We're all vulnerable to viral infections — in fact, these infections account for the majority of acute illnesses worldwide. But there are proven ways we can repair and strengthen our microbiome by optimising diet, exercise, sleep, and time outdoors to boost our host defenses and overall health.
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What Your Gut and Covid Have To Do With Each Other
Research has suggested that a disrupted gut microbiome may be a predisposing factor to acquiring the SARS-CoV-2 pathogen, and it might also affect the course of the illness. Since the covid pandemic, lots of research has identified that the microbiome protects us against not only viral infections like SARS-CoV-2, but many other infections, as well. This article will share some naturopathic tips you can use to support your gut microbiome as a means to upgrade your overall immune defense.
As a naturopath, the very first thing I learned was the importance of the gut for overall health, so this research comes as no surprise to me!
A 2021 study from UMass Medical School showed that the composition of the microbiome was the most important predictor of outcome from COVID-19. It was more important than age, gender, comorbidities like heart disease and hypertension, and even lung disease.
The gut is a common portal of entry for SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses. We have about 100 times more ACE2 (angiotensin converting enzyme 2) inhibitor receptors, the receptor for SARS-CoV-2, in the gut compared to the lungs. If stomach acid production is normal, viruses are largely killed by the acid. If your stomach acid is low, this step is less likely to happen. When the virus gets through the stomach, it can bind to the receptors in the intestinal wall.
A 53,000-person study showed that people taking acid-blocking drugs, proton pump inhibitors, are two to four times more likely to end up with [COVID-19] and other viral illnesses.
Viral shedding has been identified as being in the stool long after a nasal swab is negative, meaning that we are eliminating the virus even after we can detect it in the nasal swab.
Another recent experimental study, supplemented with a lactobacillus probiotic blend and inulin for 30 days and had significantly improved gastrointestinal symptoms, cough, fatigue, and subjective well-being scores in patients with long COVID (average symptom length of 120 days)
The role of short-chain fatty acids on the gut
Short-chain fatty acids help maintain the gut lining, keep it intact, and prevent things from penetrating through that shouldn't. Short-chain fatty acids also modulate the immune system.
In order to have good levels of short-chain fatty acids, you need to have lots of good gut bacteria, specifically F. prausnitzii. In order to have lots of F. prausnitzii, you need to eat a lot of plants and a high-fiber diet.
The wall of our gut is only one cell thick, and many things damage this delicate barrier.
Ibuprofen
Antibiotics
Immunosuppressive drugs
Radiation treatment
Alcohol
Stress
Fungal infections
Artificial sweeteners
Highly processed foods
A study published in the journal Nature in 2018, looked at 41 different classes of medications, and they found that half of them were disruptive to the gut microbiome, including laxatives, antidepressants, and beta blockers.
If healing the gut you must also consider the impact your medications may be having on the gut as well and weigh up the benefit vs the risk.
The role of mucus in colds and flus
Mucus also has a really important defensive role against infection by trapping viruses or bacteria in a jelly-like glue consistency, and then propelling it to either be eliminated by stomach acid, or get driven out of the body via coughing, stool, or spit.
People who are dehydrated or are smokers will have trouble in this area. People with poor mucus production can also be super-spreaders - part of how scientists think super-spreaders work is that there’s something different about their mucus, where their mucus is not destroying the virus as it should.
To support healthy mucus production, the following naturopathic tips will help;
Stay hydrated - drink 33ml water per kg body weight a day.
Increase lubricating foods in Dry times of the year - Autumn and Winter. Lubricating foods include eating the fat off meats, quality cold-pressed organic oils, fish oils, nut and seed oils, bone broth, and aloe vera.
Avoid eating too many drying foods - raw foods, crunchy biscuits, crackers, raw carrots.
Post Viral IBS
Postinfectious IBS is a constellation of different signs and symptoms that can develop after any infection in the gut.
The gut bacterial balance is disrupted, leading to dysbiosis. The intestinal barrier function is also impaired with changes in intestinal permeability, causing multisystem inflammatory syndrome.
Sleep, Your Immune System, and Viral Resilience
We all know the importance of a good night's sleep, but let's lay down some science.
A study from the British Medical Journal showed there’s an 88 percent increased risk of [COVID-19] in people who are chronically sleep deprived.
