With all the news about the spread of the coronavirus, quarantined cities, and travel restrictions, more and more people are becoming overwhelmed with anxi
ety and fear.
I see many of my own patients overcome with fear and anxiety about the unfortunate spread of the coronavirus. So, I figured, I’d write another blog article about the virus, but this time to shine light on the damage done by the persistent stress of it all.
Let me start by saying it is normal to feel overwhelmed about the possible pandemic. The reality is that this virus has the potential of causing death. But, that’s not the entire story. Making sure you have ALL the available information helps alleviate your fears by not over inflating its risk.
What does fear do to the immune system?
Studies in the field of “psychoneuroimmunology†have shown that the state of mind affects one’s state of health. This means your stress level and the negative emotions you feel on a consistent basis can weaken your immune system. Most people know inherently that stress isn’t good for their health. Stress hormones produced by feelings of anxiety can contribute to:
- Â Immune system dysfunction
- Â Endocrine system dysfunction
- Â Sleep/wake cycle disruption
Basically, living with constant fear and anxiety lowers the body’s ability to fight invaders, such as viruses. This can cause vulnerability to infections.
How to cope with your fear surrounding covid-19 (coronavirus)?
- Know all the facts.
- Put your energy into what you can do to help protect yourself and keep your immune system strong.
So, let’s start by looking at ALL the facts.
How deadly is Covid-19?
Out of 100 people who contract the infection, about 98 of them recover. This makes the mortality rate around 2% and makes the recovery rate at about 98%. Yes, most people do recover from it and the world isn’t coming to an end.
What is the risk of death for any individual person?
The truth of the matter is that it varies. The elderly and those who are immune compromised or have underlying health conditions such as cardiovascular disease or respirator illness are at a greater risk.
The risk for any one individual needs to be assessed on a case by case basis. Not everyone is at the same risk of developing complications or becoming gravely ill from contracting this virus.
Individuals who contract Covid- 19 experience varying levels of symptoms. Some develop very mild symptoms from the coronavirus infection. Some of those individuals might not even seek medical attention because the symptoms are mild. And then there are others who experience more severe symptoms, yet they recover without any complications.
This is not to take away from the deaths that have occurred due to this virus. Any loss of life is devastating and heartbreaking. However, it’s important to reduce the overwhelming anxiety surrounding the coverage of this outbreak. And for that to happen, we need to look at the whole picture and not overinflate the risk of loss of life. Why? Because fear can only make you weaker and lower your defenses against this or any other infection.
What’s the cure for the coronavirus?
Covid-19 is a viral infection. This means antibiotics are not useful as a primary treatment measure. And currently there is no vaccine for it. So, at the moment there is no medication that can cure it.
But the good news is that 98% of those who contracted the virus recovered mainly because of the strength of their own immune system.
Yes, your immune system has the potential to fight off this virus. Your immune system is your best defense. Keep it as strong as possible.
How to keep your immune system strong?
1.Take care of your mental-emotional health.
- Recognize fear and anxiety have the potential of weakening your immune system. Here are some steps you can follow to keep calm and grounded.
- Stay with the facts and stay away from sensationalistic images of what you see on the internet.
- Big and scary gets attention, but it may not be the whole truth. Get the facts from a reputable source such as the World Health Organization or the CDC.
- Take deep breaths throughout the day.
- Dress warm and go out for walks in the fresh air.
- Get a good night’s rest.
- Take a break and do something you enjoy.
- Take constructive steps to protect yourself and others. If you become symptomatic, don’t panic, stay away from others and call your doctor.
2. Take care of your physical health. What you eat can make your immune        system stronger or weaker.
- Stay away from junk food, alcohol, and refined sugar.
- Include vitamin C, antioxidants, and nutrient-rich foods in your diet. Foods such as blueberries, lime, lemon, papaya, kiwi, cabbage, kale, broccoli, spinach, dandelion greens, carrots, legumes and nuts are beneficial for a healthy immune system.
- Make sure you get adequate amount of protein and healthy fats in your diet.
- Include nourishing and hydrating foods such as home-made chicken broth, bone broth, and your favorite kinds of soups and teas.
- Broths and soups are also really good ways to include anti-microbial and ani-inflammatory food items such as garlic, onion, ginger, black seed, and turmeric in your diet.
3.   There are also a variety of herbs with antiviral properties used by             many naturopathic doctors, including myself to help treat many               respiratory infections.
Remember any dietary changes and any use of herbal supplements should be done under the supervision of your licensed health care practitioner.
Taking care of your mental-emotional health is just as important as taking care of your physical health. Hope the information in this article helped bring a sense of calm in these challenging times.