Immune support for a great, happy life - no matter what happens next!
UPDATED August 18th, 2021
In conventional medicine, there is a term, ‘watch and wait’, that is sometimes used when someone is diagnosed with a disease that is still very early on in its pathogenesis and a major intervention is not yet warranted. As a Naturopathic Physician I LOVE when people call me when this happens. The ‘watch and wait’ stage is one of the most pivotal moments in our lives when we have a chance to put in minimal effort to create a massive result of turning our health around.
It may seam like right now all we can do is ‘watch and wait’. I disagree.
YOU do not have to sit and do nothing and roll the dice of what happens if you do get exposed to any infectious agent. There are long standing Naturopathic practices that are grounded in solid, evidence-based research that could be of benefit for your overall health and balance of your immune system and your health as a whole.
What we know is this virus is apart of our lives, our ecosystem and our world and we get to relate to taking care of our health to support this new reality.
We do not yet have the research to conclude what the conditions of susceptibility are that determine if someone will be an asymptomatic carrier, contract a mild case, or have a life threatening illness when exposed to SARS-2 COVID-19. As a Naturopathic Physician it is my core foundational understanding that the underlying health of our body can be a major contributing factor to how this virus ultimately impacts us.
We are in an incredibly opportune moment of time where we do not have to just ‘watch and wait’. We can, in fact, do something for our selves and our families to create the greatest health and potentially the greatest outcomes if we are exposed to coronavirus or not.
Medical disclaimer:
This document is intended for educational purposes only. I am sharing this from my heart, standing inside of compassionate use, there is little to lose here and much to gain if we should heed the lifestyle and supplement recommendations to the best of our collective professional knowledge.
What I share with you is the best of my clinical experience and personal opinion of how to take care of your immune system IN GENERAL. It is mine, and mine alone, and is not intended to prevent or treat COVID-19.
This information does not supplant any medical advice you have already been given. Anything you are considering to implement in your own life needs to be discussed with your healthcare provider.
#1 Continue to practice the CDC guidelines for hygiene and social interaction: https://www.coronavirus.gov.
Latest research from NIH: https://www.nih.gov/coronavirus.
The BEST prevention is to BE HEALTHY
Maintain your highest level of health possible:
Get 8-9 hours of sleep a night in 100% darkness
Eat fresh organic vegetables, fruits, and meats
Avoid all processed sugar, flour, and processed foods in general
Daily exercise which is a match for your level of health/energy
Lots of time OUTSIDE in fresh air and sunshine
Staying hydrated drinking at least half your body weight in ounces of water—good practice for viral prevention 50% of fluids be hot (see below)
[New York Time Article “How To Get The Most From Your Immune System”]
Oil pulling: 1 TBSP oil swished in mouth until saponified (10-15min), spit to trash. 2x/day (morning and night). Coconut oil is pleasant, but other oils will work fine. Use what you have. Oil pulling has shown to be more effective than chlorhexidine at cleaning the mouth [Asokan 2008].
Add heat: Saunas and drinking hot beverages can support prevention of infection. Viral destruction occurs at 108º Fahrenheit (some research shows COVID19 isn’t destroyed until 133 degrees; this practice would still be of benefit to overall health even if it is below the temperature of viral destruction).
Sip warm, herbal tea (Greek Mountain tea, lemon balm, caraway all antiviral), hot water with fresh organic lemon or lime juice (supports liver), or vegetable or bone broths. Washing hands and body in hot water with a “grease-cutting” soap or detergent.
General Immune Support:
It matters to be taking these supplements while still healthy and not just if you have symptoms. Building up the nutrients in your body actually signals the body to up-regulate receptor sites to be able to absorb and thus utilize higher and higher doses. It is not wasted money and effort to take them when you are free of a virus.
I have listed them in order of priority if you were going to choose one, or some, and not everything:
Vitamin D - can support the immune system in fighting viral infections.
Vitamin C - take in 3-4 divided doses a day. You can take caps or powder. If using powder, add to water bottle and drink throughout the day. Powdered will be cheaper per dose. Buffered or Ester-C will prevent stomach upset. READ how to find your top dose here: http://www.orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/v14n12.shtml
NAC (N-acetyl-L-cystine) - It protects the lungs, is an important precursor to glutathione production, and prevents mucus buildup.
Zinc - Zinc is directly antiviral and VERY supportive to your white blood cells and immunity.
Vitamin A - immune support
Selenium - Cycles glutathione
Trace minerals - added to your water. Trace minerals are essential cofactors for many enzymatic processes in the body and especially critical for the function of your immune system.
I cannot provide specific research for these as there are many different combinations. And if you look up each ingredient, there will be a lot of info!
For Kiddos use use CLARK'S RULE to calculate pediatric dosages (Childs Weight / 150 lbs.) x Adult Dose = Pediatric Dose
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK541104/