Supporting Immunity and Fertility During the Novel Corona Virus Pandemic
We’re all on edge during this ongoing crisis, but there are things you can do now to reduce your risk of exposure or needing hospitalization should you contract the virus. In this article, I’m going to review various strategies that support immune function, overall health — that can also help improve fertility.
First and most importantly, know your risk. People who are insulin resistant, hypertensive, or overweight due to metabolic syndrome will likelier need hospitalization due to pneumonia or respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) after becoming ill. Individuals who smoke or have respiratory dysfunction are also at higher risk. That said, someone may appear to be healthy or fit, but still have insulin resistance or hypertension without prior awareness. All that said, your best bet, regardless of your health status, is to avoid consuming sugar and processed carbs, refined vegetable & seed oils (trans fats), smoking and alcohol consumption.
The reality is, we can all benefit from a healthy lifestyle, especially if we’re planning to start a family soon. If you know or suspect you have insulin resistance or other health issues, it’s especially important to quarantine and address those concerns ASAP. If you currently follow a healthy diet & lifestyle, and are part of the lower-risk (young & healthy) population, — social distancing, hand-washing, and mask-wearing in public (without touching your face) are the minimum you should be doing to reduce your risk..
Here are a dozen more things we can all do to improve our immunity to the corona virus (SARS-CoV-2):
Avoid smoking, processed sugars/carbs & alcohol. Okay, one small 4-5 oz glass of red wine 3 days per week is maybe okay — but that’s it. Just sayin… less is more, especially when it comes to fertility. Alcohol is inflammatory & the excess sugar is no bueno.
Stick to a Whole foods, Paleo, Keto, Carnivore or Mediterranean diet & avoid foods that are inflammatory for you. Avoid personal food allergies (such as dairy or gluten) and fish that are high in heavy metals (like albacore tuna). There isn’t a one-size-fits-all when it comes to proper nutrition, but do your best to avoid anything processed, sugar, and harmful oils (vegetable, canola, palm, peanut, etc.). This might even be an excellent time to experiment with an elimination diet if you aren’t feeling your best.
Eat organic & grass-fed as much as possible. Personally, we do deliveries via Butcher Box, Crowd Cow, and White Oak Pastures . You can also contact a local farm utilizing sustainable & organic practices to see if they have delivery options. I bet they do :)
Filter your water. Personally, I love my Berkey, but do your research. Find a system that’s best for your location, needs & household. Avoid drinking out of plastic water bottles if you can — they’re bad for your health & the environment.
Avoid chemicals in personal & household cleaning products. Here is a wonderful resource that is local to me, and you can order online… Always support your local businesses :)
Get 7-9 hours of sleep - this is a must for immunity & proper hormone function. As mentioned, magnesium can help. Personally, I love Four Sigmatics Reishi hot cocoa in the evenings, for winding down. If you struggle with sleep, try out some blue-blockers or a weighted-blanket. In our clinic, we have several herbal formulas containing ziziphus that can also help.
Take 600-2100 mg of Ashwagandha per day. Ashwagandha is an amazing adaptogen that can improve fertility and immunity. I prefer to take it in the evening with dinner, and not only does it help chill me out before bed, I notice better energy each following day. However, caution if you’re on thyroid meds or have a night-shade allergy. It's amazing for thyroid health, but if you’re already on a T4 thyroid med like Synthroid, or Levo — it can exacerbate the effects potentially putting you in the hyper zone. Again, no bueno.
Take up to 1200 mg. of N-Acetyl-Cysteine (NAC) - NAC can convert to glutathione which protects your cells from oxidative damage. It also helps to improve both egg and sperm quality. It’s antiviral and helps with insulin resistance & PCOS. Organic, free-range eggs are also an excellent source of cysteine. This supplement is especially important if you’re already ill with the virus or flu. Healthy individuals can take 600 mg daily. Otherwise 1200-1400 mg is ideal (if you’re sick).
Consume adequate electrolytes, including Magnesium & Potassium, especially if you know you’re deficient. Magnesium also helps you make melatonin; improves sleep & supports proper hormone function. My favorite is Magnesium threonate. Potassium deficiency is now a trending factor in patients who are being hospitalized for COVID-19, so it’s important to get enough, now more than ever.
On that note… Limit coffee because it can inhibit magnesium absorption & Include more magnesium & potassium rich foods like avocados, fatty fish, raw flax & pumpkin seeds. I often tell my fertility patients to eat an avocado or sweet potato every day (if they enjoy it). Avocados provide enough potassium (more than a banana) and healthy fat to support fertility — and you need adequate amounts of cholesterols to make sex hormones for conception. They also contain fewer oxalates compared to raw spinach.
Eat more Organic Dark chocolate (over 70% dark). Not only is it a magnesium rich food, but dark chocolate consumption can double your natural killer cells if consumed over a 21 day period in the right quantity. Natural killer cells go to bat for you; fight influenza; viruses and inflammation. Dark chocolate is also great for stress…
Which leads us to… Stress Management. Easier said than done, am I right? Do your best. Acupuncture can help, so can yoga and gardening… Whatever works for you, just remember to be kind to yourself. We’re all in this together.
And if it’s not obvious enough, all of the above recommendations have amazing benefits for fertility & overall health & wellness, not just for avoiding (or surviving) the novel corona virus. Without a doubt, If you already have thyroid dysfunction, gut issues, an irregular cycle, PCOS, or metabolism issues — you’re likely to have underlying insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, or some other condition negatively affecting your immune response & disrupting your hormones. Whatever’s going on, we can help you get to the bottom of it. In our clinic, we also have tests that can help give us answers if you have unexplained symptoms. If you’d like to set up a telehealth or virtual consultation, we’d be happy to give you personalized feedback on your specific case. Above all, check with your Dr. before beginning any new supplement regiment.
In our clinic, we’re still seeing a limited number of patients, outfitted in PPE gear. Appointments are spaced out to avoid contact with others so you have the waiting room to yourself. All surfaces, every door knob and light switch (you name it) is thoroughly disinfected to prevent cross contamination between appointments. We are taking every precaution. For more info or details, you can reach out personally — our number is 512-302-5600. Inquiries can also be sent to admin@texasfertilityacupuncture.com
If you have acupuncture coverage through Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS), we’re now in-network & we’ll have you covered. Contact us to begin the verification process. We’d love to help!