DR FAITH BYISRAEL
We all want to be healthy. We all want to be naturally healthy. We all want to ensure that our immune system is as healthy as possible to fight against covid19. 'Why don't medical professionals speak about building your body's natural immunity?' This is a question that I get all the time when talking about preventing covid19 by using vaccines. The reality is that building natural immunity takes time, effort and dedication. If you are willing to do the hard work (yes, I said hard work), keep reading.
WHAT ARE YOU EATING?
What you put into your system is what you will get out of it. Think about what you had for breakfast, lunch or dinner yesterday - do you think those items are building your immunity? Did you eat fresh fruits and vegetables? Did you drink at least eight glasses of water? Did you have balanced meals? How many calories do you think you consumed? Did you have processed foods?
I know that we love the quick fixes. You want me to tell you about the powers of garlic, a food that is rich in Allicin, which is known to boost your immune system. You want me to tell you to eat foods rich in Vitamin C and D, or take supplements of those vitamins, because they reduce the severity and duration of upper respiratory infection symptoms. You want me to tell you about foods like colourful fruits and vegetables including berries, carrots and spinach, which are rich in antioxidants that protect you against oxidative stress, which translates to a stronger immune system. I know that you want to hear all of that, but the reality is that you already have this information - are you using it?
HOW MUCH ARE YOU MOVING?
The United States Department of Health and Human Services recommends the following guidelines for physical activities:
Aerobic activity: get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week. Moderate aerobic activities includes brisk walking, swimming, mowing the lawn. Vigorous includes running, aerobics or Zumba.
Strength training: do strength training exercises for all major muscle groups at least two times per week. Aim to do a single set of each exercise, using a weight or resistance level heavy enough to tire your muscles after about 12 to 15 repetitions.Strength training includes using a weight machine, your own body weight, resistance tubes, or activities like rock climbing.
Even though the state of emergency and public health measures to manage the covid19 infections restricted our ability to do some of these activities, those restrictions have since been lifted, so you can go ahead and start doing what it takes to make your entire body strong, and therefore improve your immune system.
It's important to note though that some of the people with long covid (covid19-related symptoms that seem to persist for months or longer after infection) have happened to individuals who were relatively healthy, and exercised frequently. This is a situation that we don't really understand, and therefore nee
