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Gaining and Maintaining Immune Resilience: You are stronger than you know

Key Practices to Support IMMUNE Function

Every great challenge has a lesson to teach, and every great lesson encourages self-growth.  Without discounting how difficult this global pandemic is for everyone, for many reason at varying degrees; this may be a great opportunity to address the health of Americans and our global community. Though there are situations, which appear out of our control, our own health (and the health of our children) is our own noble responsibility and privilege.  What choices we can control, we should.

Now is an excellent time to nourish, heal and strengthen our physical bodies, minds and spirits, in order to come out of the other side even stronger.  In general, illness and pain signals us to pay attention and address something deeper.   While the healing/strengthening process can be quite the ride, recovering your greatest potential will be an invaluable outcome for you and everyone you influence.

Fear can narrow our focus toward our “flaws” / “weaknesses” and distract from the fact that our bodies are incredibly resilient; they are designed to self-regulate and find balance without us even being aware of what’s going on.  We’ve only scratched the surface in understanding how amazing we really are. Minimizing assaults and providing a basic foundation of health can make a significant difference in building and maintaining a resilient immune system.  When you are resilient, you are better able to make decisions for your own body from a place of knowledge and love.

I wanted to focus in on WHAT 5 Key Practices you may consider, HOW to practice them and the reasons WHY they are important.  There’s a lot of information included; I believe everyone should have access to basic health information to improve his or her lives. You can always tab this for future reference since your immune health will always be important.  Don’t feel pressured to suddenly change your entire life; any small changes added/subtracted, makes a great difference in the long run.

5 Evidence-based Practices to Consider to Develop a Resilient Immune System:

1. ) Continue to STAY SOCIALLY CONNECTED

Connections with friends and loved ones are critical and can endure even through times of social distancing (and any type of social turmoil that gets thrown our way).  Given the circumstances, we must do our best to stay “connected” in safe ways that are currently available to us (luckily there are many!).  As the social and political climate continues to shift, we must remember there are more similarities among us than differences between us; our unity creates an unshakable foundation—a type of social resilience.

Connection is #1 for several reasons:
connection-final

2. ) a. Eat Whole Foods

At least 5 servings per day. Never take for granted the incredible healing properties in whole foods.  Have fun with different recipes and forms of cooking with these nutritious and delicious foods! Some whole foods specifically support immune function! Here are some (there are more!) immune supportive foods to consider adding to your meals:

Eat Whole Foods

High blood sugar levels and/or blood sugar levels that fluctuate throughout the day, seen in diabetics and pre-diabetics, can cause immune dysfunction. 23 Adding fiber to meals can help prevent blood sugar spikes and drops!

High fat meals (specifically, trans fats, saturated fats, and monounsaturated fat) cause airway inflammation and worsen asthma recovery 56   

2. ) b. CONSIDER NUTRIENTS to support your immune system:

Vitamin D3/K2 – maintenance dose of 2000 – 4000 IU/dl per day or 10,000 IU per day if mildly ill (short-term, a few days). Very high doses can cause toxicity. Doses will vary based on labs results.

Buffered Vitamin C – 1000 – 2000 mg, one to two times per day, in 2-hour intervals. Oral vitamin C at very high doses can cause diarrhea, and should be dosed based on individual’s bowel tolerance. Doses will vary.

Vitamin A – 10,000 IU/90 mcg per day for 7-10 days. High vitamin A can cause birth defects- please consult doctor if pregnant or breast-feeding. Doses will vary-seek medical guidance.

Zinc picolinate – 15-30 mg per day, taken with protein 

Sustained-release Melatonin- Start low if never taken before- 0.5 – 5mg before bed. Doses will vary.

N-Acetyl cysteine – 1200 mg per day (600mg 2x per day) 

Quercetin- 500mg per day 

3. ) Daily MODERATE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

At least 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week. Examples of moderate exercise: walking 2 miles in 30 minutes, running 1.5 miles in 15 minutes, jumping rope for 15 minutes, walking stairs for 15 minutes, 30-60 minutes of yoga. 

Daily MODERATE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

4. ) Get QUALITY SLEEP

Getting 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night supports immunity by lowering inflammation in the brain and body. 27

Get QUALITY SLEEP

Exposure to bright light during the day increases melatonin production at night–this helps improve sleep quality. 16

Avoid bright light and blue-light exposure (from screens and fluorescent lights) at least 2-3 hour before bed. Dim orange/red lighting in your home in the evening can help.

Consider blue-light blocking glasses to view screens after sunset.  Not all blue-blocking glasses are created equal; few block the full spectrum of blue-light for night time use and many are made of low quality material, have a glare, or are unattractive.

• I like the BLUblox glasses! The Sleep+ lenses block up to 100% of blue-light for immediate improved sleep and optimal melatonin production (can be made into prescription lenses with various stylish frames for men, women and children)! Readers get 15% off with coupon code: drmoreno

• There are many companies now selling blue-blocking glasses–it is worth the quick search; look for quality and proven results.

Sleep in a pitch-black room (consider using black-out curtains and turning off all electronics in bedroom).

5. ) Minimize harmful environmental exposures

Minimized exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) from cell phones, computers, router, TV, Wi-Fi, etc.

Stay at least 2 feet away from devices when in use, if possible farther.

Turn off or unplug devices & keep phone on airplane mode while you sleep.

Never carry devices directly on your body or on your lap unless on airplane mode or with tested anti-EMF protective barrier.

Minimize harmful environmental exposures

Reduce Air pollution  

This should make us mindful of our lifestyle and where efforts toward regulations to protect human health post-quarantine could be focused.

• Are herbicides being sprayed near your home? See map.

Reduce pesticides and phthalates in food

Cooking or preparing meals at home can prevent this exposure and have many added benefits.

• Shop organic! Look for the “USDA Organic” label and the “Glyphosate Residue Free” label

• Wash non-organic produce with water and baking soda for at least 5 minutes 57

Give your body and mind the best opportunity to thrive. No medicine can replace the foundations to health that you can choose to build on everyday!

Disclaimer:

The information presented is not meant to diagnose, treat or provide medical advice. Dosing and recommendations may vary depending on the individual. Please consult your doctor or speak with a naturopathic or integrative doctor during an official consultation to receive medical advice.

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