1.1 What causes the immune system to weaken?

Today’s situation leaves us with the weight of many additional lifestyle stressors while still feeling the need to be productive. Coupled with the extra mental fatigue of daily changing health updates and concerns for our and our own family’s health and well-being, it is just as understandable to unplug and shut down. So, let’s take a moment to run through a tool to reframe this, from reaction to controlled compassionate purpose and action.

First, take stock of your reality. What has changed for you?

• Heightened sense of worry, stress, and uncertainty
• Working from home or being out of work
• Kids at home and homeschooling
• Exponential increase in cooking, cleaning, and other household tasks
• Total shift in daily routines
• Financial worries

These significant transitions are not to be taken lightly, and you should never feel like you need to navigate them with grace and perfection. Taking stock of your current reality is the first step in acceptance.

Second, take a step back and have compassion with yourself and others regarding this situation. Compassion and self-care opens the door to a space in our brain to stop, reframe, and adopt the easy and time-saving tips and tricks, to simplify your life, that you’ll find in this guide.

Third, while you can’t control what’s happening in the world right now, you can create systems that make sense for you and give you some peace of mind. You’ve got this, and we are here to help.

1.2 What is the process to boosting immunity?

This is a process, and we’re all in it together! At the end of another (busy) day, it only boils down to doing what you can do and what makes sense for you, given your daily reality and routines.

These aren’t tips that need to be adopted overnight, and some might not call your attention at all. Take the tips that you like and begin developing your own routines and processes to simplify kitchen time.

Right now is not the time to be a slave to the kitchen or dirty dishes!

As long as you have one day per week to carve out a few hours of food prep (we’ll get to the specifics in a moment), you’ll have everything on hand and ready to mix and match your meals for the entire week.

It’s a process of a little bit of prep, a touch of creativity, a dollop of flexibility, and a heart full of self-acceptance and love. Don’t want to cook both lunch and dinner today? No problem! Take the food you’ve prepped, double your (pre-frozen) portions, and save leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

1.2.1 How can you boost immunity?

Proper nutrition will help to manage stress, as will cutting down the time you have to spend in the kitchen. But remember to prioritize yourself right now and find small windows and moments each day to honor your body, mind, and spirit. To accept that you’re doing the best that you can, and that’s enough. To slow down, press pause on productivity, re-learn and embrace the art of simply being present.

Permit yourself to take time for you, whether it be:

• meditation
• a hot bath with lavender essential oil and Epsom salt
• walks around the neighborhood or going outside barefoot
• a short yoga video or merely ten deep belly breaths

1.3 How does the immune system fight viruses?

It seems like every year we see more aggressive forms of the flu strain that can turn deadly quickly. This, coupled with the newly emerged coronavirus, has many people rightfully concerned for their health and the health of their loved ones.

Luckily, your body is equipped with its very own immune system that fights viral threats as soon as they emerge by creating antibodies that eventually engulf and destroy viruses.

The best way to protect yourself against any virus is to boost your immune system naturally and protect against viral threats.

There are 3 primary ways the immune system fights viruses: via antibodies, interferons, or cytotoxic cells.

When a virus first enters your body, it invades your cells so that it can survive and multiply. Once a virus invades your cells, your immune system cannot “see” it and does not know that you are sick.

Luckily, your cells have a workaround to overcome this. They use molecules called MHC class I to indicate pieces of proteins from within the cell on the surface of the cell. This helps indicate to T cells (immune cells) that there is a virus inside.

Cytotoxic T cells are a type of immune cell that roams the body looking for infections. It kills cells that are infected with viruses to help prevent the virus from spreading.

However, viruses are sneaky and can stop certain cells from indicating that there is a virus inside. NK cells are a type of immune cell that looks for cells that may have fewer MHC receptors than normal, which is an indication that a virus is preventing this information from coming through.

Cells that are infected with a virus may also create and release proteins called interferons, which help prevent the virus from multiplying. They also send out signals to nearby cells that there is a virus present. This “signal” may help ensure that nearby cells increase the number of MHC class I molecules on their surface so that T cells can kill them.

