How to build resilience to the Corona Virus, and other infectious diseases

What we’re going to cover

1. What key nutrients are needed to prevent infection.

2. How to use food as medicine to boost immunity.

3. What crucial things predispose us to infection.

4. How you can tell if your system is compromised.

But before we get into what we can do to build resilience, lets have a little look at the immune system. Perhaps If we can understand it a bit better, we may be in a stronger position to keep it strong.

So what is the immune system?

In simple terms the immune system is a set of tissues which work together to resist infections. The immune system helps an organism, I.e ‘us’ identify a pathogen, and in doing so gets rid of it.

It’s made up of organs that control the production and maturation of certain ‘defence’ cells, called lymphocytes.

The immune system can detect or at least should be able to detect the difference between our body’s own healthy cells or tissues, and ‘foreign’ cells. AKA invaders.

We have primary and secondary lymphoid organs. Bone marrow and the thymus, are our primary lymphoid organs.

The bone marrow produces T cells which eradicate viruses and other antigens that try to attack us.

The secondary lymphatic organs are where the T cells do their work. These organs include the lymph nodes, spleen, tonsils and mucous membranes of the bowel.

Now we’re going to briefly look at the gut and the role it plays in supporting immunity. The majority of our immune system is in our gut! Yep that’s right, our gut flora represents 80% of our immune system, the other 20% is made up of other organs which we’ll look at now.

The Gut: Where Bacteria and Immune System Meet

1. What key nutrients are needed to prevent infection.

Vitamin C

Vitamin D

Vitamin E

Zinc

Selenium

B12

Folate

Vitamin C Up regulates killer T cells, thereby helping combat pathogens. Deficiency in vitamin C results in impaired immunity.
Vitamin D Key modulator of the immune system. Impacts positively on the immune system. Most need to supplement in the winter months, as we can only really acquire vitamin D through the sun.
Vitamin E Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant and has an ability to modulate host immune functions
Zinc Is needed to keep the immune system balanced. There’s an increased risk of infection in those who are deficient, especially young children and the elderly.
Selenium Deficiency has been shown to impair both innate and adaptive immunity.
B12 & folate Deficiency directly impacts on our immune system.

Other nutrients, and herbs to consider

Garlic Anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal properties.
Ginger Exerts an antibiotic effect. Also helps reduce inflammation.
Turmeric AKA the super spice! Anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, the super spice!
Beta Glucans, polysaccharides and other complex molecules found in medicinal mushrooms have antiviral effects and stimulate the immune system with their immunomodulatory effects.
Adaptogenic herbs; siberian ginseng, ashwagandha, Echinacea which exerts anti-viral activity

All help to indirectly stimulate the immune system, by building the bodies resilience towards stress.

CBD oil, we have an immune CBD oil that contains echinacea, so it’s doing the job of supporting the immune system through stress reduction alongside the use of echinacea to help attack the virus. This clearly has become one of our best sellers more recently. We have limited stock left, so get in touch if you would like one.

Black cumin seed oil (nigella sativa)

Intensely antimicrobial, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral.

Rich in omega 6 and 9, vitamin B1, B2, B3, folic acid and many minerals including iron and calcium

You can buy it cold-pressed. I like Fushi oils for their purity.

Black cumin seed oil contains thymoquinone, a powerful phytochemical compound which may offer profound healing capacities. Research has suggested that black cumin seed oil may be able to modulate the immune, therefore it has the ability to restore, activate, or boost immune function.

2. How to use food as medicine to boost your immunity.

One way to boost immunity is through juicing. Why?

Because when we juice we consume more nutrients. When would you realistically eat five carrots? But you’d juice them right! And in doing so consume more beta carotene than eating just one carrot with your meal.

Fermented Foods & Drinks

Sauerkraut, Kimchi
Kefir
Kombucha

Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables help increase the healthy gut bacteria. this is our first line of defence against disease. We should be aiming for 40 different ones every single week. If you want a chart, email me and I’ll send it to you. It’s a great way to keep track.

Add more leafy greens

Piling leafy greens onto your plate is one way to increase your nutrition, greens are packed with folate, magnesium, calcium, to name a few and should be eaten with every meal.

Vitamin C, cherries, yellow, green and red peppers, sauerkraut 700mg in one cup! oranges, broccoli,

Vitamin D, sun, fish, also foods fortified.

Vitamin E, avocado, nuts, seeds, green leafy

Zinc, nuts and seeds, fish, seafood

Selenium, brazil nuts are best source, also in fish and meat

B12, needed if deficient, animal products, eggs, dairy, meat, fish

Folate, needed if deficient, abundant in all greens.

Supplements, do we need? Yes. Vital nutrients are no longer available in the soil to be up taken by plants.

3. What crucial things predispose an individual to infection.

Age
Genetics, can do something about epigenetics, environment
Nutrient deficiencies (poor diet, sugar, smoking, alcohol, stress)
Autoimmunity
Chronic diseases, any underlying chronic health condition
Compromised immune, especially from drugs, anti-biotics, steroids, chemo, radiation
Stress, adrenals

4. How you can tell if your system is compromised.

Frequent infections
If you’re on or have recently taken antibiotics, steroids, had chemo, radiation…
If you have an underlying health condition
If you regularly feel stressed or suffer from anxiety
If you regularly experience gut issues
If you smoke, drink excessively, have a poor diet.

To RECAP

Healthy ways to strengthen your immune system…

Don’t smoke.
Eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables.

7-8 veg, 2-3 low sugar fruits.

Think of a rainbow.

Aim for 40 different ones each week.

Also think about including live sprouts such as broccoli sprouts, fresh herbs and a variety of different leaves.

Exercise regularly. Ideally do some form of exercise every day. This could be as simple as a brisk walk, need to get heart rate up.
Maintain a healthy weight.
If you drink alcohol, drink only in moderation.
Get adequate sleep. 7 ½ to 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Something I struggled with before I started taking our CBD Calm oil.
Incorporate yoga, meditation or mindfulness practices daily.
Take steps to avoid infection, such as washing your hands frequently and cooking meats thoroughly.

So there you have it. I hope you found the information helpful. If you need any further support please feel free to get in touch. More than happy to offer any support that I can.

And remember to ACT! Start to take your health seriously. Look after your body, you only get the one!

References