New Covid Variant JN.1: What you should know

Why there is concern about JN.1 and my top 3 recommendations to build a healthy immune system

What we know today about the JN.1 variant

I recently wrote about White Lung Syndrome on this substack. It is now being reported that they cause of this may in part be due to the new JN.1 variant. So, what do we currently know and what can we do about this?

According to CDC data, the JN.1 variant increased in the number of circulating SARS-COV-2 viruses from less than 0.1 % to now 15-29% as of mid-December. This appears to be quite a climb in a short amount of time and suggests that this variant is either more transmissible or better at evading our immune systems than other variants.

This variant is said to contain 41 additional unique mutations from the subvariant it originated from. This is referring to a subvariant of Omicron called Pirola. The mutations breakdown in the following way: 28 mutations are located in the spike protein, one is in the N protein, 3 in the M protein, 8 in the ORF1a and 1 in the ORF 7b.

Why we want to understand viral mutations

The reason for the breakdown on the variants is to discuss the possibility that these mutations may mean a faster spreading virus. In the case of JN.1, changes in the spike protein may lead to increased infectivity due to less meaningful response from infection-induced neutralizing antibodies. This means the body has not had a chance to catch up with the changes in the virus.

We also know that mutations in non-spike proteins may have their own effects and be responsible for the RNA process have essential implications for the virus's life cycle. They can lead the virus to escape (this means that the virus is actively evading the immune system) more quickly from a broader spectrum of immunity and other antiviral defense mechanisms that clear it from our cells. More mutations in a variant is not good; this often means there are more ways the virus may be catching the immune system unaware and not able to mount the response needed at the time.

Reported cases in children with "white lung pneumonia" or "white lung syndrome" in the United States and Europe are escalating, increasing public concern alongside the rising JN.1 curve. I have not read any clear evidence showing that JN.1 is responsible for this and correlation is not necessarily causation. The CDC is currently projecting that JN.1 will continue to increase as a proportion of SARS-CoV-2 genomic sequences. It is currently the fastest-growing variant in the United States. I will continue to publish substack articles as we learn more about the progress of this variant.

Knowing this information, what can we do? The very best thing to do is to know about lifestyle changes you can adopt along with natural remedies to generally prevent viruses from happening or deal with them when they become active.

Top 3 Things to do right away

1. Understand that you have power within your body to prevent and protect yourself from viruses. This ability of a virus to be more or less active in your body will be related to the health of something called the “terrain”. The terrain of the body is determined by what you include in your diet, your ability to eliminate that which is not needed (through the bowel and kidneys, so good fiber and hydration are key), the health of the microbiome and the pH of the body among other things. This means that the terrain needs certain conditions (like soil) in order to grow and thrive. Thwart the ability of a virus to take hold in the body by avoiding refined sugar in your diet (this suppresses the white blood cells for up to 6 hours). Eat a starch-centered diet with plenty of potatoes, rice, sweet potatoes, pasta, millet and a variety of vegetables and fruits as this will create a microbiome that will facilitate your immune system. This type of a diet plan also keeps your pH more alkaline than acidic. Always wear a hat and scarf outside during the cold winter weather. This protects key points at the top of the head and back of the neck noted in Chinese Medicine where “wind invasion” can happen, which then makes you more susceptible to pathogens (like bacteria and viruses).

2. Consider Zinc supplementation as a preventive measure during winter months. Several studies have shown that zinc may play a vital role in halting viral replication in the body. Zinc deficiency reduces NK (natural killer) cells, while zinc supplementation may reduce this effect of low NK cell activity. Other studies have shown that zinc may increase the activity of CD4+ T cell activity, which is an important part of the immune system necessary for clearing viruses. Look for zinc picolinate, zinc glycinate or zinc aspartate when choosing supplements. Common dosages in supplements are about 15mg per capsule or lozenge. The RDA for most adults is between 8 - 11mg.

3. Look at Olive Leaf as an herbal remedy for viruses. Olive leaf is also known by its latin name Olea Europaea. Olive tree products have been used medicinally in the Mediterranean region for hundreds of hears. The active compounds include oleuerpein, verbascoside and hydroxytyrosol. The compounds are known to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial and antiviral qualities. The exact mechanism of antiviral activity in Olive Leaf is not completely understood but is believed to be related to interfering with the virus’ ability to attach to a target cell and cause an active infection. There is known antiviral activity in various polyphenols, which are also in Olive Leaf. These have been shown to be effective against a variety of viruses including Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B and Influenza virus type A.

   I will continue to report and provide updates on variants and helpful solutions for the immune system.

Ariel Policano is a naturopathic doctor specializing in energy medicine, frequency technologies and principles of nature cure. Learn more at her YouTube Channel, @arielpolicano and at geniusbiofeedback.com