Over these past few months while a vast part of the world has been sheltering in place, it has brought out a major refocus in the health and wellness field on getting back to the roots of what it means to be healthy on the most fundamental level. This fundamental level goes back to the importance of strengthening and keeping the immune system vital. While a known fact, it is especially undeniable now that the immune system is indeed the regulator when it comes to how diseases and infections either are resisted, silently hosted or allowed to come in and or take over the physical body. The conversations are starting up again, and it is the optimal time to do so now.
THE TRIFECTA OF HOLISTIC HEALTH.
From a fully Naturopathic perspective, true and vital immunity is the difference when approaching understanding pandemics like the one we are presently facing now-all they down to the common colds that people contract. Immune virility operates on the same principles when defending against both. Recently, some established medical doctors were cited and recorded highlighting the benefits and importance of consuming proper amounts of Vitamins D and C, eating well and keeping stress levels down as much as possible for strong immunity. This is of course correct and also happens to be some core foundations of Naturopathic Medicine. Present medical models are now showing that there is almost no choice in the matter: while not on overall absolute; what we eat, the way we move our bodies and how we detoxify our bodies on a regular basis is essential when it comes to resisting diseases and infections. It has always been about the immunity.
Typically, April and the springtime of the year represent the resurgence of life, healing and the emerging of the restricted and colder energies that took place in the wintertime. Yet, we are finding that at this particular time in the Spring, the world and humanity are both going through a period of infectious quarantines and social distancing in the hopes of slowing the spread of the disease. This being known, we can highlight what we can do in hopes of remaining infection free by taking care of the unseen element of wellness in our being: the immune system. ‘Immunity’ is less a philosophy and more of a practice; immunity takes consistency.
Sheltering in place may have hampered the way we eat, exercise (*if we were solely attached to the gym) and how to we choose to de-stress. However, with some creativity we can maintain the same, if not higher level of healing being that many of us have been forced to slow down and focus on being well. How to approach this trifecta? Take these key Naturopathic principles to mind for not only now, but for the future to come as well.
A RETURNING OF THE HERBS.
Keeping a regular rotation of eating healthy herbs like oregano, thyme and rosemary is not only good for taste, but also good for keeping infections from multiplying rapidly in the body. Consuming garlic for health also cannot be understated. There are also others like black seed, turmeric with black pepper, astragalus and uva ursi, which have all shown promise in keeping vital immunity strong. If you plan to consume any of these please make sure to do your due diligence for any contraindications for any medications that you may be taking.
FOOD EITHER REVITALIZES OR DESTROYS.
It is as exactly as it sounds. Consuming overly processed food-like products can lead to a diminished and weak state of the immune system. This is not to say that you will never enjoy something that you may consider a treat that happens to come from a package. But what is being said is that eating large and copious amounts of vegetables and fruits, act as a prebiotic in the gut-flora which helps to regulate how the body heals and how it responds to foreign pathogens. Food does indeed matter. Not only this though but eating vital and whole foods gives the body the vital life force energy it needs to get and excel at when it comes to movement and being non-sedentary.
KINETIC ENERGY OF MOVEMENT.
Keeping a regular exercise routine helps with immunity. This happens for several reasons. When we exercise vigorously, we sweat out toxins. Exercise also helps regulate the heartbeat and gives strength to our bone and muscle mass. When you take this into account of adding foods and herbs to the discussion, it should allow the body to operate at its highest level. Immunity is important, but to maintain it, it takes work. Yet the more we work at it, the more it literally gives back to us.
Maintaining immunity is a path that someone must walk and nurture overtime. While the state of human and earth health is clearly in transition, the approach to maintaining immunity is the same: what we internalize and absorb. Let us take this opportunity to go back to the roots of healing and wellness, to re-calibrate and see the benefit in the simple actions of healing as an everyday process.
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-Dr. David K. Scott N.D.; CHNP.
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NATURES' FIRST PATH: HOlISTIC MEDICINE. 