My Daughter Got Sick. For Once, I Didn't.
Here's what we did.
It often feels like nobody cares about getting sick anymore.
Until they get sick.
We still care. Of course, Covid has become but one of several pathogens we guard against as conspiracy theorists dismantle public health and tell everyone around us that getting sick, even with measles, could be good for you. Last year, I wrote up a few posts about treatment alternatives, not because I reject conventional medicine, but because we’re increasingly losing access to it. My family doesn’t qualify for Paxlovid, and now we probably won’t even get booster shots.
Plus, it won’t be long before school starts.
Almost two weeks ago, my daughter came down with Covid. We tried our plan, and I feel safe enough to report the results. She has recovered, and we’re not seeing any signs of Long Covid. (We’ll keep a lookout, because it can show up later). Meanwhile, neither my spouse nor I ever tested positive or felt sick. We used several different kinds of tests, including molecular ones, with accuracy rates above 90 percent. So, it’s time to put everything I’ve written about into one post.
I can’t guarantee all this will work for everyone, but I still want to share it as widely as possible. None of this replaces effective masks and air purifiers, but for us it filled in the weak points when you can’t always mask perfectly or clean the air fast enough when taking care of a sick family member.
Even people who don’t take precautions anymore might use some of these options. They might never say thank you, or even respond.
If it helps, it helps.
Do I think this plan will work on other germs?
Yes, I do.
We used a HOCl Humidifier
The short and sweet: We bought a HOCl generator and used that (instead of water) in humidifiers for several hours a day, and a few hours at night. Out of all the things we did, that probably made the biggest difference.
I’m the kind of person who always gets sick. In the before times, I used to get sick at least twice a year. It was rough, and it didn’t matter how much kale I ate (a lot) or how much I exercised (a lot). My first round with Covid, I thought I was gonna die. The second time, I got a post-Covid infection.
This time, I didn’t even test positive.
Neither did my spouse.
You can buy HOCl generators online. A lot of people recommend the Eco One or the Force of Nature generators, but they’re just examples. You can make sure they work by getting test strips. Some kits come with their own strips. Pour the HOCl into a good cool mist humidifier, and you’re good to go.
Our daughter started feeling better within a day. She feels fine now except for a runny nose. Nearly two weeks in, we’re still running the humidifier with HOCl for a few hours a couple of times a day. It spends 2-3 hours next to me before I go to sleep. We have two humidifiers. If we need to boot up the other one, we do. If we feel like we need to use them for longer, we do.
It’s pretty simple.
Here’s the long explanation:
Several industries have started using hypochlorous acid (HOCl) to disinfect food and equipment. It’s an old disinfectant with a long history. You can read more about it here, here, here, and here. An overview on HOCl in the Journal of Dental Research found that Covid and flu “were each fully destroyed by only 100 ppm” within 30 seconds. It works on a wide range of pathogens.
Anecdotally, some people have said they’ve cleared viral infections by setting these up in their rooms overnight. Curious, I started searching for any studies on HOCl as an antiviral treatment. I found one clinical trial withdrawn with no follow-up. Then I found a study in a 2021 issue of the European Archives of Oto Rhino Laryngology that confirmed a HOCl spray led to a 99 percent efficacy in viral reduction “on both the nasal and oral mucosa” in less than one minute, without harmful effects. I found another study in a 2024 issue of Water & Health reviewing the uses of HOCl, concluding that concentrations as low as 30 ppm showed antiviral activity, and that HOCl in concentrations of 20-60 ppm was safe for animals to drink.
That was pretty encouraging.
According to a review on HOCl in the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, it kills through a process called chlorination, “by forming chloramines and nitrogen-centered radicals, resulting in single as well as double-stranded DNA breaks, rendering the nucleic acid useless and the virus harmless.”
You can also use HOCl to purify water, the same way you’d use bleach. Medical researchers have known about HOCl for a while, but they’re still learning surprising new things about it. A 2024 study in Nature even found that a HOCl solution helped treat diabetic mice. Research has also linked excessive amounts of HOCl to some autoimmune disorders. That makes sense, because your body’s immune system produces HOCl to fight germs. (So if you have a condition like this, you’ll need to approach it with some caution.)
