As the nights draw in, I thought i'd share 5 of my favourite immune protection measures!
1) Vitamin D. Now it's Autumn in the UK, our exposure to sunlight is dropping and that means we're producing less vitamin D. Among many other things, Vitamin D levels have a direct effect on our immune system. Watch Dr Rhonda Patrick discuss the important role vitamin D plays in our protection against Covid-19, here - from 29:00 onwards: http://podcasts.joerogan.net/podcasts/dr-rhonda-patrick- I've started supplementing again with my favourite- Lamberts 1x day.* 1000iu, which is a good conservative dose. (Please see note below!)
2) Hydration and air humidity. As the temperature cools and we have the central heating on more often, the atmosphere will start to dry out in our homes. That's good for keeping us warm & dry, but not so great for our lungs, which need to stay moist, (and erm... slippery!) to be optimally healthy. (Gordon Lauc and colleagues at the University of Zagreb in Croatia, recently looked at 7000 people with Covid-19 in hospitals, they found that mortality fell with rising outdoor temperature when the central heating was turned down - after ruling out age and accounting for better care. He explained that dry indoor air in winter dehydrates and weakens the mucosal barrier in our lungs that can stop viral infections, including Covid-19). I combat a dry atmosphere by hanging humidifier jars on radiators and using an INSMART 4 timer ultrasonic aroma diffuser and humidifier. - I will share a vid in post about this in my next Instagram post! - (Bonus: It also keeps your hands hydrated & supple!)
3) Essential Vitamins: In addition to an all round healthy, balanced and nutritious diet: Our immune systems need these specific vitamins in particular to function optimally: VITAMIN C (Good food sources are: Blackcurrants, acerola cherry, citrus fruits, rosehips, papayas, guavas & peppers, I also currently take Viridian's 500mg Esther C, a day, which is buffered, to be gentle on the stomach). VITAMIN A: It's possible to overdose on vitamin A, so unless it's in a multivitamin, it's probably best to get it from food sources. (Good food sources are: Liver, sweet potato, squash, kale, carrots, cod liver oil, mackerel & salmon) ZINC (good food sources are: Shellfish, red meat, seeds, nuts & cheddar cheese).
4) Exercise: Whilst extreme and excessive physical activity suppresses immunity, moderate exercise reduces inflammation and helps our immune cells regenerate. Studies indicate that even a single session of moderate exercise can boost the effectiveness of vaccines in people with compromised immune systems, and a study published in 2011 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine—found that those who did aerobic exercise five or more days of the week lowered the number of upper respiratory tract infections (like the common cold) over a 12-week period by more than 40%.
5) Sleep. In a study in 164 healthy adults, those who slept fewer than 6 hours each night were more likely to catch a cold than those who slept 6 hours or more each night. Lack of sleep can also affect how fast we recover if we do get sick, as protective cytokines, infection-fighting antibodies are produced during sleep. For information, read Matthew Walker's book, "Why we sleep" for tips. I specialise in hypnosis for insomnia, so you can also drop me a line: karen@thrivehypnosis.co.uk
5) Relaxation and having fun. Long-term stress promotes inflammation, imbalances in immune cell function and suppresses the immune response. On the contrary, laughter has been shown in studies to boost immune function. Watching a one-hour comedy video, for example, has been found to produce: increased number and activation of T cells; Increased ratio of Helper/Suppressor T cells; Increased number and activity of Natural Killer (NK) cells; and increased levels of Gamma Interferon. Get in touch for personal healthy eating, motivation to exercise, relaxation, 'avoiding burnout' and chronic illness recovery hypnosis.
Let me know your favourite immune boosters in the comments below! Stay warm and healthy.
Karen <3
*NB: These posts are intended for information & entertainment purposes only. Please seek personal medical advice from your doctor for more specific medical advice tailored to you. Your GP can also take a blood test to assess your current vitamin D levels. It is possible to overdose on Vitamin D & A supplements, so please be careful and always read the label. Seek out a nutritionist's advice regarding the best supplements. (NB: Viridian and Lamberts have dedicated qualified nutritionists you can email or call for free advice - handy!)
