Over the last several months COVID has taught us a lot. Everyday has become a battle between COVID and the life we used to know and still long for. We've seen what it looks like to have our lives uprooted, to experience an overburdened and stressed medical system, and the impact of social distancing and social avoidance. However, one of the most important things that has been learned through all the twists and turns of the ongoing pandemic is the true importance of one’s health. One of the most important and sobering lessons from the pandemic is that those who have underlying chronic medical problems have a much greater risk of developing a severe case of COVID. Below are a couple quick facts about how one’s poor health status substantially increases one’s risk for severe COVID-19 infection and subsequently death. 

 

• Obesity: 

  • According to research published in Obesity Reviews, obese patients who contracted SARS-CoV-2 were 113% more likely than people of healthy weight to land in the hospital, 74% more likely to be admitted to an ICU, and 48% more likely to die. 

  • When looking at the prevalence of morbidity and mortality, the number one predictor of complicated COVID-19 is whether or not one is Obese. 

  • The percentage of a population that is obese directly correlates with death rates from COVID. Simply put, those nations with a high rate of obesity have the highest rates of death from COVID.

 

• Vitamin D levels: Recently in the American Journal of Clinical Pathology, they found that those hospitalized with low Vitamin D levels (<20) were at almost a 4 fold increased risk of death from COVID than those with just normal levels of vitamin d.

 

COVID has shown us just how out of balance our health is as a nation. The focus today should be multifactorial and addressed from a functional and integrative medicine perspective. At Concierge Health Network, Dr. Schneider utilizes the great benefits of an integrative and functional medicine systems biology–based approach that focuses on identifying and addressing the root cause of disease. Some of these things look at the mind, body, diet, exercise, lifestyle, habits, and overall well being of one’s body and mind. We address these issues using advanced nutritional science, genomics, and epigenetics to optimize one’s health. By optimizing one’s body and overall health we optimize your own body’s natural ability to fight off infections such as COVID. 

 

Integrative and functional medicine practices have actually been shown to reduce hospitalizations from COVID 8-times more than conventional treatments alone. However, integrative and functional medicine and conventional treatments are complementary. It’s not either OR, it’s both AND. 

 

In regards to these issues, Dr. Schneider has been utilizing his training in Integrative and Functional Medicine along with the I-MASK + protocol developed by the Eastern Virginia Medical School and the Frontline Critical Care Alliance to manage patients at high risk for COVID-19 exposure, those who have been exposed to COVID-19, those currently dealing with an active COVID-19 infection, and those who have prolonged symptoms after fighting off the initial infection. 

 

For more information on this protocol please follow this link: https://covid19criticalcare.com/i-mask-prophylaxis-treatment-protocol/

 

Another important issue and problem that has developed throughout the ongoing pandemic is those that fight off the initial COVID infection but never fully recover. The so-called post-COVID syndrome or long haulers syndrome. Dr. Schneider is successfully helping patient’s in these situations recover from the post-COVID syndrome utilizing his training in Integrative and Functional Medicine. Dr. Schneider recently completed training in treating post-COVID syndrome or long haulers syndrome through the Institute of Functional Medicine which is associated with the Cleveland Clinic’s Groundbreaking Functional Medicine Clinic. 

 

If you are interested in consulting with Dr. Schneider in regards to utilizing Integrative and Functional Medicine techniques along with the I-Mask + protocol please click the following link for more information and to schedule a appointment (in person or virtually) with Dr. Schneider. Due to current health care restrictions Dr. Schneider is only able to see patient up to the age of 64. Virtual office consultations are available for those who reside in Ohio. Those who reside outside of Ohio can only be seen in person at Dr. Schneider's office.