The Best Supplements To Take During a Virus Outbreak

A healthy body is always good during tough times

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 The year 2020 will be one that we will remember. We will look back at this time and have plenty of stories to tell. This will be a crisis that most will survive and look back and say it really was not that bad. I look back at history and can think of many other times in history that were worse than the respiratory virus outbreak. Can you imagine how people felt during World War 2 or during the Great Depression? There was far more of the unknown during these events and way more lack of communication. There was no internet during World War 2 and more people were dying back then. I would rather be told to stay home for 2 weeks than send a loved one off to war. There were curfews during the war and there were also shortages of food. The world recovered after these events and we will be fine after having to be self-quarantine from the respiratory virus or practicing social distancing.

Information about respiratory virus disease of 2019 

 There is so much information about the lung virus on the internet and some of it may be false. People are so worried and confused about the state of emergency and they may not have their facts straight. The CDC has a website where you can learn about the virus. This link has answers to many common questions about the lung virus. So check it out. I want to add, I am not a doctor or medical person but these are things and supplements that have helped me in the past and are helping me.


Panicking is not good for our health 

 Right now we should be focusing on keeping our bodies healthy. The 2019 virus has so many unknowns right now. The health experts are still trying to figure out how the virus is transmitted and we can all be at risk in catching this virus that may be fatal for some or have lasting health effects for those who survive the deadly virus. Many of the survivors have lasting lung problems. I do know that a healthy body can fight germs better than a body that is worn down and sick. Stress will weaken your immune system so the first step to health is to stop the worry and panic. Then take this opportunity of being told to stay home to work on your health.

Now is not the time for junk food

 Our bodies need healthy food to keep the immune system healthy. So now is not the time to stock up on chips and cookies. Now is not the time for a poor me pity party that involves consuming massive amounts of sugar. Now is a perfect time to start working on healthy habits. If you are stuck at home, you may have some extra time on your hands to cook some healthy meals. If you are at home having to telecommute with work, then make that final trip to the grocery store and stock up on healthy foods that include fruits and veggies. While you are stocking up on food consider stocking up on some supplements that will help your immune system through a stressful time.

Healthy body supplements

 A diet of healthy food is always the best way to keep your body well. Taking supplements for your wellness won't do you any good if you are not eating healthy food. I like to look at health supplements like vitamins as the extras for your body's well-being. The world of wellness and supplements can be overwhelming and confusing. So knowing which natural supplements to take for a healthy body and a healthy immune system is always a good thing. So I want to share with you my list of supplements that I take on a regular basis to keep my body healthy and how they are helping me during the epidemic.


A healthy gut equals a healthy body

 One product that needs to be on your shopping list for the virus survival time is my favorite probiotic supplement. It is a fiber supplement that has probiotics in it. Probiotics keep the gut healthy with healthy bacteria. They do say that your gut health can affect your whole body. So if your gut is not happy then chances are other parts of the body are suffering. What I like most about Regular Girl is that it prevents constipation. This daily supplement that is great for the whole family, not just girls, allows your body to have regular bowel movements so you don't have to deal with constipation.

 A change in routine and stress may affect your daily pooping routine which can lead to stomach problems like gas and constipation. So this natural fiber supplement is good in so many ways especially if your body is lacking fiber from not being able to get fresh produce. Even if you eat plenty of foods that have fiber, stress can mess with your body making it hard to do number two. This tasteless powder mixes easily into liquids and soft foods. You can even add it to recipes like No-Bake High Fiber Breakfast Granola Bars. Regular Girl keeps your body happy.

Use my code MOMKNOBEST10 and save 10% on Regular Girl.

Regular Girl: Purchase Here

 Cocoa Flavanols for heart health

 Right now it is a good time to keep your heart healthy. Even those who are trying not to be worried about the virus pandemic are having some type of stress in their life whether it is from having the kids home all day or the uncertainty of income, the stress is real right now for most. Stress can affect the health of your heart.  So I am taking a supplement that is loaded with cocoa flavanols. 

