Every year as the temperatures begin to drop the inevitable flu viruses and pneumonia make their rounds through work, schools, and social events resulting in lost time at work, missed days at school, and miserable days sick at home. It can really put our immune systems to the test but can also be a dangerous scenario for many with certain health issues and compromised immune systems, myself included. This year we've been introduced to a new strain of the coronavirus, COVID-19, which is an acute respiratory and novel coronavirus pneumonia. As health officials and governments around the world attempt to minimize the spread of this virus and work overtime in labs to create medicines, there has been a broad range of reactions from the general public from panic and fear to no concern whatsoever. Those two extremes tend to be when we make some of our worst decisions and fear causes intense stress to the body that will further lower the immune systems natural ability to respond to its daily functions much less to any pathogens it may encounter. In order to make the best decisions for ourselves and those around us is vital to be informed about everything that is available to help mitigate the risk of becoming ill and spreading contagious diseases.
As this progressed I began getting a lot of calls, texts, and messages from people who are familiar with my health journey and know that I integrate western medicine with natural alternatives and research everything before putting it in my body. I learned that lesson the hard way. Today I am sharing the Top 5 supplements that I use as preventatives to help protect myself from becoming sick that will also continue as remedies should I become exposed to any bacterial or viral disease.
How Serious Is It?
Before we dive into the supplements it's important to have a healthy mindset that is not one of fear but also understands the seriousness of contagious diseases.
Pneumonia: According to the World Health Organization, pneumonia is the single largest infectious cause of death in children worldwide with most occurring in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa but many people are diagnosed with this acute respiratory infection of the lungs. The causes of pneumonia can be bacterial, viral, or fungi. When a person becomes infected the small sacs in the lungs that normally fill with air when a person breathes instead fill with pus and fluid. Breathing becomes painful and difficult and oxygen intake is limited.
Symptoms of pneumonia may include:
pain with cough
difficult or painful breathing
shortness of breath
fever, sweating and shaking chills
fast breathing or lower chest indrawing (chest retracts during inhalation)
wheezing
fatigue
nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
below normal body temperature (in adults older than age 65 and people with weak immune systems)
Newborns and infants may not show any sign of the infection. Or they may display some of the following:
vomit
fever
cough
restless or tired and without energy
difficulty breathing and eating
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