Natural Health Tips for COVID-19 (the Coronavirus)

coronavirus

The biggest thing in the news right now is anything to do with COVID-19, aka the Coronavirus.  So, we thought we would do a blog post with some tips to help you naturally protect yourself against the virus.  There are a number of natural tips you can use to help prevent exposure to the virus, or increase healing time if you do get the Coronavirus.

First, however, before we begin we want to let all our current and prospective patients know that our naturopathic doctors and holistic nutritionist take your protection against the virus seriously.  We have tissues and hand sanitizer available at the clinic, and we wipe down our equipment and treatment table in between patient visits. We also offer phone appointments or teleconference appointments via Zoom for patients who cannot make it into the clinic.   If you would like more details about the precautions we are taking, please contact us.

Next, we want to assure you that there are a lot of things within your own power that you can do to help reduce your risk for the Coronavirus.  Or, if you do happen to catch it, that will help you to speed up your recovery time.

Natural Health Tips to Protect Against the Coronavirus

1.   First, please don’t panic.  We understand there is lots of scary information on the media, but when you panic you are engaging your stress response.  And when you do that your body will dedicate more resources to support your stress response, which means the support to your immune system is weakened.  If you’re feeling stressed and overwhelmed by all the information out there, we recommend trying some meditation or deep breathing exercises to help you to stay calm.   

2.   The next  important factor is to ensure that you wash your hands thoroughly each time you go to the washroom.  We would also recommend washing your hands when you first get home as well. While washing our hands with soap and water seem like a very basic skill, there is actually a right and wrong way to do so.  It is recommended by the CDC (Centre for Disease Control) to wash your hands with soap and water for roughly 20 minutes – if you need something to help with timing it is suggested to sing Happy Birthday two times in a row.  While washing your hands it is important to create friction to help kill off germs – this should be done by rubbing your hands together, in between your fingers, and the backs of your hands. If in a public bathroom, once your hands are clean, grab a paper towel to open the door with to prevent exposure to germs on your newly clean hands.

3.   A good night’s sleep is also crucial to supporting a strong immune system.  We all know how we feel when we don’t have a good night’s sleep, so think of that in terms of your immune system.  A strong immune system is supported by a good night’s sleep. Not sure what constitutes a good night’s sleep? Check out our blog post here. Also, for those suffering from insomnia, our Toronto naturopaths can definitely help with that.

5.   Support yourself with good nutrition.  We recommend getting some protein to help your body stay strong.  Boost up your protein with a protein shake, chicken soup, eggs, or other good protein rich foods.  We also recommend eating the rainbow of colours in veggies to get your vitamins and minerals, which are also important for immune support.  Sugary foods can weaken the immune system, so we recommend focusing on fresh whole foods like fruits and veggies, and add some protein and healthy fats to balance off the meal.  Also, foods like garlic and ginger have great anti-viral properties so we recommend adding some to your meals.

6.   We also want to support gut health since part of our immune system resides in our gut.  This could be done by way of fermented foods or a probiotic. If you’re experiencing digestive issues like gas and bloating, this could be a sign that there is an imbalance in your gut.  Talk to your naturopath about how to best support your gut health.

7.   If you do get sick there are a number of natural products our naturopaths can recommend.  We also have an online dispensary which means once you have received your recommendations, you can order online and have the supplements shipped to your door right away. 

We know these are scary times.  But by using these natural health tips you can help to protect yourself and your family from the Coronavirus.

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