COVID-19 and Your Immune System

One thing we know about COVID-19 is that people with a strong immune system do better. It’s the difference between shrugging off a mild virus or having serious problems.

My last post talked about good hygiene habits. Here are some tips for strengthening your immune system.

Immune Boosters

• Well Rounded Diet.
  We all have our favorite foods, but they might not be getting you the nutrients that you need. If you aren’t one to eat a lot of vegetables, start by adding one or two a day. Experiment. Get an idea of what you actually like: choose different colors, green and leafy, red, yellow. Different colors are signs of different nutrients. Change the colors that you’re eating.
• Supplements. Ideally we can get all of the nutrients we need from our diets, but that’s often not the case. We might not make the best choices about what we’re eating, or we need more nutrients than our food is providing. COVID-19 has sparked a run on supplements.  There are shelves of different choices, but what should you take? Is one brand better than  another?  Cheaper definitely is not better in this case.  I carry professional brands that I trust and have used for years, but are not readily available outside of a professional office.
• Recently I went to Whole Foods to look around for what is available off the shelf.  Everyone’s body and health concerns differ, so these are general recommendations, for more specific information you can consult with me or your trusted medical source.
• Multiple Vitamin and Minerals.  Look for something that is whole food based, like Garden of Life Vitamin Code Products.  Whole food supplements have the advantage of containing the vitamin with its various co-factors, so it’ll actually work in your body.  Most products out there are synthetic based. While they may show higher amounts of a particular substance, they will not give you the most benefit (and some will not work at all).
• Vitamin D3.Every cell in your body has receptor sites for Vitamin D.  The key vitamin is D3 (cholecalciferol).  Vitamin D is unique in that it is a vitamin, but also a hormone, and hormones work in the body in small amounts.  As a general recommendation, 1000 IUs is a good amount.
• Vitamin A.  Vitamin A boosts our first line defense against bugs, the mucus membranes. Vitamin A boosts Secretory Immunoglobulin A, sIgA, which is found in the nose, lungs and GI mucosal membranes.   The better our digestive system, the better our nutritional health, the more likely that we will have adequate amounts of sIgA to fight off viral invaders.
• Vitamin C.  Well know for its immune boosting properties as well as its anti-viral ones.  You do want a food based source, one that has bioflavanoids, so that it is better utilized.  If you’re looking to blast your immune system for a short time, consider taking divided doses, increasing through the day, until you notice that your stools are getting soft.
• Zinc.  Particularly important for the immune system, you want either zinc picolinate or zinc orotate.  Pure Encapsulations is a good brand. While it is considered a professional supplement, there are a number of places to find in on-line.
• Anti-Viral Herbs.  There are many traditional herbs with anti-viral properties.  Add some into  your routine.  Choose a good source, not the cheapest.  Look for certified organic herbs.
• Echinacea
• Astragalus
• Golden Seal
• Garlic
• Oregano Extract

Additional ways to boost your immune system.

• Feed your bugs.  The bugs in our gut, our flora or microbiome, not only help digest food but boost our immune response.  We need a variety and balance of these bugs to stay healthy. If you’ve ever taken antibiotics this balance has been altered.  Fiber from vegetables, nuts and seeds help your healthy microbiome. Eating fermented foods also helps: consider kimchi, sauerkraut and fermented vegetables. Avoid sugar, which feeds the bad bugs and ultimately suppresses the immune system, upping the odds of getting the flu or a cold.
• Sleep.  We need good amounts of sleep to restore, ideally 7-8 hours per night.  It is actually best to go to bed around 9:00 p.m. because that is when the body would like to ramp up melatonin levels, which is involved in the immune system.  Staying up late actually upsets our natural rhythm.
• Exercise.  This a general tonic for the body.  Exercise will boost the immune system, improve digestion, help balance hormones and effective in stress management.
• Stress Management.  A stressed body is not a well body.  Stress can disrupt every aspect of our body including the immune system.  Prolonged stress will even decrease our ability to digest food, robbing the body of vital nutrients.
• Chiropractic Adjustments.  Research has shown that regular chiropractic care has a positive effect on the immune system.  It stimulates the interconnected nervous system, endocrine system and the immune system, as well as decreasing stress and restoring physical balance.

We’re getting bombarded with information at this time and there’s a certain amount of panic going around.  Panic doesn’t help but positive actions will.  Building up our immune systems, eat well, sleep well, exercise, and get adjusted is our best defense.

Good Health! – drbonny