How To Fight Back Against the Corona Virus

As of this writing, the world is in panic  mode. We’re hoarding food, sanitary soaps and toilet paper. We’ve shut down schools, businesses and travel. There are also everyday items that are no longer available for purchase in Lansing.  

Inside our fear, we are destroying ourselves and our global economy. It’s complete madness.

There are ways to fight back against the COVID-19 pandemic that many are overlooking, ignoring, or denying.

Here’s my take on how to use common sense to stay healthy and safe during a the Corona virus crisis.

The first way to fight back is by changing the way you understand this virus. It’s not what you may think.

First, some background:

About 100+ years ago, when mankind didn’t understand microorganisms, some smart guy named Koch, coupled with the work of Pasteur, discovered that germs cause disease.

It was called the Germ Theory of Disease. It was a massive, wonderful and powerful discovery. It taught us, in my personal and humble opinion, the greatest thing medicine has ever done for mankind. It taught us to simply wash our hands. At the same time, it created an unfortunate side effect.

It made us afraid of germs.

Did you also know that we have more “bugs” (bacteria)  in our bodies (mostly in our gut) than cells? They actually service a purpose, including regulating our immune system! (1)  In fact, gut microbes regulate about 70 to 80 percent of our immunity!

We live in a symbiotic relationship with this bacteria, a.k.a. our gut microbiome, which is pretty amazing. 

It took us over 100 years to even begin to understand the human healing and immune response, which has layers we are still discovering today.

So the germ theory of disease is true, but it’s not completely true. It’s only a small part of the truth. Studies show that those with more diverse microbiomes are healthier and better equipped to fight off infections.

Your immunity from “bugs” isn’t about buying cases of hand sanitizer.

Let’s dig a little deeper. Think about it.. If the germ theory of disease were completely true, and it was our only line of defense against pathogens, no one would be alive to believe it. We’d all be dead.

There must be something more powerful than the germs that cause disease, and even something more powerful that is driving the healing and immune mechanism in your own body.

It’s called LIFE! It’s the idea that your body contains an intelligence separate from your own intelligence. It’s your life force. It is more complex and fascinating than even the biggest panel of experts could even imagine.. Even today, in 2020.

Do you need an example?

Let’s say you fall on the sidewalk and scrape your knee. It’s bleeding. At some point, it stops bleeding. Why? Was it the direct pressure you put on knee? Platelets? Maybe, but what organized, controlled and mobilized this action? What organized and controlled the concept and construction of the scab? Was it you? No! When the scab fell off, imagine what organized and controlled the rebuilding of your skin underneath. They’re can be no argument.

The human body has an innate intelligence called life.

Becoming one of the strong

Consider the wolf. They’re members of the ecosystem we all share in this world. They are predators and carnivores. When wolves get hungry, they hunt for food. When they approach the elk or a deer herd, what are they looking for? They’re looking for the sick and weak in the herd.

They probably don’t know why, but they’re thinning out the herd, and propagating a stronger herd as a result. It’s the circle of life.

Consider the Corona virus as a wolf.

I know that this could sound insensitive and I apologize in advance if it does, but it’s the truth. I know that people have lost loved ones during this pandemic and I feel empathy and sorrow for their loss, but the truth needs to be told.

The truth is, This corona virus is like a wolf but without sentience or awareness. It has no emotional function and zero empathy. It doesn’t have any desires.. It’s just programmed to replicate itself to survive.

In order to accomplish this, it  is looking for the old, the weak and the sick, just like the wolf. 

Even our own immune system is about sacrificing damaged or weak tissue so that the organism as a whole can survive.  Within this system there are the “first responders,” the “army,” the “cleanup crew” and the rebuilders.

Unfortunately, as with any war, there is also collateral damage.

When this process goes into overdrive, this is called an autoimmune response. That’s a different problem I’ll talk about on another day.

Today I want to talk about how you can fight back against the Corona virus with common sense. You can fight back by focusing on minimizing collateral damage and supporting your life force. It’s all about  setting up conditions so that your body’s natural ability to heal, or your life force, can do its job.

Common sense part one

First, It’s a good idea to follow the suggestions from the WHO (World Health Organization) and the CDC, including washing your hands, not touching your face, etc.

Here is a reminder.

It’s still important to not take this virus lightly and ignore or violate their suggestions. This virus could kill you and it’s always a good idea to defend yourself.

But these are just tactical defensive measures. 

What about offensive measures (in the military sense)  or proactive measures? How can we fight back against the Corona virus?  Can this be done? Of course it can.

Note: I’m aware of many articles that caution that the only way to protect ourselves from the COVID-19 virus is via social distancing. While I agree that this is the FIRST line of defense, it seems like a violation of common sense to me to suggest that lifestyle changes won’t also help defend us against the Corona virus and that we don’t need to pay attention to this.

Common sense part two

I know you are smart, if you are reading this.  Yet I still observe people doing stupid things on a daily basis that blow my mind. Besides avoiding extreme violations of common sense.. such pulling one’s mask down to take a drag on a cigarette.. (yes, people do this)

Here’s my top 3 tips for fighting back against the Corona virus:

1. Stop eating DEAD, denatured food

Eating “Dead” food and empty calories makes it difficult to fight back. 
Your body NEEDS certain nutrients in order for your immune response to function properly. 

