Fear not—only you can stand in your own way
Like so many of us in our wonderful community, I was blessed with an amazing heritage. My grandmother was Cherokee and my family has Ghanaian, Togo and even Eastern European Jewish heritage. Wow. Quite a mix.
One common denominator about each unique ancestry in my family is the ability to overcome and thrive no matter what. Raised on a Navajo reservation in Arizona where my father taught for the BIA, my wonderful parents gave me a clear and powerful belief: “No one can make me a victim.”
My mother often said, “Only you can stand in your own way.”
I was raised to remain true to three things: family, faith, and focus on my goals. From those days on the reservation to today, I have never allowed anything to keep me from my goals. That is how I became a successful medical doctor.
What does this have to do with a medical article about COVIDs? Because today I see too many in our community being led down the path of fear, not common sense. The command “Fear not!” appears in the Bible over 500 times for a reason.
Do you remember “Fourteen days to flatten the curve of COVIDs infections”? One year later we now know so much more about COVIDs.
Does it exist? Of course. Is it deadly? For some, yes, it can be. But not for the majority of us. The elderly, obese, and those with lung or heart disease, diabetes and cancer should be protected and cautious.
But what about the rest of us? As Mark Rosenberg, MD, a physician and researcher, says, “Make yourself hard to kill.”
Today, debates are still waged over masks and lockdowns and vaccines. My message is clear: Keep yourself well informed. Listen to more than one source. Question boldly. Even of me.
Use common sense, but most importantly do not cower in fear. As Dr. Rosenberg preaches, “Make yourself hard to kill!”
And how do we do that? Just as you strengthen a muscle or a bone by working it harder, the same holds true for your all-important immune system—the system that protects you from infections.
Seventy percent of our immune system is made of many trillions of friendly bacteria living in our gut. That’s right. Friendly bacteria make up a big part of our immune system.
A poor diet, overuse of antibiotics, and even lack of sleep can all harm our all-important immune system. Just like our bones and muscles, our immune systems must be constantly challenged with bacteria and viruses to remain strong. Constantly wiping down every hard object in our path removes vital bacteria and viruses that can make and keep our immune systems stronger, not weaker.
So what do we do? Here are three suggestions to “make yourself hard to kill.”
- Use vitamin C, vitamin D3 and zinc.
- Adjust your daily diet, exercise and sleep.
- Know how to prevent COVIDs from doing harm in our lungs.
1. Take vitamin C, vitamin D3 and zinc daily
According to Dr. Tom Levy, cardiologist, attorney, and expert in vitamin C, it can help rebuild our immune systems at 20 different levels. TWENTY! Dr. Levy teaches that we can safely take far more vitamin C than many recommend. He advises to take vitamin C to “bowel tolerance,” when your tummy starts gurgling.
Most of us can take at least 4-6,000 mg daily. Divide your dose by three. Take one dose in the morning, afternoon and at night. For example, many take 2,000 mg three times a day.
Those of us living in the cold north don’t get much sun during the winter, and we need sun to make our own vitamin D. Many can take 5,000 iu daily. Always check with your doctor.
Zinc also fights viruses like COVIDs. Daily, many take at least 20 mg of elemental zinc (that means the actual amount of zinc in each pill or lozenge.) Read the label carefully.
2. Consider your diet, exercise and sleep
Know your enemies! What you put in your mouth is totally under your control. Sugar and fried foods are your biggest enemies. Period.
Minimize the sugar. It is the number-one enemy to your immune system. That includes pizza, pastries and pastas that convert to sugars inside your body.
Eat more proteins, veggies, and a few fruits. And as much as many of us love our fried foods, understand that this is why too many of us are overweight. Obesity is a major contributor to COVIDs-related deaths.
For exercise, walk! Jog. Park your car farther away when shopping. Take the stairs. Breathe deeply. And sleep is critical. It is when we repair our bodies to fight for the next day. Try to get 7-8 hours whenever you can.
3. Protect your lungs.
We now know that people die from COVIDs when weakened lungs flood with fluids. There are two substances called IL-6 and TNF-a that cause that. More importantly, we now know how to prevent that!
Dr. Rosenberg points out there are seven supplements that protect our lungs from COVIDs fluid overload. These are:
- Tart cherry juice
- Curcumin
- Cocoa extract
- Quercetin
- Green tea extract
- Resveratrol (made from red wine!)
- Boswellia serrata
Use as many as you can daily to protect your lungs. There is a supplement called Bio Shield sold online that contains them all.
Respect, but do not fear COVIDs. Don’t cower waiting to be a victim. Focus on making yourself “hard to kill.”
Our community knows full well that we take care of each other. But, to care for others we must first care for ourselves and stay healthy. Following the three suggestions above will go a long way toward keeping you and your family healthy.
You are not a victim. Don’t blame others for what you put in your own mouth. As my mother would tell you, “Only you can get in your own way.”
Dr. Alyse Hamilton is the founder and medical director of the Advanced Health and Vitality Center in Edina, Minnesota. Dr. Hamilton offers her patients positive results from her exceptional professional training and an extraordinary passion to provide safe, proven and effective treatments for adrenal insufficiency, thyroid disorders, chronic fatigue and pain, menopause, andropause (male menopause), fibromyalgia and age-related conditions.
She partners with her patients to guide them to true health from the inside out. Her goal is to ensure that her patients reclaim their energy, memory and vitality so that they can once again enjoy the things that are missing in their lives. Her practice also offers IV nutritional support with the Myer’s Cocktail and Glutathione, Alpha Lipoic Acid, and the Riordan protocol for high dose Vitamin C infusion therapy.
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