{"id":7450,"date":"2022-04-08T11:58:44","date_gmt":"2022-04-08T03:58:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/boosting-your-health-with-ivs-2\/"},"modified":"2025-04-14T15:21:13","modified_gmt":"2025-04-14T07:21:13","slug":"an-integrative-approach-to-optimizing-immunity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/an-integrative-approach-to-optimizing-immunity\/","title":{"rendered":"An Integrative Approach to Optimizing Immunity"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t<div class=\"wpb_text_column wpb_content_element\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<p>In a previous article, we discussed the importance of looking after your immune system, even if you\u2019ve been vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus (read <a href=\"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/take-care-of-your-immunity-even-if-youre-vaccinated\/\">here<\/a>). Your body\u2019s immune function is a product of many health parameters: from nutritional support to exercise and more. Maximising your immune defence requires an integrated lifestyle approach.<\/p>\n<p>Let&#8217;s dive into the components of a healthy immune system!<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"vc_empty_space\"   style=\"height: 16px\"><span class=\"vc_empty_space_inner\"><\/span><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"wpb_text_column wpb_content_element\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_81 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-light-blue ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"cursor:pointer\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/an-integrative-approach-to-optimizing-immunity\/#Exercise\" >Exercise<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/an-integrative-approach-to-optimizing-immunity\/#Mental_Health\" >Mental Health<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/an-integrative-approach-to-optimizing-immunity\/#Sleep\" >Sleep<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/an-integrative-approach-to-optimizing-immunity\/#Diet\" >Diet<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Exercise\"><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><strong><u>Exercise<\/u><\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Studies have shown that moderate intensity exercise 3 times a week might just be what the doctor should order.<sup>1-3<\/sup> Exercise reduces inflammation, lowers cortisol (our stress hormone), and can<strong> improve our immune response by increasing the circulation of our white blood cells<\/strong>. As white blood cells help our bodies fight off infections, the movement of these cells are critical to a fast response to any potential invaders.<\/p>\n<p>Exercise can also promote macrophage and lymphocyte action (via type I interferon IFN-I). As COVID-19 suppresses IFN-I activity, it is thought that <strong>regular physical activity can help reduce the incidence and severity of COVID-19.<\/strong><sup>2<\/sup><\/p>\n<p>Another interesting effect of regular exercise is that the immune-boosting effects of saunas are even better in trained vs untrained subjects!<sup>4<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"vc_empty_space\"   style=\"height: 16px\"><span class=\"vc_empty_space_inner\"><\/span><\/div>\n\t<div  class=\"wpb_single_image wpb_content_element vc_align_center wpb_content_element\">\n\t\t\n\t\t<figure class=\"wpb_wrapper vc_figure\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"vc_single_image-wrapper   vc_box_border_grey\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1708\" height=\"1504\" src=\"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/joshua-rondeau-2nqmPQxKDMo-unsplash-scaled-e1615329890910.jpg\" class=\"vc_single_image-img attachment-full\" alt=\"\" title=\"joshua-rondeau-2nqmPQxKDMo-unsplash-scaled-e1615329890910\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/joshua-rondeau-2nqmPQxKDMo-unsplash-scaled-e1615329890910.jpg 1708w, https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/joshua-rondeau-2nqmPQxKDMo-unsplash-scaled-e1615329890910-300x264.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/joshua-rondeau-2nqmPQxKDMo-unsplash-scaled-e1615329890910-1024x902.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/joshua-rondeau-2nqmPQxKDMo-unsplash-scaled-e1615329890910-768x676.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/joshua-rondeau-2nqmPQxKDMo-unsplash-scaled-e1615329890910-1536x1353.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/joshua-rondeau-2nqmPQxKDMo-unsplash-scaled-e1615329890910-14x12.jpg 14w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1708px) 100vw, 1708px\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t<\/figure>\n\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"vc_empty_space\"   style=\"height: 16px\"><span class=\"vc_empty_space_inner\"><\/span><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"wpb_text_column wpb_content_element\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Mental_Health\"><\/span><strong><u><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Mental Health<\/span> <\/u><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Our mental health is a critical component to overall health, especially immunity. One meta-analysis reported that <strong>COVID-19 mortality was higher among patients with mental health disorders <\/strong>including depression, anxiety, substance abuse and schizophrenia.<sup>5<\/sup> Even for those without a clinical mental health condition, <strong>social isolation, loneliness and stress has been linked to weakened immunity<\/strong>.