The Little Bird
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Boosting Immunity in the Time of Coronavirus
What can we do to boost our personal immunity in addition to following all public health guidelines? I interviewed Dr. Alexa Fleckenstein M.D. to find out how to strengthen our immune systems against pathogens in general, not only the coronavirus. But no matter your health condition, it is important to consult with your healthcare provider about the following suggestions. You should ask about possible contraindications with respect to medication, and also about activities or herbs that might compromise cardiovascular problems or joint and muscle pain.
Trained and board-certified in the US in internal medicine, and European Natural Medicine in Germany, Dr. Fleckenstein is the author of several books on health and healing. Here are her six recommendations for boosting immunity.
1-Slim down. This pandemic has shown that extra weight puts you at higher risk for COVID-19. The risk comes from triple inflammation: Excess weight causes inflammation in your body, the Coronavirus causes more inflammation, and the immune system, as it gears up to fight COVID-19, adds still more inflammation. This can end in the so-called cytokine storm– the over-the- top reaction of the immune system that is thought to have killed millions of people during the 1919 Spanish Flu. “Inflammation in your body damages healthy cells, tissues, and organs which can lead to DNA damage, tissue death, internal scarring, and the development of many diseases. In normal times, our biggest concern is cancer. But now it is COVID-19,” says Dr. Fleckenstein. “We used to think that chubbiness was just a beauty problem. In reality, it is an inflammatory disease of the whole body.” A body-mass index of higher than 25 is considered overweight, higher 30 is obese, and over 35 is called morbidly obese. Dr. Fleckenstein advises not losing more than two pounds per month, as keeping your lower weight is more important than rapid weight loss.
IMPORTANT NOTE: CHECK WITH YOUR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL BEFORE TRYING ANY OF THE FOLLOWING SUGGESTIONS TO MAKE SURE THEY WILL NOT INTERFERE WITH YOUR MEDICATIONS OR HEALTH CONDITION.
2-Try a daily 20-second cold shower after your warm /hot one. Research supports that cold water on the skin primes the immune system into normal function– avoiding overreaction as well as underperformance. Contraindications are: uncontrolled high blood [pressure, acute infection, arterial disease, arterial diseases like Raynaud’s, and frailty. Dr. Fleckenstein’s book, Health2 0, shows you how to use cold showers, which not only boost your mood and your immune system, but do so much more for your health. Recent research, reported in the US National Library of Medicine, supports the benefits of regular cold water on the skin:
“Notably, cold water immersion had significant and positive effects on metabolic and catabolic processes, neurotransmitters and hormones, immune parameters [my emphasis] as well as on more global markers of health, such as sick-leave and quality of life. Also, cold showers have been proposed to be of use in the treatment of depression and there are anecdotal and uncontrolled reports as well as news coverage on taking cold showers – usually in contrast to warm or hot water – showing positive effects for skin and hair. For example, cold water tightens and constricts the blood flow which gives the skin and hair a healthier glow and decreases transepidermal water loss contributing to better skin hydration, while hot showers can lead to dried out skin. Noteworthy, none of these studies reported negative events related to cold water treatment as well as no negative long-term effects.” [Source: 2019 study reported by the US National Library of Medicine, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04130126]
(Note that it takes a few weeks to build up your immunity and reap these health benefits, so if your healthcare provider approves, why not start immediately?)
3-Get enough sleep. “Spend less time at the screen and go to bed before midnight, “says Dr. Fleckenstein. “The earlier the better.” Sleep plays a critical role in immune function, metabolism, memory, mood, learning, and other vital functions.”
4-Nutrition. Drawing on her experience and training in European Natural Medicine, Dr. Fleckenstein focuses on the true powerhouses of health: vegetables. Especially beneficial are roots such as turnips, rutabaga, parsnips, carrots, radishes; squashes, including winter squash; and leafy and bitter greens such as kale, chard, collard greens, mustard greens, and cabbages. Dr. Fleckenstein’s book, The Diabetes Cure, puts these ideas to work to overcome diabetes, but they work for other health problems too.
Dr. Fleckenstein cautions us, however, to avoid “nightshades”–tomatoes, colored peppers, and eggplants–which are technically fruits, not vegetables. Nightshades produce “lectins,” especially in their fruit, which make them hard to digest and contribute to inflammation–not what we need in a pandemic. Potatoes, which also belong in the nightshade family, are tubers, not fruit. Therefore, they contain far fewer lectins and are safer. Of course we should also avoid dairy, sugar, and simple (white) carbohydrates.
