There are really only 2 factors which dictate IF we get sick and HOW sick we get.
#1: Exposure to a virus or bacteria. If we are not exposed, we cannot catch it. We are however, almost constantly exposed to pathogens (bad guys), which brings us to point number two...
#2: The state of our immune system. Our immune system is like an army - constantly patrolling and detecting invaders to destroy. This process may be efficient - correct identification (and not confusing bad guys with our own cells as in autoimmunity), and effective eradication, or for many reasons I will get to, this process may be flawed, or just not working optimally. This means that more bad guys can invade, and we do not have the resources to destroy them.
In a nutshell, if a person gets sick often, gets nailed by that sickness and is slow to recover, it is because their immune system is just not coming to the party.
BUT WHY??
Common things which weigh our immune system down (there may be others)
Alcohol
Stress
Junk food
Lack of nutrient dense food (our immune system needs nutrients to work properly like zinc, vitamin D and others)..
Other health conditions / Medications / Some medical procedures
Toxicity / liver burden (can be from environmental chemical exposure such as cleaning or personal products)
Digestive issues - 80% of our immune defense is in the gut
Lack of quality sleep
Sedentary lifestyle - movement stimulates lymphatic flow and therefore immunity
BUY WHY IS THIS WINTER SO BAD?
3 MAIN REASONS:
#1: To become strong, our immune systems need to be exposed to bad guys regularly - what doesn't kill us only makes us stronger. Due to lockdowns we reduced our exposure to pathogens therefore our immune systems didn't get the training they would usually
#2: We need germs. They strengthen our immune system. The ridiculous germ phobia and oversanitisation has reduced our exposure, therefore reduced our immune strength. Hand sanitiser has alot to answer for! The germs and bugs aren't to blame for getting sick - if we get sick it is because our immune system isn't able to fight as well as it could be.
#3: Possible theory and very controversial but needs to be considered. It is possible that the Covid Vax has affected peoples immune systems in ways that the scientists didn't anticipate. Given the very short amount of time the vaccinations were tested for, it is very possible that there were aspects of them that were not completely understood. We must consider this, not be scared, but consider that this is a possibility, and support the immune system accordingly
Ok so what can we do to be support our immune systems?
Avoid things which inhibit your immune system as listed above. This will make the biggest difference, as healthy is our natural state, so if we are not, there will be something weighing us down. If you are unsure what is weighing you down, seek professional help to uncover these things. Often we can't see the forest for the trees in ourselves!
Drink at least 1.5L water and herbal teas daily
Prioritise sleep - if you are not sleeping well, seek help for this
Stress management: Meditation, breathing, visualisation, exercise etc
Exercise daily, get outside, breathe fresh air, enjoy the sunshine
Eat a rainbow of veggies every day
Avoid all chemicals, hand sanitisers etc.
Optimise digestive health - if you are unsure about this, there is help out there.
Address any other medical conditions naturally. For example, low thyroid function will impact immunity.
If you feel that a vaccination has impacted your immune system negatively, we can work to detoxify and remove remnants which could be contributing.
Herbs to boost the immune system (Dosage is important as too much or little won't help): Echinacea, Olive leaf, Elderberry, Reishi mushrooms.
Nutrients to boost the immune system (Again dosage is vital here, most store brought products are well below therapeutic ranges and won't do much): Zinc, Vitamins A, C, D. Iron if depleted (never supplement without testing iron). Selenium (deplete in NZ soils).
THE BOTTOM LINE
If our bodies are given the right nutrients, and are free from burden, our immune system will be able to cope with a wide variety of bad guys which come our way. If you feel that you or your family get nailed by everything going, it is a sign from the body that the immune system needs a little help. My advice is go through the checklist above and see if that helps, if not, more digging and professional support may be required.
I hope that this info helps to understand what is happening in the world this winter and why. :-)