Boosting your immune system mid-Coronavirus Crisis

Right now, life is getting a little wild out there. I’m still shocked by toilet paper shortages, thank you coronavirus scares. For real, y’all all got years and years of toilet paper stocked up but what about your Vitamin A, B, C, D, E, Zinc, pre/probiotics, and more? Boosting your immune system and keeping healthy is absolutely important while working in a field where we cannot particularly just not go to work every Saturday.

Please keep in mind I am NOT A DOCTOR nor am I licensed in any way. This is all information that I’ve learned over the years or via herbalists/functional med doctors I have worked with.

Boosting your immune system: Elderberry + Zinc Lozenges/Gummies

Here’s an option for Elderberry + Zinc lozenges.

Elderberry + zinc both boost your immune system and support overall health. Lozenges like these were recommended to me while I was a nanny by a Boston Children’s Hospital pediatrician. If she’s willing to back them, I thought I’d give them a try and now they’re one of my favorite things to have on hand. Shortening symptoms of the flu and lessening the effects of symptoms, elderberry is one of the best ways to support your body through a cold season.

Just keep in mind: someone who is immunocompromised or already has coronavirus does not benefit from elderberry syrup. If you’re in either of these two categories, just move to straight Vitamin C, Zinc.

Staying Healthy: Vitamin C

Emergen-C is flying off Amazon’s shelves so I found this stuff. There are tons of different versions but look for one that has more than just Vitamin C (like B6, A, E).

Supporting Gut Health: Pre/Probiotics + Bone Broth

Amazon has been hit HARD right now but most Coops, Trader Joe’s, and Whole Foods will have a pre AND probiotic powder like this one.

Other options that I absolutely love are kombucha, sauerkraut, kefir or yogurt. Make sure they contain raw pre/probiotics.

The Easy 3: Rest, Fresh Air + Hydration

The easiest way to stay healthy is to rest often, get some fresh air and hydrate often. Your body can’t run well without these three things — think of it as like a tire rotation, oil change, changing your brake pads. If those three things are off the car isn’t going to run well and any other impact to the car could make it not run at all.

So keep doing these three things often. I try to buy a large water reusable water bottle to monitor my fluid intake so that I have an idea of how much water I’m drinking every day. I know if I’m drinking the full 64 ounces all day that I’m getting enough water. If I was just drinking water out of glasses or whatever, I wouldn’t have a great way to track it. The bottle just has to be empty at night.

What to Cut: Dairy, Sugar + Gluten

Dairy, sugar, and gluten all bog down your body. Gluten, dairy and sugar all impact your gut health — which is like the epicenter for immunity and overall wellness. Supporting your gut by cutting sugar, gluten and dairy means that your system can operate at it’s prime through what’s going on right now.

What You Can Add to Your Cooking: Garlic, Turmeric, Cayenne Pepper

Another easy thing to do at home is start adding more garlic, turmeric and cayenne pepper to everything you eat. Now if it’s going to taste like crap, don’t add it BUT things like rice, pasta, and roasted veggies, bone broth are all great ways to create immune-boosting foods and taste delicious when you add more garlic, more turmeric and more cayenne pepper.