Let’s repeat that part:
Your body naturally produces HOCl to fight infections.
The EPA and CDC both list it as an effective disinfectant. Plus, more studies have highlighted its use in fighting pathogens. A 2023 study in Frontiers in Microbiology covers how hypochlorous acid destroys multiple viruses, including Covid. As the authors say, “it is one of the foremost endogenous molecules for effective phagocytosis of invading bacteria,” meaning it’s incredibly good at killing germs. It knocks bleach out of the park, 80-100 times more effective.
Are we sure it’s safe?
I’ve only heard about one case of adverse reaction to HOCl, from a reader who (understandably) used sea salt instead of kosher, non-iodized salt. The instructions on HOCl generators should make it clearer that using the wrong kind of salt doesn’t just make the HOCl ineffective, it can cause hazards.
Research has shown that at 300 ppm, it doesn’t cause damage to human skin cells or lung tissue. However, a 2024 study found that you shouldn’t go over that amount. At 400-500 ppm, it becomes dangerous. If you’re going to use industrial-grade HOCl, treat it like it’s bleach. Fortunately, if you follow the directions, you’re not going to produce HOCl anywhere near 400 ppm on a home generator. The one we use has to run two cycles to reach 200 ppm.
You can use hypochlorous acid almost anywhere. For example, a 2024 study in the Journal of Infection and Chemotherapy found that when you spray it on toys, it knocks down germ counts considerably. A 2023 study in BMC Oral Health even recommends it as a mouthwash.
A suggestion:
A few different theories exist for Long Covid, including immune system dysregulation and autoimmune complications, but one of the leading explanations puts viral persistence in the headlights. In other words, patients don’t clear their infections and/or viral fragments continue circulating. Some groups have been fighting to get other antivirals and monoclonal antibodies into trial stages.
You can read more about that work here.
I would love to see more research on using HOCl as a possible way to treat viral persistence in Long Covid.
It would be a game changer.
We also used supplements
Supplements have developed a reputation as snake oil because they’re unregulated, and so many companies sell knock-offs. Even when they sell something genuine, they often don’t use the right concentrations, or they don’t provide the most accurate information to use them for their antiviral properties.
I’ve done research to fix that.
When my daughter got Covid, I took cinnamon (Swanson’s Cinnulin CF), olive leaf extract (Solaray and GNC), and quercetin powder (BulkSupplements.com). I don’t have any deals with these companies. I’m just being specific, and you’ll see why when you read the information below. You should talk to a pediatrician before giving supplements to children, but we gave our daughter children’s zinc and about a quarter of a standard dose of elderberry and echinacea.
Let’s get into it.
How do you choose supplements?
A 2024 review of studies in Viruses identified 10 different plant compounds with broad antiviral properties and effectiveness specific to Covid—and in many cases several other viruses. As they write, "plant-derived molecules can tackle viruses by acting on different aspects of their infection process" and "inhibit coronavirus/host protein pathways" by blocking them. The authors initially identified 45 different compounds and then narrowed them to the 10 most effective.
Plants work because they contain terpenoids, flavonoids, phenols, and alkaloids that all demonstrate "high anti-viral potential against SARS-CoV-2 particles" as well as other viruses. They do this in a variety of ways that work across variants because they block virus entry while also tamping down replication and essentially "stopping its life cycle." So, that’s good to know.
Which supplements?
Ginkgo
First, ginkgo biloba contains two bioflavonoids called quercetin and rutin that can block Covid's 3CLPro BS PL-pro enzymes, as demonstrated in two different studies that looked at how they bind to parts of the spike protein. According to an article in Nature, 3CLPro plays a central role in virus replication. Ginkgo also contains kaempferol that inhibits Covid's envelope protein E, "consequently suppressing virus activity and proliferation." G. Biloba also brings an anti-inflammatory effect that can help with recovery as well. Ginkgo demonstrates broad antiviral and antibacterial properties, so it’s good to have on hand.
How much should you take?
