Maintaining a Healthy Immune System: A Guide to Retaining Mental & Physical Wellness

HealthExerciseNutrition
Written By Samantha LaBarbara

New Yorkers are stressed. We have all been going through a lot in these past few weeks. So… we at Sarrica Physical Therapy & Wellness have decided to discuss some crucial yet simple interventions that you can include to help take care of yourself during this difficult time.

What is our immune system anyway?

Our immune system is composed of specialty cells that originate from the bone marrow and then mature in other organ systems throughout the human body. Their role is to identify pathogens, viruses, bacteria and parasites. Your immune system should then respond with the appropriate cells to defeat the foreign body. Humans who have not been exposed to COVID-19 do not have immunity to the virus (hence the term novel coronavirus- our bodies have never interacted with such a virus and aren’t always able to respond appropriately). If somebody is exposed, becomes infected, and recovers, then they developed antibodies to the antigen. In theory, those individuals would be “immune” to the virus for this “season.”

With that being said, we believe that this is a great time to think about how healthy we have been, how healthy we are being right now, and the types of changes we should consider implementing into our lives in order to keep our immune system strong going forward, well beyond the pandemic.

During these times, people are stressed. They may not be eating healthy, nutritious meals. They may not be exercising. They may not be practicing meditation and mindfulness. They may not be sleeping well, taking care of their mental health. Below are our recommendations that can help you to be well & to stay well, both physically & mentally:

Exercise:

The Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) recommends 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise. Moderate intensity qualifies as activity that challenges you at a 4-6 level out of 10 (with 10 being identified as your max effort and an inability to maintain that level of intensity). This can be done with a brisk walk, biking, circuit body weight training, or lifting weights in the 12-15 repetition range). The CDC recommends 75 minutes of vigorous intensity exercise instead of the 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise. A 7-8/10 level would be appropriate for this level of intensity. With that said, it is important to remember that high intensity exercise does increase free radical responses, so the client should ingest the appropriate carbohydrate, protein and antioxidant profile in their diet and/or through supplementation to counteract this effect. Overall, we know that exercise (especially cardiovascular activity) releases endorphins and enkephalins from the brain which decreases stress & boosts immunity.


Nutrition:

During this time, we are finding that the store shelves are bare of canned goods & non-perishables. It’s fine to have a good supply of these items, but it goes without saying that you should focus on eating healthy foods that provide good micronutrient profiles. Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals. The vitamins can be broken down into water soluble (can be excreted through urine and sweat) and fat soluble (retained storage with a more complicated excretion process). It is always advised that you consult your physician and/or registered dietician or nutritionist before taking supplementation. The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) does have a vitamin and mineral chart that discusses the effects and recommended daily value for each. You can view this with the following link: 

https://www.natrol-llc.com/FDA-Vitamin-Mineral-Chart.pdf 


Our typical recommendations are  Vitamin C (water soluble), Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin E (fat soluble) (these are the top antioxidant vitamins). Other common vitamins include Folate and Vitamins B6 & B12. The most commonly recommended minerals are Zinc, Selenium, Copper and Iron. Again, DO NOT take more than the recommended daily value, as guided by the FDA when taking over the counter (OTC) supplementation. 

These vitamins and minerals can (and should) be ingested through your diet. Here are some examples of food that are micronutrient rich:

  • Vitamin C: oranges, red bell peppers, strawberries

  • Vitamin E: spinach, broccoli, nuts & seeds

  • Vitamin A: carrots, sweet potatoes

  • Vitamin D: eggs, fish, fortified milk 

  • Zinc: beans, peas, beef, oysters, clams, crab, lobster 

  • Iron: beef, poultry, dark green vegetables

  • Vitamin B6: chickpeas, tuna fish, salmon

  • Vitamin B12: dairy, red meat, poultry, eggs, seafood

Also be aware that natural sunlight is a great source of Vitamin D. We advise going out for a 20-30 minute walk to get the proper nourishment and fresh air, but please wear a mask or face covering when proper social distancing guidelines can not be met.