Even as we focus on healthy vegetables, we are also omnivores, says Dr. Fleckenstein, and need a bit of high-quality meats, fish and eggs in our diets as well. To fight infections, chicken soup has been shown to have wonderful antiviral properties, just as Grandma said! And for fun, great taste and even better immunity, you can add black seeds (Nigella sativa) to beans, stews, or muesli (unless you have an allergy).
5-Movement. Dr. Fleckenstein recommends any kind of daily movement to strengthen the immune system (plus your bones). Walking is the easiest and cheapest. Aim for 5,000 steps per day; ideal is 10,000. If you can’t leave the house during the pandemic, devise a course of your own with Jumping Jacks, squatting, Burpees (a type of exercise you can find on the Internet), and so on. Or find tai chi, chi gong, Yoga, and aerobic workout online classes to do at home. They are often free now. “But if you can, get outside,” says Dr. Fleckenstein. Moving in green nature gives an added layer of health, and emotional stress reduction and peace.” Swimming or floating in – preferably natural – water are also therapeutic.
Photo by alleksana on Pexels.com
6-Herbs: Nature’s pharmacy. Our bodies evolved for millions of years in concert with the herbs and plants of our planet. Natural, plant-derived medicines therefore provide ancient healing mechanisms that our bodies “know” how to use. As one herbal expert said, “If you take a vitamin A pill, your body keeps looking all day for the rest of the carrot.” So, of course, take whatever pharmaceuticals you are prescribed, but also consult with your healthcare practitioner about adding some healthy, immune-boosting herbs as well, as long as they don’t interfere with your other medications (such as anticoagulants) or your health condition.
For every day health-nudging benefits drink green or herbal teas: The old staples such as peppermint and chamomile are a good way to start the relaxing habit of drinking wholesome teas. Gymnema and holy basil have long histories of healing behind them, in their respective countries of origin, China and India. Stinging nettle is the plant most highly praised in European Natural Medicine. Sarsaparilla, licorice root, ginger, hops make good teas, too. In reality, it does not matter which herbal tea you are drinking – they all have healing qualities. Just don’t drink the same-old-same-old tea all the time. Rotate and explore! Every plant offers something different. These are all not specific teas against Coronavirus, just teas to improve your overall health.
For cooking, spice up your meals, along with your immune system, with turmeric and/or cinnamon, and preferably fresh herbs like rosemary, basil, sage, lemon balm, garlic, onions, chives, ginger, oregano, mints, and parsley. The “five defender” mushrooms (reishi, shitake, maitake, chaga, and turkey tail) help your immunity too. In addition to herbs, consider adding zinc, vitamin D, and low-dose vitamin C and to your regimen.
If you have an autoimmune disease, however, use caution with immune boosters and always consult your healthcare practitioner about their use.
Before you go: consider one more thing: For years, I have been participating in Laughter Yoga classes, which have now switched to be online, so you can do them wherever you are. When you laugh with others, laughter is contagious –in a good way. It relaxes the whole body. It triggers the release of endorphins, promoting an overall sense of well-being. When combined with yogic breathing, laughter truly becomes the best medicine, providing extensive health benefits. https://laughteryoga.org
Taking Charge of Chronic Pain
Chronic pain is often an annoying part of daily life. But there are ways to manage and reduce its intensity. I learned several useful techniques from physical therapist Sharlene Wing, PT. First, a little background about what contributes to chronic pain:
For some people, misaligned posture can cause imbalance in the back, hips, knees, or ankles.The result is often extra stress on the body structure, causing pain. This makes it hard to find a stable, neutral position that would naturally hold a person upright.If the positions of sitting, standing, or walking, are not well supported, or are out of alignment, this puts more wear and tear on the joint surfaces, as well as on their supporting structures, such as ligaments.
The Gravity of the situation
One big challenge is to deal with the constant pull of gravity, finding positions where we can exercise or do repetitive activities without causing harm. Besides motion, gravity also causes problems when we are still, as sleeping in bed, or sitting for long periods. “Even when you are still, gravity is still a constant force,” says Sharlene, “causing joint creep, as joints succumb to gravitational pull and become misaligned.” This “joint creep” contributes to stiffness in the morning, or when we stand up after a two-hour movie.
