Beyond Omicron: How to Activate Your Immune Army Using Lifestyle

As COVID-19 and its variant Omicron cases continue to rise across our cities, states, country, and the world, many of us have started 2022 with bouts of anxiety. But if there is one thing that we can tell you for sure and believe us, this is not to scare you.

You will constantly hear about viruses and newer variants all the time. There could be bacterias, fungi, and infections in the future. While the external environment and the mutation of this virus may not be in our control, we should never forget the fundamentals that in most cases are within our control. In this case, it is our immune system.

The world can get as complicated as it wants to. Most of us have seen and lived through these complications that hit us when COVID-19 first began two and a half years ago.

But we want you to drown the noise and focus on the intelligence within you. It is your immunity.

Yes, where there is good medicine, take it. Medicine can save lives. Even steroids are life-saving when administered and tapered off the right way. We need honest medicine today but at the same time, our dependency on it shouldn’t make us lose focus on our immune system.

Honest medicine is good but don’t lose focus on your immunity. Photo credits: Unsplash

Immunity is your first and last line of defense

The fundamentals of human health and any disease involves a breakdown of the immune system or inflammation out of control. Inflammation is not bad, it is an immune response.

Your immune system produces inflammation to protect you. Inflammation becomes dangerous when interleukins (IL) that act as pathways to regulate immune responses are unable to signal the inflammation to stop. That’s when you have chronic inflammation. Every single disease or lifestyle condition out there is categorized as inflammatory from cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s, autism, Parkinson’s, hormonal imbalances, PCOS, prostate issues, poor hair and skin, and so on.

So focus on your immune system. Before you dive into questioning why, think about this for a minute.

What is the difference between people who got COVID-19 and didn’t? What’s the difference between people who survived COVID and died of it? What is the difference between people who got COVID but were asymptomatic and sailed through it? Whereas some were left disabled for months even after recovering on paper and testing negative.

The difference is your immune system. Think about this. What worked for people when they had COVID but there were no vaccinations in the world? It was their immune system. So no matter how much the world, social media, and news try to distract you with complications, don’t lose sight of the fundamentals of nature. You are a product of nature and so is your immune system. You thrive when you align yourself to nature’s laws. All of us were born with an intelligent immune system. All we need to learn is to activate this intelligence.

For some people, it may work and for many others, it might not. But today, the ongoing research and medical experts say that activating your T-cells can be a game-changer in how people are dealing with COVID and its variants. What are these T-cell lymphocytes? They are part of your immune army. Your T cells activate certain immune functions to help you directly kill viruses and infected cells. These are your soldiers.

My point is if you are unable to activate your T-cells despite the medications, vaccinations, then that is a cause of concern. What is the explanation for everyone who is double-vaccinated, has taken boosters, and cocktails and has still tested positive for COVID? What is their body trying to tell them? That their immune system isn’t trained to help you. You can take all the vaccinations in the world and you should if those are your government rules. But vaccinations are not foolproof. The companies who manufacture them will also tell you that.

Over and above your vaccinations, you have to engage your immune army. It can be done with lifestyle. You will learn how you activate your T cells with lifestyle in this piece. And remember, your T cells don’t just play a role with COVID, they play a role in how you prevent or manage all diseases, lifestyle conditions, bacterial infections, and dangerous pathogens that get into your system. Your immunity is your first and last line of defense of the human body. So, let us dive into how you can activate and fortify it.

Test your Vitamin D levels.

You can spend money on alcohol, luxury watches, cars, handbags, and cheap entertainment. We don’t have a problem with that. But you have to start spending money on a lab test to get your Vitamin D levels checked.

There is enough medical science that links your vitamin D levels to almost everything right from your T cells, immune system, hormonal health, and brain health.

Look at your levels. And if you’re deficient, which most people are, get it fixed. In our line of work, we meet one in two patients who have low vitamin D levels. Unless you repair this deficiency, you cannot recover or get better. You may feel better because of all the heavy chemical drugs that you take that suppress your symptoms, but you can never bring about true recovery if your Vitamin D levels are low. Whether you have PCOS, cancer, Alzheimer’s, weak bones, or any autoimmune condition, or are on a heavy treatment – you need Vitamin D. So, spend that money and get your vitamin D test done.

There are some of you reading this who live in countries where you may not have insurance. That’s okay. Your Vitamin D will be your insurance. Medical science has known the importance of vitamin D for the longest time. And yet it is unfortunate that there isn’t much limelight focused on it. If your Vitamin D3 levels are low – your doctor, functional medicine expert, or integrative nutritionist will prescribe how much vitamin D to take.

Now you may ask, how do I assess my report?

Let us give you an example of an Indian report where the reference range is 30 to 100. If you are below 30, you are deficient. Some people have levels in single-digit numbers like one and two that are critically low. Single-digit Vitamin D levels mean your immune system is disabled. So watch out for red flags.

If your levels are between 45 to 50 (higher than 30) but still in a lower range – fix it. If the upper range in the report is 100, your Vitamin D levels should be anywhere between 70 and 90. At the same time, do not overdo it. Going over 100 can be toxic for you. Remember, vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means it stays in your fat, so you don’t want too much of it.

