Cultivating Healthy and Balanced Terrain

by | Mar 17, 2020 | COVID-19, Immunity, Nutrition

At Ampersand Integrative Wellness we consider our guests, employees and our families the center of our business.

 

As the Coronavirus (COVID-19) has become a concern to the safety of those we hold most dear, we would like to share the following information on how to help cultivate and protect yourself against pathogenic microbes.

 

Claude Bernard and Antoine Bechamp, were contemporaries of Louis Pasteur, the celebrated Father of the germ theory of disease.  Bernard and Bechamp postulated that both chronic and acute disease were a condition of imbalance in the internal terrain of the body.1 In terms of virulence, the environment mattered just as much as the germ.  In other words, if the terrain was balanced, the germs could not flourish or do much harm, but if the terrain was out of balance, toxins and damage produced by bacteria or viruses would accumulate and the host would be overtaken.  

Anything that causes an imbalance in the necessities to reach homeostasis (the body’s balance mechanism) disrupts the conditions of the terrain and makes the organism susceptible to disease.

These imbalances include:
  •     Poor Nutrition
  •     Artificial Lighting/Deficiency of sun light
  •     Hypoventilation (shallow breathing)
  •     Inactivity (lack of exercise and physical movement)
  •     Electromagnetic pollution (EMF radiation)
  •     Environmental toxins (pesticides, plastics, heavy metals, chemical toxins)
  •     Negative thoughts/emotions
  •     Structural and nervous system imbalance

 

So what can one do to fortify his/her terrain and reduce the risk of acute and chronic illness?  

The literature is robust with possible tools and solutions:

  •     Eat a nutrient-dense diet, rich in plant foods, with a goal of 7-9 cups of vegetables per day.  
  •     Find out any nutritional deficiencies, with emphasis on immune-supporting nutrients: vitamins A, C, D, zinc, selenium, omega-3 fatty acids, protein (any of the essential vitamins and minerals if deficient will cause imbalances that lead to disease). A Harvard study found that insufficient levels of vitamin D increases a person’s risk of an upper respiratory infection, including flu.2 Sufficient levels reduce a person’s risk of acquiring acute infection by 70%.2 Work with our nutritionist, Whitney George, on a personalized immune-health protocol.
  •     Increase vitamin C. High dose vitamin C supplementation has been shown to reduce the duration of viral infections that cause the common cold.3 Strains of coronavirus can cause the common cold.  Zinc lozenges taken at the first sign of cold symptoms has also been found to shorten the duration of the common cold.4
  •     Movement.Physical exercise enhances immune function. Excessive exercise will deplete it, however.  It is best to work with one of our personal trainers, Stefano Sarge or Jesse Hershey, to find out what the right amount of exercise is for you.
  •     Stress Reduction. Chronic stress that puts the body in fight-or-flight causes elevated cortisol levels, which suppress immune function.  Deep breathing, meditation, yoga, talk therapy, healthy diet, physical exercise, and massage all support healthy cortisol levels and are immune-boosting stress-management tools.  Our gifted massage therapists, Elizabeth Brunner and Gabrielle Warner, as well as our meditation and yoga instructor, Ariana Miley, and our wonderful mental health therapist, Ashley Moser, are here to help you with building stress-reduction tools.

 

References

  1. Stockton S. (2000). The terrain is everything: Contextual factors that influence our health. Clearwater, Fl. Power of One Publishing.
  1. McGreevey S, Morrison M. Study confirms vitamin D protects against colds and flu. The Harvard Gazette.Feb 15, 2017.  Online. https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2017/02/study-confirms-vitamin-d-protects-against-cold-and-flu/
  1. University of Helsinki. “Larger doses of vitamin C may lead to a greater reduction in common cold duration.” ScienceDaily.30 March 2017.  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/03/170330115246.htm 
  1. Science M, Johnstone J, Roth DE, Guyatt G, Loeb M. Zinc for the treatment of the common cold: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. CMAJ. 2012;184(10):E551–E561. doi:10.1503/cmaj.111990

 

 

 

 

Skip to content