This is not a keto-specific post, but with the COVID-19 virus spreading rapidly in the United States, immune health is something we all need to be thinking about. I’ve read estimates that 50-70% of the global population is expected to be infected with coronavirus within the next 12-18 months, which is how long it could take to develop and test a vaccine. Social distancing measures will help slow it down — which is important so that hospitals don’t get overwhelmed — but won’t completely contain it. We’re past that point and this thing spreads fast.
It’s crucial to stay healthy as the virus spreads. Fortunately, there are things we can do right now to boost our immunity while we wait to see how things unfold in the next few weeks. I fully expect to be exposed to COVID-19. I probably already have been. My husband is an ICU nurse and took care of a coronavirus patient yesterday.
If you’re healthy with no underlying conditions, you have a low risk of serious illness. The World Health Organization reports that 80% of COVID-19 cases are mild to moderate. Most people will have a mild case, with a fever, dry cough, and some aches and pains. Those at risk of a serious or severe illness tend to be older people and those with other underlying health issues or immunodeficiencies. If you’re in these groups, stay home if at all possible, avoid people, and follow all the advice to practice good hygiene. I thought this article written by a critical care anesthesiologist had some good info and advice in it.
For those of us who are generally healthy but could probably stand to strengthen our immune systems (which is a lot of us), here’s what I’ve been doing to keep my immune system strong and hopefully minimize the severity and duration of the virus when it does hit.
Get these vitamins
Three important vitamins to focus on right now are vitamin C, vitamin D, and vitamin A.
We all know vitamin C helps boost the immune system. The RDA for vitamin C is only 90 mg, but you can take much more. In one study, people with virus-induced respiratory infections who were given 1,000 mg of vitamin C three times a day experienced an 85% improvement in symptoms.
I’m drinking Emergen-C every day, which has 1,000 mg of vitamin C. Plus I get more from food. Vitamin C is considered safe in almost any amount when it’s obtained from food. I wrote more about vitamin C in this blog post for Balance the Superfood Shot.
Good sources of vitamin C are citrus fruits, acerola cherries, bell peppers, and broccoli.
Vitamin D also helps protect against respiratory infections. Vitamin D deficiencies are extremely common. It’s in few foods; your skin produces vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. Right now it’s still pretty wet and wintry where I live, plus we’re all spending more time inside if we’re practicing social distancing. So you probably need a vitamin D supplement.
