Naperville Integrated Wellness
NAPERVILLE'S TOP RATED LOCAL® FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE FACILITY
COVID-19 Solutions: Part 3
What you can do now
This is not an article about vaccines, masks, social distancing, or quarantines. It is about the things you can do to help protect yourself and your family. It’s about working with the nature and biology of your body.
The focus of this article is your immune system. It is your immune system that will determine how you respond to COVID-19 infection or the vaccines for the virus. The bottom line is that your best defense is to support the defense system of your body…your immune system.
Gut health
Most of your immune system is located in and around your digestive system; this is why gut health is so important for immune health. (I just posted a new article on gut health; for much more information about gut health see that article)
“Did you know that nearly 70 percent of your immune system is housed in your gut? While frequent hand washing and social distancing are crucial in preventing the spread of illnesses, being mindful of the food and beverages you consume can also help support your immune system and keep you well.”
https://www.dulyhealthandcare.com/health-topic/5-ways-to-boost-your-immune-system-through-your-gut#:~:text=Did%20you%20know%20that%20nearly,system%20and%20keep%20you%20well.
3 things that can help improve digestive system health
1. Reduce alcohol and sugars.
2. Increase fiber in your diet and non-starchy vegetables.
3. Consider taking a probiotic or consuming fermented food.
Immune System Supplements
The next area to think about are the nutrients that your immune system requires to function properly. Many people think they get enough of these nutrients from the food they eat. However, many people are still deficient in even the most basic nutrients. I have listed some of the basic ones to consider taking as a dietary supplement.
Vitamin D
“However, due to the continuous emergence of variant viruses, improving the immunity of the general public may also increase the effectiveness of the vaccines. Many observational studies have demonstrated that serum levels of vitamin D are inversely correlated with the incidence or severity of COVID-19.”
Just to make sure you got this… if your vitamin D is low, you are more likely to become infected and your illness can be more severe. It also states that improving immunity in general may make vaccines more effective.
Zinc
“The study data clearly show that a significant number of COVID-19 patients were zinc deficient. These zinc deficient patients developed more complications, and the deficiency was associated with a prolonged hospital stay and increased mortality.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7482607/
Vitamin C
“Nonetheless, our study shows that most critically ill COVID-19 patients have low Vitamin C values.”
https://nutritionj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12937-021-00727-z
Vitamin A
“COVID-19 is a pandemic disease that causes severe pulmonary damage and hyperinflammation. Vitamin A is a crucial factor in the development of immune functions and is known to be reduced in cases of acute inflammation.”
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34202697/
Selenium
“Several studies have indicated that selenium deficiency may be detrimental in the context of various viral disorders, and in the case of COVID-19, several studies have reported results concerning the association of selenium deficiency with the severity of disease. “
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8569840/
“The relationship between immunity and nutrition is well known and its role in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is also being paid great attention… in 50 hospitalized patients with COVID-19; 76% of the patients were vitamin D deficient and 42% were selenium deficient.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7418699/
These are just the basics nutrients to consider. You can support the levels of these nutrients in your body with a high-quality multivitamin. I also recommend having your vitamin D levels tested after you have been on a consistent dose for 6-8 weeks.
Sleep, exercise and stress management
As a functional medicine doctor, I consider diet, nutrient levels, gut health, hormones, inflammation levels, etc. I don’t have a blood test to determine your overall stress levels and your body’s ability to recuperate and heal itself. This is where sufficient sleep, physical exercise, and stress management come into the health equation; even if we can’t measure all of the benefits they can provide.
You need sufficient sleep so that your body can heal, rebuild, and prepare for the next day. I don’t think I need to say more about the importance of sleep here. Lack of sleep will make you more prone to infection and prolong the recovery process.
Exercise is very beneficial to your immune system and nervous system. It can help you to sleep better and manage stress better. Exercise stimulates your body to produce many chemicals that promote health and wellbeing. Its benefits extend far beyond weight loss.
Stress management is also very important. When you are under stress, your body is producing the chemicals and hormones of stress. Over time, these chemicals and hormones start to break down healthy functions in your body. There are many things that you can do that help you experience less stress as well as combat the effects of stress on your body:
- Sufficient sleep
- Physical exercise/yoga
- Address nutrient deficiencies
- Reduce sugar, caffeine and alcohol
- Follow a low inflammation diet
- Stay hydrated
- Meditate
All of the factors in this article will have an impact on your immune system and your overall health. Your immune system is your best defense against COVID-19, it’s variants, and potential adverse vaccine responses. Your immune system has 2 major functions:
1. Protect you from dangers
2. Heal your body
Take care of your immune system and it will take care of you.
The purpose of functional medicine is:
Understanding how the body works, knowing how and where to investigate health issues, knowing what to look for, understanding the significance of what is found and creating a plan of action to reverse and correct the root cause the health problems.
My wish for you…health, happiness and a better quality of life!
If you would like more information about functional medicine and integrative medicine or Dr. Sexton go to napervilleintegratedwellness.com
A Top Chicago Functional Medicine Doctor
Do your own research, inform yourself and ask lots of questions. When collecting information, you MUST consider the source. There is no shortage of false, misleading, outdated, profit-driven and utterly biased information in healthcare today, even from the most respected sources and organizations.
This approach to healthcare is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, mitigate, or prevent any disease. This article is for information purposes and is not a substitute professional healthcare services. Contact our office for more information. See our functional medicine Google reviews.