Best Defense Against the Coronavirus and Influenza

Each year, a new strain of virus circles the globe. Recently the COVID-19 virus (a.k.a. coronavirus), has captivated the news and caused much anxiety in the general population. Understanding the spread of infectious disease and how best to defend yourself can lessen the fear as well as your chances of being impacted by these infectious pathogens.  

Two Types of Defenses

There are generally two types of defenses to viruses and pathogens. One is external and the other is internal. An external defense is something you can do to lessen your chances of being infected, or if infected, decrease the severity of the event.  An internal defence is working with your body's own immune system to heighten your natural immunity and decrease the chances of catching the disease or the impact from it should you catch it. 

External Defences

External defences include measures having to do with reducing the risk of exposure.  These include general cleanliness and disinfectants. Precautions such as avoiding sneezing on someone, or being sneezed on by someone is obvious. Hand washing after using public facilities, as well as the correct usage of hand sanitizer can also help. It should be noted that overuse of hand sanitizer is detrimental and can actually weaken your defences. 

Masks and protective clothing are recommended for use by health professionals who are most at risk to exposure to infectious pathogens as well as for those who are already infected. Authorities in the U.S.are not recommending masks for general usage in lesser risk situations. 

The discussion on the effectiveness of vaccinations, when even available, is a debate that is best left to healthcare professionals. This decision is best left between you and your doctor. 

Internal Defences

Internal defences are those that your body innately has.  These defences are the best line of defence against any sort of pathogen. Functioning at 100%, your immune system is nearly impenetrable to pathogens that can make you sick. The key here is having your immune system functioning as close to 100% of its innate ability as possible. 

Do Not Lower Your Innate Immunity

There are two ways to ensure that your defence systems are functioning properly. The first way is to not do things to yourself that can lower your internal immune system. Avoiding things such as smoking and alcohol are big factors. Avoiding stress as best you can is also important. We should also minimize unnecessary medications and over-the-counter remedies that may weaken the body's ability to defend itself. 

A big area that we have control over is what we eat. Processed food, refined sugar, bleached flour, and foods with additives will have a negative impact on your immune system. There is a large volume of information available on what foods negatively impact your immune system. 

Lack of exercise or sleep can have a negative impact on your immune system. It has been shown that people who exercise properly and get the correct amount of sleep are less likely to get sick. Daily good habits in this area can help you against the threat of infectious diseases.

Raising Your Innate Immunity

Your immune system is controlled by your nervous system. Anything that interferes with proper nerve system function will have a negative impact on your immune system. Chiropractic has been shown to be the most effective form of healthcare for restoring proper nerve system function. The purpose of chiropractic care is to correct interference in your nerve system. The most common cause of interference to your nerve system is from vertebral subluxations.  Subluxations can cause your nerve system to function at less than optimum and therefore have a negative effect on your immune system. 

Correcting subluxations through specific scientific chiropractic adjustments help to ensure that your nerve system and, therefore, your immune system are functioning as close to their maximum innate potential as possible. This increases your defenses against outside pathogens and increases your potential to stay healthy.