Finally, your immune system can kill a virus before it enters your cells by creating antibodies, which are proteins that bind to harmful molecules and destroys them. Here is how they work:

• Antibodies neutralize the virus so that it cannot enter your cells.
• Antibodies work as a team to force viruses to stick together so that they are easier for your immune system to locate and kill.
• Antibodies activate phagocytes, which engulf the virus and destroys it.

1.3.1 How do you protect against viral exposure?

Along with boosting your immune system from the inside out, you can take several steps to prevent yourself from viruses before they enter your body.

Follow these 7 tips for protecting against viral exposures:

1.Wash your hands

We have all been alerted that the number one way to prevent your exposure to infections is to wash your hands. The WHO has a wonderful visual guide to wash your hands before touching your face or eating, especially while out in public.

However, you’ll also want to make sure your wash your hands immediately after touching these germ-laden items:

• Money
• Animals
• Handrails, doorknobs, or handles
• Restaurant menus
• Anything at all within a doctor’s office*
• Touchscreen devices and phone soap!
• Kitchen sponges and cutting boards
• Public pens
• Soap pumps and faucets

2. Fun Friend and Family Face Game

Can’t remember if you’ve been touching your face in public before you washed your hands? For fun family game, try applying a small amount of charcoal, black ink or lipstick on the tip of your fingers. If you notice any smudges on your face, then it’s time to wash your hands. You’ll be surprised!

3. Staying Protected on the go

We know it isn’t always convenient to wash your hands. When traveling in mass transit or in busy places, it can’t hurt to wear gloves or carry hand sanitizer to get you buy until you reach a faucet. It may help to carry a small 3 oz bottle of Dr. Brommers with you.

4.Clean surfaces around you.

Research shows that the corona virus can live in surfaces for nine days. That’s a lot of opportunity to come into contact with the virus, especially if it’s located in an area that you frequent often.

Clean the surfaces of your home, office space, or anywhere that you spend a lot of time frequently. To clean surfaces, it can’t hurt to carry Lysol or Clorox on the go wipes.

5.Consider wearing a face mask or scarf.

Taking control and boosting our own immune system can be top priority. Read our past blog, Top 10 Tips to Support your Immune Internally & Naturally, for more support now!
What is out of our control is the immune health of those around us in public places; a cough, sneeze or close breathing in a supermarket line can catch us off guard.An N95 or N99 facemask or facemask with filters an option. If you’re not comfortable wearing a face mask in public, then try a scarf and spray it with an antibacterial spray, such as oregano oil. Check out this Wellness Sampler Set from Plant Therapy for immune-boosting oils.We also recommend making sure all products that you buy right now are made in the US. Here are some US-made face masks to consider: remember something is better than nothing.

• Fishmasks Single Layer Neck Gaiter
• Classic Neck Gaiter for Maximum Sun Protection

6. Stay away.

When you’re sick, the best thing you can do is stay home to avoid transferring the virus to other people. This also helps prevent you from getting sicker.However, you may want to practice social distancing right now even if you’re not sick. This can help limit exposure to viruses. If you can, avoid places where large amounts of people gather, such as malls, public libraries, concerts and indoor events that draw large crowds.Finding healthy options to keep your appointments and routines is key. This is a time to start and/or keep your health regime not put it on hold.Eating at home, working with health practitioners who offer Tele-Health and working out or starting a workout regime at home is ideal and a great way to improve resilience.

7. Keep your mouth clean.

You can take precautionary measures to avoid germs, but once you ingest them, it’s good to have a plan. Keep your mouth clean and kill oral germs by using a high-quality mouthwash.Gum health is extremely important to boosting the immune system. It helps keep other pathogens at bay and only strengthen our ability to fight viruses.We recommend Dr. Arenander’s BrainGain Formulas Gum Recession Help Mouthwash. It contains organic, non-GMO ingredients and nothing synthetic.And above all, always stay up to date on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and updates!

1.4 How to boost your immune system naturally?

You can keep your immune system in its best working condition by limiting stress and chronic inflammation, which may deplete the number of immune cells your body has to fight infections with.