 Cocoa flavanols are what makes dark chocolate good for us. The problem is you would have to eat an insane amount of dark chocolate to get the heart health benefits of the cocoa flavanols. So taking a supplement like CocoaVia makes it easy to get cocoa flavanols for a healthy heart. Studies have shown that cocoa flavanols promote healthy blood flow, which helps deliver oxygen and nutrients to your heart to keep it healthy.  Unlike dark chocolate, CocoaVia guarantees 450mg of cocoa flavanols in every serving – minus the calories, fat, and carbs that you get in dark chocolate. This heart-healthy supplement is a supplement that I use daily.  Here is an article about CocoaVia for more information.

Use code MKB30 to save 30% on CocoaVia.

CocoaVia cocoa flavanols: Purchase Here

Boost your immune system with the power of purple

 By now most people have heard of elderberry syrup. This wonderful purple supplement is known to have immune-boosting benefits. Elderberries naturally contain A, B, and C and stimulate the immune system. These dried berries are naturally high in immune-boosting compounds that are specifically shown to help beat the cold and flu more quickly. Just like toilet paper, I have heard that people are buying plenty of elderberry syrup so it might be hard to find this supplement at stores. My favorite company that makes black elderberry syrup is working hard to keep up with the demand. Since I used up my stash of elderberry syrup when my family had the flu, I am now making my own homemade black elderberry syrup. This DIY black elderberry syrup is easy to make and you can buy dried elderberries online.

 Elderberry syrup is great for a daily immune booster! The standard dose is ½ tsp to 1 tsp for kids and ½ Tbsp to 1 Tbsp for adults. If an illness does strike, take the normal dose every 2-3 hours instead of once a day until symptoms disappear. Once you get your dried elderberries, check out my recipe for immune boosting black elderberry syrup.



Coffee for immune health

 Yes, that daily cup of coffee is good for your immune system. Coffee is loaded with antioxidants so go ahead and enjoy a cup or two of coffee every day. If you are unable to visit your favorite coffee shop due to social distancing or self-quarantine, then these cold-brew coffee shots are the perfect supplement for you.

 These coffee wellness shots can be added to a glass of milk for a delicious cafe latte drink or added to your regular cup of coffee. These are premium functional cold brew shots that contain vitamins and antioxidants that help improve immune system function, energy, and overall health. Each cold-brew coffee shot is made with premium organic coffee and other wellness ingredients like pure cinnamon, green tea, and ginseng. My favorite Humblemaker Coffee Co. coffee shot is the La Fonda as is a Mexican Coffee cold brew shot with cinnamon and cacao flavors that harness all the immune-boosting power of green tea: active polyphenols, Vitamin C and selenium. The Black Sea coffee shot is a Turkish coffee flavor and the Boomtowne is an ultra-smooth, triple strength, black cold brew shot.

Green tea leaf powder for immune health

 Green tea is loaded with antioxidants which are great for the immune health. The problem is you have to drink at least 10 cups of tea to get the maximum benefits of green tea. If you are like me don't want to be drinking several cups of green tea then you need to try matcha green tea powder. One serving of green tea powder is equal to 10 cups of green tea. Matcha is basically ground up green tea leaves and can be used to make a delicious cold green tea latte that is awesome for immune health. You can buy matcha green tea powder online.

Get the recipe here for a cold green tea latte

The best lung supplement

 The 2019 outbreak has been affecting my asthma. One of my many asthma triggers is chemical fragrances. Since places have been doing more cleaning and people are using an insane amount of hand sanitizer, I had an asthma flair-up just from a regular grocery shopping trip. It took my body three days to recover but I was glad that I did not need to take a trip to the emergency room thanks to an amazing herbal lung supplement that I take for my asthma. This natural supplement keeps my airways open so I can breathe after I am exposed to something that triggers my body to produce mucus that then causes an asthmatic cough. This powerful, one-of-a-kind Chinese herbal formula helps sustain a normal, healthy respiratory system by combining the traditionally-known properties of 13 perfectly-balanced herbs. Head over here to learn more about how this supplement helps me to manage my asthma symptoms naturally.

