Q: Dear Doulas: What are things we can do to build and sustain our immunity, reduce anxiety and stay in a state of physical and emotional health long-term? This is a question we are receiving a lot right now. Whether you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or in your postpartum time.
Signed,
Love in the time of Corona Virus
A: Below are some great tips from our amazing doulas and mental health colleagues in Homegrown Families along with our favorite experts in the fields of health for pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum time.
Justina Pranatt from Clover Heart Concepts has some wonderful tips for keeping grounded and healthy through this time:
Remember, relaxation, mindfulness, meditation, and positive mood states IMPROVE our immune function
- Spend less time on social media and choose not to click or share coronavirus related articles. I promise you that the epidemic will not come knocking at your door with you being totally unaware.
- Increase relaxing, stress relieving activities in your life. What does this mean? Hot cups of chamomile tea, walks, stretching, time outside breathing fresh air, getting sunlight on your face, letting your hands or feet or body get on the Earth, and listen to relaxing music…
- Increase connection. Research also shows we have an improved immune function and we live an even LONGER LIFE when we feel a sense of belonging and experience positive connection. Call a loved one and chat, and go for a walk together… 6 feet away.
- Actually meditate. A great technique to use during anxiety is called “Four Squared Breathing:” Inhale to 4, hold breath in for 4, exhale for 4, hold breath out for 4.
Looking for some simple tips to keep your immune system top notch? Here are some more tips!
- Eat a nutritionally rich diet: A healthy diet is one of the keys to a healthy, robust immune response when you do get exposed to viruses and bacteria. Keep your diet simple, light, and eat healthy foods only. An optimally healthy diet is a basic Mediterranean-style diet that includes 6 to 8 servings of fresh veggies and fruits daily, nuts, seeds, whole grains, legumes, fish, and eggs.
- Get Enough Sleep: Sleep quantity and quality play a role in immune health, and lack of adequate sleep can make us more susceptible to colds, the flu, and can impair immune response more generally, while creating a generally heightened inflammatory state. How much sleep do most of us need for optimal health? No less than 7 and no more than 9 hours per night of good rest. And no screens before bed!
- Gargle: I know this is such a weird recommendation, but it’s one that’s totally free, and heck, it can’t hurt. While salt-water gargles are what they recommended, there’s no evidence that they’re more effective than plain water. How often and for how long should you gargle? Aim for 2 to 3 times daily for 15 to 30 seconds each time.
- Moisturize your Hands! Evan Cohen, an herbalist and birth doula at Homegrown Families says, “Along with washing your hands…moisturize them! Washing away your outer layer of skin makes you more susceptible to germs if you don’t replace your oils. I use Everyday Oil (made in Black Mountain) and it is a game changer and smells amazing.”
Food! Food is amazing medicine! Here are some easy things you can pick up at the grocery store:
- What about Garlic? While garlic is one of the most classic herbs used to prevent and treat respiratory infection, and historical evidence even suggests it may have prevented some sub-populations in Europe from the Plague, it is more specific to bacterial infections than viral infections. Nonetheless, it is one of my personal go-to dietary strategies for overall health, and immune health. I include garlic as well as ginger, also an antimicrobial herb, in my cooking and ginger in my tea almost daily, which I highly encourage for general health if you tolerate either or both of these healthful herbs.
- Ginger: Ginger fights infections in the upper respiratory system and helps you to break a sweat. It also eases muscle tension. Make strong ginger tea by steeping 1 tablespoon of fresh grated ginger in 1 cup of boiling water for ten minutes. Cover while steeping then add lemon and honey to drink hot, up to 4 cups daily.
- Green Tea: Several studies over the past few years have found that drinking hot green tea can reduce the likelihood of upper respiratory infections. It’s unclear whether this is due to the warm vapor or the aromatic oils we inhale when sipping tea, but if you enjoy green tea, a couple of cups a day can be a pleasant ritual and nourishing way to possibly support upper respiratory health.
- Vitamin C is probably the most commonly recommended nutrient for cold and flu prevention, and there’s a reason for it. Not only does it help immune cells function properly, nearly 150 studies demonstrate that it can help fight different pathogens and supports the health of the respiratory passages. Oranges and grapefruits are important sources of Vitamin C, as are red and green peppers, kiwifruit, broccoli, strawberries, cantaloupe, and baked potatoes, so eat a wide variety daily. Given the low cost and relative safety of vitamin C supplementation, and its possible benefits preventing respiratory infections, it seems worth including it in an overall daily cold and flu prevention plan and isn’t contraindicated in a COVID-19 prevention plan. A typical dose is up to 2000 mg daily. This dose is also safe for pregnant and breastfeeding people. Children’s dosing is substantially lower. Can’t find vitamin C because everyone else has bought it up?
Got a little extra? Here are some supplements to put some icing on the cake!
We hear a lot about Elderberry and Echinacea for immune health, but below are some of our top favorites from Aviva Romm, MD.
Zinc plays an important role in immunity, helping the body to fight invading bacteria and viruses, and may help the lining of the respiratory passages prevent against viral replication and inflammation. The best form for preventing respiratory infection is zinc lozenges, preferably zinc acetate, which may also help to reduce the severity of upper respiratory symptoms associated with colds. A dose of 5 to 10 mg/day is typically enough, but you can take up to 45 mg/day for up to a few weeks. I recommend the lower doses for pregnant women and breastfeeding women (make sure to also see how much is in your prenatal vitamin). And take your zinc with a meal!
Zinc supplements can interfere with the absorption of certain medications including quinolone or tetracycline antibiotics. If antibiotics are required for the treatment of COVID-19 complications or another infection, discontinue supplementing with extra zinc. It may also interfere with diuretics and medication used to treat Rheumatoid Arthritis – so check with your doctor if you’re taking either before supplementing with zinc.
Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that has an important effect not only on bone health, but on immune function and ability to fight infections. The best form of vitamin D for maximal absorption is Vitamin D3, and supplementing between 1000- 2000 IU/day is a safe and ample dose for most people, and is safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Per the Office of Dietary Supplements, up to 4,000 IU/day for children 9 years and older, adults, and pregnant and lactating women is considered quite safe. Children’s doses are typically 400 to 800 iu daily. Again, take with a meal, preferably one with some fat.
Astragalus: This lesser known herb in the west is one of the most important herbs in Traditional Chinese Medicine, I consider it analogous to echinacea, and it may have slightly stronger immune enhancing effects. Traditionally, it was used in medicinal strength teas and soups as part of an overall lifestyle. Aviva Romm recommends it in tincture for for prevention in her patients who tend to get a yearly cold that turns into bronchitis, but here at Homegrown, we like to buy dried Astragalus root from our local co-op and throw a few pieces of dried Astragalus into our soup bases, or into the water when we make rice.
Do you have a burning question that you haven’t had a chance to ask a care provider or are maybe too embarrassed to ask? We’ve got your back! The 411 is like a “dear doula” column where you get to (anonymously) ask about all those things you think you’re alone in wondering, or that you might be struggling with. We’re here to affirm that no, you are not alone. With evidence-based answers from not only birth doulas, but childbirth educators, experienced moms, lactation educators and more, we’ll help save you from falling down the Google rabbit hole. We wanna know what’s on your mind! Submit your question online.
