Vaccination Protocol

With the National Covid-19 vaccination rollout underway, and the flu vaccination available from next month our Naturopathic team have developed our Immunity Vaccination Protocol and are currently implementing this with our patients.

Whether you are one of our wonderful front line health workers who has already received the Covid-19 vaccination, or you are in a later phase of the rollout, it is important to think about your health generally and immunity specifically now.

“After a year of lockdowns, we’re back to a more ‘normal’ year with ‘waned’ immunity” (abc news app_21^st March 2021). The report further states that ‘experts say that because we were not exposed to viruses and infections – other than Covid-19 – at the usual rate, many people have become so-called “naïve” to them’.
Therefore it is even more important this year, as we move into the cooler months, to optimise our health and immunity generally,  as social restrictions are relaxed and the normal Winter-viruses start to circulate.

With any vaccination, it is important to ensure optimum immunity and gut health, ensure systemic inflammation is reduced and positive lifestyle factors  such as effective stress management, quality sleep, healthy diet and exercise are incorporated into your daily life.
All these factors are considered to reduce side effects and improve outcomes of vaccinations.

Our Covid-19 Vaccination Protocol considers the following factors:

1. Ensure optimised Foundational Immunity Nutrients before vaccination

These include the role of Zinc, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Magnesium and Vitamin D on our immunity and immunity response.
Micronutrient deficiencies impact our immune response and unfortunately ageing and dietary deficiencies impact the availability and absorption of these vital immune nutrients.
We know that Inadequate intake and status of these nutrients is widespread and look to optimising these before vaccination.

2. Consider Pre/probiotics before Vaccination

Chronic stress has a significant effect on your microbiome, as does diets high in sugar and refined foods, and gastrointestinal inflammation.
Scientific evidence supports the integral role of the microbiota in shaping host immunity.

During vaccination, rectifying gut microbiome dysbiosis with prebiotic and probiotic supplementation might be a solution for the management of Covid-19 vaccine induced adverse reactions. (BMJ 2021;372:n149)

3. Managing existing inflammation

Turmeric or Curcumin is our Number 1 anti-inflammatory agent and reducing system inflammation is a focus before vaccination.
It is also antioxidant, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and hepatoprotective.
Curcumin is also immunomodulating due to its interaction with a number of our body’s immune cells.

4. Lifestyle Considerations

Your lifestyle choices will impact your immunity and your immune response. Implementing good stress management techniques, a healthy diet, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, getting adequate sleep, and spending time in nature will all impact not only your immune response but your quality of life.

Your T- cells directly attack invading antigens such as viruses, bacteria and toxins and are highly influenced by nutrient uptake, nutritional status, weight, sleep and stress. They are intimately involved in vaccine immune responses, side effects, adverse reactions and long-term immune/autoimmune outcomes and they play a critical role in nutritional immunometabolism. (Eur J Immunol. 2017 Feb; 47(2): 225–235).

Addressing and optimising your lifestyle choices pre and post vaccination influences the long-term protection of the vaccination.

Book your Appointment Now - It is time to Optimise your Immunity

Whether or not you are about to receive your Covid-19 vaccination it is very important to prepare and optimise your immunity now. Call 5243 9084 or Book Online now and seek personalised advice from your Naturopath so that you live with amazing health in the coming months.

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The information provided in this article is for information purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. We recommend you consult with a GP or other healthcare professional before taking any action based on this article. While the author uses best endeavours to provide accurate and true content, the author makes no guarantees or promises regarding the accuracy, reliability or completeness of the information presented. If you rely on any information provided in this article, you do so at your own risk.