Covid-19

Stopping the Coronavirus is about Self-Prevention

COVID-19 also known as the coronavirus is upon us in full force. As grim as this may sound, it will reach your household at some point and we must be prepared. We can all be carriers for the virus without expressing its nasty symptoms. It’s all about preserving our own health. That starts with boosting our immune systems by ensuring our nervous system and gut-biome is at its finest. See below for 10 natural ways to assure your body’s defenses are prepared for the worst.

10 Ways to Naturally Boost your Immune System
When it comes to the viruses, prevention is the best medicine. Wash your hands frequently, support your immune system with the right dietary and lifestyle factors, and whenever possible, minimize exposure to sick people.
There’s no vaccination for this and won’t be for several years. Whether you want to avoid whatever bug is going around your office or minimize its impact, these 10 strategies can optimize your body’s natural immune defenses.

1. Eliminate immune-sabotaging foods.
There’s no debate, excess sugar is bad for your immune system, ramping up inflammation and increasing your risk for diseases including type 2 diabetes. Sugar and other food sensitivities like gluten can lurk in obvious and not-so-obvious places like almond milk.

2. Find your ideal weight to lower inflammation.
Obesity and inflammation can impair the immune system. The ChiroThin weight loss program is an excellent program to help one safely lose 25-30lbs in just 6 weeks. This program is completely exercise-free and doctor supervised.

3. Sleep well.
Optimal sleep levels support a healthy immune system, while sleep deprivation can compromise immunity. Aim for seven or eight hours of quality, uninterrupted sleep to minimize the common cold or flu. If you’re sick, additional sleep can strengthen your immune system. You can also use a tryptophan or melatonin supplements to help regulate your sleeping habits.

4. Visit your chiropractor.
A healthy immune system requires a healthy central nervous system. Ensuring the spine is free of subluxations, which interfere with the normal functioning of the nervous system, supports optimal immunity to minimize your risk for colds, the flu, and other viruses. Studies have shown an increase in immunoglobulin rates post adjustment that lead to a more sick-free lifestyle.

5. Utilize the right nutrients.
Taking a natural multivitamin each day is vital to covering all the bases of your bodies ability to heal. These specific nutrients have been scientifically proven to enhance your immune system.
• Vitamin D: This vitamin — actually a hormone — can modulate the immune response, and deficiencies can increase your risk for infections.
• Zinc: Studies show this mineral can reduce the number of colds in children, and researchers see no reason why it cannot also work with adults.
• Probiotics: Supporting the immune system begin with the gut. A probiotic optimizes healthy microflora to keep colds and the flu at bay.

6. Load up on vitamins.
Multivitamins: Take a multivitamin high in Vitamins A, C, B6, and various natural antioxidants is the way to go.
There are other nutrients such as Vit. C, B6, and B12 that support healing factors via blood vessels and the nervous system. Echinacea and elderberry extract are also great natural herbs for supporting the immune systems function.

Here at Health Quest, we carry the very best all natural supplements. We even carry a complex for preventing viruses specifically! Ask our staff about this formula and get it while supplies last.

7. Minimize stress levels.
One meta-analysis of over 300 studies spanning three decades concluded that stress can impact your immune system. You can’t eliminate stress, but you can create ways to reduce its impact. Find your bliss point and incorporate it regularly, whether that means yoga, meditation, deep breathing, or just watching a funny movie with your best friend.

8. Optimize your antioxidant defense.
Glutathione, your body’s master antioxidant, can fine-tune your immune response to infections including the common cold. Glutathione can also recycle other antioxidants including vitamins C and E. Hormone-free, grass-fed whey protein provides the precursors your body requires to increase glutathione production and optimize immunity. N-acetyl-L-Cysteine is a sulfur-containing amino acid that also helps build glutathione. (Note: Please confer with your healthcare professional if you use any sulfur-containing nutrient and have a sulfa allergy.) Foods rich in antioxidants include numerous fruits and vegetables that should be eaten raw. Always wash your produce before eating, this helps eliminate harmful preservatives and pesticide residues that can suppress the immune system.

9. Exercise consistently.
Regular exercise can support a healthy immune system. Make move more your mantra to support immune health and find strategies for quick, effective workouts. If you’re not feeling well, you should probably go easy on exercise, although light walking in fresh air could help you feel better. Just increasing your heart rate alone helps regulate our bodies natural rheostat, the thyroid. When we get a fever, this is our bodies way of killing off harmful bacteria and viruses within our bloodstreams. It’s essential to getting us better!

10. Take Epsom salt baths.
A hot bath soothes achy muscles and other symptoms of cold and the flu. Add a cup of Epsom salt to your bath. Epsom salt is an excellent form of magnesium, which has a strong impact on the immune system. Many of us are deficient in this mineral. One review found that 75 percent of women consumed less than the Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs) for magnesium.

Feeling the symptoms of a cold or flu can make your day miserable. Instead of relying on over-the-counter medications, trust your body’s natural ability to heal. Take your multivitamins, limit preservatives, and sugars in your diet, and see a trained physician for more information on the topic.

If you have any questions or want more information about the topics listed above. Please contact our office or specifically ask the doctor upon your next visit. Your overall health is incredibly important to us!

Yours in health,

Health Quest Physicians Group

Phone: 573- 635-9655
3349 American Ave., Ste. B
Jefferson City, MO 65109