How to Support Your Health in the Midst of COVID-19
As of right now the Coronavirus, aka, COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2 is causing considerable physical and emotional health problems in this country and throughout the world. It is like nothing that our generation has ever seen before. The reason for this article is, first, to provide some assistance to gain certainty in uncertain times and, secondly, to learn how to best protect you and your family. It is about understanding how the human body works and how to best support it.
UNDERSTAND THE IMMUNE SYSTEM: We hear a lot about the immune system and often about people having a weakened immune system. It’s helpful to know what the term “immune system” means. There are many parts of the body that make up the immune system. In fact the body as a whole IS an immune system. It includes the skin, thymus gland, spleen, the lymphatic system, the skeletal bones, digestive system, the intestinal bacteria, and the liver plus many more. Since the whole body is involved in the immune system a whole body approach is needed to best support it and shield it from environmental stressors.
EAT COLORFUL FRESH FOODS: Eat multi colored fresh vegetables as well as lower sugar containing fruits to boost your vitamins, minerals and other nutrients to support your immune system. The variation of colors within vegetables and fruits represents different types and concentrations of many of the different essential nutrients we need. “They” say you are what you eat. So try to eat as much variety and color as possible to strengthen and shield your body.
REDUCE THE STRESS: Keeping stress levels down in the body is vital to help support the immune system. You can do this in three ways: through sleep, avoiding sugar and not panicking.
First, make sure to sleep seven or more hours per night. Your body heals from the daily “stresses” while you sleep and lack of it is the fastest way to make the body vulnerable. If you have trouble sleeping there are many natural ways to support the body. If this continues to be an issue you should seek help from a trained professional to further assist you.
Second, avoiding sugar and highly processed carbohydrate rich foods is crucial in keeping the immune system and body strong. These types of foods elevate insulin levels, suppress immune function, and increase inflammation, making your risk of illness and disease much higher.
Lastly, it is crucial to try not to fear or panic in uncertain times. (That probably means limiting your news and social media overexposure. Stay informed but don’t over do it!) Excess of these emotions cause your body to produce too much cortisol which can cause the immune system to become suppressed and make you more vulnerable to catching things that are going around. I have often heard it said that the opposite of fear, anxiety or worry is gratitude. When you take time to reflect on even the small things you are grateful for in life, your brain starts to look for additional reasons to be thankful and generates feelings of joy and happiness as well as many positive hormones that go along with these emotions. Purposeful thinking or better yet, journaling in a gratitude journal, especially at the end of the night, helps you capture those daily positive experiences and allows your brain to settle down and therefore sleep better. This happens because the brain is no longer ruminating on the fearful things that the news bombards us with, which for the most part we have very limited ability to change anyway. This is one of the easiest habits you can implement that can immediately reduce your stress levels and should be a habit you strive to maintain for a lifetime!
A few words that help my family relieve stress are from Philippians 4:6-7:
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication (petitioning) with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
SUPPLEMENT: The foods we eat may not adequately supply us with key nutrients we need for optimum health. Consider whole food nutritional supplementation to make sure you have sufficient amounts of the most vital nutrients to keep the immune system strong. Some of the most important nutrients our immune system finds incredibly helpful include calcium (calcium lactate is the most highly absorbent pill form followed by calcium citrate), vitamin D3 or cholecalciferol (preferably combined with vitamin K2), zinc, and vitamin C (as a whole food form supplement-highly preferred to synthetically derived ascorbic acid.) Many amazing herbs and botanicals can be used to help strengthen your defense as well. These include Echinacea, Astragalus, Andrographis, St. John’s Wort, Cat’s Claw, and Olive Leaf Extract to name a few. Be aware that some herbs can have contraindications with certain medications! Always check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking herbs if you are taking any medications or have been diagnosed with a medical condition. You may also want to consult with a trained healthcare professional before you begin an herbal regiment. Our goal is only to assist people in improving their health and cannot offer cures or remedies for prevention or treatment of disease.
EAT GOOD FATS: Every cell in the body has a protective defense barrier that is primarily made of fat and cholesterol. (This is called a phospholipid bilayer for the science geeks like me out there.) Consumption of good quality fats, especially those containing Vitamin F (yes, you read that correctly, there is a Vitamin F) is vital for optimum health and cell membrane development. Sometimes these fats are called essential fatty acids because we cannot function without them. Good fats protect these cell membranes and help provide for a healthy immune system as well as support proper absorption of vitamins and minerals into the cells. These fats include good quality fish oil, coconut oil, flaxseed oil, olive oil, avocado oil, walnuts, almonds, pecans, macadamia nuts and chia seeds. Grass fed meat, eggs, and dairy (including butter) are also good sources of fats including vitamin F. Consumption of as many of these foods as possible is ideal but if you find yourself not getting enough then supplementation may be needed.
FRESH AIR, SUNLIGHT, AND WATER: Fresh air, sunlight, and sufficient hydration are crucial for optimum health and to strengthen your body’s defenses. Increased ventilation (open windows) in your home or office allows the air to turnover more frequently and for any potential pathogens in the air (such as viruses and bacteria) to be “diluted” and possibly moved out by the fresh air, reducing your risk.
Sunlight is the best way to get Vitamin D but due to our indoor culture and with limited sun exposure in cold weather seasons supplementation is often crucial. Many body systems including hormone production and the immune response require sufficient supplies of Vitamin D to work effectively.
Hydration is crucial because the body is made up of as much as 60+% water. The lungs are up to 80+% water. During the colder months when inside and outside humidity levels drop often to the 20-30% range, our bodies (particularly our lungs) are more susceptible to irritation and illness. Proper hydration and using a humidifier in a dry environment can help strengthen your defense significantly.
From the CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/index.html
How to Prepare
Here is what you can do to prepare your family in case COVID-19 spreads into your community.
1. Find Local Information
Know where to find local information on COVID-19 and local trends of COVID-19 cases.
2. Know the Signs and Symptoms of COVID-19 and what to do if symptomatic:
Stay home when you are sick
Call your health care provider’s office in advance of a visit
Limit movement in the community
Limit visitors
3. Take Steps for Those at Higher Risk
Know what additional measures those at higher risk and who are more vulnerable should take.
4. Protect Yourself & Family
Implement steps to prevent illness (e.g., stay home when sick, handwashing, respiratory etiquette, clean frequently touched surfaces daily).
5. Create a Household Plan of action in case of illness in the household or disruption of daily activities due to COVID-19 in the community.
Consider getting 2-week supply of prescription and over the counter medications, food and other essentials. Know how to get food delivered if possible.
Establish ways to communicate with others (e.g., family, friends, co-workers).
Establish plans to telework from home if possible, what to do about childcare needs, how to adapt to cancellation of events.
6. Stay Informed About Emergency Plans
Know about emergency operations plans for schools/workplaces of household members.
DISCLAIMER: This communication does not provide medical advice. The information, including but not limited to, text, videos, graphics, images and other material contained in this communication are for informational purposes only. The purpose of this message is to promote broad consumer understanding and knowledge of various health topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this message or in the materials or websites referred to herein. The associates of Southside Chiropractic do not practice conventional medicine. More specifically, they do not examine, diagnose or treat, or offer to treat or cure or attempt to cure, any mental or physical disease, disorder or illness, or any physical deformity or injury; and they do not recommend or prescribe, or recommend changing dosage or discontinuing, any prescription medications or pharmaceutical drugs. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.