The strength of your immune system relies heavily upon microbiome health and stress. Those two factors can almost be looked at as one, since stress will affect the microbiome, and an unbalanced microbiome is a stressor. Balancing the microbiome and managing stress both require lifestyle changes. These changes, in time, can lower the frequency of infection, decrease the intensity of symptoms, and speed up recovery time.

However, you might be reading this right now while dealing with a viral infection. Maybe lifestyle changes aren’t on your radar while you’re laying on the couch with snot dripping from your nose. So what are some actionable steps and remedies that can decrease symptoms and speed up recovery time right now? Here we go….

• SLEEP / REST / RECOVER:

• – Sleep is vital. I recently moved this up to the first recommendation. Our bodies know how to heal themselves. Especially if we get out of our own way and allow ourselves to truly get into a recovery state. I don’t recommend medication, even for a fever under 104. However, if your symptoms (cough, fever, aches, etc) are keeping you up at night, then you might need to pull out the big guns. But, I’d try melatonin, CBD, or even THC before reaching for pharmaceuticals.
• – Blue light from screens stimulate the brain, suppress  melatonin, and keep you out of resting/recovery mode. When it’s time for rest, shut electronics down. Bummer, right?
• – Avoid Hyper-stimulating TV and video games, especially before bed. The news, Housewives, and Call of Duty don’t exactly prep your CNS for sleepy time.
• – Don’t sleep on your back. This promotes drainage down your throat. (especially for covid- face down would be optimal). Side sleep for a cold
• – Meditation can be super helpful for decreasing stress (inflammation), promoting recovery during your waking hours, and transitioning into a rested state.

• VITAMINS / SUPPLEMENTS:

–  Vitamin C– take 5,000-10,000mg/day. However, you can only absorb roughly 1000mg at a time. So I would take 1-2000mg multiple times a day. This is way above the daily recommendation, but when you’re sick – even with a cold – you want to boost this up. For comparison, IV therapeutic vitamin C for covid at a hospital is somewhere around 40,000 mg/day!
Thorne Ascorbic Acid is a good version.

–  Vitamin D – if you get outside with a little skin showing, you can get your vitamin D in a half hour or less in the sun. Or, if you’re bedridden,  you can supplement daily.
Thorne is one of the best supplement companies across the board. I get my Vitamin D from them. But, I only take it on days that I’m stuck inside.

–  Vitamin A

–  Zinc

– Turmeric and  Omega/fish oil supplements are great anti inflammatories.They also thin the blood, which will reduce the likelihood of a blood clot from covid or from being bed ridden.

–  Glutathione is a great antioxidant. NAC is a precursor to Glutathione.EHB from Integrated Theraputics is a great immune booster, that includes Vitamin A,C, B6, Zinc, Echinecea, Licorice root, Goldenseal, Garlic, and Bromelain.You should also consume or supplement with a good probiotic daily (kombucha, tempeh, raw sauerkraut, kimchi), but not at the same time as the vitamin C because the acid can affect the probiotic.

• DIET PROTOCOL:

– You might be feeling sorry for yourself, but try not to soothe with toxic foods that will only tax your hardworking immune system even more. Breads, cereals and anything containing gluten might be the worst. Gluten is not only a gut disruptor, but it’s a neurological disruptor as well. Not to mention the fact that most gluten products are sprayed heavily with glyphosate, which will kill of good gut bacteria, and tax your body as it detoxes from this chemical concoction.

– Avoid processed foods, most of which contain seed oils and sugar. Seed oils (canola, sunflower, soybean, etc) cause rampant inflammation in the body. And a single teaspoon of sugar will suppress the immune system for up to 6 hours! Think about that as you smear jelly onto your bagel!

– Support the  respiratory tract. Drink warm liquids, especially teas with honey. Raw and local would be ideal. Also, consume warm foods like soups and bone broth. NOTHING will heal your gut and support a healthy microbiome (which is where 75% of our immune system comes from) like high quality bone broth.

– Eat whole foods, especially high antioxidant veggies and fruits. Avoid phlegmy foods and drinks like milk and other dairy products.

– Avoid alcohol obviously. It destroys the gut wall and microbiome, which again, is where 75% of your immune system resides.

– Drink plenty of water even if you don’t feel like it. Every cellular process in the body requires water. Drink half of your body weight in ounces of water per day.

– Intermittent fast if you feel you’re capable. Give your gut (microbiome) a chance to heal and allow the rest of your immune system time to go to work. A conservative fast (12 hour feeding window / 12 hour fast) would be a good start. However, listen to your body and eat if it’s telling you to do so.

– The issue with covid is the hyper immune and inflammatory response that people have. You definitely want to avoid foods that are inflammatory. The same goes for a cold or flu. Don’t order takeout!!!- Stay away from processed foods, junk foods, and refined carbs like breads and baked goods. Avoid sugar, gluten and non organic dairy. Read labels on cough drops (they make healthy ones). And avoid non-organic meats.

– If your body is busy putting out fires (immune responses) in your gut, there won’t be enough firemen to put out fires in the rest of the body. Plus, garbage foods wipe out the good guys (beneficial bacteria) in your gut. You don’t want them outmatched.

• ESSENTIAL OILS:

• These can be diffused, applied topically or taken orally.

1. Thieves oil – Immune booster
2. Lemon oil – Soothes the respiratory tract
3. Eucalyptus – Decongestant/expectorant.  Applying topically on chest helps as well as inhalation
4. Oregano – Immune boost/antibacterial/antiviral/antimicrobial. ***MUST USE CARRIER OIL
5. Peppermint – Sinus relief

– Personally, I take lemon, thieves, peppermint and oregano orally. Eucalyptus on my pillow and on the chest too. I start with Thieves oil if someone else is sick in the house or when traveling.
– You can use carrier oils for all of them. I would especially use a carrier oil with oregano if taken orally. It’s super strong!!!

• EXERCISE:

– Unless you’re running a fever, light exercise for short periods of time can be beneficial. Start with a walk outside, use that as a gauge, and then take it from there. A light strength workout is not out of the question here. 100% listen to your body, and pull the plug if need be.

– Stretching, mobilizations, and yoga can help as well. Our lymphatic system carries immune cells. However its doesn’t have a pump. Movement is the lymphatic pump. A stagnant person has a stagnant lymphatic system.

• OTHER:

– Inhaling steam from a shower or pot of water can help  open airways

– Neti Pot to clear sinuses.

– Nebulizer to open airways. Food grade hydrogen peroxide, colloidal silver, Quinton hypertonic minerals.

– Humidifier to loosen mucus