The clearest study I found used 40 mg of extract three times a day, or 120 mg total for a standard supplement with 24 percent flavonoids and 6 percent terpenes. Basically, you’re getting 36 mg of pathogen-fighting compounds.
Where should you buy it?
According to the supplement watchdog Consumer Lab, you should go with brands like GNC, The Vitamin Shoppe, Nature Made, Nutrilite, or Life Extension. Consumer Lab analyzes these products to make sure they contain what’s advertised. They all made Consumer Lab’s cut.
Reminder: Ginkgo works on viruses largely thanks to quercetin and rutin, which are found in other supplements. If you’re taking Ginkgo to fight an infection, check the polyphenol and flavonoid content on other supplements to make sure you’re not getting too much of a given compound. Be careful when mixing Ginkgo, elderberry, echinacea, and St. John’s Wort. They contain quercetin and other flavonoids. According to Mount Sinai’s page on supplements, if you exceed 1 gram per day, it can cause kidney and liver damage.
Quercetin
Since many of the supplements with antiviral properties contain quercetin as an active compound, it’s worth looking into standalone quercetin supplements—especially if you just want something simple. With the best quercetin supplements, what you see is what you get. There’s no fluff.
The best brands offer roughly 500-600 mg per dose, and you don’t want much more than 1 gram anyway. The brands include Life Extension, Solaray, BulkSupplements.com, and Swanson. Thorne also sells a quercetin supplement, but that one wasn’t evaluated by Consumer Lab.
Star Anise
A 2008 study in the Journal of Medical Virology discusses star anise explicitly as a potential tool for an avian flu pandemic. Here’s the thing: It doesn’t seem to work very well (or at all) when it’s used on its own. But when you combine it with Quercetin, it can work “even at low doses.” A 2020 article in Phytotherapy Research confirms shikimic acid (from star anise) as the primary precursor molecule in Tamiflu—and “several other molecules with numerous biological benefits including the antiviral effects have been reported from the same plant.”
A 2011 lab study found that star anise reduced infections of herpes simplex virus by more than 99 percent. As this article explains, star anise is a fruit that grows in Vietnam and China. It’s used as a spice in many parts of the world. During the height of anxiety about bird flu in the 2010s, the companies that made Tamiflu (Gilead and Roche) were outright hoarding star anise, consuming nearly 90 percent of the world’s supply, and making a billion a year.
So, are you wrong to buy some and try it?
Hardly…
How much should you take, and where should you buy it?
Consumer Lab hasn’t evaluated star anise supplements, but a 2023 article in Biotechnology Advances indicates that you need .13 grams of shikimic acid to make one 75 mg dose of Tamiflu, from 2.6 grams of star anise. Various online sources say it’s okay to consume 3 grams of ground star anise a day. You would need about 5.2 grams to get enough shikimic acid to emulate two doses of Tamiflu per day, which is what doctors tend to prescribe for flu infections.
Combine that with a quercetin supplement.
Buy Chinese star anise. Don’t buy Japanese (it’s poisonous). You shouldn’t even be able to get Japanese star anise, but ya never know…
So, there you go.
Curcumin & Turmeric
Second, turmeric and curcumin "can either bind directly to the receptor binding domain of the viral S-proteins or secure ACE2 receptors of the hosted cell." Basically, they stop viral entry into your cells. As the authors write, a curcumin derivative called bi-demethoxycurcumin "displayed the best binding affinity" to spike proteins. It works on a range of viruses, including SARS-1. Turmeric is the plant, and curcumin is the compound found in its roots. Curcumin has demonstrated potent antiviral activity, and remarkably it has shown the ability to reduce viral loads of HIV to “undetectable” levels while also improving CD4 counts.
How much should you take?
The dose runs at 450 mg capsules three times a day, with a concentration of 80 percent curcumin or better. You have to watch out. A number of curcumin supplements are just turmeric power—not strong enough.
Where should you buy it?
Root2 and Kirkland’s turmeric supplements offer the highest concentration I could find, at 960 mg and 1,056 mg of curcuminoids per daily dose. GNC and Puritan’s Pride came in second, with roughly 500 mg.
