Strengthening immunity one way to avoid Covid-19

By Dr Thanisorn Thamlikitkul
Special to The Nation

 

 

As of February 29, 41 Covid-19 cases had been diagnosed in Thailand. No deaths have been reported. Signs and symptoms of Covid-19 include fever, cough and shortness of breath. Preliminary data suggest that older adults and persons with underlying health conditions or compromised immune systems might be at greater risk for severe illness from the virus.

 

Certainly the best way to prevent the infection is to avoid getting the virus in the first place. However, there is evidence that moderate exercise, adequate sleep and a healthy diet can enhance our immune system and consequently help to reduce the risk of getting the viral infection.

 

One practical thing we can do to protect ourselves is getting adequate sleep because lack of sleep will weaken our immune system. That’s because the growth hormone, which has tremendous effects on immunity, is normally released during the first period of Stage 3 sleep. Stage 3 sleep, also known as deep sleep, occurs about an hour after you first fall asleep. As such, simply not getting enough sleep may decrease growth hormone secretion.

 

According to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, an adult should sleep 7-9 hours a night.

 

Sleep and exercise are inextricably linked with each other. Exercise routinely, but finishing it at least one hour before bedtime may enhance the quality of your sleep and offer additional immune system benefits.

 

Adopting a good and balanced diet high in fruits and vegetables can also boost our immune system as they are sources of vitamins and minerals.

 

Other tips include sitting or walking in the early morning sun for 10 minutes. Here’s why: The precursors of Vitamin D -- that is, molecules that produce the vitamin present in our skin -- are activated by the sun, and vitamin D can also boost the immune system.

 

Besides strengthening our immunity, hygiene habits such as frequent washing of hands with soap and water, or an alcohol hand rub, eating food promptly and using a serving spoon should be maintained during the pandemic period. Regarding smoking, scientists doubt that it increases the risk of people with Covid-19 because China has not reported if any of the infected people were smokers, but previous studies have shown that smoking increases the risk of being hospitalised if you get the flu. Now is a great time to develop healthy habits.

 

In Thailand, it is recommended to wear a proper face mask in public to protect yourself from viruses, but it isn’t foolproof. Keep a distance from sick people, especially those coughing or sneezing. Also, avoid touching your face with your hands to minimise your exposure to harmful germs. Lastly, if in doubt seek medical attention.

 

(Dr Thanisorn Thamlikitkul is associated with Romrawin Clinic)

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/lifestyle/30383102

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-03-02

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57 minutes ago, webfact said:

during the first period of Stage 3 sleep. Stage 3 sleep, also known as deep sleep, occurs about an hour after you first fall asleep

and even sooner if you've hit the sauce beforehand ..

 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Also, avoid touching your face with your hands to minimise your exposure to harmful germs

Not easy when one of the national past-times is having at least one digit up yer' hooter at least once a day .. 

Thai infection numbers are way way higher than being reported.

 

 

It’s spreading all over the world now, in a couple of months we will all be living a little differently, wherever we live. I read that in North Korea one of the first people to be infected sneaked out of his quarantine to visit the baths ... they shot him! Let’s hope Thailand don’t take a leaf out of Kim Jung Un’s book?

17 minutes ago, JimmyTheMook said:

Thai infection numbers are way way higher than being reported.

 

 

Evidence ??

2 hours ago, webfact said:

No deaths have been reported.

Posted 2 hours ago here on this forum, it's know since yesterday that there is one dead.

Edited March 1, 20206 yr by RotMahKid

the two women in the cover photo are equally 'protected', one with no mask and the other with a feel-good mask that does nothing

42 minutes ago, RJRS1301 said:

Evidence ??

The numbers in the rest of the world compared to Thailand that do not have thousands of Chinese tourists?

9 minutes ago, Victornoir said:

No risk.
A recent study has shown that covid 19 does not support pollution.

... probably as all the Medical Waste the Hospitals produce through this situation;

 is furnaced? or buried?

40 minutes ago, YetAnother said:

the two women in the cover photo are equally 'protected', one with no mask and the other with a feel-good mask that does nothing

but... masks are not there to protect the wearer,

as it only impedes what (an infected) wearer 'emits towards others'

2 hours ago, webfact said:

As of February 29, 41 Covid-19 cases had been diagnosed in Thailand. No deaths have been reported.

Thailand Says Patient Who Had Novel Coronavirus Has Died

Thailand reports first death

 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

However, there is evidence that moderate exercise, adequate sleep and a healthy diet can enhance our immune system and consequently help to reduce the risk of getting the viral infection.

The immune system is measured in CD4. I have a relatively low CD4 count, it has stayed relatively low for the last 15 years - still in the man's acceptable level, but low - no amount of healthy diet, sleep or exercise will increase what your naturally born with to any degree that will help much with this virus. I certainly do not think immunity stops you getting a virus - may help fight it but not catch it.

 

As for Vit D and immune system - my immune system is low, but my vit D off the scale according to the blood people - at a height only obtainable with a bottle of vit tablets everyday - consultant says its the Thai sunshine. Vit D is good, but is not as good as being born with a high scale CD4 count.

 

 

 

 

 

 

4 hours ago, RJRS1301 said:

Evidence ??

