BOOSTING ANTIVIRAL

good fats, and fruits and vegetables. You want a whole-foods diet. Fruits and vegetables have various vitamins, antioxidants and phytonutrients that can be immune supportive.” —Bock

“Eat as many raw fruits and vegetables as possible, and avoid added sugar in your diet. Consuming added sugar shuts down your immune system. Drink the appropriate amount of water daily—the general calculation is half your weight in ounces. Depending on your lifestyle, you may need more or less.” —Farquharson

Boosting Antiviral Immunity There’s currently no vaccine for Covid-19, but there are ways to support our immune system to stay as healthy as possible

Our bodies are equipped with an amazing and complex immune system. It doesn’t just protect us from pathogens daily; it also remembers when we encounter them again, delivering an even faster, more precise attack. Our immune system is constantly fine-tuning its ability to recognize and defend us from viruses and other pathogens. But since Covid-19 is a novel coronavirus—that is, brand-new to humans—our bodies haven’t had a chance to develop immunity to it yet. According to Kenneth Bock, M.D., of Bock Integrative Medicine, in Red Hook, a good coronavirus strategy is to boost our immune systems with the goal of mitigating the adverse effects of infection. “Nobody’s immune system has seen this, and therefore it certainly takes time for a primary immune response,” he says. “The whole idea is to have your immune system ready. Support the immune system. Make it as strong as possible.”

Fortunately there are things we can do to strengthen our general antiviral immunity and give our bodies the best chance of by Marilee Burrell

staying healthy during this pandemic. We asked several local wellness practitioners to share their best immune-boosting advice for Natural Awakenings readers. In addition to Bock, we received tips from Aston Farquharson, president and CEO of Beacon-based NuSpecies, which makes whole-food nutritional supplements; Kurt Beil, a Westchester naturopath and acupuncturist; Laurie R. Mallis, M.D., owner of SearchLight Medical, in Hopewell Junction; and Somesh Kaushik, owner of Dr. Kaushik’s Ayurvedic and Naturopathic Clinic, in Cross River. What to Eat If food is medicine, then eating (and drinking) wisely, not just well, is important to keeping our bodies in virus-fighting shape. Here are some nutritional dos and don’ts: “You want to avoid sugar and sweets. Sugar can impair the action of some of the immune cells, including phagocytes, which are involved in dealing with infectious agents. And eat very healthy, lean protein,

22 Westchester/Putnam/Dutchess NY Edition WakeUpNaturally.com “Drink plenty of clear fluids, like water and tea; eat a healthy, nutrient-rich diet, especially fruits and vegetables; get sufficient amounts of sleep; avoid stress; and reduce or eliminate your consumption of sugar, processed foods and tobacco [smoking].”—Beil

“Drink hot soups cooked with ginger and turmeric every day.” —Kaushik

“Boost your immune system by using local honey if it’s available in your area. This has multiple benefits, including helping with seasonal allergies.” —Mallis

Practice Smart Supplementing Some of our most effective medicines were derived from natural sources, and natural remedies can play a powerful role in preventive health. Before taking any new supplement, review it with your healthcare provider and ask about possible interactions. It’s also important to choose highquality supplements from trusted brands. Note: The Ayurvedic remedies mentioned below are available at Kaushik’s clinic in Cross River. Shipping is available.

“Some (supplements) are effective at addressing other, similar infections, including other previous strains of coronavirus. These items may interact with pre-existing medications or health conditions, so check with a qualified provider about contraindications and dosing before taking any of the following: elderberry extract, astragalus root extract, lemon balm, osha root extract,

Historically, homeopathy has had remarkable success during epidemics, and homeopathic practitioners are part of the global effort to find effective treatments for COVID-19, says Susanne Saltzman, M.D., owner of Hartsdale Homeopathy.

“During the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918 that killed millions globally, homeopathic physicians often had mortality rates of less than 1 percent in most cases,” Saltzman says. “Homeopathic medicines were administered based on the unique, individualized symptoms of the disease, which, like COVID-19, may differ from person to person and region to region.” Currently a worldwide network of homeopathic practitioners from India, Asia, Europe and the Americas are coordinating to better understand and address the novel coronavirus, she says.