Several other brands contained the right stuff, but more in the neighborhood of 50-100 mg—just not enough.
Echinacea and/or St. John’s Wort
A 2022 study in Nature found that a mixture of St. John's Wort (hypericum perforatum) and Echinacea showed significant antiviral activity against Covid. Specifically, capsules with .9 mg of St. John's "can significantly reduce SARS-CoV-2 viral load," peaking at 36 hours after the start of treatment.
St. John's Wort works fine on its own, on a range of viruses. The authors stress the importance of maintaining its concentration if you add other compounds like echinacea.
How much St. John’s Wort and where do you buy it?
An older 2016 review from Consumer Lab recommends 900 mg of a concentrated extract with .3 percent hypericin and 1-3 percent hyperforin. They recommend Gaia Herbs, Perika, and Medi Herb. They don’t recommend other brands, not even popular ones like Now, the Vitamine Shoppe, or Swanson.
How much echinacea should you take?
For echinacea, the clearest study I found cites 4,000 mg a day of Echinaforce as the effective dose. Strangely enough, Consumer Lab didn’t approve Echinaforce because it only contained .18 mg of polyphenols per capsule. You generally want double digits, at least for this supplement.
Where should you buy it?
Vital Nutrients, Nutrilite Immunity, or BulkSupplements.com.
These brands contain roughly 18-50 mg of actual echinacea per daily dose. Vital Nutrients did the best, with about 25 mg per 500 mg capsule, or 50 mg per daily dose. Some brands don’t stack up very well. For example, Nature’s Bounty only contained 4.7 mg per 400 mg capsule. Don’t even bother with brands like Herb Pharm or Gummiology.
If participants in studies have to take 4,000 mg of a weak supplement like Echinaforce to squeeze out a few mg of echinacea, then you probably wouldn’t have to pop higher quality pills all day long. With the standard daily dose, you’re getting as much or more than described in the studies.
You might even do okay with Nature’s Bounty.
Warning:
Supplement sites mention side effects with extended use beyond eight weeks—especially on your liver. So echinacea might be something you use during high-risk times and then give yourself a break.
Elderberry
A 2022 study reviews available research on elderberry (sambucus nigra), confirming antiviral activity against HIV, flu, and coronaviruses. As the researchers write, adults in clinical trials "showed a significant reduction in symptoms, averaging 50 percent." Elderberry has also shown the ability to stimulate the production of immune cells. A 2019 study confirms that elderberry works against flu via "multiple modes of therapeutic action," including the inhibition of replication and host cell entry. An extensive 2021 study looking at prior research found that high-quality elderberry extracts enriched with anthocyanin work especially well.
How much should you take?
Things get complicated with elderberry. You can test any given supplement for anthocyanins, the specific compounds like quercetin and rutin found in elderberry. But when you add other nutrients like zinc or Vitamin C, it muddles things a little by upping the total polyphenol count. So it’s hard to know exactly what you’re getting. The clearest study I found on elderberry identifies BerryPharma as the brand used. One 300 mg capsule contained 22 percent polyphenols and 15 percent anthocyanins. The rest was rice flour. So when you take 300 mg of elderberry, you don’t need 300 mg of anthocyanins to get the job done.
At 15 percent, you need about 45 mg.
Where should you buy it?
Popular brands like Sambucol or Whole Foods 365 advertise 150 mg of elderberry but they only contain .2—.3 mg of anthocyanins per tablet. Sambucol at least shows 58 mg of polyphenols, so you’re getting something antiviral.
If you want the best, brands like New Chapter’s Elderberry Force offer the most actual anthocyanins, at 69.3 mg per dose.
The rest barely crack 1 mg.
Olive Leaf Extract (Oleuropein)
A 2024 study found that oleuropein, found in olive leaf extract, demonstrates high antibacterial activity at 130 mg/ml and high antifungal activity at 65 mg/ml. Another 2022 study found that oleuropein showed significant effectiveness against Covid in hospitalized patients when they were given 250-500 mg every 12 hours for five days. (No real difference between 250 and 500 mg.) The study also reviews previous research that oleuropein has shown effectiveness against other viruses, including HIV and influenza. It works the same way as other flavonoids, lectins, secoiridoids, and polyphenols, by blocking ACE2 receptors.