<sup>6,7<\/sup><\/p>\n<p>There are many online resources, books and apps to help you think about how to improve your self-care habits as well as professional consultations for more specialized care.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Sleep\"><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><strong><u>Sleep<\/u><\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>We spend a third of our lives sleeping so no wonder it is so important to keeping us healthy. Studies repeatedly show that <strong>poor sleep, defined as less than 6 hours every night, causes weakened immunity<\/strong> in the form of lower T lymphocytes, lower activity of natural killer cells (NK), shorter telomere length, and increased inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein and IL-6). Compared with people who slept seven to eight hours per day, <strong>those who slept less than five hours were more likely to report nasal congestion and respiratory infections<\/strong>.<sup>8<\/sup><\/p>\n<p>Adequate sleep is also linked to a reduction of the risk of infection and to <strong>optimize the efficacy of vaccination<\/strong>.<sup>9<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"vc_empty_space\"   style=\"height: 16px\"><span class=\"vc_empty_space_inner\"><\/span><\/div>\n\t<div  class=\"wpb_single_image wpb_content_element vc_align_center wpb_content_element\">\n\t\t\n\t\t<figure class=\"wpb_wrapper vc_figure\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"vc_single_image-wrapper   vc_box_border_grey\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/what-is-plant-based-eating.png\" class=\"vc_single_image-img attachment-full\" alt=\"\" title=\"what-is-plant-based-eating\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/what-is-plant-based-eating.png 1920w, https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/what-is-plant-based-eating-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/what-is-plant-based-eating-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/what-is-plant-based-eating-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/what-is-plant-based-eating-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/what-is-plant-based-eating-18x10.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t<\/figure>\n\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"vc_empty_space\"   style=\"height: 16px\"><span class=\"vc_empty_space_inner\"><\/span><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"wpb_text_column wpb_content_element\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Diet\"><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><strong><u>Diet <\/u><\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Nutrition, from diet and\/or supplementation methods, powers every cell in our body, including our immune system.<sup>10<\/sup> A high-quality diet characterized by <strong>healthy plant-based foods was associated with lower risk and severity of COVID-19<\/strong>.<sup>11<\/sup><\/p>\n<p>Vitamins A (3000-5000 IU), C (1000-2000 mg), D (2000 IU) and zinc (30 mg) are especially important in regulating immune balance to prevent respiratory infections, modulate inflammation, and support white cell production and function.<sup>12-14<\/sup> Intravenous (IV) Vitamin C have even been used in certain countries as part of the treatment protocol for hospitalized COVID-19 patients and on-going trials are testing <strong>high-dose IV vitamin C for COVID-19 treatment<\/strong>.<sup>15<\/sup><\/p>\n<p>Looking to level up? Try <strong>glutathione for extra immune support<\/strong> due to its powerful antioxidant function. Studies have shown that glutathione deficiency may be a risk factor for severe symptoms and hospitalization from COVID-19.<sup>16 <\/sup>Learn more about the nutrients linked to COVID-19 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thelifehub.com\/how-these-key-nutrients-are-linked-to-covid-19-severity\/\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"wpb_text_column wpb_content_element\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thelifehub.com\/CONTACT-US\/\">Contact us<\/a> to talk to our team about our range of immune-supporting services including IV therapy, infrared saunas, nutrition consultations, pharmaceutical-grade supplements and more!<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"vc_empty_space\"   style=\"height: 16px\"><span class=\"vc_empty_space_inner\"><\/span><\/div>\n\t<div  class=\"wpb_single_image wpb_content_element vc_align_center wpb_content_element\">\n\t\t\n\t\t<figure class=\"wpb_wrapper vc_figure\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"vc_single_image-wrapper   vc_box_border_grey\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IV-Therapy-lead.jpeg\" class=\"vc_single_image-img attachment-full\" alt=\"\" title=\"IV-Therapy-lead\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IV-Therapy-lead.jpeg 600w, https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IV-Therapy-lead-300x250.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IV-Therapy-lead-14x12.jpeg 14w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t<\/figure>\n\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"vc_empty_space\"   style=\"height: 16px\"><span class=\"vc_empty_space_inner\"><\/span><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"wpb_text_column wpb_content_element\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<p>References<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Nieman, DC., et al. The compelling link between physical activity and the body&#8217;s defense system. Journal of Sport and Health Science. Volume 8, Issue 3, May 2019, Pages 201-217. doi: 10.1016\/j.jshs.2018.09.009<\/li>\n<li>da Silveira, M. P., da Silva Fagundes, K. K., Bizuti, M. R., Starck, \u00c9., Rossi, R. C., &amp; de Resende E Silva, D. T. (2021). Physical exercise as a tool to help the immune system against COVID-19: an integrative review of the current literature.