“They’re communicating to share information on their experiences with this virus in an effort to ascertain the most important homeopathic medicines to have on hand during this crisis,” she says. “I will make this information available once we have a more complete picture.” For more information about homeopathic medicine, visit HartsdaleHomeopathy.com. For appointments, contact Saltzman at 914.649.4109 or susannesaltzman@aol.com. See ad, page 13. Homeopathic Practitioners Coordinating on Coronavirus Effort

garlic, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin C and probiotics (particularly Lactobacillus and Bifido species).” —Beil

“Take 2000 mg of vitamin C three times a day, and Ayurvedic herbal remedies to boost the immune system, such as vasa plex, immunity plex, amla juice, giloy and chyawanprash, twice a day.” —Kaushik

Supplement with vitamins C, A and D; Omega-3 fatty acids; probiotics; transfer factor; arabino galactides or beta glucans; olive leaf extract; astragalus; curcumin; resveratrol; zinc and selenium can boost immunity—but dosage matters. “Don’t be deceived into taking a one-a-day, very-lowpotency vitamin and mineral that includes everything but in amounts so low that they’re really not consequential. But you should also recognize that with fat-soluble vitamins, such as A and D, you have to take reasonable doses, because if you take them for months and months at high doses, they can become toxic.” —Bock

“Use powerful whole-food supplements for the whole family.” NuSpecies makes NuSpecies organic herbal formulas

and sells their own liquid whole-food, raw, organic immune-supportive supplements locally, and its naturopathic doctors will provide free consultations to devise a supplement plan. —Farquharson

“One of the ways that the coronavirus is dangerous is it provokes intense inflammation. Nutrients that appear to have anti-inflammatory activities on board, like vitamin D, Omega-3 and probiotics, may help. It’s most important to get high-quality Omega-3s and probiotics that don’t have mercury, PCPs or chemicals.” —Bock

Keep the Lymph Moving A properly functioning lymphatic system—composed of lymphatic vessels along with lymph nodes in the neck, armpit, elbows, abdomen, groin and behind the knees—is essential to immunity from virus, says Jodi Kennedy, DC, owner of Integrity Chiropractic, in Mahopac. “This vital system is responsible for removing foreign material like bacteria and viruses, recycling proteins and other nutrients, and shuttling the white blood cells around your body that are necessary to combat the flu,” she says. Today’s sedentary lifestyle can cause lymphatic congestion, she says, and poor posture causes muscle tension that compresses the lymphatic vessels “like a foot on a hose,” inhibiting their immunefighting capacity. To promote lymphatic drainage, Kennedy suggests these five steps:

 Jump on a rebounder trampoline daily for 10 minutes.

 Using a gentle circular motion, massage the chest, armpit, abdomen, groin, front of the neck and backs of the knees for 30 seconds daily.

 Stretch: Roll your neck from side to side, turn your arms palm up and down, and do large arm circles. Stretch your arms behind your back and over your head to expand your chest and ribcage. Stretch your heel to your buttock and do a lunge.

 Eat Spanish black radish and garlic.

 Drink plenty of plain water—half your body weight in ounces.

Dr. Jodi Kennedy offers a free 20-minute consultation. For appointments, call 845.628.7233 or visit IntegrityChiropractic.net. Integrity Chiropractic is located at 11 Miller Rd., Mahopac, NY, in the Gorman Park.

Lake Mahopac Pharmacy Holistic compounding pharmacy with a large selection of homeopathic remedies, flower essences, vitamins and herbal supplements for adults and children. Nagi Wissa, Pharmacist  559 Rt. 6, Mahopac 845.208.0424 LakeMahopacPharmacy.com

NuSpecies Supplements Liquid, raw, organic immune-supportive supplements. Naturopathic doctors available for free consultations. Email or call first for pick up at the following locations, or shop online for shipping. 845.440.7458; NuSpecies.com  427 Main Street Beacon  7A E. Prospect Avenue Mt. Vernon  241-01 Linden Blvd Elmont  9522 Seaview Avenue Brooklyn

Dr. Kaushik’s Ayurvedic and Naturopathic Clinic Call to order Ayurvedic herbal supplements. Pick up or mailing available. 914.875.9088; DrKaushik.com  792 Route 35, Yellow Monkey Village, Cross River

