Coronavirus is Coming: 6 Ways to Protect Yourself and Your Loved Ones
While we don’t yet know to what extent coronavirus (aka COVID-19) will affect the US, many national health organizations are predicting that the number of infected may be in the hundreds of thousands, if not more.
There are many ways that you can reduce your risk of contracting or spreading COVID-19, and ways to support your immune function if you do happen to be exposed.
There are many ways that you can reduce your risk of contracting or spreading COVID-19, and ways to support your immune function if you do happen to be exposed.
COVID-19 causes upper respiratory infections similar to the flu, with fever, dry cough, aches, and fatigue. And just like the flu, coronavirus is spread around by touching an object that a sick person has either touched or coughed on. So my first recommendation is by far the easiest (and may be one of the most effective):
1. Wash your hands
Coronavirus can get into the body through the mouth or nose, so wash your hands before you touch anywhere on your face. Wash before eating or drinking, and watch out for unconscious habits like nail biting that may expose you to germs from your hands repeatedly through the day. Wash after being in public places, such as grocery or department stores, and in order to keep your home a safe place, wash your hands as soon as you step in your door.
If you are in an especially at-risk group (over 60, immune-deficient or suppressed, or if you have a respiratory condition), consider wearing latex or nitrile gloves when touching public doors, gas-pump nozzles, grocery carts, or any other surfaces in public places. Dispose of these gloves frequently.
If you are in an especially at-risk group (over 60, immune-deficient or suppressed, or if you have a respiratory condition), consider wearing latex or nitrile gloves when touching public doors, gas-pump nozzles, grocery carts, or any other surfaces in public places. Dispose of these gloves frequently.
1b. If you are sick, please cough into the crook of your elbow or a disposable tissue, not into your hands!
2. Eat an immune-boosting diet
Your immune system depends on lots of nutrients to function well. Make sure to eat a diet full of brightly colored fruits and vegetables, B vitamins, zinc, selenium, iron, vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin E. All of these nutrients can easily be supplemented in capsule or liquid form in the case of food aversions, feeding difficulties, or limited access to nutrient-dense foods.
Drop the refined sugars, fried foods, and processed foods - all of these actually suppress your immune system and can leave you more vulnerable to germs. Refined sugar, for example, has been shown in multiple studies to depress the immune system for several hours after consumption.
Drop the refined sugars, fried foods, and processed foods - all of these actually suppress your immune system and can leave you more vulnerable to germs. Refined sugar, for example, has been shown in multiple studies to depress the immune system for several hours after consumption.
3. Stress reduction
Stress suppresses immune function and reduces the ability of germ-fighting cells to find and destroy invaders. Stress reduction is a major way you can boost your immunity.
Now is a good time to take a break from anything unnecessary in your life that’s causing you stress. Have an option to add another complicated project to your workload? Maybe it can wait till the summer. Considering having that problematic relative over for a week-long stay? Find them an AirBnB instead. This is not about self indulgence - it's about keeping yourself safe and healthy.
Now is a good time to take a break from anything unnecessary in your life that’s causing you stress. Have an option to add another complicated project to your workload? Maybe it can wait till the summer. Considering having that problematic relative over for a week-long stay? Find them an AirBnB instead. This is not about self indulgence - it's about keeping yourself safe and healthy.
4. Consider immune-boosting herbs
There are many herbs that either enhance the function of the immune system, directly inhibit viruses, or both. Generally speaking, these should be used with the support of a naturopathic doctor or herbalist, as not every herb is suitable for every person, not all herbs and medications are compatible, and not all herbs are safe for kids. But one anti-viral herb that’s considered safe for the majority of people is elderberry, or sambucus nigra.
Elderberry works by preventing viruses from attaching to the outside of cells, which reduces a virus' ability to get into cells to make you sick and prevents its ability to replicate itself to make the infection worse. Elderberry is tasty, effective for many types of viruses, and comes in a variety of forms, from syrup to gummies to capsules. It’s an easy herb for kids or people with difficulty swallowing to take and is available in most health food stores or online.
Elderberry works by preventing viruses from attaching to the outside of cells, which reduces a virus' ability to get into cells to make you sick and prevents its ability to replicate itself to make the infection worse. Elderberry is tasty, effective for many types of viruses, and comes in a variety of forms, from syrup to gummies to capsules. It’s an easy herb for kids or people with difficulty swallowing to take and is available in most health food stores or online.
5. Sleep
Lack of sleep can both make you more likely to catch a virus and keep you sick for longer when you do. So consider shortening your nighttime routine, improving your sleep hygiene (low lights in the evening, no screens past 9pm, etc), and prioritizing those extra hours in bed.
6. Get support from your holistic provider
ND’s, homeopaths, and herbalists are trained in immune support, botanical antimicrobials, holistic nutrition, sleep improvement, and all of the other things that you need to keep your system as healthy and adaptive as possible.
Bonus advice
If you are sick, please please please stay home. If you are an employer, please encourage sick employees to stay home and be supportive of their choices to do so.
Keep your kids home from school and daycare if they are ill, and if you are not in one of the most at-risk groups but have loved ones who are, please protect them by visiting via FaceTime and other non-infectious channels till this crisis has passed.
Keep your kids home from school and daycare if they are ill, and if you are not in one of the most at-risk groups but have loved ones who are, please protect them by visiting via FaceTime and other non-infectious channels till this crisis has passed.
While we still don't know what the next few months of COVID-19 will bring, these simple changes can give you and your loved ones the best chance to springing back from or avoid this frightening illness all together.
For more information or to make an appointment with Dr Silver in person or via videochat, call (248) 629-0224 or click here to make an appointment online.