Here are the top 10 tips to boost your immune system internally and naturally:

1. Avoid sugar and focus on organic fruits in small portions and vegetables.

Refined sugar is your immune system’s worst enemy. Research shows that high blood sugar produces molecules that interfere with the body’s natural ability to fight infections.These destructive molecules are called dicarbonyls and they are a byproduct of glucose. They interfere with certain disease-controlling antimicrobial peptides called beta-defensins.The more sugar in your diet, the less capable your body is of fighting viruses.Additionally, viruses and “bad” bacteria love to thrive on sugar. Cutting out sugar and replacing it with organic vegetables helps create an environment in the body in which disease cannot exist.Focus on high-quality, lean protein and organic fruits in small portions, ½ – 1 cup per day, and at least 4 cups of vegetables per day, which are high in key nutrients that protect the body against disease, including fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins.We recommend trying SolFuel Greens to ensure you’re getting plenty of disease-fighting nutrients and fiber from high-quality vegetables and fruits in your diet.

2. Poop everyday.

No one likes to talk about poop, but a properly functioning digestive system is the key to a healthy immune system. Why? Because nearly your entire immune system lives there.Pooping every day is an indication that your gut bacteria are working properly. It also ensures that you’re eliminating any toxins that may be present in your gut, which helps keep the rest of your body healthy.Your poop should be fully formed and not loose or runny. Many people find that taking a probiotic supplement helps with regularity.Research shows that probiotics also directly benefit the immune system by inducing the production of different cytokines or chemokines as well as T cells.Probiotics also help strengthen the intestinal barrier by increasing mucins, which are proteins that help prevent harmful bacteria from leaking through your gut into your bloodstream, and suppressing the growth of harmful bacteria.We recommend SolPro 225, which contains a high-dose probiotic formula of 225 billion CFUs to support regularity, healthy bowel function, and enhanced immune support.

3. Supplement

With the flu season in full force and the coronavirus spreading, it’s a good time to provide your immune system with additional support to help fight off viruses before you catch one.

Here are some immune-boosting supplements to consider:

4. SolGI Integrity

SolGI Integrity provides advanced digestive support, which helps boost immune system health. It contains high doses of l-glutamine to protect the lining of the gut and prevent toxins from leaking through to the bloodstream. It also contains aloevera and deglycyrrhized licorice root extract to support gut mucosal production.

5. SolVit D3

Vitamin D has been shown to boost immune health. Research shows that the vitamin D receptor, is located on immune cells, such as B cells, T cells and antigen cells. Because of this it is capable of modulating the innate adaptive immune responses. SolVit D3 is a liquid form of vitamin D, which makes it easier to absorb during times of need.

6. SolGI Protect:

SolGI Protect contains immunoglobulin G (IgG) to help boost immune system health by binding to toxins in the gut and moving them out of the body, which helps enhance microbiome balance and provides a strong gut barrier.

7. SolEssentials VireX

SolEssentials VireX (coming soon) is formulated to support NK cell kill activity and T cells. It contains a highly-purified yeast-free beta glucan extract, which helps protect cells from viral infections and destroys them through a target approach.

8. Mushroom coffee:

If you like coffee, try Four Sigmatic Mushroom Coffee to get your fix and support your immune system.

9. Elderberry

Elderberry is an antiviral herb with powerful immune-boosting abilities. Research shows that it helps reduce the duration and symptoms of the common cold. It has been shown to produce immunoprotective or immunostimulatory effects.

10. SolVit Multi

A good multivitamin can help ensure you’re meeting all your nutritional needs during times of compromise. SolVit Multi Energy & Immune provides well over the 100% RDV of proven immune-boosting nutrients, such as vitamin C, vitamin D, and several B vitamins. It also provides antioxidant support from green tea, N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA),resveratrol, and much more.

3 Primary Ways the Immune System Fights Viruses

There are three primary ways in which the immune system responds to viruses: via antibodies, interferons, or cytotoxic cells.

When a virus first enters your body, it invades your cells so that it can survive and multiply. Once a virus invades your cells, your immune system cannot “see” it and does not know that you are sick.

Luckily, your cells have a workaround to overcome this. They use molecules called MHC class I to indicate pieces of proteins from within the cell on the surface of the cell. This helps indicate to T cells (immune cells) that there is a virus inside.

Cytotoxic T cells are a type of immune cell that roams the body looking for infections. It kills cells that are infected with viruses to help prevent the virus from spreading.

However, viruses are sneaky and can stop certain cells from indicating that there is a virus inside. NK cells are a type of immune cell that looks for cells that may have fewer MHC receptors than normal, which is an indication that a virus is preventing this information from coming through.

