The coronavirus has quickly become a household name as we see daily news reports describing every detail.
As the coronavirus approaches, people are asking how they can support their normal, natural immunity and prevent coronavirus from afflicting their family. We are giving you our top 5 tips and tricks in order to keep your immune system functioning at top capacity during the coronavirus.
- Chiropractic
One of the best ways to stay healthy this year, especially as the coronavirus continues to spread, is to make sure that your nervous system is functioning at the highest level possible. Chiropractic goals are to remove any interference on the nervous system that causes dysfunction to the muscles, organs and all systems of the body. Our immune system, like every other system in the body, is coordinated and controlled by the nervous system. A functioning immune system protects us from infectious diseases by providing adaptive measures to overcome the ill effects of bacteria and viruses.
One study performed by Dr. Ronald Pero, Ph.D., chief of cancer prevention research at New York’s Preventive Medicine Institute measured the immune systems of people under chiropractic care as compared to those in the general population and those with cancer and other serious diseases. His initial three-year study was comprised of 107 individuals who had been under chiropractic care for five years or more. The chiropractic patients were found to have a 200% greater immune competence than those people who had not received chiropractic care, and they had 400% greater immune competence than those people with cancer and other serious diseases. The immune system’s superiority of those under chiropractic care did not appear to diminish with age(1)
Another study published in the Journal of chiropractic research compared the health of two hundred children under chiropractic care and the health of two hundred children under medical care. It was found that the children under chiropractic care had fewer ear infections, fewer allergies, fewer cases of tonsillitis and needed less medical treatment.
Overall, showing that chiropractic aids in boosting the immune system and preventing diseases from settling in the body.
2. Vitamin D3
Vitamin D, coming in two forms 2 or 3, is a nutrient that can either be digested through food or synthesized from exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D 2 comes from plant sources while Vitamin D 3 comes from animal sources as well as through sun exposure. Vitamin D 3 is seen to be more readily metabolized in the body and will increase overall absorption. This nutrient has so many benefits within the body including bone health, regulating blood sugar, hormone support and more importantly aiding the immune system. Vitamin D can modulate the immune response due to the fact vitamin connects to the immune cells themselves (B cells, T cells, and antigen-presenting cells). Basically stating that it overall can boost your immune system. Not shockingly we see a deficiency in vitamin D is associated with increased autoimmunity as well as increased susceptibility to infection. Vitamin D deficiency is very commonly seen with it being reported in 2018 that 42 percent of Americans lack in the nutrient(2).
Vitamin D levels between 60 and 80 ng/ml are optimal functional levels within the body(3). When looking at how much Vitamin D should be taking in on a daily basis it varies from person to person. On average an individual is recommended 5,000 IU daily. For individuals that are deficient in the nutrient, immune-compromised or postpartum 10,000 UI is recommended(4). Please consult a health care provider before increasing dosage. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning that it does not dissolve in water and is absorbed best in your bloodstream when paired with high-fat foods. For this reason, it’s recommended to take vitamin D supplements with a meal to enhance absorption. When buying Vitamin D supplements it is important to look for solutions that are specifically D3 and it’s best to include the other fat-soluble vitamins: A, E, and K2. These vitamins are important in their own right and help balance out the vitamin D, making it more easily absorbed but also preventing levels from getting too high(4).
We sell Metagenics Vitamin D 3 drops for both adults and children at our clinic!
3. Colloidal silver
Colloidal Silver is a solution that has silver particles suspended in a liquid solution. Silver has been used for centuries due to its antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties to overall boost the immune system. Colloidal silver can be taken orally when fighting a sickness to help the body fight off any invaders. The solution can be used for ear infections by dropping the solution into the ear canal. Colloidal Silver can also disinfect a cut or wound by applying the solution topically. Orally taking the solution can help boost your immune system and be preventative for diseases such as the coronavirus.
Oral dosage is based on the concentration of the solution and is demonstrated below(5):
4. Elderberry
Elderberry is one of the most commonly used medicinal plants in the world. Elderberries are the dark purple fruit of the elderberry shrub. They are highly sought after for being a rich source of antioxidants known as anthocyanins. Traditionally, Native Americans used it to treat infections, while the ancient Egyptians used it to improve their complexions and heal burns. The antioxidants work by clearing the body of free radicals that damage cells at the DNA level. It also has antiviral properties that may prevent or reduce the severity of certain common infections. Elderberry also exerts anti-inflammatory effects, reducing swelling and pain by tempering the body’s immune response.
Elderberry can be used as a preventive measure to enhance the body’s immune system. Many commercial syrup manufacturers recommend 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of elderberry syrup taken four times daily. Elderberry lozenges (175 mg) can be taken twice daily(8). To ensure quality and safety, only buy supplements that have been certified by an independent certifying body, such as the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP), NSF International, or ConsumerLab.
5. Decrease Stress
When we’re stressed, the immune system’s ability to fight off antigens is reduced. Stress and anxiety can trigger your flight-or-fight nervous system response and release a flood of chemicals and hormones, like adrenaline and corticosteroid, into your system. These hormones suppress the effectiveness of the immune system leaving you more vulnerable to viral infections and frequent illnesses That is why we are more susceptible to infections when we are in this stressed state.
Combating the daily stress of our lives comes from leading an overall healthy lifestyle. This can help to improve mood, increase memory, prevent diseases and overall boost immune and body function. Components of leading a healthy lifestyle include diet, sleep, and exercise. Lifestyle is the way in which an individual lives long term rather than in a short period of time.
When looking at diet we are not talking about the next craze of starving yourself. It is how you eat on a consistent basis. Including lots of fruit and veggies, lean meat and whole grains. Supplying your body with the necessary nutrients to perform daily functions. A big component of diet also includes looking at what you don’t eat. When you consume sugar your ability to fight off bacteria and viruses is reduced by 40-75 percent. The major problem comes from the American population consuming sugary snacks every few hours and never letting their bodies’ immune system get to 100 percent.
Sleep is essential for your body to recover and heal from the day to day stressors. The recommended sleep varies depending on age group, life stressors, and health. School-aged children are recommended from 9 to 11 hours, teenagers from 8 to 10 hours, Adults 7 to 10 hours and seniors from 7 to 8 hours(6). Not getting enough sleep weakens immune function, causes memory issues and allows diseases to set in.
Lastly movement and exercise can aid and support the function of the immune system in different ways. One big way is that exercise affects our immunity is it slows down the release of stress hormones. Physical activity also helps flush bacteria out of the lungs and airways. This may reduce your chance of getting a cold, flu, or other illness. Lastly, exercise can cause change in our antibodies and white blood cells. White blood cells are the body’s immune system cells that fight disease. These cells circulate more rapidly, so they could detect illnesses earlier than they might have before.
Taking care of your body is super important in order to keep stress under control and help enhance the overall immune system function.
- https://www.drrobyngraber.com/research.html
- https://www.cantonmercy.org/healthchat/42-percent-of-americans-are-vitamin-d-deficient/
- https://drwillcole.com/definitive-guide-boosting-vitamin-d/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18541590
- https://sovereignsilver.com/silver101/safety-toxicity/#maintainingsafedose
- https://www.sleepfoundation.org/press-release/national-sleep-foundation-recommends-new-sleep-times
- https://www.verywellhealth.com/elderberry-for-colds-and-flu-can-it-help-89559
