Lifestyle and Immunity

A recent emerging review by Minich DM and Hanaway PJ makes the case for optimising health to reduce risk of Covid infection. There are many different mechanisms outline between lifestyle and immune function. The recommendations are copied and listed at the end.

Enter Owaves-

In order to ensure we are living a balanced lifestyle we need to take advantage of technology and help manage our time effectively-

Owaves is a calender planning app which helps us plan our routine meticulously and track if we are optimising the different facets of our life. Planning is the best way to stay on track.

Why do we need to plan?

Procrastination eats away at our time which could be better spent staying healthy and having to cultivate willpower requires brain energy and discipline. If we can negate these through planning we can ensure we stay on track.

Reduces the Need for Determination and Willpower
When we brush our teeth at night, it does not require a lot of determination or willpower because most of us have made it a ritual. We hardly think about it. The same holds true for other tasks when we follow a routine.

Reduces Procrastination
When a set of tasks and activities become routine, it reduces the chance that we will procrastinate doing them. It becomes ingrained into our system and we almost do it subconsciously. For example, I do a few minutes of controlled breathing every morning when I wake up. I do not have to think about it. I simply do it because it has become a habit. We all know that procrastination is a waste of time and having a routine is one way to combat it.

Recommendations from the Paper-

Nutrition

• Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Aim for 9-13 servings per day of a variety of types for a wide array of phytonutrients to enhance the gut microbiome.

• Consume dietary fiber, a minimum of 28-35 grams daily, preferably from whole foods.

• Eat fermented vegetables or other probiotic- containing foods to maintain epithelial health and gut barrier function.

• Reduce or avoid immune offenders such as added sugars and salt, high-glycemic foods (including processed carbohydrates), and excessive saturated fat.

Stress Reduction/Management

• Monitoring stress levels through biofeedback markers such as heart rate variability (HRV) may assist in knowing when to implement stress management strategies and in having a means to assess their efficacy, as well in helping to track resilience-building approaches.

• Practicing stress-modifying techniques on a regular basis using HRV and other modalities can result in greater resilience when confronted with stressors.

Sleep

• Good quality, sufficient quantity (seven to eight hours) and adequate deep phasic bouts of sleep is of utmost importance as part of immune maintenance, as well as during times of recovery from illness.

• It is advised to have patients practice good sleep hygiene and maintain consistent sleep hours by turning off screens, ensuring the room is cool, quiet, and dark, and setting reminders to go to bed on time.

Exercise

• A personalized exercise program can be designed even during homestay by utilizing features in one’s home environment, including apps, the internet, and technology, or by taking the opportunity to experience the calming, immune-supportive effects of being in nature (while, at the same time, social distancing).

Social Factors/Connection

• Reduce exposure to interactions perceived as hostile and non-supportive and, at the same time, on emphasizing and encouraging time with others who are positive or affirming.

• For those people who may be lonely or isolated, as well as those who may be at increased risk of immune compromise, recommend regular social connection as a routine.

• Ideas might include participating virtually in local community events or in a religious or spiritual group.

This resource is only intended to identify lifestyle practices that may boost your immune system. It is not meant to recommend any treatments, nor have any of these been proven effective against COVID-19. None of these practices are intended to be used in lieu of other recommended treatments. Always consult your physician or healthcare provider prior to initiation. For up-to-date information on COVID-19, please consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at http://www.cdc.gov/

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