How much should you take?
For olive leaf extract, the clearest study I found used 98 percent pure oleuropein developed by the Department of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Tehran, at 500-1000 mg per day. So when you buy olive leaf supplements, you want the highest concentration you can get.
Where should you buy it?
Go with Swanson, Solaray, GNC, or Nature’s Way.
Swanson’s 250 mg capsules contain 100 mg of actual extract—the best I could find. The other brands hover around 40-50 mg, which ain’t too shabby (all things considered). To achieve the doses described in studies, you’d need to take at least three Swanson capsules and five or six capsules of other brands like Solaray.
That might feel… dicey.
Agencies like Consumer Lab aren’t shy that you often have to take charge of doses to see the intended effects. Still, we’re sort of on our own here, and that can get dangerous. If you’re going to experiment, you might want to do it before you fall desperately ill with avian flu—to see what your body can tolerate during normal operating conditions.
Oregano
Oregano (origanum vulgare) extract demonstrates antiviral activity against many DNA and RNA viruses, including Covid and HIV. As researchers have found, oregano extracts "showed remarkable efficacy against equine influenza virus, canine coronavirus, RS, and H1N1. In fact, it can inhibit up to 74 percent of viral activity at certain sites. Again, carvacrol does the heavy lifting.
Consumer Lab hasn’t evaluated oregano oil capsules as far as I can tell, but this article reviews several studies endorsing its use as a broad antibiotic and antiviral. It recommends 600 mg per day. When you’re looking at brands, pay attention to how much carvacrol it offers.
Warning: Oregano oils and supplements are potent. Like some of the others listed here, pay attention to duration and taper off after 2-3 weeks. This one can also interfere with medications.
So, talk to a doctor first if you’re already taking something.
(Honestly, good advice in general.)
Cinnamon
According to the clearest study I could find, two tablespoons of cinnamon get the job done. It needs to be Ceylon cinnamon. With so many brands out there, it’s easy to pick something that’s adulterated or even toxic. Even Simply Organic cinnamon contains higher amounts of coumarin, a toxin.
(Stay away from Badia.)
Store brands like Whole Foods 365 made the cut for quality and safety. So did McCormick’s (It’s Cassia, not Ceylon, but still okay). As for supplements, go with Swanson, Nature’s Bounty, or Puritan’s Pride. If you’re shopping for cinnamon, I would buy something clearly labeled Ceylon.
Consumer Reports has also identified brands of cinnamon to stay away from, and which ones are okay. They’ve said store brands like Good & Gather, 365, Kirkland, Trader Joe’s, and Great Value are okay.
Garlic
According to studies, you need 600 mg of garlic for 150 days to fight viral persistence, and you need 300 mg for another 150 days. So, that pretty much means garlic every day to benefit from any antiviral properties. Lab tests look for the presence of allicin, with one gram of garlic delivering 1,000 mg of virus-fighting compounds. One gram of garlic looks like a grain of rice.
So, it doesn’t take much.
Where should you buy it?
Brands like Nature’s Way, Life Extension, and even Garlique all deliver on their promises. You can also just eat garlic.
The same goes for ginger.
Kudzu Root & Radix Bupleuri
Studies have found antiviral potential in kudzu root. Even before the pandemic, a study in Retrovirology found that kudzu root extract fought HIV infection by inhibiting cell entry and could be added to a patient’s existing medicines. Kudzu contains puerarin, a compound that’s already used to treat diabetes, Parkinson’s, and cancer. A 2022 study in Frontiers in Immunology found that puerarin offers potential for Covid patients not only through its antiviral properties but also by moderating the immune system’s inflammatory response.
A 2020 study identified puerarin, along with quercetin and kaempferol, as very effective antiviral and immune system treatments. A standard dose of puerarin lands at 200-400 mg per day, but one study on kudzu root for heart problems used 400-600 mg per day for up to 15 days.
The traditional Chinese herb Radix Bupleuri contains puerarin, quercetin, and kaempferol. It has shown strong antiviral effects against a range of diseases, and it’s been used for thousands of years.
