I AM not going to wade into the controversy or give any advice on whether to vaccinate. You will have to talk to your healthcare provider about that.
I want to talk to you about something far more important than that – your immune system – your ultimate vaccine against not only the virus behind Covid-19 but also all else that will come. Indeed, it may be the most important system that you have in you. The fact that it is doing an almost perfect job is why you are comfortably sitting down read this.
The immune system is supremely complex, made up of special organs, cells and chemicals that fight infection. Amazingly, the immune system keeps a record of every microbe it has ever defeated, in types of white blood cells (B- and T-lymphocytes) known as memory cells. This means it can recognise and destroy the microbe quickly if it enters the body again before it can multiply and make you feel sick.
So, you might ask, why do I keep catching the common cold or flu so often? That is because many different viruses and their mutant cause the same symptoms of the flu. Catching a cold or flu from one virus does not necessarily give you immunity against the others.
Even Covid-19 is evolving very fast and waiting around for the vaccine to save you may indeed be foolish. Boost your immune system now – easily, cheaply and naturally. That is your best defence.
Here are five simple things you can do today:
Eat right
Take wholesome food. Eat as fresh as possible. Avoid refined food – sugars and starches. Sugar is particularly bad. Ten teaspoons of sugar can drop your immune capability by 50% in two hours.
Sleep deep and long
One way you can stay ahead of Covid-19 could be by prioritising sleep. Without adequate sleep, your immune system has a harder time defending you.
Healthy adults should be shooting for between seven and eight hours of sleep each night to better fight off illness. To get your recommended amount of sleep, think about what time you need to get into bed and what time you need to wake up in the morning.
In addition to setting an alarm to wake up, it can help to set an alarm to remind you when it’s time to wind down and start getting ready for bed. Sleep is free. Make full use of it.
Get out in the sun
Think about it: where is SARS-Cov 2 causing the most harm? In parts of the planet that are in winter. Whether it was Wuhan, Seoul, Milan or New York, the pandemic was most damaging after long periods of low or no sun. Sensible sun exposure produces vitamin D in the skin that may last twice as long in the blood compared with ingested vitamin D. And new research shows that vitamin D may be far more important, even more than vitamin C in boosting immunity.
Exercise
The first line of defence is physical barriers, like the skin, which stops pathogens like viruses from entering the body. Research shows that wound healing is faster in people who exercise regularly compared to sedentary people.
The second line of defence is comprised of “innate” (or natural) immunity, which is mainly made up of cells like the natural killer and white blood cells. Exercise has a profound effect on these cells.
The third line of defence is “adaptive” (or memory) immunity, which mainly comprised lymphocytes. Exercise also has a profound impact on these cells. It has been shown that regular exercise – even 15 minutes of brisk walk every day – may help maintain healthy numbers of active high functioning T lymphocytes.
Supplements
My fellow pharmacist friends who run pharmacies tell that immune-boosting supplements are up – way up in the pandemic. That makes sense and fear are driving this demand.
Nothing wrong is chugging down lots of vitamins, probiotics, herbs and mushrooms. But a core of the immune system is glutathione. Next to water, this small 3-amino acid molecule is the most important. So important that every living cell of yours – from the sperm or the cells to the back of the retina have to make their own glutathione. Without it, they would die.
Glutathione is the most powerful antioxidant in your body. It mops up all the “oxidants” that are involved in the immune fight and rapidly detoxifies it. Without it, your cells would be overwhelmed by the invaders.
However, glutathione cannot be taken orally as its amino acid components would be simply broken down in the gut. What you need to take is precursors – the basic raw material to make glutathione. Ask your pharmacist about glutathione precursors to fortify your immune system. – The Vibes, February 22, 2021
Dato’ Dr Rajen Manicka is a pharmacist with a doctorate in Holistic Medicine. He has been a columnist for various publications on and offline since the mid-1990s.
