Why you need a strong immune system now more than ever…

Right now, everyone is being told to practice social distancing.

It’s important to reduce exposure and risk as much as possible, especially to protect the elderly and immunocompromised.

But studies also show that loneliness and isolation can have a very negative impact on immunity.

And when you add in MASSIVE STRESS from:

It’s clear that your immune system is experiencing a new level of threat, unlike anything in history.

Here is what you can do about it…

1. Get adjusted. Chiropractic care at Big Beautiful Life has ALWAYS been about strengthening and optimizing the body’s functioning. The human body does not have a single immune system, it is better described as an immune alliance among various systems and organs, which when coordinated by the brain, gives an immune response to the presence of disease associated factors, such as bacteria and viruses. When you, your child, baby, brother, mother, neighbor and/or friend get adjusted, your immune response goes UP. Scientific studies consistently show a  200% increase in immune factors after an adjustment! Getting adjusted also takes you out of fight-or-flight/ stress physiology (survival mode) which allows you to adapt, heal, sleep, repair and go into thrive mode. BBL now has staggered appointment times to limit social gathering and we have implemented a rigorous sanitizing protocol in between clients in order to keep our patients and staff safe.

2. Take Immune Boosting supplements (See our protocols below)

3. Sufficient Sleep. Aim on at least 7-9hrs of sleep per night. Lack of sleep dramatically raises the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol. For many, these two hormones are already high due to what is happening in our world today and with so many unknowns. Please create a normal routine with your sleep schedule, for you and the rest of your family, despite any changes to your work schedules. Aim on being asleep by 10pm – 11pm and up by 7am each day for optimal energy levels and mood! A great night’s sleep will help to boost your happy hormones, serotonin and dopamine.

4. Cut Out or Significantly Cut Down on: Dairy, Sugar + Gluten. These foods not only produce inflammation in the body, which stresses out your immune system, but on top of that, these foods and the way they are manufactured today, interrupt your gut microbiome. Over 80% of your IMMUNE SYSTEM is in your gut! You do not want anything messing with this, especially right now. On top of this, dairy and sugar are two known foods to FEED viruses and make viruses replicate. THINK OF FOOD AS MEDICINE!

5. Aim On 6 Cups Of Vegetables Per Day. Eating a variety of colors from vegetables will ensure that you are receiving an array of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to help naturally boost your immune system. Eat them raw, roasted, in a smoothie, sautéed; it doesn’t matter how you get them in – just get them in! Eating healthy helps to boost your mood – try to capitalize on these things. We need to focus on what we can control and let go of everything else. Eat ya veggies please and thank you!

6. Drink 1-2 cups of Magic Morning Tonic:  Heat up 1 cup of hot water, add 1/2 the juice of a lemon (or 1-2 drops of doTerra lemon essential oil), and 1 Tablespoon of organic apple cider vinegar. This morning tonic helps to create the correct pH in your stomach and body. This in turn, helps to greatly boost your immune system and create an environment where “bugs” have less of a chance to thrive. This Magic Morning Tonic is also fabulous for digestion 🙂

7. Gratitude. Your mind and thoughts have a DIRECT impact upon your whole body as well as your immune system. It can be challenging or tricky to search for or find the positives right now with so many unknowns and fear and panic saturating every aspect of our environment. We hear you, we feel you and completely understand and honor all of your feelings, they are so valid with our current events. What we urge you to try and practice is to say out loud, write down or think in your head at least 5-10 things you are grateful for each day. Example: I am grateful for this time with my family, I am grateful for FaceTime to see and “be with” friends and family, I am grateful for the roof over my head – many do not have one right now, I am grateful that warmer weather is just around the corner, I am grateful to my local restaurants for offering take out or curbside delivery, I am grateful for virtual exercise classes by my favorite fitness studios and instructors. There are always positives and we need to work extra hard right now to find them and focus on them. Panic and fear causes stress throughout your whole body and severely weaken your immune system. Practicing gratitude will help to calm your mind and STRENGTHEN your immunity.