If your doctors prescribe you vitamin D supplements, get them. If not, get adequate sunlight and watch your levels come up. If you live in countries that do not have adequate sunlight, switch to supplements.

Many people are scared of supplements when they need to take them for the right reasons, but they’re not scared of junk food, sugar, and other factors that affect their health. If you are low on Vitamin D and need a supplement – do it.

Keep it real. Get your thinking and priorities in place. You won’t believe the number of children who have come to us with autism and defects unable to hit their milestones. One commonality that we observe in all of them is their critically low vitamin D levels. Some parents were told that these kids would never hit their milestones. Yet, when we worked on these real-life cases, just by shifting their vitamin D and B12 levels, many of these kids started hitting their milestones.

We are not saying that Vitamin D is the solution for autism. But you have to understand that it plays a massive role in every single health condition. You cannot have a strong immune system with low vitamin D levels. So get your levels checked and focus on fixing your deficiencies.

Sleep deprivation suppresses immunity

Are you sleep-deprived? Photo credits: Unsplash

One of our most crucial lifestyle pillars is quality and deep sleep. We have been emphasizing its importance for years. Everything that you are doing is useless if you do not sleep. Even science backs the fact that sleep deprivation deactivates and lowers the function of your NK or natural killer cells. These cells have a direct job of killing viruses and proliferating cancer cells. So you may have a lot of money, could be flying around the world and getting expensive spa treatments. But all of that is useless if you are not sleeping. The best treatments in the world will fail if you cannot get your sleep right. So for your immune system, you need to sleep deep.

Exercise but do not under or overexercise

Yes, exercise is important for a smart immune system. Do what it takes whether it is bodyweight training or walking. But be on the move. The more lean muscle you have, the stronger your immune system.

A significant and rising problem today is that most people are either sedentary or overtraining. Exercise has become a joke where people think they have to punish their bodies by pushing them beyond a set threshold.

When they do that, they produce more lactic acid and in turn more inflammation. If you do not prioritize rest and recovery, uncontrolled inflammation can hurt you. So, yes, exercise is required for your immune system. But not too much and not too little. Maintain adequate levels of activity. Look at your nutrition and align your exercise routine with it. Make rest and recovery a part of your exercise regimen. Because if they aren’t a part of it already, your plan is incomplete.

Get that Vitamin C and Zinc

Vitamin C and Zinc are essential for an immune system to work. Before hopping onto supplements first, try to get them from your natural foods.

Vitamin C, known as ascorbic acid, is an antioxidant-rich vitamin with several functions. It protects your cells, absorbs iron, maintains your skin, blood vessels, bones, and cartilage. It also aids in wound healing and reduces the risk of cancer, cardiac and respiratory diseases. Raw fruits and uncooked vegetables are rich sources of Vitamin C. Some of these include lemon, orange, kiwi, mango, papaya, watermelon, the berry family (cranberry, blackberry, strawberry, and so on). Vitamin C-rich veggies include cauliflower, brussels sprouts, bell peppers, tomato, broccoli, green turnip, spinach, moringa, green peppers, cabbage, potato, parsley, thyme, and so on. Amla or Indian gooseberry is said to have 20 times more Vitamin C than oranges.

Zinc is a trace element. Almost every medical and immunology literature refers to Zinc as the gatekeeper of the immune system. More than 156 plus enzymes in the human body require zinc to function. What is an enzyme? These are proteins that carry on biology and chemical reactions in the body and all of them need zinc. Zinc can be found in meat, legumes, whole grains, ethically sourced dairy, and whole eggs, dark chocolate, and so on. We have done many videos on our channel on the rich sources. Watch them here.

If you feel you have been exposed to crowds or feel the onset of a cold, ensure you are getting your zinc and vitamin C supplements. Speak to your medical professional or integrative nutritionist and find how much you need. Again, overdoing C and Zinc is not going to get you additional benefits. Doing more of something doesn’t mean better results. Remember that you need the right quantity for your body type, nutritional needs, and everything else. People who eat balanced meals don’t even need supplements. But if you are already sick, you have a compromised immune system. You will need your dose of Vitamin C and Zinc for sure.

Natural immunity-boosting foods

Find the hidden gems in your kitchen and utilize their powers. Photo Credits: Unsplash

From garlic, ginger, turmeric, clove, Bishop’s weed to even the Indian garam masala – tap into the goodness of immunity-boosting foods from your very own kitchen. We call the Indian garam masala a superfood because it is a potent mix of highly anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antibacterial, and antifungal spices.

These spices have been scientifically documented to boost the immune system and keep inflammation low. For people across different countries who don’t know what garam masala is. It is a combination of the best spices – turmeric, clove, Bishop’s weed, cumin, ground together. You can either make a nice curry out of it or saute your vegetables in it. If spices don’t suit you, you have ulcers or have been advised to avoid them, don’t do it. Always make an informed decision.