Sleep:

Adults aged 18-64 require 7-9 hours of sleep per night. The quantity of sleep is important, but so is the quality of the sleep that you’re getting. So what can you do to improve the quality of your sleep? There are several strategies, and it is best to consult with your physical therapist or physician, but there are overarching guidelines to improve this. 

  • Dark, quiet room (ideally 65 degrees)

  • Eliminate screen/television lights for 1-2 hours prior to sleep

  • Use the bedroom for sleep only (brain will associate bedroom with sleep)

  • Don’t nap close to when you plan to sleep

  • Consistent sleeping & waking schedule (every day)

  • Don’t go to bed hungry

  • Exercise should be performed more than 3 hours before bedtime

  • Alcohol / Caffeine should be consumed more than 6 hours prior to bedtime 


Meditation & Breathing: 

Meditation is a very challenging practice. It is the practice of focusing on nothing, but the breath- allowing the good in and letting the bad go. Concentration meditation focuses on not allowing other thoughts to consume you while mindful meditation is the practice of being aware of wandering thoughts as they drift through the mind. You can see how your thoughts and feelings tend to move in certain patterns. Over time, you can become more aware of your tendency to quickly judge an experience as good or bad, pleasant or unpleasant. The focus is on becoming more mindful and accepting. We would not recommend starting with more than 5 minutes of meditation at one given time. The Calm App and Headspace App are our 2 favorites. You can also perform a guided meditation on Youtube. Here is an example:

 
 

We recommend appropriate breathing to the majority of our patients who are experiencing stress in their lives. The technique is called diaphragmatic breathing. This can be performed laying on your back with your knees bent. Place one hand on your chest and the other on your diaphragm (right above your stomach). The goal is to breathe into the hand on your stomach while keeping the chest relaxed. Don’t force the breath in, rather- ALLOW it in. Focus on expanding your ribs as you allow the breath in. Breathe in to a count of 4 and breathe out to a count of 8. We advise performing this for 5 minutes, twice a day. We also often recommend that patients perform their breathing exercises with essential oils. You will need an essential oil diffuser filled with water and 3-4 drops of an appropriate essential oil (lavender, peppermint, Serenity or Breath by Doterra). Here is a link to some of the Doterra essential oil products: my.doterra.com/sarricapt.

These practices have been shown short term decreases in resting heart rate, blood pressure and cortisol levels (blood and saliva samples).


Yoga Practice:

Yoga originated in India thousands of years ago, and has been extremely popular in the United States for many decades. Yoga is a mind & body practice that focuses on flexibility, core engagement, body awareness, mind-body connection, and your connection to the Earth, its elements and the people around you. The breath is a big focus in yoga as well. There are various practices that originate from different experts in different regions of the world. It has excellent effects on your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. 


Psychotherapy:

Opening up and having a transparent conversation with a specialist can help you to better understand your experiences and the effects they may be having on your wellbeing. Those experiences may be having a negative influence on you, your family, friends, and/or significant other. Psychotherapists are experts in assessing your thoughts with you. They help you to transform your negative thoughts into positive opportunities, and they will allow you to make sense of what you have control over (and what may be out of your control). 

We hope this article will help you through this time & well beyond. Below you will find the healthcare and fitness providers that we recommend to our patients. 


Who Do We Love, Trust & Recommend to You:

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us at 347-560-6920.

Dr. Paul Nasri, PT, DPT
Staff Physical Therapist, Sarrica Physical Therapy & Wellness
Staff Physical Therapist, Northwell Health- Staten Island University Hospital
Adjunct Assistant Professor, College of Staten Island, CUNY- Department of Physical Therapy
Director of Communications, New York Physical Therapy Association- BK/SI Chapter






Samantha LaBarbara https://www.lovelygrit.com
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