1.) Avoid how much energy you are putting into COVID-19. We cannot control our current events but what we can control is our actions and responses to what is going on around us. We CAN control how much we watch or listen to the news. We CAN control how much we are scrolling through social media. We can also control how long we chose to engage in conversations about current events. THERE IS SO MUCH ELSE TO TALK ABOUT! Take a stand for yourself and your mental health in how much you chose to engage in the stress, fear and panic around you.

2.) LAUGH. Text your friends and family funny memes, old photos or videos that make you laugh. Watch only funny movies or TV shows. Chose to engage and communicate with positive people and FUNNY people. What is happening in the world today IS going to pass. We WILL get back to normal. In the meantime, try to LAUGH as much as you can!

3.) Drink Camomile Tea. Camomile tea helps to calm your nervous system and reduces stress hormones. Aim on 1-2 cups per day.

4.) Lavender Essential Oil. Place 1-2 drops under you nose, on your wrists or diffuse in a diffuser around your house. This powerful essential oil not only has anti-microbial properties but also has been used for YEARS to help lower stress hormones and reduce anxiety. Great for kids too!

5.) Tapping or “EFT.” Emotional Freedom Technique is a stress management technique that helps to dramatically lower stress hormones and can be used for adults and children! This technique is based upon the acupuncture meridian system to help de-synthesize stressful emotions from the body. Our favorite book on this topic is “The Tapping Solution” by Nick Ornter. There are also many free YouTube videos that explain how and why this works, and how to do it to yourself!

6.) Natural Stress Relievers. Our favorite vitamins and herbs to help calm anxiety and reduce stress are: Kava (3-5/day), Nevaton + Orchex (“Nature’s Xanax”; 2 of each, 3x/day), Ashwaganda (3-5 a day), Minchex (4-8 a day) and Min-Tran (6/day). We carry these supplements at BBL and have been using them with women, pregnant women, men and children to help naturally reduce stress and anxiety. Call or email us, we are open and/or we can set up a time for curbside delivery!

7.) Brain Yoga: We urge you to practice monitoring your thoughts. Just practice and have fun with this. You do not “do yoga”,  you do not “do being happy,” this is a PRACTICE. Try to picture all of your negative thoughts as cars driving by. You’re standing on the sidewalk, or in your home looking out the window and watching cars drive by. Each car that drives by is a stressful and/or negative thought. Acknowledge the car (stressful/negative) thought and then watch the car continue to drive past you – avoid getting in the car and driving away with these negative thoughts. Practice this a million times per day if you have to until you get really good at it. We like to call this “Brain Yoga!”

8.) Create a Routine When There’s “No Routine:” At this time in history, the majority of people’s lives and schedules are flipped upside down. There is no school, parents are trying to juggle work and watching their kids. Structure is CRUCIAL more than ever. Create a new routine for yourself and your family at this time. Example: Up by 7am every day, magic morning tonic, gratitude journal, and physical activity completed by 10am each day – NO MATTER WHAT! Creating and sticking to a routine when there really is “no real routine” for many families at this time is essential to make the best of where things are at currently. Structure will help there be more flow in your lives and also help to reduce stress and anxiety. And GET OUTSIDE!

Immune Boosting Protocols

BBL has received many phone calls, messages, and emails from the community asking us about our Immune Protocols, so we wanted to share this with you all!

Please forward to anyone that you feel could use our help. We have Specific Immune Protocols for you and your loved ones. You do not need to be a client of BBL to order these.

1.) Immune Protocol #1: is for overall prevention with natural anti-viral capabilities. For HEALTHY people:  6 Immuplex + 8 calcium lactate + 3 cataplex C + 2 St. John’s Wort   *Taken with or without food anytime of day

2.) Immune Protocol #2: is specifically for those with a comprised immune system (chronically sick, auto-immune disease, etc.):    4 echinacea premium + 3 Viranon + 6 Immuplex + 2 prosynbiotic + 4 pneumatrophin

3.) Immune Protocol #3: is specifically for those who have an acute infection right now (are currently sick with any type of sickness right now):    3 viranon + 4 thymex + 6 antronex + 8 calcium lactate + 3 cataplex C

4.) Children’s Immune Support Protocol (ages 2yrs and up):  6 Congaplex Chewable + 2 cataplex AC per day

*Taken anytime of day with or without food