A Conversation on Coronavirus

My thoughts and love is sent to all that have been affected by the devastating tornadoes. 

Last weekend, I had an interesting conversation with someone regarding the Coronavirus. The gentleman, I was talking with had a strong stance on the limitations we have in contracting the virus.  He went on to say that there were only a couple of things we could do to prevent it. Wash our hands and cover our mouths when coughing.  I couldn’t blame him for offering such advice, because that is all we are hearing in the media.  Wash your hands and cover your mouth…Duh!  

Yes, both are important practices. However, the strongest way we can protect ourselves from the Coronavirus, or any virus for that matter, is by making sure our body is ready to fight the infection.  The question shouldn’t be “how to avoid coming into contact with viruses” but rather “how can we best strengthen our immune system, so when it does come in contact with a virus it is able to fight it off.

It is unrealistic to totally avoid viruses in our environment.  So with that in mind, the foundation of how our body is going to take on and battle these diseases is primarily “inside” (immune system) our body and secondarily  “outside”  (hand washing, external germs) our body.  Not the other way around..

Case in point, there are thousands that have been in direct contact with the Coronavirus and other deadly viruses but show no sign or positive test.  The only difference in most cases whether someone will contract the disease is based on how efficiently that persons own immune system is working.  I want to pass along some things that are vital to strengthen our immune system:

1.  Quality Sleep.  One of the foundations of our immune response relies on proper rest and recuperation.  Our ability to fight off anything starts with how rested and stress-free we are. 

2. A diet high in nutrient-dense foods. Top ones include: Salmon, kale, spinach, organ meats, sardines.   

3. Avoid foods that contain: sugar, trans fats (frozen pizza, fast food, microwave popcorn), refined carbohydrates (white flour, pastries, pasta), MSG, gluten and casein.

4. Healthy Nervous system.  Our Nervous system controls every cell, tissue and organ. It is imperative that this master system of the body is on the top of your health care priorities.  The nervous system is housed and protected by the brain and spine.  Chiropractic care allows the spine to function at its peak healing capacity.  This in turns allows the body to be at its most optimal level in repairing any inflammation or damage. 

5. Supplements.  The top for boosting immunity are Elderberry extract (600-1500 mg daily), Zinc (40-80 mg daily), Vitamin C (500-100 mg daily). 

6. Exercise and overall body movement is also an excellent way to improve our immune system.  My favorite recommendations are a variety between yoga, walking, pilates and swimming.

7. Meditation is another tool to lower stress. This will decrease the cortisol levels and increases the body’s immune response.

There is a real increasing reason to be concerned over the Coronavirus.  There is over a 3.4% fatality rate with those that contract this highly contagious pathogen.  In addition, there are new cases of patients that are showing signs of positive recurrences of Coronavirus after the infected patient had shown recovery from their initial infection. 

I certainly don’t want to promote any fear but rather educate on how we can best prepare your body’s immune response. If you found this information useful, please share.