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Beyond Hand Washing

Although not part of today's typical news coverage, there are actions people can take to achieve personal coronavirus protection beyond hand washing, mask wearing and social distancing. In addition to the daily broadcasting of statistics—without context—on coronavirus cases and deaths, this kind of news reporting draws attention but makes most people feel anxious and powerless.

Increasing  Your Odds For Staying Healthy During This Crisis

However, there are ways for us to boost personal protection and create strong defenses which increase the odds of staying healthy through this crisis. Nutrition specialist, Joel Fuhrman, MD writes:  “At this point in the history of nutritional science, evidence exists that the human immune system can be supercharged to protect our bodies against disease”. He provides impressive data and examples that support this position in his book, Super Immunity. 

When functioning optimally, our immune system:

• Maintains barriers to keep pathogens (bacteria and viruses) out;

• Identifies and captures bacteria and viruses if they get in;

• Destroys pathogens and the cells damaged by them;

• And removes associated waste products from the body.

Fuhrman goes on to say that “the right raw materials and nutritional factors can double or triple the protective power of the immune system”.

Key components of our immune system include:

• White blood cells that consume pathogens and cells invaded by bacteria and viruses;

• Lymphocytes that signal the immune system to respond aggressively to threats;

• T-cells that form natural killer cells which attack pathogens;

• And B-cells which produce and distribute antibodies specific to the pathogen.

All Components of Our Immune System Can Be Enhanced (or Depleted) By Nutrients, Physical Conditioning and Responses to Stress

With regard to nutrients, top super foods include: greens, mushrooms, onions, carrots, tomatoes, berries, seeds and nuts, consumed in sufficient quantities.  They supply key nutrients—vitamins, minerals, enzymes, phytochemicals (antioxidants, flavonoids, carotenoids, polyphenols, organosulfur compounds, essential fatty acids)—that equip the immune system to work at it's fullest capacity.  Significant amounts of all the super foods need to be consumed regularly for sufficient protective effect.  Consuming the combination of these foods is even required for nutritional supplements to be effective.

Nutrients Contained in These Super Foods Promote Specific Immune System Actions

• Mushrooms increase antibody production,

• Garlic, berries, grape juice increase the number and strength of T-cells and natural killer white blood cells,

• Berries enhance the ability of signaling cells to increase the immune responses,

• And red, purple, black (elderberry) and blue foods inhibit the ability of viruses to attach to cell membranes.

When the immune system is poorly supported we acquire infections, diseases and cancers or as Dr. Li, another specialist, says “If the troops are weak the enemies take over the castle”. On the other hand, it is never too late to take action. We have more power than we realize to successfully confront coronavirus and other health threats by putting into daily practice abundant consumption of super foods that build and sustain the super immunity required for our own health power.