A healthy diet along with health supplements will boost our immune system

 These are the supplements that I am using to boost my immune system so I can stay healthy during this time of a virus outbreak. I am also making sure to keep up my regular exercise routine. For now, since I am staying home, I am enjoying the great outdoors and running. I find that daily exercise is so good for the body and mind. Exercise is also a great way to handle stress. Today when I went out running it was good to see many of my neighbors, who are working from home, out walking. This period of time when we are stuck at home may be tough but it too shall pass. Take this opportunity to take charge of your health. Now is also a good time to get your yard ready for summer enjoyment. I am using the time to pull weeds. If you prefer to use a natural weed killer that works in a day, check out this recipe for a DIY homemade weed killer.

How are you coping with the outbreak?

Why I am Choosing To Quarantine Myself From The Respiratory Virus

I am choosing to self-quarantine myself during the respiratory virus

 I have not traveled to a place that is at-risk to the 2019 lung virus nor have I been in contact with anyone who has the 2019 viruses but I am choosing to stay at home for two weeks on a voluntary quarantine. My state as of this time has only 10 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and only 5 of them are in my town. So I bet you are questioning why I would choose to stay home when I really don't have to. The state has taken some precautions like closing the schools for three weeks and canceling events that have 100 or more people in attendance. The state has not recommended that people stay home but I am bunkering down at home with my kids for 2-3 weeks. I will be self-quarantining myself because of the virus called the Corona. I am not doing this out of panic but for other reasons. My previous post How I Am Preparing For The 2019 Epidemic explains about things I was doing already but now I added self-quarantine to the list.


Information about Virus Disease of 2019 

 There is so much information about the lung virus on the internet and some of it may be false. People are so worried and confused about the virus state of emergency and they may not have their facts straight. The CDC has a website where you can learn about the virus. This link has answers to many common questions about the respiratory virus. So check it out.

Why I am doing a self-quarantine?

 There are many reasons that I am choosing to stay at home during this epidemic. I am not that much at risk for this disease caused by a virus unless you consider the fact that I have asthma. My asthma is not that bad and I am able to manage asthma with natural herbal supplements. I am not concerned about the virus affecting my asthma that much but it what stores and people are doing that is making my asthma flare-up. That is one of the reasons I am staying at home for two weeks.

The chemical cleaners and hand sanitizer are harming me

  All the stores are cleaning and people are using hand sanitizer so I have had some asthma attacks the past couple of days. So my breathing has been affected in a round-about way from the virus. The chemicals in the cleaners and hand sanitizer trigger my asthma so I need to avoid them. That is the main reason I am staying at home during the virus outbreak. It is important that places are cleaning and sanitizing surfaces from the coronavirus. So since the chemicals cause me to have an asthmatic cough and struggle with breathing I am staying away from places. I am also avoiding people as they are overdoing the hand sanitizer in place of handwashing.

 I went grocery shopping the other day to stock up on three weeks of food. I am so thankful that I have the money to do that. While I was in the store I was coughing from all the cleaning products. The next day I woke up with breathing problems. I had to go to one more store to get other food items and while in the check out lane, I again had an asthma attack. Part of me is regretting my decision to go food shopping but my family has to eat. I am now doing lots of home remedies like my lemon ginger cold and flu tea to get all the mucus out of my lungs. I don't want a repeat of what happened to me 2 years ago when I discovered that dairy products were causing my severe asthma symptoms.

I am thinking of the elderly and immune-compromised

 Another reason I am staying home is that I don't want the elderly and immune-compromised to catch this deadly disease. For most people, the virus is just like a bad case of the flu and they will recover. Those at risk, like the old people, can die from the respiratory virus. So I don't want to risk catching the virus and spreading it to someone who might die from pneumonia or other lung complications that the coronavirus causes. The elderly already have to be concerned about dying from the flu so I don't want them to have to worry about the respiratory virus. There is no vaccine at this time for the respiratory virus.


Staying at home might stop the spread of the respiratory virus

 If we this virus to stop spreading and see more confirmed respiratory virus cases, we need to stay home so we don't catch it. It is scary to see places like Italy having to make decisions on who to treat for the respiratory virus confirmed cases keep growing. So I will suffer from staying at home to help stop the Corona disease from growing. The below graphic shows how with protective measures the number of cases of virus dropped. This is a good article to read about flattening the curve.