Everyday strategies to reduce chronic pain
Sharlene has several easy and safe exercise suggestions to do at home. I have tried them and have noticed a significant reduction in back and joint pain.
- Before getting out of bed, spend about ten minutes stretching your legs out and doing ankle pumps and ankle circles. Gently move hips and knees to get the synovial fluid moving. (This fluid bathes the joints to reduce friction.) If the back feels stiff, one option is to create gentle traction while holding onto the headboard and pulling only as much as is comfortable. If you do this before your feet hit the floor, it gets all the joints ready for weight-bearing. (Sharlene advises caution here if your shoulders are bothersome).
- Practice posture on a wall. With the back against the wall, touch the backs of the hands against the wall, arms turned outward to open the shoulders. Try to have the head, buttocks, and calves also touching the wall as much as possible, but not the lower back. Even if you can’t do all of this, says Sharlene, it is a good alignment practice, to lengthen and straighten as much as possible. If anything hurts, cautions Sharlene, don’t do it without consulting with a physical therapist.
- Try to be conscious of good posture alignment during day, whether getting in and out of the car, carrying things sitting at a desk, using a computer, or even during a movie. If you slouch, it should only be for short spans of time!
Pain is a warning sign that something is being stressed and should be addressed
Even though pain is annoying, says Sharlene, we can also think of it as a protective mechanism. “Your body is telling you that something is wrong and you should pay attention,” she says. “Often, for people with chronic pain, the symptom gets heightened, and can become a constant, dull ache,” she says. “it often helps to work with a physical therapist to ‘unlearn’ problematic positions or behavior, strengthen muscles to compensate for overstretched ligaments, and learn new ways of using the body to reduce pain.”
Filed under Aging, Chronic Pain
Cold Showers and Depression
News from The Discovery Channel: “Treatments for depression range from medicines that can come with scary side effects to electric shock therapy, but a new paper suggests a simple cold shower might sometimes cure, and even prevent, the debilitating mood disorder.” Now I understand why I always feel so uplifted and, well, happy, after my morning cold shower gush. Continue reading
Filed under cold shower health benefits, depression, Healing, Water
Cold shower burst – the science behind the madness
Former Navy SEAL Clint Emerson, author of 100 Deadly Skills: The SEAL Operative’s Guide to Eluding Pursuers, Evading Capture, and Surviving Any Dangerous Situation, explains why it can be healthy for you to end a shower with cold water. Following is a transcript of his interview.
“Cold water will wake you up, without a doubt, and it will keep you awake. But it has more health benefits than anything else. In SEAL training you spend a lot of time in cold water and there’s actually some science to the madness of putting us in cold water. One, the reason professional athletes do it all the time after a workout is it increases recovery. It vasoconstricts the entire body, squeezing out all of that lactic acid so that you can feel good to go the next day and be ready for the next day training.
That cold water is therapy. Even though it was torture, it’s therapy so that it keeps you healthy, keeps your joints and inflammation down, vasoconstricts everything down and allows you to keep moving forward, hopefully without any more injury.”
My book with Alexa Fleckenstein, MD, explains more. So turn that shower dial to cold for 20 seconds after your hot shower, and you’ll feel great!
Filed under Chronic Pain, cold shower health benefits, Water
Are You Ready for Your Closeup? When health interferes with work
The good news about advances in the treatment of chronic illness and pain is that many of us are now living—and working— well into midlife and beyond. But this good news may be tempered with new challenges. For some, the body’s responses to long-term wear and tear might create obstacles to going to work every day. Such obstacles might include problems with mobility or discomfort with sitting at a computer for long periods. It may even be difficult to find professional—and fashionable! shoes that we can walk comfortably in.
All the World’s a Stage
When we leave home in the morning to go to work, we are entering the world “stage” to perform as employees, says Martin R. Anderson, certified Trager® practitioner and former actor. “The more that we have prepared for our performance, the better we will be.” The gentle Trager Approach of mind/body integration and movement education helps free tight bodies for efficient and effortless function.