This includes:



• High quality protein sources, which help build your immune defenses and “army,” I’m not NOT talking about the processed garbage found in most “energy bars” but high quality meat, eggs chicken, and fish. (Salmon is an excellent choice) You can also get protein from plant sources, such as beans.

• Good fats to help fight chronic inflammation, which studies show is linked to weakened immunity. (2) Think avocados, olive oil, and certain types of fish, (salmon)

• High-quality carbohydrates for energy. Many people don’t understand that carbohydrates include not only processed “carbs” but natural and healthy plant sources. (fruits and vegetables, whole grains, etc) High-quality carbohydrates contain phytonutrients that offer supreme health benefits, and are only found in foods in their natural state.

• Micronutrients (vitamins and phytonutrients)  to help with the functions of your body, including immunity.

You need food FULL of life in order to support your own Life Force. 

Denatured foods can even act as “anti-nutrients,” which inhibit the body from doing what it knows how to do innately.

The processed foods people typically eat (and are stocking up on!)  contribute to inflammation, which distracts and has a negative effect on immune function. (3)

 Now your body is fighting a war on two fronts!

Imagine being in a war and willfully taking half of the ammunition away from your troops. Or creating an unnecessary drain on the resources of your life force.

This is exactly what is happening to your body when you stock up on most of the crap people buy in the main aisles in their grocery store.

Almost every “food product” consists primarily of refined sugar, corn (including corn syrup) refined wheat, and processed soy, and is devoid of the nutrients your body needs to fight back against the Corona virus.

I suggest that instead of hoarding toilet paper, and processed junk,  we need to make sure that we are prepared for this battle. 

The answer is REAL food, full of the “ammunition” your body needs: micronutrients (vitamins) and phytonutrients that are only found in whole, unprocessed foods.  Once you get used to real food, it’s likely you won’t desire dead food anymore.

If you are not convinced, come to my garden and I’ll convince you.

2. Stop eating foods that make you feel worse.

The number one culprit is sugar. There is no question that sugar contributes to aging and chronic disease. It’s likely that sugar contributes indirectly to weakened immunity via disruption of the gut microbiome and resulting inflammation.

There is an old study from Loma Linda University (1973) that showed that sugar may suppress the immune system for bacterial infections by inhibiting the function of neutrophils.  It’s VERY often cited, but the results are inconclusive. There definitely needs to be more research in this area.

Still, avoiding sugar is very likely a good strategy for staying healthy. 

There’s another good reason to avoid the white stuff. Sugar, quite simply, makes you feel like shit, especially if you are not getting any exercise.

Sugar  is very addictive, and combined with staying at home, getting less fresh air and exercise, and watching endless cycles of news, it can put you in a downward spiral of poor health, depression, and bad judgment.

Dairy products are also questionable. It’s a very well-perpetuated myth that humans need milk or dairy products. We don’t.

While I have not found any studies linking dairy products directly to viral infections, they can worsen symptoms for many. 

In Chinese medicine, dairy products create “dampness” in the body, which makes sense when you think about how the body processes it, leaving many feeling lethargic and producing excessive amounts of mucus.



Note: mucus is a protective barrier against pathogens, but it is possible to produce too much. 



This condition  can be linked to the studies I mentioned earlier about gut microbiome imbalances, leaky gut, inflammation, etc, which can in turn, affect immunity.

Better choices than milk include dark green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, kale, and cabbage. Dried fruits, nuts, seeds, and peas, beans and lentils are also excellent sources of calcium. They also contain other important minerals like magnesium and vitamin C, which studies still show can improve immune function. (4)

Courage: Taking action in the face of FEAR

Ready for tip #3? This is an important one!

3. Don’t let fear control you.

It’s ok to be scared sometimes. Fear can protect you.  That’s why it’s installed as one of our basic emotions.

Courage doesn’t mean lack of fear, it just means not letting it define you or affect your decisions in the face of fear.

The fear that is propagating right now, in my opinion, isn’t helping us much.

Worry, on the other hand, doesn’t really serve any purpose. Stop indulging in worry. Worry and living in constant fear are a huge problem. These emotions, over time, are destructive  and they make you weak and sick. (5)  They’re not health building emotions.

Both will erode the length and quality of your life on this planet if you let it. I can’t imagine a person on their deathbed regretting that they didn’t worry enough. They won’t report that they didn’t experience enough fear in their life.

It’s time to be courageous. Turn off the bullshit news. Watching the news obsessively at this point is unlikely to offer any real benefit and tends to make us feel as helpless and reactive as a trapped animal waiting to die, causing people to make poor decisions instead of informed ones.

Instead,  look for something interesting and beautiful. Or take this moment to CREATE something beautiful and inspire others. You’ll be better.

Here’s what else I want you to know.

As a person, I know that we are all the objects of love. Inside this love, I know and understand that you are a completely unique and a fascinating person. There’s nothing generic about you.

As a Chiropractor, I’m going to keep this in mind, and I promise you, there won’t be anything generic in my Chiropractic corrections.

Your Lansing Chiropractor,

Dr. Joel