This quarantine has been just a roller coaster of emotions and thoughts. Here I bring you 7 easy tips to keep your immune system strong during this time. Covid-19 had taken over our whole lives and it can be pretty stressful to even think about contracting it. That is why it is so important to keep the immune system strong and now that we all have to be at home, let’s do something for our bodies too.
Ideally, these are all things that you can do not only when there is a pandemic, so keep that in mind as you read. I have incorporated most of these to my daily routine and it I feel much much better. Also, it happens that I have been getting sick a lot less, and even my allergies have gotten better, so, this might be just what you were missing.
Needless to say, I am not a doctor, but I am only sharing some tips of things that have helped me.
tip 1. WIM HOF METHOD
This has to be the newest addition to my daily routine. If you are not familiar with the Wim Hof Method, I’ll explain. It is basically a breathing method that helps keep your immune system strong by doing a series of inhalations and exhalations with the last step being holding your breath as much as you can. Along with this you incorporate cold showers to that routine. You can start with 15 seconds and go as much time as you can handle. You can read more about it here.
I first saw about this method on the Goop Lab show on Netflix. Episode 2 focuses on a group of the Goop team that work with Wim Hof on his method and by the end I was so impressed that one of the girls, after having being doing this, was now not having anxiety attacks anymore and was working with her psychiatrist to stop using medication for that. So you know me, I am all about natural and healing your body naturally so I wanted to try.
I now have been doing my breathing and cold showers religiously. I am now doing 45-60 second cold showers (started with 15 seconds) which coming from me is a big accomplishment. As for the breathing, you really can hold your breath more than you think you can. I have had times I hold it for 2.5 minutes and I’m not even struggling. I feel a really powerful vibrating sensation when I do them and it feels amazing. Using the Wim Hof app has helped me keep track of how my breathing exercises are doing, but you don’t need it, you can use a regular timer.
Tip 2. Green tea / matcha
Well, well, well. I don’t think I need to explain my love for Matcha here but I do need to explain why green tea, in all its forms and shapes is good for you, specially now with the Covid-19 everywhere. I will not get much into detail and I will keep it simple: Zinc stops the virus from spreading, and for that you need that zinc to go to your cells. Unfortunately, zinc can’t go past the cell walls and work its magic. She (Zinc) needs zinc ionophores, which are little Uber drivers that take zinc to the inside of the cell. We need these zinc ionophores. Chloroquine is a medicine that is basically that, but you can also find them in other things, such as: Green Tea.
Green tea leaves have antioxidants called catechins. Catechins have a very potent little components EGCGs, which have antiviral effects against a ton of viruses, aside from being zinc ionophores. So, in short, drinking green tea often means those little Uber drivers will be working on stop to bring zinc to your cells where it needs to be to avoid viruses from spreading and attacking your cells. Other good zinc ionophore is Quercetin, which is a supplement but also can be found in some veggies and fruits. Elderberry, onions, tomatoes, citrus fruit are some of them.
HOW I TAKE IT
Now that you know that lil bit of science, I have been drinking around 3-4 cups of green tea per day, or sometimes I switch one of them for a Matcha latte with oat milk. In order to get the most of the antioxidants it is best if you drink regular green tea (not decaffeinated). One good extra tip is that it is best to drink it mostly during the morning and early afternoon. Trust me, otherwise you will be struggling to sleep like I did before I discovered it was because of the tea.
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6152177/
- https://www.reddit.com/r/China_Flu/comments/fko36h/lets_talk_about_herbals_that_have_the_exact_same/?utm_source=amp&utm_content=post_body
- https://www.livestrong.com/article/468122-does-decaffeinated-green-tea-still-have-antioxidants/
Tip 3. acv water
Now, this is one that I get complaints from almost everybody I tell them about it. And I get it, at first, I hated and almost wanted to throw up the first few times I drank it. Apple Cider Vinegar with water. From helping to detox your body, balance the body’s ph, and give your gut health a boost, these are only the benefits related to keeping your immune system strong, but there are many many others. The gut is connected to the immune system more than we know and so knowing that important connection, it is wise to keep the gut healthy. The bacteria from the acv is beneficial for our gut to stay healthy. And in case you didn’t know, alkalinity in our body protects it from diseases, that is why we want to balance our ph.
