The Best Ways to Boost Immunity Naturally

People are asking is “how can I improve my immune system and protect my family and friends that may be at greater risk of infection?.”

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) has sent shockwaves around the Globe. People are asking is “how can I improve my immune system and protect my family and friends that may be at greater risk of infection?.”

Everyone is feeling a bit overwhelmed, panicked and scared, this is normal.

What is important that you know there are things that you can do for yourself that are simple and will have a positive impact on your health and immunity.

I am sharing a full list on “how to boost your immune system”, that was partly included in the published article for Askmen.com.

The best way to boost immunity naturally is to take something that you already do (such as sleep, eat and think) and make small shifts so that it becomes part of a routine. 

• Drink Tea as well as water! Both green and black teas (Camellia Sinensis family) have shown to have natural antimicrobial and antiviral properties . The antioxidants in black help prevent stomach cancers and have a direct bactericidal effect against Streptococcus mutans. The throat is the gateway for bacteria and viruses to enter the body so Tea is what the doctor ordered.

• Coconut oil: With all the hand washing, the natural oils and bacteria that act as a barrier of protection get washed away. Dry cracked skin is an easy target for infection. Coconut oil is naturally antibacterial, anti-fungal and moisturizing at the same time. You can also swish coconut oil in your mouth to help fight gum irritation too.

• Limit the electronics: We have so much media consumption with fear about the future is emotionally draining. Communicating via email or texts is isolating and can lead to depression. Lack of human contact has a toll on your health. Face-to-face socializing reduces depression.  Instead have a conversation on the phone, or make a point of smiling or saying hello to a stranger. 

• Sleep: One of the best ways to boost immunity is to get quality sleep. It is during sleep that we are able to regenerate and heal. We also produce cytokines, a  protein that targets infection and inflammation, effectively creating an immune response. Long term  sleep problems are associated with many chronic health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and pain. 

• Digestion: Gut health on the inside is what will protect you from viruses and bacterial infections on the outside. Gut homeostasis helps reduce body inflammations and helps with brain functioning. There is a brain gut connection with over 90% of serotonin being produced in the digestive tract. Taking Probiotics and Prebiotics to help keep your digestion in order as well as your emotional resilience.

• Food as medicine: Incorporate superfoods into your diet. Superfoods such as dark vegetable, mushrooms, berries, avocado, nuts and seeds and more. These are also nutrient dense and have health benefits beyond their nutrients.

• Mindfulness: We have a monkey brain and when we worry too much our nervous system goes into stress mode, fight or flight. The release of adrenaline and cortisol on a constant low level damages our connective tissues and immune system. Focusing 10 minutes a day on clearing your mind of mental chatter and doing walking outdoors, stretching, or a moving meditation such as Tai Chi, QI Gong or Yoga helps to rewire the brain and strengthen the mind body connection and support overall health.

• Longevity mindset: Acupuncture and Chinese is based on the principles of balance. Seek out someone with a holistic health perspective that looks at your health individually and will teach you how to maximize your health.

When this health crisis has settled we can look at what we can do better.

Do You Have 2020 Vision?

Do you have a clear vision clear for your health in 2020?

Another end of the year and a new decade is approaching. I always marvel at how each year seems to be getting shorter and it feels like we are in a crazy time loop.

Every year people make New Year’s resolutions and want to make positive changes to their lives. The recurring themes include a more active approach to health and fitness, travel, losing weight, relieving stress, finding a partner, going on an adventure vacation and spending more time with friends and loved ones. 

Unfortunately for more than 50% of the people that make New Year’s resolutions, give up by spring.

Let’s do something different!

What happened for you in 2019? 

I know that a lot of people got sucked into the news cycles of political drama that 

The media was a major distraction and a source of stress and anxiety for many people and I am pretty certain that it did not contribute to health and wellbeing.

1. What goals did you set for yourself?

2. Where did you make progress?

3. Where didn’t you see progress?

Be gentle with yourself, it’s important to look at what things get in the way of you being successful with your goals.

Here are some tips on how you can be successful with what you want to achieve in 2020!

Pick a resolutions that you can work on everyday and will not easily give up on like getting better sleep, deep breathing, or drinking more water.

