Hilliard, Ohio: Get Ready to Fight Back!
Did you know the CDC has found that there is a spike in deaths from natural causes during the holidays in every age group but children? When the immune system is reduced in the winter, many people can’t fight off conditions like heart disease, cancer, metabolic conditions, respiratory diseases, and the flu.
Many people seek out their yearly flu shot here in Hilliard, Ohio, to prevent sickness and the flu as the winter months approach. However, have you or someone you know still contracted the flu in the same year as receiving the flu shot? Why did this happen? You had the flu shot; shouldn’t you have been protected?
Each year, the CDC compiles research and information about the different flu contracted throughout regions of the United States. They state: “Seasonal influenza (flu) vaccine is designed to protect against the three or four influenza viruses research indicates are most likely to spread and cause illness among people during the upcoming flu season”.
There are over 300 strains of influenza, so they are predicting or guessing which is the most detrimental. “It takes at least six months to produce large quantities of influenza vaccine. For the vaccine to be delivered in time for vaccination to begin in the fall, manufacturers may begin to grow one or more of the vaccine viruses in January based on their best guess as to what viruses are most likely to be included in the vaccine.”
What the CDC is saying, is they GUESS which viruses had the most influence in the previous year and create a vaccine from it. Therefore, by the time flu season comes around again, your body has probably built up antibodies and immunity toward these three influenza chains, basically making the flu vaccine ineffective. This doesn’t even mention what harmful ingredients go into your body with the flu vaccine, making it inappropriate for immunocompromised, pregnant, and elderly people. (Future article to come on this topic.)
Many patients come into our office here in Hilliard, Ohio, asking “If the flu shot doesn’t work or is ineffective, then what can I do to prevent it?” The answer is as easy as: BUILD YOUR IMMUNITY. That sounds so simple, right? Well, it’s a compilation of lifestyle choices that optimize your health and boost your system to its highest, so where do you start?
BUILDING YOUR IMMUNITY 101 Hilliard, OH:
Here at Abundant You Chiropractic & Wellness, we focus on 5 core principles to prevent you from getting sick and living the healthiest lifestyle you can.
- Nutrition
You need to feed your body the vitamins and nutrients it needs to fight off disease. This doesn’t come from one meal or a week of dieting; it comes from a conscious lifestyle change to eat right. The phrase “an apple a day, keeps the doctor away” wasn’t developed by some witty cereal company trying to push a product. However, you don’t have to be perfect either; all foods are in moderation. However, it can be difficult to find what’s actually healthy and what’s advertised as healthy. You should stick with a raw food diet consisting of fresh vegetables, fruits, raw almonds/nuts, organic/antibiotic-free meats, and lots of water. I’m a big fan of the Whole30 diet and feeding your body unprocessed, raw foods.
- Exercise
It’s important to keep your body moving to help the blood flow throughout your body; this decreases cardiovascular diseases and conditions. Regular exercise can also prevent a wide range of health conditions including stroke, depression, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. You should keep an exercise routine that balances stretching, cardiovascular exercises, strength and conditioning exercises, and HIIT workouts (High-Intensity Interval Training) to keep your body functioning in its best way.
- Chiropractic Care
Many people don’t know or skip this step to health. However, getting your spine adjusted boosts the nervous system throughout the body. The nervous system acts as a highway between the brain and muscles/organs to keep the body functioning at its highest capacity. When you have a misalignment in your neck, or interference with the signals in your peripheral nerves, the organs will not function and fight off disease at the rate they are meant to do. Most of our patients here in Hilliard, Ohio, know they should get adjusted to prevent sickness; however, few realize it is extremely beneficial to get adjusted WHEN they are sick to help the body function and fight off disease as best it can naturally.
- Supplements
When your body isn’t producing or receiving enough of the proper nutrients, you may need a supplement to make up for the deficiency. While a good multivitamin, greens powder, and probiotics are great to boost the immune system, there may be a time when you may need a little extra help! Just remember, when purchasing supplements, buy supplements of higher quality, whether from our office here in Hilliard, Ohio or from a health foods store like Whole Foods. Typically supplements purchased at grocery stores and convenience stores like Walmart, CVS, etc., are mixed with fillers and do not have therapeutic properties. I have four supplements I take in the winter that are my go-to sick fighters, which include elderberry syrup, vitamin D3, Vitamin C, and apple cider vinegar.
Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar is great for fighting off allergies, building up good gut flora, and overall health in general. If you have talked to me in our office here in Hilliard, Ohio, you have probably heard me talk about this one! This is my favorite cost-effective, overall health supplement, but don’t confuse this for the best tasting. I take about a tablespoon of this every morning mixed with a few ounces of water. By lunch, my sinuses and allergies have typically drained; remember the phrase “an apple a day, keeps the doctor away?” If I had to pick ONE supplement, this would be it. Just remember, you want the Bragg’s brand with the mother, which is the goopy stuff floating on the bottom of the bottle. You need to shake the bottle before using it. Price: ~$5-$8
Elderberry syrup is great for preventing and fighting off illness. This one will be the best tasting that kids also love. You can find this in a local health foods store like Whole Foods, or you can make this at home with recipes you can find online. Elderberries are rich in vitamins A and C, as well as bioflavonoids to help boost the body’s immune system and antioxidant levels. Price: ~$13-$30
Vitamin D3
Research shows anywhere from 60-90% of Americans are vitamin D3 deficient. Vitamin D is sometimes known as the sunshine vitamin because that is how your body most readily absorbs it. However, since most people work inside and the sun’s rays are not strong enough in the winter, most people become deficient in this vitamin.
Here in Hilliard, Ohio, we do not get the sun rays required to process enough vitamin D; therefore, this is crucial to supplement. Vitamin D is actually a great supplement to take year-round. Vitamin D fights infections, including colds and the flu, as it regulates the expression of genes that influence your immune system to attack and destroy bacteria and viruses.
Many people experience seasonal depression, fatigue, and achiness often due to vitamin D3 deficiency. Fibromyalgia can oftentimes be misdiagnosed due to the muscle aches associated with vitamin D3 deficiency. It is recommended to have 2000IUs per 50 pounds of body weight daily. Also, it is even more beneficial to pick a Vitamin D3 supplement with Vitamin K2 included. I recommend the Thorne Research, Vitamin D/K2 liquid for the best absorption and protection. Price: ~$13-$30
Vitamin C
Most people know to take vitamin C to fight off colds/sickness in the winter. I recommend taking one of the Lypo-Spheric Vitamin C packets by LivOn Labs each day. These liquid vitamins are more readily absorbed into your system due to bypassing the digestive system. It uses lipids, or fats, in the body to absorb into the body’s cells; not only does this supplement boost the immune system, it also helps with the joints/arteries and is full of free radicals to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Due to it bypassing the digestive system, this supplement will not cause any stomach pain that some people experience after taking vitamins. Price ~$30
- Stress Reduction
Lastly, it is more important than ever in the winter to reduce your stress; with the holidays, many people are stressed with traveling, shopping, and even relationship conflicts. The list can go on and on during this time of year, and people tend to get out of their routine. This can contribute to a lack of sleep and extra stress. Your body needs to have the proper rest and relaxation for the immune system to work at its highest capacity.
With a combination of all of the above, your body will be ready to fight off the colds and sicknesses associated with winter. Just remember, this isn’t something you do for a day. It is a lifestyle choice that you can start little by little TODAY!