LOS ANGELES – While shelter-in-place orders and proper hygiene and sanitation can lower your chances of getting COVID-19, there are other ways to protect yourself. You can boost your immune system to help fight off illness. Adding certain foods and supplements can do that. Your chances of fighting off the virus are greater is you are healthier.
After losing 100 pounds, Health Lifestyle Expert Charles Chen is finally feeling good. “I got to health and wellness through my own personal transformation,” says Chen.
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He is helping others do the same. Here are six healthy products and supplements Chen recommends to boost your immune system:
1. Apple cider vinegar
It’s recommended to get the apple cider vinegar “With The Mother” which has the healthy strains. It balances out the PH levels and alkalizes the body. You take it in the morning as a shot with some water to dilute it.
2. Bone broth
In one study, researchers found that chicken broth or chicken soup helped with upper respiratory tract infections by reducing inflammation.
“There are healthy mushrooms in here,” says Chen. “They all boost your immune system.”
Om Broth sells them in an easy single packet form.
3. Elderberry
Elderberry has the highest concentration of what you can find in a lot of purple-hued veggies, like eggplant. It comes in syrup and gummy form! Chen says, “It’s rich in Vitamin A, B, and C so that protects your immune system. It also has zinc in here.”
4. Aged garlic
A 2014 study found that people who took a garlic supplement had fewer colds and recovered more quickly than those who didn’t. Chen says it increases the antibody production in your body so it helps to fight and boosts your immune system. And if you’re worried about your loved one social distancing to the other side of house because you smell like garlic. Also, garlic is odorless.
5. Oregano oil
It’s recommended to get the oral grade so you can actually ingest this. It fights against infection and used to fight against common colds. You can apply topically if you have any infections.
6. Probiotics
They are healthy bacteria in your gut that can be found in yogurt, sauerkraut, and kimchi, or you can buy it in pill form.
It’s still too soon to know if any of these products fight off the coronavirus, but we do know the more action we take to keep ourselves healthy, the better.
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Chen adds, “This is a great time to invest in your health and look at different remedies. As long as we stick to more natural remedies, I think there’s some wisdom there.”
Remember to consult your doctor before you add these to your daily routine. Keep in mind that all of these supplements are useless if you’re not eating well, exercising, getting good sleep, and reducing stress.
Take care of yourself. You have control of that right now in a time when we feel out of control.
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