In face of the COVID-19 pandemic, enhanced immunity is something you may want to think about. While a global pandemic may not seem like the time for change, it is in fact the perfect time for a lifestyle adjustment, as we must all adjust to a different way of living due to the pandemic anyway. The only choice we must make is whether to change for better or for worse.
Our enhanced immunity is the result of our interaction with our environment and ultimately our lifestyle choices. Decreased toxin exposure, such as smoking and alcohol consumption, adequate amount of sleep, eating well, stressing less, and regular exercise are all essential for a well-modulated immune system, one capable of mounting just the right amount of immune response when needed.
In an industrialized society, a majority of us are exposed to a variety of toxins on daily basis. Because convenience is a top priority when it comes to food, we don’t cook on regular basis (a lot of us don’t even know how anymore). We consume highly processed food, get deliveries (which may at times be necessary), eat out at restaurants, or microwave pre-packaged meals. From a caloric point of view, we may be overstuffed, but from nutritional point of view, our body is famished. Nutrients are absolutely essential for a properly modulated immune system, and include common vitamins and minerals, as well as phytonutrients. As a result, many people have persistent chronic inflammation in different parts of their body that are responsible for many chronic diseases (which we call lifestyle diseases), and at the same time their body cannot mount a proper immune response when the circumstance arises.
Furthermore, because of the modern agricultural practices, we have depleted our soil of its natural supply of organic compounds and essential trace minerals. Regenerative organic farming practices can reverse a lot of the damage done to the soil, however, organic farming practices make up less than 1% of the entire farming industry.
That one’s lifestyle choices are the determining factor for immune health should come as no surprise. One way to ensure strong immunity during this time is to take some time to learn healthy recipes and cook for oneself, rather than consuming highly processed and nutrient depleted foods. Supplements can help simply because a picture-perfect lifestyle in today’s society is nigh impossible to pull off, and we all need support in different ways due to our individual lifestyle choices.
In light of the COVID-19 situation, it has been pointed out by many studies and well-known research/academic figures that following supplements are helpful and recommended:
- Vitamin A, 3000 mcg daily
- Vitamin C, 1000mg daily for prophylaxis
- Vitamin E, 67 mg daily
- Vitamin D3, 5000 IU daily
- Zinc 20 mg daily
- Magnesium 400 mg daily