\u00a0<em>Clinical and experimental medicine<\/em>,\u00a0<em>21<\/em>(1), 15\u201328. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10238-020-00650-3<\/li>\n<li>Simpson RJ, Kunz H, Agha N, Graff R. Exercise and the Regulation of Immune Functions.\u00a0<em>Prog Mol Biol Transl Sci<\/em>. 2015;135:355-380. doi:10.1016\/bs.pmbts.2015.08.001<\/li>\n<li>Pilch W, Pokora I, Szygu\u0142a Z, et al. Effect of a single finnish sauna session on white blood cell profile and cortisol levels in athletes and non-athletes.\u00a0<em>J Hum Kinet<\/em>. 2013;39:127-135. Published 2013 Dec 31. doi:10.2478\/hukin-2013-0075<\/li>\n<li>Fond G, Nemani K, Etchecopar-Etchart D, et al. Association Between Mental Health Disorders and Mortality Among Patients With COVID-19 in 7 Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.\u00a0<em>JAMA Psychiatry<\/em>. 2021;78(11):1208-1217. doi:10.1001\/jamapsychiatry.2021.2274<\/li>\n<li>Pressman, SD., et al. Loneliness, social network size, and immune response to influenza vaccination in college freshmen. Health Psychol. 2005 May;24(3):297-306. doi: 10.1037\/0278-6133.24.3.297<\/li>\n<li>Dhabhar, FS. Effects of stress on immune function: the good, the bad, and the beautiful. Immunol Res. 2014 May;58(2-3):193-210. doi: 10.1007\/s12026-014-8517-0.<\/li>\n<li>Besedovsky L, Lange T, Born J. Sleep and immune function. Pflugers Arch. 2012 Jan;463(1):121-37. doi: 10.1007\/s00424-011-1044-0. Epub 2011 Nov 10. PMID: 22071480; PMCID: PMC3256323.<\/li>\n<li>Schmitz, N., van der Werf, Y. D., &amp; Lammers-van der Holst, H. M. (2022). The Importance of Sleep and Circadian Rhythms for Vaccination Success and Susceptibility to Viral Infections.\u00a0<em>Clocks &amp; sleep<\/em>,\u00a0<em>4<\/em>(1), 66\u201379. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/clockssleep4010008\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/clockssleep4010008<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Karacabey K., et al. The Effect of Nutritional Elements on the Immune System.\u00a0<em>J Obes Wt Loss Ther<\/em>2:152. doi:10.4172\/2165-7904.1000152<\/li>\n<li>Merino\u00a0J,\u00a0Joshi\u00a0AD,\u00a0Nguyen\u00a0LH<em>, et al. <\/em>Diet quality and risk and severity of COVID-19: a prospective cohort study. <em>Gut\u00a0<\/em>2021;<strong>70:<\/strong>2096-2104.<\/li>\n<li>Mora, J Rodrigo et al. Vitamin effects on the immune system: vitamins A and D take centre stage. Nature reviews. Immunology vol. 8,9 (2008): 685-98. doi:10.1038\/nri2378<\/li>\n<li>Carr, AC., et al. Vitamin C and Immune Function. Nutrients. 2017 Nov 3;9(11). pii: E1211. doi: 10.3390\/nu9111211.<\/li>\n<li>Prasad, Ananda S. \u201cZinc in human health: effect of zinc on immune cells.\u201d Molecular medicine (Cambridge, Mass.) vol. 14,5-6 (2008): 353-7. doi:10.2119\/2008-00033.<\/li>\n<li>Premranjan Kumar, Ob Osahon, David B. Vides, Nicola Hanania, Charles G. Minard, Rajagopal V. Sekhar.\u00a0Severe Glutathione Deficiency, Oxidative Stress and Oxidant Damage in Adults Hospitalized with COVID-19: Implications for GlyNAC (Glycine and N-Acetylcysteine) Supplementation. <em>Antioxidants<\/em>, 2021; 11 (1): 50 DOI:\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.3390\/antiox11010050\">3390\/antiox11010050<\/a><\/li>\n<li>ClinicalTrials.gov. Vitamin C Infusion for the Treatment of Severe 2019-nCoV Infected Pneumonia. <a href=\"https:\/\/clinicaltrials.gov\/ct2\/show\/NCT04264533\">https:\/\/clinicaltrials.gov\/ct2\/show\/NCT04264533<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"vc_empty_space\"   style=\"height: 16px\"><span class=\"vc_empty_space_inner\"><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"vc_empty_space\"   style=\"height: 32px\"><span class=\"vc_empty_space_inner\"><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In a previous article, we discussed the importance of looking after your immune system, even if you\u2019ve been vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus (read here). Your body\u2019s immune function is a product of many health parameters: from nutritional support to exercise and more. Maximising your immune defence requires an integrated lifestyle approach. Let's dive into [...]","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":7459,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[82,204,176],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7450","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cancer","category-functional-medicine","category-nutrition"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/healthy-habits-1536x1024-1-1.webp","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7450","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7450"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7450\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8905,"href":"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7450\/revisions\/8905"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7459"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7450"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7450"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7450"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}