Don't Maximize Your Immunity for COVID-19
Photo by 🇨🇭 Claudio Schwarz | @purzlbaum on Unsplash
Don’t maximize your immunity for COVID-19, maximize it for a long healthy life. If asked, most people would say that they only want to live a long life if they are healthy enough to enjoy it. It is not ridiculous in today’s world to expect both, but it does take some work. As more and more information comes out about COVID-19, it has become clear that those with underlying conditions are at a significantly higher risk of serious disease than those without. The most significant disease profile of those who have succumbed to the virus has been those with diabetes and/or obesity. Those with respiratory compromise, coronary disease, cancer, liver and kidney disease are also considered high risk. This profile explains why a high percentage of those who have died have been the elderly since they are more likely to have these diagnoses. However, the fact is that all of these diseases begin decades before the symptoms are brought to the doctor and given a diagnosis. All of the above illnesses as well as autoimmune disease stem from chronic inflammation somewhere in the body. Each of us have weaknesses in various places in our body which is generally due to our genetic makeup. However, the expression of those genes, referred to as the epigenetics, is largely in our hands. Most chronic inflammation begins in the gut as foods that are supposed to be digested in our stomach or intestines, get leaked out into our bloodstream. This “leaky gut” is caused in large part by eating processed foods, foods that are high in sugar and “bad fats”, alcohol and increased stress.
According to Dr. Mark Hyman, “your gut wall houses 70 percent of the cells that make up your immune system”. When we feed the good bacteria and fungi in our gut, they work to improve our immunity. These bacteria can actually kill off viruses. Probiotics help to repopulate our guts with good bacteria, but we need to feed them so that they can thrive. We feed the good guys by eating lots of prebiotic foods which are very high in fiber like greens, colorful vegetables, nuts and seeds, as well as fruits, beans and minimally processed whole grains. When we eat highly processed foods with lots of sugar and starch, we feed the bad bugs. Sugars and starches also raise our blood sugar. This actually shuts down our immune system for hours. Protein is another important nutrient for our immune system. Protein can come from high quality animal or plant sources, but protein malnutrition has been found to be a large risk factor for death from infections.
What we eat is possibly the most important thing any of us can do to boost our immunity. The phytonutrients in plant foods actually have antibacterial and antifungal properties. In addition, we can supplement our diets with Vitamin A,C, D, zinc and probiotics. Other ideas to boost our immunity include reducing stress, increasing sleep, decreasing our alcohol intake and increasing our water consumption. To reduce stress, look to what you enjoy doing in your down time. Meditation is a great place to start if you haven’t already begun a practice. Exercise, yoga, gardening, reading can all be wonderful options as well. When it comes to sleep, work to create your own sleep ritual. This helps to alert our body that it is time to rest. Your ritual should include turning off all electronics at least an hour before bed. Using blue blocking glasses is a great idea, as well as reading or connecting with loved ones. Alcohol acts to disrupt the gut barrier, allowing foreign particles into the bloodstream, as well as hurting those good gut bacteria we have worked so hard to build up. According to NIH research, clinicians have long observed an association between alcohol consumption and adverse immune-related health effects. Water, on the other hand, can actually boost your immunity. Staying hydrated helps our bodies naturally eliminate environmental toxins and bacteria that could cause illness.
Maintaining a vibrant immune system can prevent or reduce the severity of disease, whatever that disease may be. It also allows our body to fight off new viruses. So, in the time of COVID-19 or anytime, boosting our immune system is a win-win. It keeps us healthy today and for a long and vibrant life to come.
Action items for chronically great health:
Eat a whole food, nutrient dense diet emphasising high fiber foods
Limit sugar and refined starches
Eat adequate high quality protein
Supplement with probiotics, Vitamins A,C, D and zinc
Reduce stress and alcohol
Increase sleep and water consumption