“As with any performance, we need ‘rehearsal time,’ says Martin, particularly when dealing with chronic musculoskeletal condition and pain.” Martin suggests incorporating movements such as as stretching, yoga, or tai chi—into your morning routine before leaving for work. This increases circulation of blood and fluids, reducing joint pain. “Focus fully on your bodily sensations, without distraction from radio or TV,” he cautions. “This can be a form of self-hypnosis, reminding yourself to be at ease during the day.” My addition: Try a ten-second cold shower burst to get some instant energy!
When You Need to Make a Change
Even with careful preparation, however, there may come a time when going to your workplace full-time becomes difficult, and you would like to find ways to work that accommodate to your physical constraints. Management consultant Barbara Kivowitz, co-author of In Sickness As In Health, points out that physical pain, mobility problems, or reduced energy can interfere with your confidence in your ability to do a good job. “Even though it is hard to accept the reality of your body and its limitations,” says Barbara, “if you do so early enough, you can work with your manager to make changes in the way you work. Thanks to the Internet, many jobs can be performed remotely.” As a first step, Barbara advises making sure your supervisor appreciates the value of your contributions. “Then, you can initiate conversations where you ask for the help of your supervisor to figure out how you can continue to contribute to the workplace, while accommodating to your physical limitations.” While the Americans With Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination and ensures equal opportunity for persons with disabilities in employment, says Barbara, it is best to approach your employer as a partner, solving this problem together. After the changes are put in place, says Barbara, “It is then important to continue the conversation by checking in every few weeks or months, to make sure the system is still working for both you and the workplace.”
Adds Martin: “Feel gratitude about all you are able to accomplish.”
Filed under Aging, chronic illness, Chronic Pain, Work life
Do Our Genes Determine How Fat We Are? No!
[By Roanne Weisman; Boston May 20, 2016] By now, you have probably heard about the “Biggest Losers” from the reality TV show: They all regained their original weight and, in some cases, even more. The media reporting on this result would have us believe that there is no escape from our genetic destiny. Once we have arrived at obesity, we are genetically trapped in metabolisms that, in the words of the New York Times article, “were intensifying their effort to pull the [Biggest Loser] contestants back to their original weight.” Ultimately, This article advises us to give up on ourselves. Why? Because “science” has said so. What kind of science is that? Or, perhaps more importantly, what kind of science reporting tells us that we have no control over our own bodies? The answer to both questions is “irresponsible.”
Tempting Snacks That Your Body Will Love©
A doughnut or croissant in the morning tastes delicious, but the white flour and sugar are sending your body an urgent message: “Blood sugar on board; send insulin quickly!” Sugar and flour are simple carbohydrates, ending up in your bloodstream within a few minutes. Your pancreas senses the dangerously high blood sugar and releases insulin to pull the sugar (glucose) out of the blood and send it to other cells of the body to be used or stored as energy. Because high sugars are so dangerous, your body always sends in too much insulin, and this big insulin spike is followed by a deep plunge in blood sugar levels to below normal. Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) makes you tired and jittery, craving another sugary snack, like that chocolate muffin during the 3:00 PM office munchie attack.
Your Developing Baby: Secrets of your baby’s inner world of the womb
Your Developing Baby, Conception to Birth is the perfect “travel guide” for all pregnant couples embarking on the momentous nine-months of pregnancy. You will witness firsthand the miraculous journey to a new life from the time your body prepares for pregnancy to the moment you first hear your baby’s voice. This book is also a “must-own…for every Continue reading
Filed under children's health, Doctors, Pregnancy, Ultrasound
Healing Hands: Physical Therapy for function, mobility, and comfort
I have discovered a unique, highly effective form of physical therapy that combines the best elements of personal training with muscular therapy. Valerie Ruccia Eagan has developed her own brand of physical therapy that uses hands-on techniques, core- strengthening, and flexibility-building exercises, as well as mind-body energetic work. Her method cuts to the root of physical pain and mobility problems to provide deep and lasting healing.
Filed under Aging, chronic illness, Chronic Pain, Healing, Marfan Syndrome
Restoring Order to Post-Traumatic Stress
As the horror of April 15th recedes from the national news, we in Boston are still in shock from the senseless results of evil. It seems as if everyone in this city and surrounding areas is joined in a caring network of personal connections and we are all feeling a kind of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), similar to warfighters back from combat. Continue reading
Filed under Healing, Health, mental health, Uncategorized
Own Your Health 