Are you ready for your jab?
Are you nervous about having the vaccine? Perhaps you’re unsure if it’s the right thing to do or you are worried about feeing unwell after?
I’m afraid I can not help you make the decision to have the vaccine or not, but here are a few websites to help you make your decision.
if you do go ahead, here are my 5 top tips to prepare you for the vaccination
1. Make sure your vitamin D levels are good.
Vitamin D is a hormone or chemical messenger that helps the body absorb calcium from the intestines which then mineralises the skeleton over the course of your lifetime. It also has a key role in regulating your immune response, lung, heart and kidney health, and is intrinsically linked to mood, weight and cognitive function. Research links vitamin D deficiency to over 200 diseases.
Your skin manufactures its own vitamin D from the sunshine- so get outside and expose your skin as much as you can- without burning. Failing this, then consider a test and a supplement. 1000-4000iu a day has been recommended by the government but, if levels are low, seek professional advise for an appropriate dose. Warning, do not supplement children without professional advice.
Better You provide a test with a sample bottle of liquid vitamin D. https://betteryou.com/products/vitamin-d-test-kit
2. Make sure you have plenty of antioxidants - eat half a plate of vegetables at each meal.
In reaction to the environment and other pressures, the body produces unstable molecules called free-radicals or reactive oxygen species (ROS), . These free radicals cause damage to cells throughout the body and increase the inflammatory response. Antioxidants are substances that stabilise free radicals by sharing an outer electron. They can prevent or slow damage to cells.
Plant foods are rich sources of antioxidants. They are most abundant in fruits and vegetables, as well as other foods including nuts and whole-grains.
Vitamins and minerals
vitamin A & beta carotene – liver, red and orange vegetables, sweet potatoes, egg yolks, pumpkin, mangoes, apricots, carrots, spinach and parsley
vitamin C – oranges, blackcurrants, kiwifruit, mangoes, broccoli, spinach, capsicum and strawberries
vitamin E – avocados, nuts, seeds and whole grains
zinc – seafood, lean meat, nuts and seeds
selenium – seafood, offal, lean meat, whole grains and brazil nuts
manganese – seafood, lean meat and nuts
copper – seafood, lean meat, milk and nuts
Polyphenols like
anthocyanins – eggplant, grapes and berries
allium sulphur compounds – leeks, onions and garlic
cryptoxanthins – red capsicum, pumpkin and mangoes
flavonoids (quercetin and curcumin) – tea, green tea, citrus fruits, onion, apples and turmeric
resveratrol - peanuts, pistachios, grapes, blueberries and cranberries
indoles – cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower
isoflavonoids – soybeans, tofu, lentils and peas
lignans – sesame seeds, bran, whole grains and vegetables
lutein – green, leafy vegetables like spinach
lycopene – tomatoes, pink grapefruit and watermelon
Supplementation of vitamin C and zinc picolincate or a good quality antioxidant complex may be supportive if you struggle to eat the variety above. N-acetyl-cysteine, quercetin, resveratrol and curcumin supplementation tend to be advised post covid. Please refer to a health professional for safe supplement advice especially if on any medication including contraception.
3. Other nutrients to consider include magnesium, vitamin B6, B12 , folate, iron, essential fatty acids, mushrooms and beta-glucans. These assist with physical barrier integrity (skin and respiratory tract), differentiation, proliferation and function of innate immune cells as well as antibody production and development some have immune modulation properties.
magnesium - dark leafy greens (spinach kale), nuts and seeds, fish, soybeans, avocados,
vitamin B6 - salmon, tuna, eggs, chicken liver , beef , carrots, sweet potatoes, bananas, potatoes, avocados, and pistachios
vitamin B12 - meat, fish, eggs
folate - dark green leafy vegetables (turnip greens, spinach, romaine lettuce, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, broccoli) , beans , peanuts , sunflower seed
iron - red meat, beans, nuts, dark green leafy vegetables
essential fatty acids - oily fish, linseeds
beta glucans - oats, barley fibre, whole grains, reishi, maitake and shiitake mushrooms, seaweed, algae
4. Support digestion
Over 70% of immune cells reside in your digestive tract. With this in mind, digestive function is extremely important. We need to build stomach acid, protect the GI tract and balance gut flora.
improve stomach and bile acid - bitter foods, lemon, garlic and apple cider vinegar
GI tract protection-
avoid irritants of the gut - gluten, dairy, alcohol, sugar, saturated and trans fats, toxins from food and environment.
Eat good quality protein (to renew cells), vitamin A, C, E, D, zinc, glutamine (bone broth and cabbage)
balance gut flora - fermented foods (if you can tolerate them), saccharomyces boulardii, or a good multi strain probiotic. (if considering supplementing seek the advise of a health professional)
5. Lifestyle considerations
When we’re stressed, our digestion and consequently our immunity is inhibited. Although our need for vital nutrients is high when stressed, we may not be breaking food down or absorbing nutrients successfully because we’re stressed. Recognising stressors is important but getting the body into a parasympathetic mode to rest and digest is key. Try…
meditation, good quality sleep, gentle regular exercise, 4-7-8- breathing before eating, chewing thoroughly, eating mindfully, eating nutrient dense whole foods.
The key take homes therefore are to get outside (vitamin D) and exercising gently, eat a rainbow diet full of antioxidants (vitamin C and zinc), improve your digestion with bitter foods, fermented foods, balancing bacteria and avoid irritants, and lastly rest and digest, and nurture your sleep.
I hope this has been useful. Do call me on 07971 647444 if you’d like a no obligation chat to see if I can help you. Or check my services out below. Kate xxx