COVID  has every one focused on how NOT to get sick.  Don’t let that virus in! We know the basics.  Wash your hands!  Don’t pick your nose!

BUT……..What happens when Covid (or any virus) sneaks in anyway? How is your defense system?  

It is felt that when we are first born, we are protected by an “innate immune system.”  Then, as we continue to live, we also have an “adaptive immune system.”  This system can change and adapt as the enemy changes.  It LEARNS!  How can we have a healthy, adaptive immune system?  Are there things we can do to make it function more (or less) effectively?

ABSOLUTELY, THE ANSWER IS YES!  Our immune systems are affected by our environment, our lifestyles and our choices.

There is a LOT we can do to protect ourselves.  And there is a lot we can do to harm. ourselves.  Let’s look at just one way today.    (And others in future blogs)

There is general agreement that mental health and physical health are connected.  There is a “mind-body” connection.  This truth has been validated by research.  A healthy emotional lifestyle can lead to improved health.  I am not just talking about fewer tension headaches.  A healthy lifestyle can help you fight off infections!    ( Look at these studies which show that a healthy, less stressful lifestyle can  lead to increased resistance to colds and respiratory infections after purposeful inoculation of nasal passages with rhinovirus or influenza virus [411,412].)

So if we can help extinguish the Covid pandemic by fostering a healthy, less stressful environment, how do we do that?  Could we fight back against Covid simply by being nice to each other?  Think about it.   No one feels better after they have been yelled at, ignored, or belittled.  In our current environment, there is an awful lot of noise.  Everyone has an opinion and it seems that there is a lot of shouting and very little listening going on.  We may not be able to extinguish the Covid virus, but we can strive to treat others well.  Let’s quit yelling.  Let’s let others speak and really listen.  Let’s start to care about the people around us – whether they are like us or different from us.  

 So………..This is a suggestion of one way to boost your immune system, and help in the fight against this pandemic. It is simply this…..

SPEAK KINDLY TO ONE ANOTHER!!

Gracious words are like a honey-comb, sweetness to the soul and HEALTH to the body!   –  Proverbs 16:24