or even a denial? Is it sensible that we just believe it is 'disinformation'? Are older people in residential and nursing homes safe? Do we need to know what is happening?
  

Israeli Health Ministry. Pfizer vaccine killed "about 40 times more elderly than the disease would have killed"

• Is this true? Can the information be verified? Why has there been no investigation by MSM? Why have they not mentioned this claim? Has this information just been dismissed as disinformation? Is this not something the general public should be told about?
  

Surgeon dies weeks after Covid-19 vaccination of multi-organ system failure

• This should be easy enough to substantiate? Did the surgeon die? Was the vaccine the cause of his  multi-organ failure? Why is this not reported by the MSM?
  

 Man dies 25 minutes after getting Covid-19 vaccine in New York?

• Can this be substantiated? Did the man die? Was the vaccine the cause of his death? Why is this not reported by the MSM?
  

Elderly man dies shortly after receiving Covid-19 vaccine....

• Is this correct? Did the man die? Was the vaccine the cause of his death? Why was it not reported by the MSM?
  

Why is death after Covid-19 vaccination always assumed to be coincidental?

• Is it? I have seen several deaths discounted by doctors as being 'coincidental' to the vaccination. Is it appropriate for MSM not to question the medical authorities about the link? Is it not important to investigate whether people are dying after taking the vaccine? Why are deaths not being reported? Is there a cover-up going on that the public needs to know about?
  

Stats on Covid-19 vaccine injury and death don't add up

• Why is this? Why are all the concerns about numbers not being examined and discussed? Why is government and medical information never questioned by MSM, but routinely accepted without any questioning?
  

Coronavirus Fact Check. Why are 'new cases' plummeting?

• Are 'new cases' plummeting? And is the reason given in this article correct? Does the claim need to be examined and discussed? Or is it disinformation? And why is the general public not being told, one way or another?

Twitter to permanently ban users who spread Covid-19 misinformation

• So which of these internet articles, if  'spread' on this blog, will result in followers of Twitter, and other social media platforms, being banned? Who makes the decision about what is, and what is not misinformation? Why is social media meekly following government, the conventional medical establishment, and the MSM, in not allowing discussion of these issues?

So before I get de-platformed by social media for referring to these articles, or further abused by the MSM for not automatically accepted what I am being told, perhaps they would have the professional integrity to answer these questions. It is undemocratic not to do so. It is against what we are supposed to believe about personal liberty, individual freedom, free speech and the freedom of information. This is not just about these particular articles, but the many other reports that question, or are critical of how we are being informed about the virus, the pandemic, and the way governments are dealing with it, and the unwillingness of the MSM to respond to it fairly and equitably.

The Immune System. Supporting & Strengthening our Natural Immunity

Conventional medicine no longer believes in the immune system, how it is designed to keep us well, provides natural immunity, not least against infectious disease. This is the inevitable conclusion to be drawn from its lamentable, chaotic and incompetent response to the Covid-19 pandemic. During this entire time it has consistently and persistently said that vaccines were "our only defence against the virus". It has certainly failed to provide us with the information that we all need to support and strengthen our immune system.

A new health divide is developing. And as the Covid-19 pandemic has progressed, it became increasingly clear that this divide focuses, almost exclusively, on our attitude to natural immunity. Pharmaceutical medicine ignores it. Natural medical therapies puts it at the centre of all its treatments.

THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

We all have an immune system. It works by recognising and identifying infections and injuries in the body, and responds by trying to protect us, and restore us to good health and well-being. The immune system operates in many ways, some of which conventional medicine confuses with illness (for example, a fever, a cold, a runny nose, feeling 'run down, or 'under the weather') - all of which require medical treatment. 

So when many people are told they are sick it is actually a sign that their body is fighting back against an infection, or an over-active virus. It is our immune system at work!

SO HOW CAN WE SUPPORT/STRENGTHEN OUR NATURAL IMMUNITY?

So how good is our immune system? A simple rule of thumb! Do you succumb readily to infections like colds, sore throats, coughs, etc; do you seem to catch anything and everything that is 'doing the rounds'? If  you do your immune system probably needs some attention. If not, then your immune system is probably doing it's job.