The standard dose comes in at 3-10 grams per day. You don’t want to go over that amount, because like goat’s rue, it’s toxic in higher doses.
It’s hard to find brand recommendations here.
Let me know if you have info.
Other supplements that need more exploration:
A common spice called artemesia annua demonstrated antiviral activity in clinical trials. The group who took an artemisia compound called artemisinin-piperaquine "took significantly less time to reach undetectable levels of SARS-CoV-2 than the controls." In fact, artemisinins "are known for their extended-spectrum antiviral activity." An artemisia derivative called artesunate has shown effectiveness against both DNA and RNA viruses including hepatitis and HIV.
So it works on a range of viruses.
Artemesia compounds work similar to ginkgo by latching on to five different parts of the spike protein "which might explain its remarkable binding affinity." In addition to flavonoids like quercetin, researchers have identified di-caffeoylquinic acid as doing a lot of the heavy lifting here. Like curcumin, these flavonoids also bind to ACE2 receptors on your cells and protect them. Medical researchers are working on refining these compounds into artenimol, a single high-potency compound for giving to patients.
There’s also nigella sativa (black cumin seeds) have shown antiviral activity by disrupting viral RNA transcription. Carvacrol and nigellidine extracted from these seeds "can block ACE2 receptors, thus inhibiting the SARS-CoV-2 entry into the host cells." Then there’s ginger (6-gingerol, 8-gingerol, 10-gingerol), which can inhibit parts of the Covid spike protein. Specifically, it's the bioactive compounds geraniol, shogaol, zingiberene, and zingiberenol that do the blocking.
Dandelion extract has shown to be "effective against influenza virus infection" and in higher concentrations "showed efficacy against spike proteins... and its different mutants" in human lung and kidney cells, while also helping to prevent the cytokine storm that's often so deadly in the acute stage.
So, that’s four more antivirals.
Final Thoughts
So, that’s a lot of information to keep straight.
Here's a chart:
The studies linked in the sheet provide the most detailed dose information I can find. Duration runs around two weeks for an acute illness and 3-4 months for chronic infections. It's important to talk with a doctor if you're skeptical or not sure about interactions with other drugs, or you can look at the studies on your own. Supplements in general can be hard on your liver and kidneys, especially if you take them for prolonged periods.
You can also look at Stephen Harrod Buhner’s Herbal Antivirals and Herbal Antibiotics. These plant compounds work the same way as many of the antivirals on the market. Medical researchers have been researching the antiviral properties of plants for decades, and cultures have used them for thousands of years. Given our current outlook, they're worth taking seriously.
If you plan on diving into supplements, it’s worth signing up with Consumer Lab for their full data. You can also look for a certificate of analysis (COA), awarded by NSF or USP, who provide similar types of testing and approval. I’ve been combing these websites for the last day and they’re pretty amazing. You can look up most of these supplements and extracts on Mount Sinai's health library. You can also visit sites like Drugs.com to start gathering information. Both sites give excellent information on possible side effects and drug interactions. In particular, some Long Covid survivors have noted that supplements with quercetin lower blood pressure, so if you’re already taking treatments related to blood pressure or cardiac issues, you definitely want to talk to a doctor first.
The US Pharmacopeia (USP) has a long history that predates the FDA. Unfortunately, the 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act essentially made quality and safety standards voluntary. Since then, companies can basically do whatever they want as long as they don’t put “USP” on their labels. Fortunately, the USP still offers a verification program. So if you’re not sure about a supplement, then at least you have these safeguards. You’ll also want to become friends with the FDA’s page on supplements, while it’s still up.
Do I think it's sustainable to take high amounts of supplements all year long to ward off all kinds of airborne diseases, for the rest of our lives? Not really. But with public health frozen and a fascist regime breathing down our necks, we need all the help we can get. You can find all the studies here.
Use what you can. It’s not magic.
Just science.
Really appreciate how much work you put into these
Thank you so much for this Jessica. I really appreciate your hard work. Packed with useful (verified!) information. It’s going onto my external hard drive to keep forever ;-)