If you’ve been surfing the web or social media and found this article, then you’ve probably already passed by 10 additional news stories about Covid-19 regarding the growing numbers of cases and deaths, and various opinions of the matter. This article is not more of that! In fact this article isn’t really an opinion, it’s more of an observation of what is being presented to you and what you can do about it! Many in our global community are very scared for their health, the future economy, and our loved ones, and rightfully so! The state of the world is rather messy and is causing great fear. Fear and stress is the most detrimental state an individual can possess if they desire to stay healthy and make rational decisions during this pandemic.
The truth is, and you will hear this from mainstream media, the people that are getting sickest from Covid-19 and dying are the ones identified as high risk.
So what is high risk?
Currently people identified high risk are: the elderly, people with asthma, people with HIV, and groups at higher risk for serious illness (e.g. people in nursing home, over 65, chronic lung disease, people who have a serious heart condition, people who are immune compromised, severely obese, diabetic, people with kidney disease and liver disease). All of these situations are concerning and all of them make your immune compromised, which can make you more succespital to many illness. Key term being immune compromised!
The current recommendations on the CDC website are:
- Avoid the virus
- Stay 6 feet away from all individuals
- Clean your hands often
- Wash, sanitize
- Avoid Close contact with those that are sick, stay home as much as possible.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a closed face cloth.
- Cover during cough or sneezes.
- Clean and disinfect.
These are all great recommendations to help you avoid germs, potential infection and illness. As stated above the population that is at the greatest risk are those that are immune compromised.
It is my observation that the official recommendations do nothing to address one of the most important factors regarding this pandemic.. The immune system (of those healthy or immune compromised).
If immune compromised people are the most susceptible to Covid-19 and all many illness, it is important to address this issue. In addition, the general population who’s not labeled high risk, can be prepared to face this virus, all viruses, and prepare ourselves to fight and protect the health of those compromised or simply become proactive.
If it’s the immune compromised people who are at the greatest risk, let’s start with the immune system.
Your body chemistry and chemical messengers affects your immune system. Your immune sysytem is the guardian and protector of your health. The reason you have an immune system is to protect your internal and external environment from threats to your very existence. Here’s the deal, your immune system is always working whether you are conscious of it or not. It’s only when we are experiencing symptoms like a fever, pain, or cold that we typically become conscious of how well our immune system is doing it’s job.
Your immune system does not work in isolation. In fact, nothing in the human body really works in isolation. Remove a heart and see how the rest works! Your immune system is under direct control of the nervous system. The nervous system is the master control of the body, everything that happens inside of you is directly controlled by the nervous system. More importantly, every process that occurs within you is known by the nervous system.
In the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research publication, Coherance: Through Chiropractic, Dr. Matt McCoy, in his article entitled The Chemistry of Life and Health denotes that research shows people with immune challenges not only have problems with their immune system chemistry, but they have problems with how their nervous system is functioning too (McCoy, 2019).
The philosophy and science of chiropractic boils down to the inability to adapt to the physical, chemical, and emotional challenges we experience in our day to day lives. This is also the current thinking on the immune system. Obstructions between the immune system, nervous system, and the brain or mind disrupt the communication between these systems causing a breakdown amongst both. These obstructions can occur and disrupt communication between the brain and the body, or cause interruption to the flow of cerebrospinal fluid (McCoy 2019).. This could be compared to a slowed computer, a traffic jam on the highway, or simply wires being crossed.
Chiropractic focuses on removing these blockages to the nervous system to provide better adaptation and performance of the nervous system and immune system. These blockages of misaligned vertebrae are known as vertebral subluxations. These malpositions of vertebrae can cause disconnection or disruption to the nervous system resulting in poor adaptive function and poor immune response. Over the next few weeks we are going to be taking a more indepth look at the relationship of the immune system, nervous system, and their role in our health and well being.
In addition to chiropractic care, here are some other recommendations for a much stronger immune system that mainstream media is ceasing to provide:
- Reduce Stress Level: Stress is a huge cause of illness, it really can’t be understated about how important reducing stress is. If you are in a current state of fear, you are in a state of stress… So, try things like meditation, in fact you can join us every Thursday night online where I am leading a one hour meditation 7-8pm (Click here to Join us)
- Get Plenty of Sleep: Getting adequate levels of sleep helps, reduce stress, improve immune and nervous system function. So you can be at your peak!
- Avoid Alcohol: Crazy right, avoid your go to stress reducer? I don’t care how much you like it putting garbage in a race car, it will never assist it in performing optimally. Alcohol actual alters mood, increases stress on your system, and reduces quality sleep.
- Exercise: Exercise is known to enhance and stimulate immune function so get some everyday! I know you have the time right now!
- Drink plenty of Water: This helps immune function, digestive function (which also plays a role in immune function).
- Avoid Sugar: I know, no alcohol, now no sugar! Disease and weakened immune systems thrive in an environment of refined sugar! Refined sugar is in so many traditional foods and reeks havoc on our immune system.
- Vitamin D: Vitamin D has been shown to support your immune system. You can get it by going out and getting some sunlight and fresh air or with supplementation. It also helps produce more melatonin which will help you get better rest!
- Eat Healthy: Avoid processed foods, focus on fresh whole foods! These raw materials help your nervous system and immune system run more efficiently!
This may not be rocket science, and you’ve probably heard much of it in the past, but having a strong immune system take conscious choice and focus to take charge of your health and life! Believe me when I tell you, this isn’t a call to get in to our office. In fact for many of you, leaving the house right now would cause too much stress, which would prove detrimental to your progress and ability to fight and heal anyway! We would hate to cause that for you! If you are already under care, with us or another chiropractor, awesome! There many great benefits that we will be covering over the next couple weeks!
I hope you incorporate some of this information in your battle plan to help you and your your family! If there is anything we can do for you please let me know!
Dr. Bill Moss
McCoy, DC, MPH, M. (2019). The Chemistry of Life and Health. Coherence: Through Chiropractic, 2019(3), 3–4.
People Who Are at Higher Risk for Severe Illness. (2020, April 2). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/groups-at-higher-ris