Cells that are infected with a virus may also create and release proteins called interferons, which help prevent the virus from multiplying. They also send out signals to nearby cells that there is a virus present. This “signal” may help ensure that nearby cells increase the number of MHC class I molecules on their surface so that T cells can kill them.

Finally, your immune system can kill a virus before it enters your cells by creating antibodies, which are proteins that bind to harmful molecules and destroys them. Here is how they work:

• Antibodies neutralize the virus so that it cannot enter your cells.
• Antibodies work as a team to force viruses to stick together so that they are easier for your immune system to locate and kill.
• Antibodies activate phagocytes, which engulf the virus and destroys it.

7 Tips For Protecting Against Viral Exposures

Along with boosting your immune system from the inside out, you can take several steps to prevent yourself from viruses before they enter your body.

Follow these tips.

1.Wash your hands

We have all been alerted that the number one way to prevent your exposure to infections is to wash your hands. The WHO has a wonderful visual guide to wash your hands before touching your face or eating, especially while out in public.

However, you’ll also want to make sure your wash your hands immediately after touching these germ-laden items:

• Money
• Animals
• Handrails, doorknobs, or handles
• Restaurant menus
• Anything at all within a doctor’s office*
• Touchscreen devices and phone soap!
• Kitchen sponges and cutting boards
• Public pens
• Soap pumps and faucets

2. Fun Friend and Family Face Game

Can’t remember if you’ve been touching your face in public before you washed your hands? For fun family game, try applying a small amount of charcoal, black ink or lipstick on the tip of your fingers. If you notice any smudges on your face, then it’s time to wash your hands. You’ll be surprised!

3. Staying Protected on the go

We know it isn’t always convenient to wash your hands. When traveling in mass transit or in busy places, it can’t hurt to wear gloves or carry hand sanitizer to get you buy until you reach a faucet. It may help to carry a small 3 oz bottle of Dr. Brommers with you.

4.Clean surfaces around you.

Research shows that the corona virus can live in surfaces for nine days. That’s a lot of opportunity to come into contact with the virus, especially if it’s located in an area that you frequent often.

Clean the surfaces of your home, office space, or anywhere that you spend a lot of time frequently. To clean surfaces, it can’t hurt to carry Lysol or Clorox on the go wipes.

5.Consider wearing a face mask or scarf.

Taking control and boosting our own immune system can be top priority. Read our past blog, Top 10 Tips to Support your Immune Internally & Naturally, for more support now!

What is out of our control is the immune health of those around us in public places; a cough, sneeze or close breathing in a supermarket line can catch us off guard.

An N95 or N99 facemask or facemask with filters an option. If you’re not comfortable wearing a face mask in public, then try a scarf and spray it with an antibacterial spray, such as oregano oil. Check out this Wellness Sampler Set from Plant Therapy for immune-boosting oils.

We also recommend making sure all products that you buy right now are made in the US. Here are some US-made face masks to consider: remember something is better than nothing.

• Fishmasks Single Layer Neck Gaiter
• Classic Neck Gaiter for Maximum Sun Protection

6. Stay away.

When you’re sick, the best thing you can do is stay home to avoid transferring the virus to other people. This also helps prevent you from getting sicker.

However, you may want to practice social distancing right now even if you’re not sick. This can help limit exposure to viruses. If you can, avoid places where large amounts of people gather, such as malls, public libraries, concerts and indoor events that draw large crowds.

Finding healthy options to keep your appointments and routines is key. This is a time to start and/or keep your health regime not put it on hold.

Eating at home, working with health practitioners who offer Tele-Health and working out or starting a workout regime at home is ideal and a great way to improve resilience.

7. Keep your mouth clean.

You can take precautionary measures to avoid germs, but once you ingest them, it’s good to have a plan. Keep your mouth clean and kill oral germs by using a high-quality mouthwash.

Gum health is extremely important to boosting the immune system. It helps keep other pathogens at bay and only strengthen our ability to fight viruses.

We recommend Dr. Arenander’s BrainGain Formulas Gum Recession Help Mouthwash. It contains organic, non-GMO ingredients and nothing synthetic.

And above all, always stay up to date on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and updates!