Along with the COVID-19 pandemic comes a tsunami of confusing and conflicting opinions and information about immune system health and how to best protect and care for ourselves. I am not an infectious disease expert. So telling you my opinion about whether I think wearing a mask or not, how I feel about social distancing and self isolation, or any other point of view related to disease control, would be not only inappropriate and out of my scope of practice– but would also just add more confusing opinions to the mix. This doesn’t really help anyone. So instead, I’ve prepared this article to help you better understand what the data suggests (so far) as it pertains to what you actually have control over in the face of this pandemic– part of that is your body’s own ability to thrive and defend itself! While most of the world is hiding out and waiting for a COVID-19 vaccine, it’s important to understand that although vaccines can be helpful, they don’t make your body’s underlying immune functionality any better than it already is. Viruses will mutate and then we have to create more vaccines. That is evolution at work. Supporting our bodies to adapt and respond is something we can all proactively work on. Let’s take conventional flu vaccines, for example. This article from the Center for Disease Control & Prevention explains that although flu vaccines are a good precautionary measure, they can be less than 50% effective across the board. The article identifies, “at least two factors that play an important role in determining the likelihood that flu vaccine will protect a person from flu illness: 1) characteristics of the person being vaccinated (such as their age and health), and 2) the similarity or “match” between the flu viruses the flu vaccine is designed to protect against and the flu viruses spreading in the community.” That means that if you are among the population with a weak or compromised immune system, you can only hope that the vaccine you receive is the right “match” for whatever virus decides to hitch a ride on your system. These facts might suggest that another way to reduce your risk of actually developing symptoms, or worse, hospitalization from a flu virus, would be to support your body’s natural ability to respond and defend itself. In other words, support your immune system with good nutrition and lifestyle choices. And that starts with prevention! So how would this apply to COVID-19? Just based on what we can observe in the data, one can hypothesize that the weaker and more compromised your body is, the more likely you are to suffer extreme symptoms and possibly even death from the virus. I can refer to this article about risk factors from the CDC, or this information from my local health department, for example. The elderly and individuals with pre existing illnesses are more likely to suffer. From a functional nutrition point of view, what this suggests is that the more resources your body has to utilize to manage existing maladies, detox alcohol and drugs, etc., the harder time it’s going to have building antibodies against COVID-19. I hate to sound harsh, but it’s basically survival of the fittest. Again, I am not an infectious disease expert. But I can read and interpret data in order to understand how to take better care of myself. And so can you. Besides the obvious responsibility that we all have to limit the spread of COVID-19 by following the advice of the real experts– the CDC and our local health officials– we can stay empowered with real data. And we can be proactive and make good choices to support our bodies’ underlying functionality. We may not be able to treat, completely prevent, or cure a COVID-19 infection, but we can do everything we can to make our immune systems and bodies as strong and resilient as possible. With that, here are some tips for practicing good prevention:
5 Proactive Tips for Immune System Health
- Prioritize Immune Supporting Nutrients. There are some key nutrients that are well studied for stimulating immune function, responding to seasonal stressors, and other important functions. Vitamin A-Carotenes will keep your mucous membranes strong and resistant, improving the body’s own defense mechanisms. Vitamin C with bioflavonoids helps stimulate immune function. Vitamin B complex is a toner and balancer to the nerves and endocrine system, which can aid in your body’s ability to respond to seasonal (and sometimes extreme) weather changes. Vitamin E increases the effectiveness of white blood cells and increases resistance to disease. Vitamins A, C, and E also have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. The mineral selenium has antioxidant activity, and stimulates the immune system. And the mineral zinc is needed by the body’s own primary antioxidant, called “SOD,” and is also needed to release vitamin A from the liver.
