7 Latest Tips by Dr Lemm on how to make your immune system healthier than ever!
As COVID-19 spreads across the globe and threatens our communities, it is more important than ever to stay healthy in mind, body and spirit. Although the best way to combat the virus is reducing its spread, we believe it is essential to build your body’s defences and harmonise your immune system. As you shift your daily habits and spend more time inside, we have put together the following guide to keep your body and mind as healthy as possible. The key is aligning our immune system to make its defences against viruses stronger, and you can take natural remedies to help this. Continue to follow your government’s guidance for preventing COVID-19 and practise social distancing where possible, especially for the sake of those vulnerable to the virus.
Here are some tips based on my experience and scientific research on the immune system, but remember to find what suits you best.
- How to control your panic and fear- one of the biggest immune system enemies
- How natural remedies can boost your biggest immune system: your gut microbiome + Dr Lemm’s Top Tea!
- Dr Lemm’s top healing herbs & teas for your immune system
- What foods to eat to boost nutrition for your immune system
- Top five supplements for your immune system
- What you can do to decrease harming influence from your phone
- Spend time in nature
1. How to control your panic and fear – one of the biggest immune system enemies
Stress and viruses are very important to our immune system in the short term. Without them, our immune system would not function and we would not be able to live as long. At the moment a lot of people are in fear and panic, emphasising their sympathetic nervous system, or “fight or flight”. This nervous system is vital, as long as we are also activating our parasynthetic nervous system – “rest and digest” – where your body is able to heal and recover. Engaging in relaxation (e.g yoga nidra) and breathing techniques will help bring you into this calm state. One easy breathing method that you can do in everyday life is when you:
- Inhale for 4 seconds
- Exhale for 6 seconds
Even one brief minute can have a positive effect!
We will be adding videos of breathing and relaxation methods to our next month’s free yoga guide and on our socials.
2. How natural remedies can boost your biggest immune system: your gut microbiome + Dr Lemm’s Top Tea!
One thing that you can control immediately is the health of the trillions of microbes living in your gut, collectively known as the microbiome. Recent research has shown that the gut microbiome plays an essential role in the body’s immune response to infection and in maintaining overall health.
My favourite Tea to feed our good gut bacteria is elecampane (inula helenium):
Leave 1 teaspoon of the root elecampane for 8 hours in 200ml of cold water. After boiling it you can drink it! 3 times a day
I have been drinking this tea for 5 years and it helped me to cure my Colitis. This tea can also help lung issues such as bronchitis, it is perfect for fighting the Coronavirus!
Eat to feed your microbiome
Chicory and radicchio are also full of inulin, a great source of probiotics.
You can also support your microbiome by regularly eating natural yoghurt which contain live microbes (probiotics), or a vegan alternative. Another source of natural probiotics are bacteria and yeast-rich drinks and fermented vegetable-based foods. Now you have more time at home, you can try making some kimchi or kombucha (fermented tea). We will add a recipe into our free home retreat.
3. Dr Lemm’s top healing herbs & teas for your immune system
Top antiviral teas: artemisia annua (sweet wormwood) and cistus creticus.
9 Impressive herbs with antiviral properties. Since ancient times, herbs have been used as natural treatments for various illnesses, including viral infections. By simply adding these herbs into our teas or food, we can help our immune system due to the Polyphenols:
- Oregano
- Cloves
- Ginger
- Cinnamon
- Turmeric
- Timjan
- Basil
- Rosemary
- Curry powder
4. Eat a healthy and nutritious diet, which helps your immune system to function properly.
Eat foods with high vitamin C such as green vegetables and fruit. I would suggest limiting excessive fruit intake, and focusing on leafy green vegetables such as cabbage.
Berries – they have plant phenols with antibacterial benefits. Phenolic compounds are produced by plants in response to ecological pressures such as pathogens, and act as a natural disinfectant.
Sprouted lentils – brown, dark and green lentils and mung beans, full of vitamin B and lysine.
5. Top Supplements for your immune system
Many people think we need to boost our immune system to stay healthy, but it is more important to harmonise based on your individual systems. Those who have auto-immune diseases have overstimulated immune cells; they should therefore be very cautious of Vitamin C and should take Omega 3 supplements to calm down the immune system.
Here are some of my suggestions if you wish to take a supplement during this time:
Vitamin D: take higher doses during this period to help fight infection and help your Immune function.
– You can take 100 000 daily units for 3 days given by you doctor
– 5 000 units per day for a long term.
– A great natural source is sunlight!
Zinc: Zinc supplements stimulate particular immune cells to help keep your immune system strong. 3x 25 mg zinc citrate
Lysin: Amino essin (protein ) now to fight virus, take 3x 500mg. Or eat a great variety of beans, lentils, and peas. It is important to soak these and cook in a pressure cooker to reduce lectins.
Vitamin c . 3x500mg, but avoid this supplement if you have an autoimmune disease.
Vitamin E best is tocotrienol natural one , take 50mg every other day.
6. Turn off your phone and WiFi at night!
You most likely are spending more time on your technology now that you are staying home. Repeated studies show that Wi-Fi causes oxidative stress, sperm/testicular damage and neuropsychiatric effects. It is hard for us to rest and move into our parasympathetic nervous system when the WiFi is on, so if you are doing yoga or meditation or going to sleep turn your WiFi off and put your phone on airplane mode as long as you can.
7. Spend time in nature
If you can, try to spend some time outdoors each day. Go for a walk, and spend time amongst greenery near you. If this isn’t possible during your self-isolation, make sure you keep windows open to let fresh air into your home.
Dr Vesna Lemm