Local Elderberry Syrup is now available at Pound Ridge Organics Farmhouse.  22 Westchester Ave, Pound Ridge Info: 914.764.3006 poundridgeorganics.com

Adopt Healthy Habits While it’s important to rest at the first sign of illness, moderate exercise is a great habit for keeping the body healthy. Fresh air, movement and sunshine—the ultimate source of vitamin D—can do wonderful things for our mood and immune system. Luckily, most of the trails in our area are open, and they lend themselves to social distancing, so it’s easy to add walking to a preventive health plan. That’s just one of many potent lifestyle changes that are easy to adopt.

“Exercise for 40 to 60 minutes, three to four days a week.” —Farquharson

“Pranayama is very beneficial, along with other yoga asanas, for boosting immunity.” —Kaushik

“Exercise can be as simple as going for a walk. Any exercise will increase your endorphins, elevating your mood and improving your immune system.” —Mallis

Get good sleep every night. —Kaushik

Find a guided-imagery meditation you connect to—there are plenty online—and practice slow, deep breathing as you listen to it. Do this as often as you need, but at least once in the morning, before starting your day, and once again before bedtime. —Mallis

“Take care of your other health conditions, since the physical and mental stress of being sick suppresses the body’s ability to fight disease.” —Kaushik

24 Westchester/Putnam/Dutchess NY Edition WakeUpNaturally.com Energy treatments and modalities like Reiki and qigong can balance qi and open blocked energy. — Mallis

Keep It in Perspective Stress depresses our immune system, so there’s a physiological reason to be mindful of the facts about coronavirus and keep our thoughts proactive and positive. Here are some important considerations to keep in mind:

“For most people even a severe case of infection will not be life-threatening. The most common symptoms include mild fever, sore throat and cough.” —Beil

“Keep yourself calm. Remember that 80 percent of people with no underlying health issues will have a mild infection or no symptoms at all. Anxiety, stress and depression are the biggest causes of lowering your immune system.” —Mallis

Hit Reset By forcing us out of our complacency and disrupting our lives, coronavirus has given us an unprecedented opportunity to hit the reset button. A lot of the immune-boosting tips these providers have shared are things we could have been doing all along. We can’t control a virus, but there’s a lot we can control.

That means dropping bad habits—if you smoke or vape, now’s the time to quit—and picking up good ones.

Start your morning with meditation, journaling, yoga or spiritual reading to set the tone of the day. Plan out healthy meals, teas and supplements for the day ahead. Keep the positive momentum going with exercise, and perhaps schedule a walk or hike for the afternoon and a phone visit with a friend or two at night.

Whatever healthy habit you start today is a good start.

10 Healthy Ways to Deal with Covid–19 by George Gertner, DC Get restful sleep. Unplug before bedtime. Keep your sleep schedule consistent. Use stress-management techniques. Meditation lowers the body’s inflamma- tory response. Exercise. Deep breathing stimulates the lymphatic system to detox body. Be positive! Focus on healthy emotions instead of panicking. If your attention is on being sick, you will likely get sick. Instead, focus on health and caring for each other. Connect with nature. Spring’s fresh air, sunlight and greenery are good for us, physically and emotionally. Get healthy nutrition. Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables; limit processed meats. Take supplements. I recommend a high dosage of vitamin C, as well as supple- ments with anti-inflammatory properties (turmeric, ginger, aloe vera, adaptigens). Act for the common good. Respect the scientific effort worldwide to contain coronavirus. Minimize your travel and practice social distancing. Protect yourself and others. Wash your hands. Avoid rubbing your eyes, nose and mouth. Get your chiropractic adjustment. Regular chiropractic care is a preventive tool that boosts immunity. And remember these uplifting words from Deepak Chopra: “Understand that whatever happens we are all in this together. This is an opportunity to change to a completely healthy lifestyle and respect life.”

Dr. George Gertner is the owner of Upper Cervical Chiropractic of New York, located at 311 North St., #410, White Plains, NY. For appointments, call 914.686.6200 or visit ucc-ny.com. See ad, page 63.