- Consider Herbal Immune Support. The Native American herb Echinacea is widely studied for its immune supporting actions. Echinacea is an effective anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and immune stimulant against infections and inflammatory conditions. Echinacea is effective in preventing or accelerating the healing of colds and flus. There are no generally recognized side effects of Echinacea overdose. For that reason, I’d consider Echinacea a great preventative herb to be taken before and during the annual flu season period, or any time you want to provide extra immune system support- like taking a long flight or going to a concert where you’ll be exposed to may different people in close proximity. Myrrh is one of nature’s best antibiotics. Myrrh increases white blood cell count, is astringent– tightening and strengthening tissue resistance. Myrrh tones and stimulates mucous tissue and is an expectorant. Another herb, Andrographis, has been primarily studied to support immune system health at onset by supporting healthy levels of immune cells in the blood. Investigations from the Sichuan Traditional Medicine Research Institution showed Andrographis provided acute support for the immune system, which might suggest that this herb is good to have on hand for the onset of a cold or flu.
- Support Optimal Digestion. Digestion should probably be at the top of this list, simply because it’s important that all the nutrients you are focusing on are actually being digested and utilized. Avoiding negative nutrients and foods that can upset digestion or cause inflammation can make a difference in your body’s ability to utilize all its nutrients. Refined sugar, white flour, conventional cow dairy, alcohol, processed foods, and meat-heavy diets all. have the potential for interfering with optimal digestion. Supporting digestion with key nutrients and factors can also be helpful. Making sure your stomach is producing enough hydrochloric acid will help ensure your minerals are being utilized, and that your proteins are being broken down sufficiently. Digestive enzymes will help break your foods down even further, and finally, a healthy gut biome with all the “good” probiotics will ensure everything is utilized and distributed to your cells. Supporting the liver to perform its many functions is also necessary. Some great foods for supporting all levels of digestion are pineapple, papaya, fermented foods, cruciferous vegetables, ginger, bitter foods, beet greens, glutamine-containing foods, and foods high in vitamin C. Here is another article I wrote about supporting gut health.
- Manage Stress & Monitor Lifestyle Choices to Adapt to Current Events. Everyone is under an extreme amount of stress lately. Our lives have drastically changed, really quickly. So what can we do about that? Just be mindful that forcing your body and mind to do more than they’re biochemically and physiologically prepared to do can weaken their ability to defend you from pathogenic invaders. When a flu or cold starts to come on, when you fell run down, when you have trouble sleeping– these symptoms are your body’s way of saying, “Hey slow down! I need a little rest.” Besides that, be sure to add regular exercise, meditation, a good night’s rest, and frequent hot baths or saunas to your COVID-19 self-care “to-do” list.
- Understand the Impact of Drugs on the Body’s Natural Functions. It’s common for people to use antihistamines, cough suppressants, pain killers, and sleep aids to relive cold and flu symptoms and deal with other uncomfortable symptoms of life. But in functional wellness, we believe that symptoms are your body’s way of telling you it isn’t happy. And most drugs interfere with your body’s natural self-healing process. They coat your throat, thus suppressing a cough, but clog the cilia hairs, preventing the healing process. These drugs overstimulate your adrenals and sympathetic nerve response, yielding a false sense of well being. They also rob the spleen and the rest of the immune system of energy, driving the problem deeper. Unless you have received a directive from your primary health care provider to take drugs, you might consider other options that will actually support your body’s underlying functionality.
Our bodies are amazing! But we often fail to give our bodies a fair chance at showing us what they can do. When you improve the environment for your body to heal and thrive, it will give back with strength, resilience, energy and vitality. I hope you’ve enjoyed these immune supporting tips. Self care in a time of crisis can be difficult. Sometimes having someone who can help you break it down into simple, achievable actions that actually apply to your own needs can be extremely helpful. I’d welcome an opportunity to help you get your health and wellness habits on the right track! You can reach out to to me with any questions, by scheduling a complimentary nutrition coaching call here. I look forward to helping you any way I can. Other Sources: Weller, Patti CCN, The Power of Nutrient Dense Foods, Deerpath Publishing- 2011 Schecter, Steve ND, Natural Remedies for Colds, Flu & Allergies, Vegetarian Times Issue #49