Boasting our immune system is always a good idea, but doing so is not always entirely simple because it demands a certain level of personal commitment on our part. We have to look after it. Our immune system is an incredibly complex and multifaceted system that needs to be kept in balance and harmony.

This is our personal responsibility. Our immunity to illness and disease does not come from a bottle of pills, or a packet of pharmaceutical drugs, or from a vaccine injected into our arm. 

Enhancing natural immunity is largely up to us, it is intimately concerned with how we look after ourselves - on a regular daily basis.

This aside, supporting and strengthening our immune system is simple process, requiring minimal expenditure, just a degree of personal commitment and determination. Equally, there are things, lifestyle choices, that can undermine or compromise our immune system. Despite this there are a number of things we can do to boost our immunity, and benefit our health. This involves adopting a healthy lifestyle. The body is made up of a number of different systems, the respiratory system, the digestive system, and so on, and they all function at their best when we look after them, as best we can, by choosing basic health strategies, such as:

1. Do not smoke. 

Our lungs are designed to breath fresh air. The body needs oxygen to protect itself. Smokers are known to get more colds, and other respiratory complaints than non-smokers - a clear indication that smoking plays a role in compromising our immune system.

2. Alcohol Consumption.

Being adequately hydrated is important to our general health. Dehydration contributes to a susceptibility to bacteria and viruses; it can cause headaches, hinder digestion and physical performance, reduce mental focus and mood, and reduce the functioning of the heart and kidneys, and make us more susceptible to illness.

In line with this, the over-consumption of alcohol should be avoided; it can actually dehydrate the body, and should be consumed only in moderation.

3. Avoid Pharmaceutical Drugs and Vaccines

Few guides providing advice to support our immune system will tell you this. Yet people who take prescription drugs have become some of the sickest people around. All pharmaceutical drugs and vaccines are toxic, something else for our immune system to cope with. They are invariably largely ineffective; and they are all unsafe - the cause 'side effects' that of immune system cannot cope with. For more information on the illnesses and diseases that can be caused by pharmaceutical drugs, go to this website.

Even conventional medicine is now beginning to realise the importance of a healthy digestive tract to the health of our whole body, and to our immune system. Most pharmaceutical drugs are taken by mouth and so pass straight into the digestive track. These drugs are all toxic, in some way, but antibiotic drugs are perhaps the worst of all. They are designed to kill bacteria, and so are known to compromise the important gut microbiome. In recent years there is increasing evidence to suggest that even diseases previously thought to be unrelated to the stomach and the digestive system might actually be caused by drug damage, including both Dementia and Parkinson's disease.

Yet many other pharmaceutical drugs and vaccines can, and do interfere with the functioning of the immune system, many of which are now being associated with the epidemic levels of auto-immune disease we are now experiencing. 

And, of course, there are also pharmaceutical drugs, immunosuppressant drugs, that are designed, quite intentionally, to compromise our immune system.

During the Covid-19 pandemic many of the 'underlying health conditions' that were the real cause of most of the deaths, had been caused by pharmaceutical drugs and vaccines taken over the years for a variety of conditions.

4. Obesity. maintaining a healthy weight.

Refined sugars and carbohydrates are known to contribute massively to overweight and obesity, and obesity is known to undermine our natural immunity, and increase the risk of getting sick on a regular basis. This is why diet, nutrition and exercise are so very important to the immune system.

5. Diet and Nutrition.

This is probably the most important aspect of supporting and strengthening our natural immunity. The primary recommendation is to consume whole plant foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes as these boast our immune systems because they are rich in nutrients and antioxidants. The immune system needs a diet high in fresh fruit and vegetables as these are rich in zinc, selenium, iron, copper, folic acid, vitamins A, B6, C, D and E, and much more.

The best foods, usually mentioned, are citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruit, lemon, limes, tangerines, clementines), red peppers, broccoli, garlic, ginger, spinach, almonds, sunflower seeds, turmeric, green tea, kiwi fruit, papaya, poultry (high in Vitamin B6), and shellfish (crabs, oysters, mussels, lobster).