Raw honey is full of medicinal benefits. But many avoid it thinking honey makes you fat. Honey doesn’t make you fat, your poor lifestyle does. Sleep deprivation, chronic inflammation, stress, and poor eating habits, make you fat.

Raw honey, on the other hand, has been used as a medicine for decades across Chinese, African, South American, North American, Far and the Middle Eastern and Indian civilizations. A teaspoon or two of it a day (depending on your body type and size) is medicine for your immune system. But remember to never give raw honey to kids under the age of two.

Add cruciferous vegetables to your meals. Steam them lightly, boil them or cook them. Try not to eat them raw if you have thyroid function or hormonal imbalance issues. Broccoli, kale, cauliflower, cabbage, radish, colored peppers – all of these are great for your immune system.

The Indian Gooseberry or amla and the whole berry family from strawberries to blackberries and blueberries that make your plate look like a rainbow, are good for you. The more colors you can add to your plate, the more nutritious your meals are.

Want to know more? Download our immunity cookbook here.

Oxygenate your cells

Trillions of cells in your body need oxygen to perform their functions optimally. How do you do this? With exercise and pranayama. Practice deep breathing, five minutes in the morning, between your day and before going to bed.

Manage your stress

Who are you renting your heart and mind space to? Photo Credits: Pixabay

Change the way you look at stress. Stress is the biggest contributor to a low immune system. We are not talking about day-to-day stressors that are good for us. What we are referring to is chronic emotional stress. Where you allow resentment, guilt, anger, and other negative emotions to control your life and affect the way you eat, sleep, think and live. How do you overcome this?

By practicing meditation, silent reflection, learning to accept, let go, forgive, and the power of tolerance. Deep prayer and laughter are powerful medicines. Get those few minutes of laughter every single day. Watch some comedy, perhaps a video on YouTube, or a hilarious show. Even if you have to fake laughter, do it because laughter is scientifically proven to be effective for your immune system.

Spend time in nature. If you live in the city, try to grow plants or flowers on your balcony. Even if it is your little slice of green heaven, be close to nature as far as possible. Try to watch a sunset or sunrise, very important for you.

Conclusion

Finally, if you have lifestyle diseases like diabetes, thyroid, obesity, high blood pressure, and so on, work to reverse your lifestyle disorders. Your existing health issues already put a burden on your body. So the additional burden of a viral load slows down your recovery and puts you in a high-risk zone. We all have seen and experienced it. People with these lifestyle diseases tend to suffer more than people who don’t.

So 2022 is the year where if you have a disease, your commitment to yourself should be that “I don’t want to live with this.” About three to five percent of the population has to live with conditions they never asked for because those are genetically induced diseases. But for the rest of us, we have the choice to make our health better.

You can work with your doctors to make lifestyle changes and wean off your medications (if possible) slowly and safely. For those of you on heavy medications, understand that your primary and your secondary medications have side effects that can compromise your immune function. So while you have to be on those medications, learn to manage their side effects to help your recovery. And of course, don’t forget the basics. The more you smoke or binge drink, the lower your immunity.

So, these are a few ways to effectively activate your T cells and strengthen your immune army.

It is as simple as that. Yes, the world will continue to become complicated as new variants, viruses, and bacterias emerge. But the fundamentals will never change. Your immune system will continue to be your first and last line of defense. And these lifestyle changes are all it takes to activate this intelligence within you.

If you adopt these changes and fall sick, choose the right honest medicine. In today’s world, we need medication and treatment where the crux lies not in merely running a business but offering treatment with purpose, intention, and lifestyle changes.

We all know that medicine can only treat your symptoms. If your focus is solely on treating and suppressing your symptoms, you will be on a lifetime of medicine. But if you focus on addressing the root cause and making the necessary lifestyle changes, you have a chance of complete recovery.

Two years ago, we released a free downloadable book called The Magic Immunity Pill: Lifestyle. You can download it here.

Read this and pick up simple changes that can help keep your immune army strong. Remember, everything around human health revolves around immunity. There are no quick fixes. You can eat all the immune-boosting foods in the world. But that won’t help unless you focus on the other pillars of our health and lifestyle holistically. Everything is interdependent and connected. So start your journey to building a smart immune army today.

SPECIAL NOTE FROM TEAM LUKE:

As COVID-19 cases continue to rise, we have been receiving multiple queries on lifestyle tips to boost immunity, COVID management, and recovery. So, our team of integrative experts decided to put together these guidelines just for you. We hope this helps you and your near and dear ones. Share this with your family, friends, relatives, and all those in your social circles. Stay safe and healthy. Download our Covid 19 – Lifestyle Support FREE PDF here.

Disclaimer: This is NOT a replacement for any medicine or doctor’s advice. Always make an informed decision and keep your healthcare expert in the loop. Reach out to us at 18001020253 or email us at info@lukecoutinho.com for any further guidance or advice. We are happy to help you.

From a pimple to cancer, our You Care Wellness Program helps you find a way Talk to our integrative team of experts today  18001020253  info@lukecoutinho.com