There is so much we can do to improve our resilience and lower the risk of developing a huge infection when you come into contact with COVID-19. We know that we we all be in some contact with COVID-19 within the next weeks, so the tips below are important to keep you well. As you know, the virus is transmitted by droplets from people’s noses as they cough and sneeze. It seems to survive in the air longer when it’s cold which means that it is likely to return next winter.
These are my recommendations:
- Avoid added sugars – and please check labels. I have just returned from our local health shop where so many products were loaded with sugar: raw nut butters, “healthy nutella”, nut bars, paleo snacks and organic granola. It doesn’t matter if the product or the sugar are organic, as even organic sugar will spike your blood sugar levels. This is the time when we need to keep the Glycemic Index of the food we eat low to enable your own natural killer cells protect you from illness. Schools should now stop serving all sugary desserts and instead children should be encouraged to eat more whole fruit for snack. Focus on organic good quality products and avoid processed foods as such commercially available breads and pasta, anything with more than 5 ingredients falls into this category.
- Have 1 clove of raw garlic every day. When I was a child I was always ill, picking up colds and flu many times every year. It was only when a wise paediatrician recommended that I had a clove of garlic every day that I literally blossomed into health. If you don’t like the taste of garlic, you could always “hide” it by making a “pate” made with chopped shiitake mushrooms blended with chopped garlic and parsley, or chopped into your salad dressings.
- Terry Wahls, a Functional Medicine Doctor, recommends taking 1-2 tablespoons of “Fire Cider” every day to both prevent illness and to shorten its duration. Fire Cider is a blend of apple cider vinegar, garlic, ginger, cayenne peppers, turmeric, horseradish and honey. The ingredients may sounds frightening, however, the liquid you will drink is strained and then sweetened with honey. This can be taken straight as shot (similar to turmeric shot), mixed in with tea, warm water, and even used as salad dressing. Fire Cider will not only support your immunity, it is also a wonderful tonic which improves digestion and metabolism and lowers inflammation. It is also a great remedy for sore throats and tonsillitis. I suggest making a batch every month to always have some at hand.
My Fire Cider Recipe
Ingredients:
- 5 cm freshly grated ginger
- 2 cm freshly grated turmeric root, or 4 tablespoons turmeric powder
- ½ cup grated horseradish root
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 12 cloves of chopped garlic
- Juice and zest from 1 lemon
- ½ L raw and organic apple cider vinegar
- Some honey for later…I use 1/3 cup.
- 1 1L Kilner preserve jar or several smaller ones
Method
- Place all the ingredients excluding honey into the jar
- Pour apple cider vinegar until everything is covered and the vinegar reaches the top
- Shake and store in a dark cool place for 1 month shaking the jar several times per week
- After 1 month, strain out the solids and pour the liquid into a clean jar
- Add honey to taste
- Store in a jar in the fridge or a dark cool place
My go to supplements are:
- Vitamin C to support immune cell activity. There is so much research on how vitamin C can help shorten both the duration and intensity of viral and bacterial infections, including pneumonia. I recommend 500mg liposomal vitamin C per day, ideally in divided doses and more at the onset of infection. I often prescribe patches containing nano particles of Vitamin C so that it can go right into the system via skin.
- Zinc 20-30mg per day. Zinc will not only support immunity and prevent viruses from entering the host cells, it is also essential for skin health, mood, and hormone balance.
- Vitamin D3 if your blood levels are below 60 ng/mL as then you are at an increased risk for infection. If you have been supplementing and you are still deficient, consider that you may have an under-functioning gallbladder, or that you have been using a low quality supplement. Most people need well over 2,000 iu per day and much more during infection.
- Cat’s Claw tea has antiviral properties and it is also antibacterial so it will help prevent any potential secondary infections.
- Licorice root – a wonderful remedy to support adrenal glands in times of stress, licorice also has antiviral and immunostimulating properties.
Your lifestyle may also be tweaked to support your overall health:
- Wash your hands in soapy water. I also use DoTerra’s On Guard oil for added protection, and Silvercillin gel. This virus seems to also live on surfaces so it’s important to wash door knobs and anything that is often touched by others.
- Dr Klinghardt recommends turning all wi-fi off at least for the night for added protection.
- Sleep. As much as you can. Not much will help if you go to bed late and are not sleeping well for at least 7 hours every night. If you are having trouble sleeping, I recommend a tablespoon of sour cherry juice with some warm water which will boost melatonin levels as you are going to bed.
- De-stress your life. Dr Bruce Lipton, the author of “The Biology of Belief” suggests that stress is responsible for up to 90% of illness. We know that when an individual is under stress, the release of cortisol literally shuts down the immune system to conserve the body’s energy, for running away from the proverbial tiger. Think of how you could bring more balance into your life, and only you know what works for you. You may want to surround yourself with supportive family and friends, take walks in nature, and remember that positive thoughts have an impact on your entire health and wellbeing.
Please stay at home if you are unwell. You may not be able to test yourself but these precautions are vital to keep the virus from infecting others who may have underlying health issues, for whom this infection could potentially be deadly.
If you would like further advice on naturally supporting your and your family’s immune health with Nutritional Therapy, do contact me. I offer online consultations so it doesn’t matter where in the world you are.
Wishing you all Health and Harmony.
With love
Magda
