LESSONS LEARNED FROM COVID-19?
When this whole COVID-19 crisis ends this time we know and believe there will be lessons hopefully learned with regard to government, work, politics and health. I am hoping that one of the biggest lessons learned will be in the area of health, lifestyle, nutrition since that is my focus, my profession, my area of service to others.
One of the things that I have noticed in this current health crisis is that the focus has pretty much been exclusively on the traditional medical approach. If you listen to the public figures, the spokesperson’s in government and health it is all about defeating the virus, finding the right drugs to kill it and of course looking for a vaccine to prevent it in the future.
What you don’t hear much about, if anything at all, is the fact that all of us have an innate immune system that is designed to deal with viruses such as COVID-19 and many other diseases and infections. Our bodies are self-healing, self- repairing, self-regulating as long as they are not interfered with.
So, what interferes with our immune systems? The people that seem to be hit the hardest and with the most severe consequences including unfortunately loss of life are those that have underlying health issues. This includes those that are older with compromised immune systems, pre-diabetes, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, obesity, cardiovascular problems, lung problems, etc. The common thread among many of these cases is that a lot of the problems are really lifestyle issues. Poor eating habits, lack of exercise, junk food, smoking, overindulgence with food, sugar etc. These are things that weaken and suppress the immune system.
Yes, there are seemingly healthy, younger people that have also contracted the virus and have died as well. Part of the reason behind this is that some people do have specific genetic defects or variabilities that make them more susceptible to certain infections or their immune systems will over-react in defense of the body with what is called a cytokine storm. While you can’t change your genes, the whole study of epigenetics, which includes the effects of environmental and lifestyle factors can influence whether genes for certain diseases and immune responses get turned on or stay turned off. These epigenetic lifestyle factors include what you eat, drink, smoke, what environmental factors that you are exposed to such as toxins, poisons, chemicals and whether or not you are getting the proper nutritional support by healthy eating and supplemental support by taking vitamins, minerals, herbs as a way to build up and support your immune system and bypass or compensate for genetic defects before you get sick or before the next crisis hits again.
The genetic factors can now be tested for with a non-invasive, relatively inexpensive saliva test. With this knowledge you can protect your body and immune system before you get sick. This is really part of true preventive medicine.
Over the years as a doctor, public speaker and author I have always had a singular dedication to educate my patients and people in general that the best way to avoid illness, sickness and disease is to support your body, your immune system by proper diet, lifestyle, exercise and nutritional support.
My hope is that one of the lessons learned for people is to start right now is to seriously consider whether your diet, lifestyle and nutrition habits are building up and supporting your body or tearing it down. If you need to make changes, make the decision to start now, today rather than wait until the next health crisis hits.