COVID-19 and Your Health

We have seen an explosion of articles about vaccines and various treatments for COVID-19. But far fewer articles have appeared that include natural ways to strengthen your immune system. Of course, they are not like a vaccine; you are not going to see results in a few weeks. Nevertheless, there are ways to strengthen your immune system over time so you either will not get COVID-19 or any infection you do get will not be serious. My comments do not apply to just COVID-19; they apply to disease in general.

 

In previous posts, I have written about some ways through diet to protect yourself from viruses, but because of the surge in cases from the delta variant, I think some of it bears repeating. Also, this post is an opportunity to add to my earlier comments.

 

A good diet is not a secret; countless articles have been written recommending daily consumption of fruits and vegetables. Salads, whole grains, and certain fruits are very beneficial, often in ways not readily apparent. They contain important antioxidants and other chemicals for keeping us healthy. The history of COVID-19 infections and deaths over the past year and a half clearly indicates that people with weak or compromised immune systems are at the greatest risk.

 

Sometimes we will see a news article about a healthy young person contracting COVID-19 and dying. However, the good health of the person prior to getting COVID-19 is an assumption. A weak immune system cannot be determined by just looking at a person. The young strong person might have little resistance to a virus because of a weak immune system, which could be from a bad diet, stress, or other factors.

 

If you want to give yourself the best chance of staying healthy and avoiding a serious infection, follow the guidelines for a healthy lifestyle: good diet, regular exercise, and reduced stress. If you smoke, drink, eat the wrong foods, and often get inadequate amounts of sleep, you are a prime candidate for contracting COVID-19 or some other disease. Even one of these items can weaken your immune system.

 

Some supplements can help strengthen your immune system, but they should not be viewed as a substitute for a good diet (see https://health.clevelandclinic.org/eat-these-foods-to-boost-your-immune-system/). There is no secret to good health. It requires a balanced lifestyle where diet, exercise, and mental state all play a role.

 

Excessive stress can weaken the immune system. It has been shown to lead to high blood pressure and is a factor in hearth disease. Because of its effect on the immune system, it can lead to premature aging and open the body up to diseases that a healthy immune system would fight off. This is one reason that it is important to practice regular meditation. The period of meditation need not be a long one. Like with exercise, even a brief period of five minutes can be beneficial. I meditate in the morning because this helps me start the day on a positive note and prepares me to meet the challenges of the day.

 

The key word and one stressed by Edgar Cayce in his readings is “balance.” Excesses in any area can lead to problems. We can easily see this for many of the celebrities who are frequently in the news. They emphasize one area and may achieve prominence, but it is often at a high price. In recent weeks, several news articles about psychological problems experienced by top athletes have appeared. Without a balance of body, mind, and spirit, we can quickly find ourselves in trouble.

 

Now, a few words about religion and whether church attendance will protect you from COVID-19. I think the answer is clearly no; multiple infections and deaths among members of congregations have shown that not only are church members not spared, but the gatherings provide a breeding ground for the virus.

 

You might wonder why God does not protect the believers. My view is that God has provided ways for humans to prosper. We have a conscious mind and ability to reason. Science has determined what we need to do to maintain good health. Just because someone is in church every Sunday does not mean they are leading a balanced life. In fact, many are leading very unhealthy lives. Yet, they want God to say that is OK. They ignore all the natural laws and think they should be protected because they enter a building called a church once a week. I am not saying that you shouldn’t go to church, and I am not saying that spiritual people don’t attend church. Attending church is a personal decision. However, going to church alone does not make you spiritual or exempt from natural laws.

 

True faith may be able to overcome disease and many other limitations. But I believe few people have true faith, which is why faith healing often fails. True faith is much more than saying the words: yes, I believe that Jesus Christ was the son of God. Or I believe God can heal me. There cannot be a single shred of doubt in your mind. If you ask for a healing, but deep down don’t think you are worthy. Or if you think that God may not grant your request, you have defeated yourself and do not have true faith. Saying I hope God heals me or a loved one, does not demonstrate faith.

 

The people I have known in churches I attended often had the same doubts as those who never attend. Many desperately wanted to believe that there is a God, but they still had some doubts. They hoped that God exists and would recognize their weekly church attendance when they are judged. But few demonstrated the faith needed for healing to occur. Some were good people who tried to do what was right in their lives. But they lacked the requisite faith.

 

I think that few people believe in faith healing. From the time we are a young child, we are raised within a system of medicine that relies heavily on drugs to treat disease. As pointed out by Seth in the Jane Roberts’ book The Nature of Personal Reality, people strongly believe in that system. They expect it to work and for many it does work. They do not know how to activate faith healing, so if they suddenly gave up their prescriptions and traditional treatment, they would be in real trouble.

 

For those who do not want to be completely dependent on drugs, I think a good approach is to explore some areas of alternative medicine. As they begin to reduce their needs on prescriptions and see ways to improve their health though diet, exercise, meditation, and other therapies such as spinal adjustments, they will change their views on healing. And some will reach a point where they can heal themselves with few, if any, visits to a doctor.

 

My approach to good health requires time and commitment. But the benefits are enormous. COVID-19 may not be the last virus humanity encounters, or even the deadliest. We meet ourselves; we meet what we have built as individuals and as a society. We have created the conditions for viruses such as COVID-19 to flourish, just as we have created the conditions that led to global warming. We need to reestablish balance in our individual lives and our interactions with the Earth. If we continue to treat the Earth as something to plunder and our garbage dump, we will experience disease and eventually a wasteland will replace our lush forests.

 

I am amazed at the hostile reaction of so many people to the COVID-19 vaccines. Some of these people angrily cry out that they will not put that poison into their bodies while they puff on their cigarettes and down their drinks in the bars. The women wear makeup that often contains extremely toxic chemicals. And the food that many consume is likely to be far more harmful than any COVID vaccine. They have few, if any, concerns about living a healthy lifestyle, but the vaccine is taboo. If they get a sexually transmitted disease, they will be at the doctor begging for a shot or prescription to take away the discomfort and pain. And do those who practice unsafe sex know what is going into their bodies. If I were a betting man, I would wager that a considerable amount of that took place at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally recently held.

 

Many have made the vaccine a political issue. Some consider it their constitutional right to not wear a mask or be vaccinated, but I doubt that many have ever looked at the constitution, let alone read it. They must acquire a driver’s license to drive a motorized vehicle, purchase a hunting license to hunt, pay property taxes, dress appropriately to enter certain businesses and government buildings, etc. But they feel they can strike out at the government by rejecting the vaccine. Unfortunately for them, the ones they hurt the most are themselves. They do not come across as people who value their freedom; they just come across as ignorant and misguided.

 

I believe some people are just afraid of vaccines of any kind. I suggest you do your homework to understand the way the vaccines work. I think you will find that the risk from COVID-19 is far greater than any side effects from a vaccine. You probably do things in your daily life and consume food and other items that present as great a risk as the principal vaccines.