These are activities you can do anywhere and the benefits will show quickly.

Stay positive! Make a note of what you were successful at no matter how small. Success creates feel good chemicals that keep you motivated to do more.

Set a goal that will motivate you and connect it to something greater. 

Short term goals will get you some results but if you want a real life change you need to do it in steps and link it to a bigger picture. 

An example:

When someone has a specific reason for losing weight such as a wedding, that reason is what drives them and keeps them committed to achieving that goal. The problem is if that is their only goal then when the wedding is over they will most likely gain the weight back.

The solution is to notice all the positive things you experience from losing the weight, these are wins. Things like you feel better about yourself,  clothes fit better, your have more energy and peolple notice you look better. Use those wins and set another goal to feel even better and have greater qualtiy of life.

Cultivating health and longevity are the principles behind acupuncture and Chinese medicine. Getting regular treatments is a way of supporting the mind-body connection and will make a positive difference to you personally and the quality of life you want to have for as long as you live. 

My wish for all of you is to take charge of your health destiny so youcan have a healthy and prosperous long life and see you in 2020!

What is your vision for the New Year?

5 Strategies to Take Care of that Cold!

When the temperatures start to shift and change from one extreme to another as we go into cooler weather; the dreaded first cold of the season can show up.

Having a smart health strategy for when you start feeling a little off will make a difference as to whether you succumb to getting sick, recover quickly or deflect it all together.

The symptoms are mild; a little scratchy throat, a runny nose maybe a little fatigue. This is a crucial time to get healthy before the environment (weather) becomes more intense and your body will have to work harder to regulate itself and stay healthy.

Cultivating health based habits that include acupuncture, herbs, mediation , clean diet and exercise is a great foundation for longevity.

Whether you are able to fend off getting sick or recover quickly from a cold will reveal how strong your mind, body and spirit are, basically how much vim and vigor you have!

Here are 5 things you can do to promote you health and will help you recover faster from the first cold of the season!

1. Probiotics - keep your gut flora balanced, your immune system actually resides in the gut. Maintaining a healthy digestive system will help you stay strong when the weather changes or when we encounter new environments. I recommend probiotics to all my patients as health maintenance.

Taking a daily probiotic helps maintain healthy intestinal flora.

2. Sleep - this is when your body does it’s repairing; digestion, emotional processing and filtering toxins and metabolic waste. It is a reset. If you don’t have quality sleep, brain function is affected and we end up with less than optimal functioning. (sleep deprivation is linked to diabetes and long term sleep problems is linked to Alzheimer's disease and dementia). Have going to sleep a priority as much as you have waking up!

cultivate good sleep habits that will support your immune system and keep you healthy all year around.

3. Manuka honey - gives support for the immune system because of its antimicrobial, antibacterial and anti-fungal properties coming from flowers of the Manuka tree. Manuka is similar to Tea Tree (Malaleuca), both belong to the Myrtaceae family, along with Eucalyptus, Clove and Myrtle. Add the honey with ginger and lemon to teas or use it over your morning cereal!

Natural anti-microbial properties in Manuka honey will boost your immune system.

4. Tulsi Tea - also known as Holy Basil, helps prevent certain respiratory illnesses ranging from colds and coughs to bronchitis and asthma. This herbal tea is loaded with anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties that can help in fighting infections and allergies, it is especially good for inflammations of the respiratory tract and can keep the seasonal colds at bay.

Teas have natural anti-microbial properties and are anti-oxidant, meaning they support you immune system and help with recovering from a cold and preventing it from going deeper into your body.

5. Neti pot - Nasal irrigation with a saline solution helps to thin mucus and flush out the nasal passages. Allergen irritants and debris cause the mucous membranes to swell and create congestion, the saline reduces the swelling of the mucous membranes and draws out mucous from the congested sinuses. Salt or saline solutions can draw water out of bacteria through their cell membranes and this dehydration can kill the bacteria. The same effect happens when you jump into the sea and salt water goes up your nose, all mucous comes out!

Salt solution creates an environment that bacteria and fungus don’t thrive in.

Making sure that you get regular acupuncture treatments through out the year as a smart health strategy will help your body and it’s immune system to function optimally.

The strongest medicine is preventative medicine!

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