How Can I Improve My Immunity? Here Are 10 Ways!
How Can I Improve My Immunity Amid The Fears Of The Novel Coronavirus?
Everyone on social media is talking about washing hands and hygiene. If you’ve read my posts you’ll already know I eye roll on everyone of those hand washing posts! (My eyes are about to fall out of my face) but ok fine, some people didn’t know about hand washing. Here are some immunity tips:
Chinese Jujube Dates and Adzuki beans are healthy sweets!
Photo By Greg Rowe
Eat well. This means avoid dairy, sweet, sticky, greasy foods. This can include junk foods in general and overly processed foods. Instead eat lots of whole foods. Cooked veggies, lean meats and broths. You will all interpret “eating well” in your own way and that is ok! The main reason we want to avoid these type of foods is because it will cause phlegm or fluid build up in the body which will cause general inflammation and back up of fluids. That means your immune system will be working harder than it needs to at fixing this instead of keeping your defenses up if you come in contact with the flu or COVID-19 droplets.
Get adequate sleep. Sleep is when your body repairs itself. If you haven’t had enough sleep your body will again, be working extra hard to keep up the demands you give it during the day.
Rest when you’re tired. If you feel yourself trying to push through to meet a deadline or stay up late to get some work or project done, pause instead. Realize that this too compromises your immunity. Pushing through when you’re tired and you already feel that your body needs rest means you’re asking your body to take on extra demands and that leaves it with less reserves to fight off a potential virus if you come in contact with it.
Don’t stress. Easier said than done, yes. BUT it can also be quite simple if you let go of all the pressure. Something you can easily do in a work day is go into the bathroom and do a 1 minute meditation on an app like Headspace or Calm. Set a timer every hour to remind yourself to take 3 deep breathes every hour. This will slowly help your body to accept calmness or meditation as a practice and over time your stress levels will reduce. Stress puts your body in fight or flight, which means it is not doing its rest and digest mode.
Come in for acupuncture. If you’re feeling generally pretty well an immunity boost course of treatment can be 3-5 visits.
Here is a list of great over the counter supplements: Zinc, B12, Vitamin C, Echinacea, Elderberry (not if you have COVID-19 symptoms though), Airborne, Probiotics, Astralagus, Ginger, Tumeric -please make sure these substances do not interact with your medications before trying them. Consult a doctor before taking anything if you’re pregnant, have medical conditions or taking other medications.
Hydrate. Coconut water, gatorade, pedialyte are all great ways to get extra electrolytes into your system. COVID-19 can often present with very dry respiratory symptoms, so please make sure to drink plenty of fluids and try to avoid or reduce caffeine which will only dehydrate you.
Herbal Medicine is a great way to improve immunity. During an initial Herbal Consult we will go over your health history to determine your constitution. In Chinese Medicine when we treat your subtle imbalances it will improve your overall immunity. I will prescribe a custom herbal formula for you according to what we find in our consultation. Herbal formulas are typically in a pill or granule powder form that will be made at the local herbal pharmacy. If you want to do a call via video conference and you do not live locally you can have the formula shipped to you.
Exercise. A moderate amount of exercise is good for you! As New Yorkers, we tend to over do this one. It is important not to work out when you feel fatigued or need rest and it is important not to over train. Allow for your body to recover from your work outs and do a mix of resistance training, weights, cardio and yoga/stretching.
Stay warm. As the weather transitions to Spring we will have cold windy, rainy days as well as warm summer like days. It is important that you don’t allow your body to catch a chill. When you are unable to adjust to temperature changes it will show that you’re in a lowered immunity state. To be sure that you don’t catch cold, dress in layers. Always have a scarf on hand.
*Everyone is different. Somethings may work better for some than others. Chinese Medicine does not give one treatment for one disease instead there are multiple treatments for multiple possible presentations for the same disease while also taking in consideration of your unique tendencies and constitution. This is why it is always recommended to schedule a consultation. Please also understand that working with a practitioner on your immunity is just one aspect of your health. You must be conscious and proactive about your environment and interactions as well.
THIS FRIDAY (March 13) ONLY I am offering an Community Immunity Clinic.
To be transparent about my procedures, I have always taken extra care around Flu Season so I was very prepared this year. I use Cavicide wipes to clean surfaces, door knobs, switches and things people touch often. Cavicide is a KILLER when it comes to viruses and germs, so much so that I have to wear a mask and gloves when cleaning with it. Having a laundry machine on site means I am able to change launder linens easily and often. I have also been running the air filters in the treatment rooms. I am encouraging those who feel sick to stay home and have already been conducting many of my herbal consultations via video call.
Photo By Greg Rowe