Usually a well balanced wholefood diet will be sufficient, although many people still like to augment this with the use of multi-vitamins and mineral supplements. These are known to strengthen the body's natural immunity. Yet care does need to be taken. Too much of any vitamin, mineral or other supplement, may cause an imbalance. However Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and Zinc supplementation can always be considered, as can supplements based on Elderberry, Echinacea and Garlic, which are also known to be helpful.

Eating more fermented foods is also recommended. Foods rich in beneficial bacteria, called probiotics, can provide vital support the digestive tract. These include natural (live culture) yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, and natto. A flourishing microbiome, a network of gut bacteria, helps your immune system differentiate between normal, healthy cells, and harmful invader organisms.

Correspondingly, and as a direct consequence of all this,  it is always best to avoid highly processed food, 'fast' food, or 'junk' food.

Recent research has indicated that a healthy diet halves the risk of severe Covid-19 - so this can be acheived - with no drugs or vaccines (no side effects) - just healthy eating!

6. Exercise.

It is known that regular, moderate exercise improves cardiovascular health, lowers blood pressure, helps control body weight, protects against a variety of diseases - and also supports and strengthens a healthy immune system. This is why lockdown policies, during the Covid-19 pandemic, have been so ridiculous and counter-productive.

Prolonged and/or intense exercise may sometimes be problematic too. It is now thought to suppress or compromise the immune system. So there is no need to overdo the exercise! Certainly walk every day for 20-30 minutes, or go to the gym or swimming pool several times a week, or play a round of golf on a regular basis - or similar. This is usually quite sufficient to maintain our natural immunity.

7. A Stress-Free lifestyle.

Prolonged stress is known to imbalance and suppress our immune function. There is a close link between our minds and our bodies, and emotional stress is known to cause stomach upsets, heart disease, and much else. 

So it is important to minimise stress in your life, although this is not always entirely possible. Chronic stress can arise through our family relationships, our friends, and co-workers, or the challenges that exists with the place of work. 

Where this is the case there are activities that can help manage stress, including exercise, yoga, and similar 'mindfulness' practices. Some people may also benefit from seeing a counsellor or therapist to reduce stress levels.

8. Sleep.

Sleep and natural immunity are closely linked. Poor quality sleep is linked to susceptibility to sickness, perhaps best described as a 'tired' immune system.

9. Older Age

We are often told that our immune systems declines with age, that ageing makes us all more susceptible to infection and illness. This may be true, but as we get older this makes all this advice more important as we get older. Old age does not prevent people caring for their immune systems, and ensure that our natural immunity stays in good working order.

10. Herbs and Supplements.

Many people support their immune system with herbs and supplement. There are a great number of these on offer, many tell us of why we should take them, and how our immune system will benefit from them. So there is a bewildering and complex amount of choice, and often their benefits are exaggerated.

Yet for people whose immune system has been compromised, in some way, they can be helpful in providing some useful and beneficial nutrients. They need to be carefully chosen, for both financial and health reasons. They can certainly help, and will not carry the same level of risk of adverse reactions as pharmaceutical drugs.

11. Natural Medical Therapies.

Natural medical therapies, including homeopathy, naturopathy, herbalism, acupuncture, Ayurvedic, reflexology, and many others, all highlight the importance of natural immunity, and treatment focuses on the support of the immune system. If anyone is aware that their natural immunity is weak, or that it has been compromised, they should research how these therapies might assist in enhancing immunity. Contact a local therapist, explain your problems, book a consultation.This is what many people are now doing, those who have freed themselves from pharmaceutical medical propaganda, and understand that pharmaceutical drugs and vaccines are neither effective or safe.

See also this link, "Build your immune resilience - as nature intended".

CONCLUSION.

Supporting and strengthening our immune system does not need to be expensive. Most of the above can be done without medical intervention, indeed it can help to avoid the need for medical intervention. 

We are all in control of our immune system, for better or worse. We can all make important lifestyle and dietary changes right now which will help to support and strengthen our immune system - and enable it to keep us well.

No drugs, no vaccines are  necessary - just a sensible way of life.

