Immune Boosting
As Covid-19 continues to spread, its important to keep emotions in check. We see the impact of fear in many ways, whether it be people wearing masks or stores running out of toilet paper.
Remember that just because you may have exposure to the virus, it doesn't mean you're going to get sick, let alone be at risk for death.
For 80% of people, they experience mild symptoms which will resolve. Those at higher risk for severe symptoms are those that have already existing chronic disease or are older than 60YOA. Mortality rate is less than 2%.
Exposure is only step one, then our body has many protective barriers against infection including physical barriers like our skin and mucus. If the virus breaches those defences, we have our microbiome (healthy bacteria) in our body for protection and immune cells that will mount a response if the virus manages to enter the blood stream.
Our bodies are intelligent but immune systems are not 100%, which is why we can get sick. Optimizing your immune system to be as strong as it can be is important for prevention.
Now is the time to emphasize a healthy lifestyle. During the winter, people seem to give way and do the opposite: they essentially hibernate and resort to eating comfort foods which tend to be highly processed, inflammatory, and low in nutrients. All of which negatively impact our immunity.
Instead, people should prioritize:
Good sleep so your body can restore and heal itself
Minimize stress as it can weaken immunity
Eat healthy to provide the necessary nutrients and building blocks (whole foods, include fermented foods like kimchi and high fibre foods to support the microbiome)
Get outside for some vitamin D (or supplement if you don’t)
Be active - our immune system is susceptible to being stagnant. Being immunologically fit depends on being physically fit.
And if you get Covid-19? It is not game over. Research is showing that severity can be minimized through therapies like herbal medicine, nutraceuticals, and high dose vitamin C administered by IV.
More on the Covid-19 virus in my last post.
Dr. Cristina Allen ND