I’ve been subscribing to Consumer Lab for years. It’s $78 for two years, $47.40 for one year, and it has a lot of information about safe levels of vitamins and minerals, tests it has done on different brands of supplements, and, lately, information about COVID masks, products people are taking for prevention, comparison of the vaccines, etc. Today I received an email talking about how lifestyle and psychological factors can affect our immune response to vaccines.
Research conducted with other types of vaccines has shown that stress, depression, lack of social support, and lack of sleep can impair the immune system’s response to vaccines. Other lifestyle habits that can have a negative impact include lack of exercise, poor overall nutrition and smoking.
I’ve been figuring all along that leading a mentally and physically healthy life is the best thing we can do to help our immune system, and I was interested that this article said measures taken just the day before getting the vaccine could “maximize the vaccine’s initial effectiveness.” Two things we can do to insure our immune system is operating at peak performance? Engaging in vigorous physical exercise and getting a good night’s sleep in the 24 hours before getting vaccinated.
Sounds good to me.
January 20, 2021
Good to know! Reliable sources aren’t always easy to come by.
Yes. 🙂
good to know!
but then we all truly KNOW about exercise and good sleep. and proper foods.
isn’t it wonderful that the simple things in life are still always the BEST?!!!
it’s how the Marine believes. and he has the mental discipline to DO IT.
he eats for fuel. and believes in exercise.
neither of us has ever smoked. but unlike me… he was never subjected to heavy second hand smoke. he seems to have a very strong immune system that serves him well! I obviously need to get with the program!!!
HANG the excuses Tammy! they just don’t cut it anymore!
thanks Monk. a great jump start to a new year of getting healthy! XO
Good luck!
Good to know about the vaccine. I know when you get blood draws it makes a huge difference if you drink a lot of water the day before so I’m not surprised you can maximize the vaccine effect.
🙂
This is interesting and helpful. I used to subscribe to Consumer Lab many years ago, glad to see it is still around.
It’s a good place. I don’t read a lot of it, but it’s invaluable for the information I need.
All my life I’ve been active, try to sleep soundly (altho impossible at times of crisis). Like momma said “eat your veggies”. DNA has a lot to do with health too…I’ve known people who do what they’ve deemed by science necessary to remain healthy, yet if disease or organ function, even cancer runs in the family…well, the outcome is not based on what you eat or do. I also know (knew) a regimental jogger who died of a heart attack…while running. It’s in the genes.
Of course, we don’t have complete control. We can only do the best we can with what we have.
I keep seeing reminders everywhere that I need to eat better and exercise 🙂
If they help us to move in the direction of healthier habits they are succeeding. Every little bit helps.
I subscribed to webmd and I get emails every day and the odd thing is, if i am having a problem in life, the email usually comes on the day I need it. they sent basically the same info you posted, to me just last week. i like the articles that say forget the Rx, go with doing what you should and can and eating what helps us
Good! 🙂
I have a lot I could say but won’t because I am on phone. But hope I can remember to reply once I get to my computer.
Thanks for answering at all. 🙂
Healthy eating, exercise, and a good night’s sleep – the perfect recipe for good health. We try to do that here every day. Thanks for the info about the day before the vaccine shot – now if we can just get appointments:)
We’re in no hurry, just glad that we have done our part so we don’t have to do anything until we hear from them.
besides healthy eating and exercise – the key component which is “listen to your body”: is has a way of speaking to you once you understand how it works, and what issues you personally have.
But also follow professional advice rather than well meaning, but quite often wrong colleagues, peers and friends.
I’ve been having a lot of health and stress issues for months and finally I realised that much of what I need to do is “listen and act upon instructions from my body” … yes I’m still taking the medicines prescribed because they help the body to send me the right signals. And fortunately they are healing the short term ailments
On Wednesday, I was at a specialist physician and even though the primary care doctor had it wrong – the physicians were very interested in my “born with disabilities” and how I managed daily life seeing as there wasn’t anything medical that could be done.
I came home and truly thought a lot more about said hands and feet – and realised that the brain part of those issues always had the right answers…and I actually felt chuffed that the physicians may have learnt that I used a type of mindfulness and invisible re-balancing action a lot of time…I think it was a concept quite new to them, you know how they love their synthetic meds!
That’s great!
Andy just got home and said he had another episode this afternoon while he was taking his walk. He recognized the warning signs so just sat down and waited for a while. He has a telephone appointment with his neurologist tomorrow morning.
oh no…that doesn’t feel good for Andy. But hey, he felt the warning signs so that’s a good thing…
I’ve just been told by a chemist and a nurse respectively that hydrating before and after the injection and taking OTC pain medication immediately after the shot are good things to do. Since we are more likely to have aftereffects from the second injection I’m trying to remember those.
Thanks for the suggestions!