As we move to cold and flu season, I’m finding that there’s far less fear over Covid. People are living their lives with a better understanding of the risks involved.
As I think back to March and April of 2020, as I was watching TV like everyone else, I remember watching discussions about health risks related to obesity and inflammation. I saw people mention zinc, vitamin C, and vitamin D supplements and how they can help reduce the severity of a Covid infection.
These conversations soon stopped as the focus shifted to vaccines.
Those early days of Covid would have been the ideal time for our country to become educated about chronic illness. We could have taken a stand against the epidemics of obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and inflammation, all of which increase the risk of serious infection and death.
We as human beings fight a constant battle against infection every day. It could be the common cold, pneumonia, Lyme’s disease, or the many strands of Covid.
For example, there are precautions we take when going into the woods to avoid getting Lyme’s disease. We cover our mouths and nose when we cough and sneeze to avoid transmitting a cold.
There are so many things we can do and lifestyle choice we can make to build our defenses and prepare for the next pandemic. Unfortunately, those conversations were short-lived in March and April of 2020.
I recently went back to the Pyramid of Health and the Triad of Health, which is the middle layer of the Pyramid. I reread and reexamined both.
Guess what? Nothing has changed, even after a pandemic.
As a society, we’re easily rattled and knocked off track. People forget that Covid is similar to other infections in that it causes a similar inflammatory response in the body. Our defense mechanisms have to be aligned to fight off infection.
I have to give credit to the chiropractors in this country for having a unified voice in advocating for disease prevention by encouraging people to take better care of themselves. Meanwhile, our elected leaders and public officials chose to wait for Operation Warp Speed to deliver a magic cure.
To be clear, I’m not against vaccines. A greater emphasis on disease prevention in daily life, however, would be a bigger difference-maker in reducing the cases and impact of all chronic illnesses and infections, not just Covid.
It comes down to the simple “proactive vs. reactive” question I’ve been asking for 30 years. Would you rather wait until something bad happens to take action or prevent that bad thing from happening in the first place?
Americans came out of Covid unhealthier than ever. People are heavier and far more stressed out than ever. More kids are on antidepressant medication than ever.
As we continue to put the pandemic behind us and get on with our lives, it’s time to do some personal housekeeping. Let’s remember all the things we should be doing to prevent infection.
As humans, we have to wake up every day, put our feet on the ground, and use that three-pound organ between our ears.
We need to think. We need to reduce stress, regulate our emotions, and hopefully live a joyful life with strong, productive relationships. That’s the psychological component of the Triad of Health.
We need to feed our body with healthy, natural foods that reduce inflammation and keep the body balanced. Get back to learning about supplements like zinc, vitamin C, and vitamin D. That’s the nutritional component.
We need to exercise our bodies that were designed to be in motion. You don’t have to be an elite athlete to strengthen your muscles and joints and stay active. That’s the physical component.
This is just as true today as it was before the pandemic.
My message to you hasn’t changed, so let’s stay on track. Let’s support each other. Let’s take better care of ourselves so we’re better prepared to maintain our good health.
That’s how you feel better, function better, and live longer.