“If the normal qi is stored in the interior, pathogens cannot attack.”
Normal qi is our overall strength / vitality, which is the foundation of our immune system. Quite simply, if we are strong enough we will not get sick. Chinese medicine has a profound understanding on how to build this holistically.
Want to boost your Immune System? Improve you Microbiome!
As many of you know, I am a big advocate of gut health. Our microbiome (good and bad bacteria effects everything from our immune system to weight gain to the obvious GI disorders to mental health and chronic disease. Did You Know that
Your GUT houses 70 percent of the cells that make up your immune system.”
Before we make changes in our diet and lifestyle it is imperative to know what we are dealing with. The Thryve test is the best that I know for determining the specific percentages of our gut bacteria. From this data we can figure out what specific foods and supplements we need. Usually this test runs anywhere from $150-$199, but because of COVID-19, it is $60, using the code: “TOGETHER”. Many of my clients have already taken advantage of this AND I am not sure how long this will last, so act fast.
I have extensive training in treating the microbiome as well as interpreting the raw data of these tests once you have the results. Thryve’s interface for the data is not that helpful and is geared more to sell you their probiotic, which may be fine, but you can do so much better with the information you get! I can help you with this. This is probably the most important and inexpensive test out there to improve a wide-range of issues and diseases, as well as just long-term health. Their website is here.
Long story short, if you want to support your overall immune system for COVID-19 and stay strong, this is one of the best ways!
TIP: Did you know that many of the immune enhancers we use work by feeding the good bacteria such as some mushrooms and my favorite for COVID-19, Larch Tree Bark. They are prebiotics! See my article on prebiotics here.
Parasite cleanses are popular, as the mere thought of crawling creatures living inside of us is frightening. Did you know that the herbs that kill parasites, as well as bacteria, fungus, candida, & viruses, often significantly damage our microbiome (our good bacteria and hence immune system). Knowing this, I did an experiment on myself to get some real data. I tested my microbiome before and after a 2 month gentle parasite cleanse. If I would have known how damaging this was I would not have done this. It dramatically reduced my good bacteria. Fortunately I know how to heal my microbiome :).
1. Be very careful when using herbs to kill organisms in the body, there is often collateral damage that is hard to foresee. This is why nourishing the good bacteria, creating a healthy terrain that does not allow bad organisms to grow, and work on building the immune system is a solid way to eliminate harmful pathogens.
2. Many cleanses create problems, from collateral damage, to not fully eliminating toxins from the body. Please see my previous post on the topic of cleanses for more information.
3. Modern testing is finding more and more parasites than ever before, many are microscopic. There is much debate about how harmful many of these are, if at all. We evolved with parasites and organisms, just eliminating things something is not the best idea. Be very clear which parasite you have and evaluate how harmful it actually is before attacking it. I do not trust muscle testing and other fridge methods to determine this, get a stool test from a reputable company. If not severe, consider gentle methods to boost the immune system first.
4. There is a time and place for cleanses and killing parasites. It is best to work with a health practitioner that is level-headed around this matter and understands the risks.
I want to share one of the most useful and inexpensive tests that you can order yourself to improve your gut health. As many of you know, gut health is a major interest for me. This is not only because it is a major factor in a large percentage of diseases, such as autoimmune diseases, but because improving gut health leads to greater vitality and health.
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