HOW I DRINK IT
I started doing this thanks to a friend and after reading all of the benefits, it has become a drink I have daily, and I now find it delicious. Usually I just mix 1-2 tablespoons of acv in a full glass of water and that is it. But now, I have come up with my own version of a #funwater that I do enjoy sometimes when I am writing and editing. It was inspired by Celeste Thomas from The True Spoon but with a twist:
- 1 glass of water and ice
- 1-2 tablespoons of acv
- 1/2 cup or so of frozen berries
- honey or any sweetener to taste (I don’t do this but I know some people might find the acv flavor to overpowering)
I have to also write in here a little remedy I found thanks to a doctor that had been sharing her experience with Covid-19, and that is mixing some baking soda and acv with the hottest water you can manage and just make gargles with it for a couple of minutes to help kill the virus. I have done this for coughs and when I get a cold and it helps me feel a lot better so you can try that at home.
- https://draxe.com/nutrition/apple-cider-vinegar-uses/
- https://www.developgoodhabits.com/how-to-make-your-body-more-alkaline/
tip 4. PROBIOTICS
I mentioned before that a healthy gut helps keep the immune system strong because it is all connected. In fact, I have read so many times the importance of a healthy gut microbiome. That is why I started to really focus on probiotics, which are good bacteria for your gut. I have struggled with digestion issues for so long before I started a healthier lifestyle that now I focus constantly on having a healthy gut.
Probiotics come in the form of fermented foods, such as kimchi and sauerkraut. Kombucha is also a very loved probiotic source, my favorite being Brew Dr. Goodbelly is also a great brand that has a full line of products, all focused on probiotics, from juices, waters, shots, yogurts and even supplements. I believe you might have seen on my Insta stories that I did the Goodbelly 12-day reboot, so you might remember the brand. You can check their products here but I usually get them at the supermarket.
TIP 5. DRY BRUSHING
If you haven’t heard of dry brushing, it entails literally brushing your whole body. Aside from helping improve circulation, reduce cellulite, exfoliate the skin and get rid of ingrown hairs, it is also a great way to do a lymphatic massage.
Real quick, the lymphatic system is a network of nodes and ducts all over our body that carry the lymphatic fluid and helps the body to detoxify. And surprise, surprise, it is also linked to the digestive system. There is a big amount of lymphatic tissue in the gut that protects the gut from pathogens and toxins. And we already know how important the gut is to stay healthy right? So, we can understand how this is important.
Well now, this lymphatic fluid gets sluggish and that is when it needs help to keep everything in order. Enter dry brushing. A lot of the lymphatic system runs just under the skin so the brushing helps stimulate the flow very efficiently.
how i do it
Following a very simple guideline, I do this every day before I shower, over dry skin. You start with soft strokes from the hands and feet and towards the chest between the collar bones, which is where the lymphatic system drains. I focus on the arm pits, the back of my knees, since there are a lot of lymph nodes there. Also, I go over my belly in a clockwise motions to promote digestion and around the boobies as well.
Here’s the best diagram I could find of how I do it:
And of course, it is probably a good idea to do a lymphatic facial massage, I have a tutorial on how to do that on a video here.
- https://wellnessmama.com/26717/dry-brushing-skin/
- https://realfoodforager.com/dry-brushing-for-lymphatic-drainage/
Tip 6. Supplements
This is something that I have started to do only recently, mainly because I feel overwhelmed by all the choices we have. Taking supplements to support your health has something I have been wanting to for years, and now more than ever.
I mainly started taking Vitamin C and this HPDRx 6 Defenders for Immune Strength I got for a review for the #oblclub. But I would like to add Elderberry and a probiotic supplement as far as immune health goes. There are some brands out there but I have yet to try them so I can’t really recommend one from experience. But I have recently found out that Goodbelly has probiotic supplements and are very well priced so I will be giving them a try. I will update you of course on my thoughts on them.
Tip 7. Citrus Peel Tea
Organic Olivia was and has been my source for the latest information on how to deal with covid-19. She has a ton of information about natural remedies, medicines and also using food as medicine, all backed by studies. A lot of what I have been focusing on consuming during this time has been from what she has shared. You can follow her on Instagram and check her highlights where she is sharing all the information.
This tea basically has all sorts of anti-microbial properties and promotes a healthy microbiome and adds Quercetin (go back to tip 2 if you don’t remember what this is) among other things. To make it you can add as much or as little as you want of what I’ll share here, or if you know of any more spices and foods that you know might help, be my guest. I have been keeping it pretty simple because the flavor can get quite strong with the spices and it makes it undrinkable for me personally. I prefer to add the spices to my cooking.
What I have been adding to mine is:
- Orange peels (after eating the oranges, I place the peels in a container on the fridge until I am ready to use them)
- Basil
- Ginger
Other things you can also add:
- Rosemary
- Garlic
- Onion
- Fennel Seeds
- Clover
Simply pour all of the ingredients in a pot mixed with water and simmer.
So, there you go, I won’t lie this was an exhausting blog post to write. But I wanted to share with you what I know and am doing, so that hopefully you find it useful.
What are you doing to keep your immune system strong?
