Integrative Health Blog

While You Wait for Your COVID Vaccine...

Posted by Denia Tapscott MD on Wed, Feb 24, 2021

vaccine_line_covid

As of this article, 13% of Americans have received at least 1 dose of the COVID 19 vaccine.
And while many have even received their second shot, still millions patiently await their turn.

When it comes to vaccinations, there are several factors that influence how you will respond. Your age, gender, genetics, and what happened when you were in your mother's womb are intrinsic factors that cannot be modified. Additionally, properties of the vaccine itself are out of your control.

However, several variables such as your overall nutritional status, stress levels, physical activity and sleep patterns are completely under your control and if addressed, will help maximize your response. Check out the list of interventions below to help you optimize your health and allow your immune system to generate a robust response to the vaccine.

10 things to do NOW while you wait

  1. Quit smoking.
  2. Aim for 8 hours of nightly uninterrupted sleep.
  3. Get in daily exercise, especially if you are in the older population.
  4. Increase your daily fiber intake.
  5. Manage your stress.
  6. Work to maintain a healthy weight.
  7. Optimize your gut microbiome.
  8. Address any autoimmunity.
  9. Address hormonal imbalances.
  10. Lower your body’s overall inflammation.

If your vaccination is to be given within a few days:

  • Avoid acute stressors.
  • Get adequate sleep.
  • Avoid non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents like Motrin, Alleve, Advil, Tylenol etc. 2 days before and after.

Many of these factors require a deeper dive into your health with an integrated Functional Medicine approach. Understand your “true health” status in order to address any imbalances and deficiencies that you currently have. Armed with this knowledge, we can efficiently and as naturally as possible, maximize your health during this COVID 19 pandemic and beyond.

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Dr. Tapscott_functional_med_doctor DCDr. Denia Tapscott, M.D., is board certified in internal medicine and provides personalized treatment with a functional medicine approach to get to the root cause of issues and begin the journey towards wellness. Her areas of interest include: Functional Medicine, Adult Holistic Primary Care, Obesity Medicine and Weight Loss, Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes Prevention & Metabolic Syndrome, Chronic Disease Management, Pre and Post Bariatric Surgery Care  and Diet and Lifestyle focused care.

 

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Topics: vaccinations, immune system, virus