Poor sleep also impacts vaccine efficacy. If you are sleep deprived in the two days prior to receiving a vaccine, the efficacy can be decreased by as much as 50 percent. Sleep reboots the immune system, and if you’re sleep deprived, you literally cannot recruit enough T-cells to mount a proper immune response,
How Stress Affects Your Immune Response
Stress can come in many forms - work, relationships, environmental, and internal. When we are under stress, our autonomic nervous system jumps into action and sends messages to our adrenal glands to make more cortisol. Cortisol increases blood sugar levels and diverts glucose to the muscles by suppressing systems deemed less important in the present situation; this includes digestion and the immune system.
Many studies have proven that stress affects our immune system via a reduction in antibody and virus-specific T-cell responses.
An influenza vaccine trial between caregivers and non-caregivers identified a weaker antibody and virus-specific T-cell response in the caregiver group. The same response was replicated with the rubella vaccine. Production of proinflammatory cytokines has also been found to increase with chronic stress.
Steps To Strengthen The Gut Wall For Better Immune Function
Simply taking a probiotic may not be enough to really get a healthy gut. If you need specialised help because you can't tick off all these boxes, then book an appointment and we can discuss your options.
Or you can do my online course to learn all the diet, lifestyle, and supplemental strategies for a healthy gut.
Step 1. Remove unnecessary medications
There are many natural medicine alternatives to medications that damage the gut. Working with a naturopath gives you the expert guidance you need alongside your prescribing Doctor, to reduce and remove the need for many medications. Examples of medications that I have helped people stop by correcting the bodies underlying causative factors:
Antidepressants
Heavy pain medications
Hormone replacement and contraceptive pill
Beta-blockers
PPIs
Nurofen and panadol
Antihistamines
Step 2. Manage stress
You do not need to change your life to avoid stress - studies have shown that adding stress management techniques has a profound effect on supporting a healthy immune function.
One study from the University of North Carolina assessed men with [human immunodeficiency virus] (HIV) They found that men who did not have strategies for mitigating stress progressed to [acquired immunodeficiency syndrome] (AIDS) four times faster.
Some great stress management ideas:
Meditation
Deep breathing
Exercise
Walking in nature
Human touch - massage, hugs, connection
Positive affirmation
Gratitude journalling
Counseling
Talking
Aromatherapy
Creativity - crafts, drawing, writing
Step 3. Sleep
If you are not getting adequate sleep, this should become your next priority!
Check out my course Overcome Insomnia HERE.
I also did a Facebook Live in my group that you can check out. I discuss the nutritional pathways to sleep, things that disrupt this, and how cortisol plays silly buggers with your sleep - watch it below.
Step 4. Diet
Eating an ultra-processed diet high in sugar and low in vegetables leads to gut damage. Increase vegetable intake, and eat fermented and prebiotic foods.
Here is a list of amazing prebiotic foods that will increase your levels of gut-healing short-chain fatty acids:
Chicory root
Jerusalem artichoke
Dandelion greens
Leeks
Asparagus
Banana
Apples
Oats
Cocoa
Legumes
Leafy greens
Onions
Garlic
Flaxseeds
Seaweed
Burdock Root
Here is a list of fermented foods that increase your level of probiotics - aim for variety and this should be done even if you take a probiotic.
Yogurt - always read the label to ensure it contains bacterial strains.
Kefir - a fermented probiotic milk drink.
Sauerkraut - finely shredded cabbage that has been fermented by lactic acid bacteria.
Tempeh - a fermented soybean product whose flavor is described as nutty, earthy, or similar to that of a mushroom.
Kimchi - a fermented, spicy Korean side dish.
I hope this article highlighted the importance of gut health from an evidence-based standpoint, and how possible it is to improve our health and immune response with natural medicine.
Thank you for reading this article, and please explore my other areas where I share valuable natural medicine solutions, updates, and offers.
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To your health,
Need more support?
As a naturopath, herbalist, and nutritionist, supporting the gut and immune system health are foundational areas of my expertise and treatment approach.
I am based in Tasmania, Australia, and work with people all over the world in an English-speaking capacity via Zoom appointments. To learn more about how I can help you, please feel welcome to book a free, no-obligation call.
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