Globally renowned and sought-after medical professional Dr. Joel Lopez shares his five “S” lifestyle approaches to help strengthen the immune system, which gobbles up bacteria and blocks viruses to help prevent illnesses amid the pandemic.
Supplement
Aside from the basics such as opting for a healthy diet, Lopez said it is important to supplement nowadays as “we are not getting enough of the nutrients in our food anymore” except consuming primarily organic.
Food nowadays is not as nutritious as it used to be. He said with conventional farming, “we find that the minerals in our food are not that optimal.”
A US-trained integrative medicine physician and certified nutrition specialist shared the primary supplements for strengthening immunity against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Vitamin C which is not just an antioxidant but also an anti-infective in higher doses, antitumoral as well as helps with other conditions when given in high doses like 25,000 mg intravenously.
Vitamin D3 can be obtained from the sunlight but this can be taken when one cannot spend enough time under the sunlight 15 to 30 minutes a day.
“It is not only good for your bones because it is also an immune modulator,” which means that it balances the immune system, “it is good especially for the inflammatory phase of COVID-19 illness,” Lopez said.
Zinc is a mineral that has antiviral properties, and it interferes with the transcription and translation of the messenger ribonucleic acid.
“The bioflavonoid, called quercetin, which is normally found in onions and potatoes and what it does is to facilitate the entry of zinc into your cell — zinc ionophore,” Lopez said.
Others that help facilitate the entry of zinc into the cells include phosphatidylcholine and epigallocatechin gallate found in green tea.
These are the basics for those who want to boost their immune system.
But because of the COVID-19, other medications are being recommended by physicians such as N-acetylcysteine to raise glutathione and help dissolve mucus; melatonin, normally secreted during sleep, is responsible for regeneration and repair as well as regulating the sleep-wake cycles; and omega-3 fatty acids which have anti-inflammatory properties.
“Timing of recommendations of supplements or medications is really important,” he said.
Sunlight
Vitamin D3 stimulates the production of adenosine monophosphate (AMP) or cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide. It fights viruses or bacteria especially during the winter months.
“When people do not have enough sun exposure, we do not have enough of this AMP,” Lopez explained and as a result, they are more prone to viral infections.
During the winter months, which is equivalent to the rainy season in the Philippines, there are a lot of viral infections going on, not just COVID-19 but also dengue, common colds and influenza, among others, because there is not enough sun exposure.
“If we are not getting enough sunlight, then another option would be to take the right dose of supplements such as cod liver oil, omega-3 supplementation and vitamin D3 so they would do good,” Lopez said.
Sleep
Adults should try to go to sleep between 10 and 11 p.m. “Any light source in the bedroom would prevent the secretion of melatonin,” he said, adding it is important to wear an eye band/mask to stimulate the release of melatonin otherwise melatonin supplement may be taken.
Smile
“We secrete endorphins or enkephalins, which are natural opioid-like substances that our body produces,” Lopez said. These make people feel good and when they feel good, “we are helping our immune system; so it is important to laugh and think positive.”
And when there is a lot of fear, it causes the body to produce stress hormones or catecholamines, raising the blood pressure and increasing the heart rate.
If cortisol, referred to as the death hormone, remains chronically elevated, it would cause a lot of problems such as suppressing the immune system, Lopez said.
Sex
Sex hormones are important for regeneration and repair. As people age, the levels of sex hormone begin to decline. When hormones begin to decline, that is when the signs and symptoms of aging begin to happen, and among these conditions include immunosenescence which is defined as immune system aging.
“When we have an aging immune system, it would make us more prone to develop infections and tumors as we age,” Lopez said, adding that in this age group, “we see a lot of infections as well as cancers.”
It is important to strengthen the immune system as they age, he noted, and that includes optimizing everything including their hormones, nutrients, neurotransmitters and having more of the anti-inflammatory state in their bodies.
“All of my patients come to me because they want a different approach in medicine,” Lopez said, as many of them have been to conventional doctors and a typical approach would be giving them medications to treat the symptoms.
In his practice, he tries to look for the underlying cause of illness. “Our approach is more personalized as everybody is different,” he pointed out.
Nutrition is important, he stressed. “Our genes are the loaded gun and environment is the trigger… Anyone in the family may have a tendency to develop cancer but not everybody develops cancer.”
After all, it would still depend on one’s (healthy) diet or (good) lifestyle.
Disclaimer: This article should never be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from a doctor.
