Woodford Files: Top Therapies for COVID; Get Stronger with Plant-based Proteins; Guide to Organics

In the months leading up to the release of our Summer 2020 issue, we’ve seen some weird and wonderful trends emerging on the heels of the coronavirus outbreak.

One disturbing trend has been increased censorship by media and government of information on prevention and treatment of COVID-19. In spite of overwhelming evidence that specific vitamins, herbs, and minerals can help people keep well during a pandemic, still the powers-that-be want to keep this information under wraps.

To shine more light on the issue, we bring you opinion pieces from two reputable sources:

1) OMNS Editor Andrew Saul reveals how certain videos made by progressive doctors in China about their success using IV vitamin C against COVID were repeatedly deleted from social media;

2) Lawyer Shawn Buckley discusses a new report that the federal government is planning to enact censorship laws to prevent “misinformation” about COVID-19.

Meantime, the lockdown has had a major impact on health and wellness practitioners. From RMTs to acupuncturists to reflexologists, everyone had to close their doors as clients waited in pain and isolation for the lockdown to end. Then there were the psychotherapists, hypnotherapists, and other counsellors and teachers unable to reach out to their clients in crisis. Thankfully the lockdown is lifting now, and people can get the help they need. Take a look at our latest Service Directory to find body workers, counselors, therapists, and other professionals ready to serve you.

Another sector hit hard was the food supply chain. With viral outbreaks reported in meat processing facilities across the country, thousands of animals had to be culled or euthanized. And the cruelty involved with factory farmed meat was brought into the spotlight. One positive outcome of this has been increased public interest in alternative plant-based sources of protein that are eco-friendly and cruelty-free.

To help readers navigate this shift, we offer an article on how to Get Stronger This Summer – with Nourishing Meals Rich in Plant-based Proteins. It includes tried and true recipes by famous nutritionist Julie Daniluk and food writer Linda Gabris.

Our local organic food industry was also hit hard by the coronavirus. So we felt it was important to check in with the farms, markets, and organic outlets in our network to see how they’ve fared during the pandemic, and to ask what their businesses will look like going forward. You will find the results published in this issue’s Guide to Organics, a great little directory of local resources. The Guide will continue to evolve on our website for the rest of the year as outlets are added or updated. Overall, these organic farmers and vendors are a sturdy bunch, and their future looks bright since consumers have come to appreciate clean food as a key part of wellness.

Speaking of which, it looks like the recent global threat to our health and safety has caused people to embrace wellness like never before. According to Beth McGroarty of the Global Wellness Institute, “The silver lining in all of this is – it brings a lot more focus to health and wellness.” And Forbes magazine published a feature that proclaimed: “Luxury Brands, Get Ready: Wellbeing Will Emerge As A Huge Trend After Coronavirus.”

On that note, we bring you Dr. Zoltan Rona’s piece entitled: Beyond the Pandemic – Top 10 Ways to Create Wellness in Your Life which explores strategies and supplements that can repair the mental and physical damage caused by the lockdown, and get you on the road to optimal wellbeing.

To see more of Vitality’s excellent COVID-related features published in recent weeks, take a look at our April and May newsletters.

Regarding the big picture, I have to wonder what lies ahead. So I’d like to leave you with the words of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, as shared by Andrew Harvey, author of The Hope ­– A Guide to Sacred Activism: “Humanity is in danger of extinction. Prepare for the very worst. And then work tirelessly with compassion and joy for the very best.”

Meantime, have a terrific summer. We’ll see you in September with our Fall issue if the gods are willing.       Julia Woodford