Support Your Immune System Against Coronavirus, Cold and Flu Part 3 "How to Support Your Immune System."
By Dr. Stephen Sinatra 03/30/2020
How to Support Your Immune System
Your immune system is not found in one single place in your body, like your brain or heart. This defense system is a complex, diffuse, and integrated intelligence network of organs (like your skin and liver), tissues (mucous membranes are an example), cells (such as white blood cells), cellular products like antibodies—and at the subatomic level, electrons.
They all work together, an army of specialized units, in wondrous around-the-clock synchrony designed to protect you against pathogens, toxins, poor lifestyle choices, and stress. Here are my top tips to support your immune system, keeping it primed and ready to tackle viral threats.
Get Adequate Rest
You’ve heard it before and you’ll hear it from me repeatedly because it’s so basic. Too much activity and not enough rest is a ticket for trouble, and in this case, weakened resistance. Many studies show that not enough sleep suppresses the immune system and undermines your ability to fend off microbial infections. I recall a 2009 study in which poor or shorter sleep in the weeks preceding exposure to a rhinovirus (the most common viral infective agent and the cause of the common cold) were associated with lower resistance to illness.
Minimize Your Stress
Worry, anxiety, anger, depression, or any emotional conflict effectively drain the immune system and leaves you more vulnerable. A major 2012 study found that people with chronic stress are more likely to develop persistent cold symptoms than stress-free individuals. Chronic stress overproduces the stress hormone cortisol, which then fails to appropriately regulate inflammatory responses in the body. An inflammatory response lingers long after the cold virus is gone, creating continuing symptoms. We all have stress in our lives. We just need to find ways to defuse it.
Be Mr. or Ms. Clean
Wash your hands with soap regularly and often. Pathogens are everywhere, and in a day’s activities, we constantly touch many. Without realizing it, we touch our nose, mouth, and eyes. According to the CDC, hand washing is an important measure to prevent getting sick and spreading germs. Doing so reduces respiratory illnesses, like colds, in the general population by 21%.
Whenever I used to see patients who were sniffling, sneezing, coughing, or rubbing itchy eyes, I made it a point after each visit to wash my hands before seeing my next patient. I didn’t want to be a middleman transferring germs from one person to the next or upping my own risk of infection. Part of my daily routine today is filling my bathroom sink with warm water and adding a half teaspoon of sea salt. I immerse my face, blink my eyes, and gently sniff the water into my nostrils. This simple facial dip helps zap microorganisms present in these common entrances to the body.
Posted By: Dea. Ron Gray Sr.
Saturday, April 18th 2020 at 8:59PM
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