Helping health care workers

  People like doctors and nurses are already over-worked with helping sick people. If more people get sick with the virus, this will affect the health care workers. My husband works for the health department and has been super busy the past week. My husband is not dealing with sick people but he is helping places like hotels and restaurants practice safe procedures so the virus does not spread. So he has been busy and I am worried about his health from the stress.

Keeping hospital beds open for the sick

 Since the virus cleaning procedures are affecting my asthma, I am staying home so I don't end up having an asthma attack that needs medical attention. If I need to go to the emergency room for my asthma that means that someone else will not get the needed medical care if they have virus symptoms. So I will avoid all public places and friends places right now so I don't have an asthma attack from chemical fragrances and chemical cleaners. I may even stay home from church as people are using hand sanitizer that also triggers me to have an asthmatic cough that affects my lungs and breathing. The reality is there are not enough beds and equipment to help people if the virus gets out of control. So that may mean people can die while waiting for a bed in the ICU or for a machine that will help them breathe.

I am concerned about my asthma

 Since my lungs are sensitive from asthma and allergies, I am staying home so I do not have contact with the lung virus. A week ago I was not worried about the virus with my history of asthma as I was ok when I got a cough a month ago when my husband had the flu. After visiting the grocery store and other places this week, I saw how sensitive my lungs were to the chemicals from the cleaners and hand sanitizer. Then waking up today with a bad asthma cough and breathing problems, I knew that this virus could affect me with having asthma. I will be playing it safe so I do have lung and breathing difficulties. I also want to stay healthy so I can visit my grandbaby and daughter, who has asthma and is pregnant.


What I am doing to self-quarantine myself and family

 I will only be leaving the house to go running outside so I will not be in contact with other people or chemicals that affect my asthma. I have made the decision to not go to the gym either. My gym is small and I know the days that they clean the gym but I want to minimize my risk of the virus. Someone may be at the gym with the virus. I will also not be attending church, which is a hard one for me, but I have to avoid the hand sanitizer so I do not have an asthma attack. I bought plenty of food so I have no need to go to the store. I also have all the herbal supplements that I need for my asthma. I will be making a batch of my homemade elderberry syrup to boost my immunity.

 I am also putting my kids on a semi-quarantine and allowing them to play at the park with friends or do yardwork for the neighbors. They might be able to go to church with my husband but not the church youth group. My husband is also kind of staying home as he has to still work. My husband works for the health department as he is a restaurant inspector. So that means he is helping places with proper procedures for cleaning.  He has been assigned extra duties as is an essential worker for the city at this time. My husband is able to work from home but may need to go to the office or to a facility.  I am glad that my husband can work from home so he will have less contact with the risk of exposure to the virus.

It seems excessive but necessary to protect my health 

  I know that self-quarantine may be hard but it is necessary for my health and other's health. Two weeks is not that bad and I have plenty to do so I doubt I will go crazy. I am hoping that others start thinking about how they can do their part in stopping the spread of the disease. If you are able to work from home, that is good but not everyone is able to. So be smart and wash your hands often with these handwashing practices. If you feel sick, stay home. Cough and sneeze into your arm. Keep your distance from those at risk like the elderly. Did you know that when you sneeze the germs can travel up to ten feet? Germs can also live on surfaces for quite some time. So maybe don't visit people who are immune-compromised. Now is the time to take care of your health with healthy food and exercise. You can exercise outside by walking or even exercise inside. Check out some different ways to exercise that don't involve a gym.

 If the people who are able to work from home make a choice to do so, that will make a difference. All these people who stock up on groceries should now stay home. Making choices to eat at home will protect you from the virus too as the person preparing your food may be infected. By choosing to stay home that may stop the spread of the virus and it will not become a mandatory quarantine that may last longer.


What are you doing to help stop the spread of the respiratory virus?

How To Get Viruses And Malware Off Your Computer

Is your computer running slow?

    As a blogger, my computer is very important for my job. If my computer does not run well, I can not do my job.  I have had problems with my computer in the past with a computer virus and malware getting on my computer. Thankfully, I was able to use my husband's computer to do research on to solve the problem of fixing my computer. So this experience has increased my knowledge of how to keep my computer safe from bugs and viruses. This information in my go-to whenever my computer is running slow. When my husband complains of computer problems, I always tell him to run these programs. 