It is sad that none of this advice is offered by conventional medicine, which appears to be too busy, or more interested in getting us to take their drugs or vaccines in their belief that this the only way to protect ourselves from illness, disease and death! This is not true. It is misinformation.

This is what the health divide is about: we all need to recognise that the fundamental basis of good health is our immune system, that maintaining this is what distinguishes natural medicine from pharmaceutical medicine, and that everyone has the ability to support and strengthen their own immunity.

• For another, slightly different look at the importance of natural immunity, and its neglected importance in defending us from Covid-19, go to this WDDTY link, "How to reset your immune system".

• There are a large number of studies that demonstrate that natural immunity is more robust than the Covid-19 vaccines.

Arthritis Drug, Tocilizumab. A cure for Covid-19? But why no mention of harmful adverse drug reactions?

 I really should do a pro-forma for these blogs, concerning pharmaceutical press releases about old drugs that will do wondrous things for a new group of sick patients; heralded by the mainstream media (MSM); but failing to mention the nasty side effects.

Arthritis drug tocilizumab cuts deaths from Covid

This is how BBC News presented the new 'breakthrough' treatment. It can, the article says, be a live-saver for some of the sickest hospital patients with Covid-19. The research showed that for every 25 patients treated with the drug an additional life would be saved, and as well as improving survival and recovery time it can avoid patients needing to be moved to intensive care.

Good new then? Perhaps more like out of the frying pan straight into the fire!

Toxilizumab has a long list of serious adverse drug reactions, as outlined here. These include a wide range of psychiatric side effects, "including affective reactions" like irritability, depression, suicidal ideation, and psychotic reactions, such as mania, delusions, hallucinations, behavioural disturbances, anxiety, insomnia, cognitive dysfunction (confusion, amnesia) and aggravated schizophrenia.

I am not going to list the gastrointestinal, hypersensitivity, endocrine, metabolic, ocular, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, dermatologic, hematologic, genitourinary, hepatic, immunologic and other adverse reactions. You can read these for yourself. 

The point is that the MSM, the medical profession, medical science, government, and certainly the pharmaceutical industry don't feel the need to tell us about the 'bad' news. This is good news. 4 out of 100 sick patients with Covid might survive. The personal cost of survival is immaterial.

The main question this blog has been raising, throughout this pandemic, is that the best treatment for Covid-19 has been completely ignored - natural immunity - supporting and strengthening of immune system - and the use of safe/effective natural medical therapies.

However, none of these treatments cost £500 per patient, so I wonder; can anything be learnt from this?

Obesity. A new breakthrough treatment? Or the promotion of another failed and unsafe drug with serious known side effects?

Earlier this month another new 'wonder drug' was announced in the mainstream media (MSM), who provide advertising for the pharmaceutical industry, free of charge. BBC News set the general tone with its headline.cons

"Obesity: Appetite drug could mark 'new era' in tackling condition"

The problem with these pharmaceutical news releases, dutifully repeated by the MSM, is that they invariably come to nothing. The 'new era' does not happen.

Nor are the known adverse drug reactions. Perhaps there is a mention of some minor side effects later in the article. The drug referred to here is semaglutide (marketed as Wygovy or Ozempic, et al). It's not a new drug. It has a long list of serious side effects but these are glossed over. On this link there is a clear warning at the top of the page, there are side effects that you need to 'check with your doctor', and a very long list of known adverse reactions that go far beyond the nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting and constipation the BBC article chooses to mention.

But no matter, The intended message is that conventional medicine has discovered yet another new treatment for a very serious problem. We are reminded not only of this, but the fact that obesity can lead to much more serious outcomes, including heart disease, diabetes and severe Covid-19. So provide warnings of the consequences of the condition, whilst emphasising the 'game changing' effects of the drug. It is an advertising strategy designed to produce queues at the doctors surgery.

When this drug strategy works, when or if the obesity epidemic is reduced by semaglutide (Wygogy, Ozempic), I will return to this subject. I will also return to it when (or if) the drug is withdrawn or banned - because it has caused more serious patient harm than even the drug companies are able to justify.