Published 21 January 2021

In the late 1650’s, the French polymath and renowned scientist Blaise Pascal, having undergone a religious experience that transformed him into something of a zealot, suggested the following logical strategy regarding belief in God: If there is a God, then believing in him will ensure you an eternity of bliss, while not believing in him could earn you an eternal sentence to misery.

On the other hand, if there is no God, believing in him anyway will cost you very little, and not believing in him will mean nothing in the non-existent after life. Therefore, the only sensible bet is to believe in God. This has come to be known as Pascal’s Wager.

The wager has a surprising number of applications beyond concerns for a comfortable afterlife. There are many things for which the value of believing something or not can be utilised as a ‘cost-versus-likely-benefit’ wager, often without regard to the actual truth of the matter.

Since science does not profess to have a final truth, and in many areas freely admits its incomplete knowledge, Pascal’s wager can provide a useful method of deciding between two alternatives. In this article it is the validity of the Sars-Cov-2 virus as a causative agent of global illness and the benefit or not of two of the most common non-pharmacological strategies and lifestyle proposals for its related management.

Published 17th December 2020

As we come to the end of a very different year, it is common practice to look back on events. Obviously the Sars-Cov-2 virus has featured heavily so let’s do a quick review:

Based on collated data from research and observational studies since Feb 2020 it is well understood that the SARS-CoV-2 virus spreads most efficiently among unmasked adult speakers who spend time together in close, unventilated indoor spaces. More so, if when in that space, they insist on talking to each other!

It is also clear that the virus can spread through nonverbal activities. Sneezing and coughing produce virus-encased globs of spittle, and even heavy breathing, especially during a run or vigorous activity, can spray aerosolised droplets that can linger in the air before slipping inside a person’s nose or mouth.  

The primary mechanism of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is via infected respiratory droplets. Viral infection occurs by direct or indirect contact with nasal, conjunctival, or oral mucosa, when respiratory particles are inhaled or deposited on these mucous membranes. This clarifies that mucosal immunity, a barrier and site of adaptive immune triggering, needs to be in tip top condition to prevent infectious events occurring.

The virus however, despite initial concerns does not seem to spread reliably via surfaces. Put simply, COVID-19 is mostly a ‘talking disease’ one that could be better contained with appropriate universal mask wearing, a national campaign that emphasises quiet in public spaces, and clear determinations about indoor gatherings.

This proposal has been explored in Japan, for whilst much of the world emphasised the importance of testing and tracing (with the caveat that testing has limitations on accuracy and tracing has been especially poor in the UK), Japan initially had no mass testing and no sophisticated means of contract tracing. Yet, adjusted for population, the country currently has approximately 98 percent fewer COVID-19 deaths than the United Kingdom.

Much credit has gone to its crystal-clear public guidance to avoid the three C’s: Closed spaces, Crowded places, and Close-contact settings, including “Close-range conversations.” That’s not to say they have not had economic problems, but that there appears to be a strong relationship between social behaviour and risk of adverse outcomes, also seen in many other Asian countries approaches to management.

#E-Cigarettes have been marketed as the healthy alternative to conventional nicotine smoking, with millions of people now using them worldwide. Studies have already indicated that they have the potential to cause some damage to the lungs, but not nearly as much as tobacco cigarettes. Now new research from the University of California, published in iScience, has demonstrated, across several experiments, that e-cigarette vapour can weaken the #gut lining and lead to chronic #inflammation.

#Parkinson’s disease is the fastest growing #neurological condition in the world, it is progressive and chronic and currently there is no cure. In its most advance stages, it can necessitate around the clock care, with patients experiencing both #motor and non-motor impairments. Published in the Journal of Restorative Medicine researchers from Maryland University of Integrative Health have recently reviewed several potentially beneficial foods and bioactive substances for patients with Parkinson’s disease (#PD), as well as those items that may contribute to or exacerbate symptoms.

In recent years, the #microbiota has been linked to many aspects of human health, but until now its impact on the #immune system has only been assumed because of data from animal studies. Scientists from Memorial Sloan Kettering have now, for the first time, shown that the #gut #microbiome directly shapes the makeup of the human immune system, with the results of their study published in Nature.

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Dear practitioner Vitamin D is now firmly on the map for COVID-19 prevention but what about vitamin C? We urgently seek your support by means of a signature, for a timely and important initiative. Let me explain. My co-authors and I  (Professor Paul Marik – Chief of critical care medicine at East Virginia Medical School;

The #COVID-19 pandemic has challenged biomedical scientists to develop effective therapeutics for the treatment and prevention of acute #viral diseases. Due to a lack of evidence into the safety and efficacy of herbal preparations their potential to aid in prevention and treatment has been underestimated. This is especially significant when the reality is that synthetic antiviral and immunotropic drugs generally have a higher risk of adverse effects than most herbal preparations.  Published by the Molecular Diversity Preservation International (#MDPI) journal is a review of The Role of Adaptogens in Prophylaxis and Treatment of Viral Respiratory Infections.

The popularity of sugary soft drinks has rapidly increased worldwide over recent years, but with growing research and awareness into the dangers of a diet high in #sugar, particularly in regards to #cardiovascular disease, we see more people reaching for #artificially #sweetened #beverages.   A study recently published in the Science Direct Journal has shown that despite claims they are the healthier option, artificially sweetened drinks may be just as bad for our heart as their sugar filled  counterparts.

In a major new study, researchers have found a link between lower #plasma #zinc levels and an increased risk of death in #Covid-19 patients. The study was led by Dr Roberto Güerri-Fernández from Hospital Del Mar, Barcelona, and the results presented at the 2020 ESCMID Conference on Coronavirus Disease (#ECCVID).  The study involved a retrospective analysis of symptomatic Covid-19 patients admitted to the hospital between 15^th March and 30^th April 2020.

Current #antibody tests for #coronavirus are conducted using samples of blood. Relatively little research has been done into the presence of any antibody responses in #saliva. These tests are crucial to determining whether we have had the virus already and even more importantly, if and for how long we may be protected from contracting it again. Researchers from the University of Toronto have just had their study published in Science Immunology (October 2020) which compared the antibody levels from both blood and saliva samples from #COVID-19 patients for three months after initial symptoms.