Could it be a Virus?

 This past week my father-in-law clicked on something that introduced a virus into his computer. He did not realize that he had problems until his email sent all his contacts an email saying he was stranded in Ukraine and needed money. That was when my husband and I asked to look at his computer. We found that his computer was infected with malware and it was a bad one. Thankfully because I had a virus back in December I knew what to do. This below information cleaned up his computer without having to pay for someone to fix it.

How do I fix my computer?

 Most people are afraid of fixing a virus on their computer as they don't know what to do or what websites can be trusted. I once made the mistake of downloading what I thought was a program to help my computer and it instead introduced more problems into my computer. I have found a trusted site called http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/ to download software to get a virus, malware and other junk off your computer. This is the website that fixed my computer in December and where I turned to fix my father-in law's computer. I had to download 3 programs to fix our computers.

Three programs to run to get a virus/malware off your computer

Step 1 disable the bug 

The first thing to do to get a virus off the computer is to disable the bug. I used a program called rkill. Go to http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/rkill/ to download the free program. This program will terminate the virus so you can begin to clean your computer. Do not restart your computer after to program as that will turn the virus back on.

Step 2 remove the junk 

The next step is downloading a program called Junkware Removal Tool. Junkware Removal Tool is a security utility that searches for and removes common adware, toolbars, and potentially unwanted programs (PUPs) from your computer.  A common tactic among freeware publishers is to offer their products for free, but bundle them with PUPs in order to earn revenue.  This tool will help you remove these types of programs. Go here http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/junkware-removal-tool/ to download this program.

Step 3 find and remove the viruses

The next step which will take the longest, depending on how much crap is on your computer, is called Malwarebytes Anti-Malware. This program will scan all your files on your computer and find viruses and then delete them. The first time you run the program it will take a long time but your later weekly scans will take under an hour. Malware Anti-Malware is a great program to run weekly on your computer to keep it safe from problems. Go here http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/malwarebytes-anti-malware/ to download this program.

4. The last step is to restart your computer

The virus that was on my father-in-law's computer was a bad one and as when we went to download each program a new window opened up with a different fake program. So make sure you are downloading the correct program and if a different window with a program with a different name comes up just X it out. When we started the Rkill we had a program called RegClean Pro came up and my husband thought that was the program and started it but I quickly realized it was not and I Xed it out. I found a list of some fake virus remover software at wikipedia.org that you should check out.

  I hope my experience helps you to know how to fix your computer. Feel free to ask me questions and I will try my best to answer them. I can say with confidence my father-in-law's computer is fixed for now.

Computer still running slow?

 Another thing that could be making your computer run slow is temporary files. Most computers clear the temporary file folder but sometimes they do not get cleared. If you enjoy playing computer games, you might have temporary files that did not clear. My husband was complaining that his computer was slow and we did all of the above thinking that he had a virus. When the computer was still running slow, I did some searching for answers and discovered that his temporary file folder needed cleaning. That fixed his computer. To clean the temporary file folder, enter %temp% into your search bar on your taskbar. Then click on the %Temp % file folder and that will bring you to a list that you can delete the files by right clicking on them.

Update 
 Since introducing this information, I have downloaded a better virus protection program on my computer. My internet service provider provides my household with a Security program that you can purchase and this does a pretty good job of keeping my computer clean. I also installed a Smart Internet Firewall on my network for an added layer of protection. This Smart Firewall stops the connections to unsafe sites so my family can't go to bad sites on the internet.  When I look at the weekly report for my firewall, I am always amazed at the number of websites it has blocked. No system is 100% safe so if I do notice that my computer is running slow or not performing correctly, I will run all of the above programs. When my husband complains about his computer and askes me what the websites are that he needs to download, I just tell him to go to my website and search for Virus and that will lead him this post. You can also search for mom knows best virus and that will lead you to this post. I hope you never have to deal with a virus on your computer but if you do, these steps will take care of it. 


Has your computer ever had a virus?