How are immunity and inflammation linked? Inflammation is your body's way of dealing with injury or invasion. Your immune system gathers information about what is circulating in your bloodstream, and produces various types of white blood cells to defend you. There are innate immune cells which surround and neutralize bacteria, and the adaptive immune cells, which create specific antibodies to viruses, recognizing and learning as they go. One of the reasons this Covid-19 virus is so scary, is that no one has ever been exposed to it before and so no one had immunity. Now thousands of people have been exposed to it, and we shall see if they have developed an immune response that will last over time.
People have had a varied response to the virus. People with underlying conditions such as diabetes, or heart disease have had a much harder time getting over this virus. Their bodies are already in a state of inflammation. Their immune systems are already under siege from stress. When a body is in a constant state of fight or flight, it puts off the work of cellular healing to another day, when the crisis has passed. But what if everyday is a state of crisis?
My advice is to create a sense of refuge for yourself. Lay down on a mat on the floor, support your head and your knees. Spend at least a few minutes everyday, deeply resting. Turn off the news, the computer. let your eyes rest, and imagine in your mind's eye, a favorite place of peace. Maybe some place you went as a kid in the summertime. Imagine feeling the sun warming your skin, your bones deeply relaxing. Feel your belly rise and fall with each breath. Give yourself permission to do nothing. So your body can take the time it needs to reset. Let your immune system do its best to protect you.
