Natural health: I feel run down after Covid infection even though I've recovered

Vitamin D3 is an important nutrient in supporting immune health

Mon, 24 Jan, 2022 - 02:00

Megan Sheppard

I got a mild dose of Covid before Christmas. I’ve fully recovered but feel run down. What would you suggest?

It’s good to hear you are ready to replenish your energy stores. Vitamin D3 is an important nutrient in supporting immune health — prevention, treatment, and recovery. Vitamin C is another nutrient we associate with immune health and recovery from illness. It is best obtained from botanical sources, such as kiwi, rosehips, amla berry, camu camu, and acerola cherry. If you take vitamin C in supplement form, then look for a product that includes one or more of these ingredients.

Zinc and selenium are essential minerals for rebuilding your immune health and are found in nuts, seeds, and shellfish. Pumpkin seeds are a good source of zinc as are Brazil nuts for selenium — although you can also take a multimineral supplement. Magnesium is another mineral to consider, particularly if you feel achy or tired. It is best absorbed when used topically and taken as a supplement. Take 400mg of magnesium daily, and aim for a daily dose of 20-40mg for zinc and 100mcg for selenium.

The mitochondria are known as the powerhouse of the cells, playing an essential role in converting food to energy and regulating innate immunity, among other functions. Glutathione, which protects the mitochondria, is an antioxidant produced in the liver from the amino acids glycine, cysteine, and glutamine. While you can supplement with Glutathione, you can also increase your levels of it by consuming cruciferous vegetables, mushrooms, leafy greens, asparagus, and avocado. Bee pollen is an excellent source of all 22 essential amino acids, so it is no surprise that it is such a potent energy-boosting superfood.

You might also want to consider consuming super greens such as spirulina, chlorella, wheatgrass, barley grass, and blue-green algae — many companies formulate products combining all of these and more. Medicinal mushrooms are another superfood family worth investing in — look for shiitake, reishi, lion’s mane, cordyceps, chaga, maitake, and turkey tail. Dark berries, grapes, and any natural foods rich in purple/blue colouring are high in antioxidants. Along with other black foods (black beans, black sesame, black rice, seaweed), they are considered to support ‘jing’ energy in Traditional Chinese Medicine. ‘Jing’ is thought to provide deep nourishment and build energy reserves.

Make sure to allow time for the post-recovery phase. We can be quite restless when it comes to illness and become impatient patients. While getting quality sleep and plenty of fluids, it is crucial to grant ourselves the time and space to recover and replenish.

My 14-year-old daughter frequently gets mouth ulcers. Is there a natural remedy she could use?

One of the main reasons we develop mouth ulcers is stress — physical and emotional. It follows that one or more of the B vitamins are often deficient in people who suffer from recurrent mouth ulcers. The B-group of vitamins comprises eight different water-soluble vitamins that work synergistically together. While vitamin B3 is typically indicated for mouth ulcers, it is best to find a good B-complex supplement to take full advantage of how these nutrients perform when taken in conjunction with each other.

Research in the US and Norway has shown that 80% of people with mouth ulcers experience relief from their symptoms when they switch to an SLS-free toothpaste. Sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) is an ingredient found in many shampoos, kinds of toothpaste, and body washes as a foaming agent. However, there is now a wide range of SLS-free oral hygiene products available.

Topically, rinsing with warm salty water can help. This can be quite painful with open sores in the mouth but is highly effective at healing the ulcers and keeping pathogenic bacteria at bay.