Building a Strong Immune System

“May you live in interesting times.”

This quote is known as the Chinese curse. And while it’s doubtful this expression has any ties to China at all, few would question the curse tag given our current environment.

Everyone has been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. From an employment standpoint, there seems to be three buckets people fall into:

1. Your job is relatively location independent, and technology enables you to work from home.
2. Your job is location dependent and essential, requiring your continued presence at work.
3. Your job is location dependent and non-essential, which means your employer has put operations on hold – and your paycheck along with it.

Obviously the first bucket is the most preferable; offering protection from wage loss and infection. This represents a problem for shift workers, who, outside of a few exceptions, work in largely location dependent settings. Either you’re currently unemployed and face financial hardship, or you’re forced to report to work, increasing your risk of infection.

By this point, everyone is familiar with the tactics to ward off infection; social distancing and near obsessive attention to hygiene. The CDC has also reversed its position on the use of masks.

What’s less talked about are the lifestyle strategies that give your body the best chance at fighting infection. These strategies should be a primary focus at the best of times, but now more than ever.

 

Prioritize sleep

Regularly sleeping less than six hours per night could raise your risk of respiratory infection significantly.¹ Sleep loss can also hamper your ability to fight infection, lengthening recovery time.

As shift workers, we can’t always control how well we sleep. We do, however, have some control over the time we allot to sleep. Allow yourself enough time in bed so you at least have a chance at a proper sleep.

Sleep and Immunity – Things to Know | humanOS

 

Eat real food

Shift work is associated with increased incidence of metabolic syndrome – a cluster of conditions that also cause high levels of inflammation in the body. Add in COVID-19, which further increases inflammation, and you have a recipe for disaster. 

How can we improve inflammatory status, and with it, our chance for survival?

1. Limit omega-6 fatty acids (i.e. soybean oil) which are pro-inflammatory
2. Consume adequate omega-3’s (i.e. oily fish) which are anti-inflammatory
3. Avoid excess sugar (i.e. virtually all processed food) which induces insulin resistance directly.

In short – eat real food.

Real Food is your best defense against dying from coronavirus | Robert Lustig

 

Quit Smoking

Doctors and public health officials are beating the quit smoking drum even louder amidst the coronavirus pandemic. There are similar concerns around vaping.

“Early Covid-19 studies have shown that cigarette smokers in particular are more susceptible to the infection and suffer more severe cases.”

Along with recommending the combination of a nicotine patch with nicotine gum or lozenges, the article below offers several resources to support you in quitting.

How to Quit Smoking and Vaping During the Coronavirus Pandemic | New York Times

 

Get your vitamin D

The sun is our primary source of vitamin D. As such, it’s not surprising that shift workers and indoor workers are consistently reported as being the occupational group most likely to suffer from vitamin D deficiency. And getting adequate sunlight exposure is now harder than ever before.

Although you’re sure to hear numerous claims about how various supplements can help protect you during this time, vitamin D3 is one of the only ones with some promising research behind it.

The clip below explores the scientific literature on this topic. Although the clip is quite dry, it contains a wealth of valuable information. For those interested in supplementation, yet lacking the inclination to sit through the clip, I’ll highlight the actionable takeaways.

• The best way to determine how much vitamin D3 to supplement with is a blood test for serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], done at baseline and one month after supplementation.
• 1000 IU/day raises 25(OH)D by approximately 5 ng/mL
• A blood level below 20 ng/ml is considered deficient and below 30ng/mL is considered insufficient
• Individuals with levels between 40 to 60 ng/mL have the lowest all-cause mortality
• Not as toxic as once thought, the tolerable upper limit for vitamin D3 supplementation is 4000 IU/day for adults

The effect of vitamin D on susceptibility to COVID-19-associated lung injury | FoundMyFitness

 

Reduce stress with reduced expenses

For those now out of work, times are becoming exceedingly tough. There has been a lot of focus on stress reduction as a way to cope. And while meditation and breathing techniques are certainly helpful, they do nothing to address the underlying cause. What you really need are some actionable tactics to help your financial situation.

How to save $1000 in a Month (even in difficult times) | Ramit Sethi

Stay healthy-

Jason Glenn