Yes.

 

1. PUI numbers rising rapidly, this morning 2953.

2. No accounting of how many PUI were tested.

3. Number of confirmed positive just stays very low, still 42.

 

In the first 2 weeks testing was very slow whole genome sequencing. They did report total tested, testing backlog, and number of confirmed.

 

After week 2 they switched to much faster PCR testing. But they stopped reporting  all testing numbers, just the slow rising confirmed cases.

 

So, what are they doing? They are hospitalizing, isolating, and treating ~3000 PUI as if they had nCoV2019. Many recovered and returned home. They are keeping test results quiet. "Oops! That case recovered before we entered test results in master database. Oh well, no need now."

 

Patients were treated.

Patients got well.

Confirmed cases are low.

No one is worried.

No panic buying.

Tourists come.

 

Everyone happy. Thai style.

 

Edit: And oh, it's here.

 

 

https://ddc.moph.go.th/viralpneumonia/eng/file/situation/situation-no57-290263.pdf

 

Edited March 2, 20206 yr by rabas

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Other tips include sitting or walking in the early morning sun for 10 minutes. Here’s why: The precursors of Vitamin D -- that is, molecules that produce the vitamin present in our skin -- are activated by the sun, and vitamin D can also boost the immune system.

lol, in thailand ?  

 

with all the whitening products with SPF 500 to not get a sun spot ?

 

loooooooooooooooooool

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Strengthening immunity one way to avoid Covid-19

WOW..... Learn something new everyday.  I thought weakening your immunity would help more.  What do they mean "avoid"?  This is some crazy alien riddle?  lol

would heavy drinking and smoking stop it? i don't think it would last long in my lungs must be like the la brer tar pits down there,also i do sleep well as for exercise does sex count?

It was called novel coronavirus for a reason. It's new, ony those that have recovered have immunity against it, unknown for how long.

They say there is no details of how many Chinese deaths were of smokers...

Well I can answer that one - Everyone of them.

 

I spent over a year in China and never met a Chinese guy who did not smoke - fewer women smoke but not a lot less.

 

In fact everyone smokes except in MacDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut and in the big malls and supermarkets due to secondary smoke from all the smokers around you.

Coupled with massive air pollution most Chinese lungs are wrecked.

 

One good thing I read is that the virus does not seem to affect children. Probably because they have not started smoking ....yet.

 

3 minutes ago, lonewolf99 said:

They say there is no details of how many Chinese deaths were of smokers...

Well I can answer that one - Everyone of them.

 

I spent over a year in China and never met a Chinese guy who did not smoke - fewer women smoke but not a lot less.

 

In fact everyone smokes except in MacDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut and in the big malls and supermarkets due to secondary smoke from all the smokers around you.

Coupled with massive air pollution most Chinese lungs are wrecked.

 

One good thing I read is that the virus does not seem to affect children. Probably because they have not started smoking ....yet.

 

They mentioned this in the NYT's Daily podcast last week.  Older Chinese men who are heavy smokers and who have had respiratory illness have been the hardest hit.

5 hours ago, rabas said:

Yes.

 

1. PUI numbers rising rapidly, this morning 2953.

2. No accounting of how many PUI were tested.

3. Number of confirmed positive just stays very low, still 42.

 

In the first 2 weeks testing was very slow whole genome sequencing. They did report total tested, testing backlog, and number of confirmed.

 

After week 2 they switched to much faster PCR testing. But they stopped reporting  all testing numbers, just the slow rising confirmed cases.

 

So, what are they doing? They are hospitalizing, isolating, and treating ~3000 PUI as if they had nCoV2019. Many recovered and returned home. They are keeping test results quiet. "Oops! That case recovered before we entered test results in master database. Oh well, no need now."

 

Patients were treated.

Patients got well.

Confirmed cases are low.

No one is worried.

No panic buying.

Tourists come.

 

Everyone happy. Thai style.

 

Edit: And oh, it's here.

 

 

https://ddc.moph.go.th/viralpneumonia/eng/file/situation/situation-no57-290263.pdf

 

definitive proof they are 'keeping things quiet'?

Sounds reasonable, but how can there still be more victims in Singapore than in Thailand? They walk more in Singapore, eat more expensive food, work in normal hours....strange that they have a lower immune system than the Thai, don't you guys think?

On 3/2/2020 at 7:05 AM, RichardColeman said:

 

I certainly do not think immunity stops you getting a virus - may help fight it but not catch it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is more to immunity than cd4. First line defence are non specific killer cells. Exposures do not always result in infections. Case in point you can be sure that Chinese females were exposed to this virus as much as the males, but the cigarette smoking immune system compromised males have higher infection numbers. 

On 3/2/2020 at 5:22 AM, RJRS1301 said:

Evidence ??

It's been reported on TVF, therefore it's true. 

On 3/1/2020 at 10:04 PM, JimmyTheMook said:

hai infection numbers are way way higher than being reported.

Same with every country I think. I don't believe in the numbers reported by any countries, including European countries and America. Look at the numbers reported by Vietnam and Cambodia, and Canada, and New Zealand. This is a world wide pandemic. And the numbers are very high. Most patients don't get tested and recover with their own immunity system. It is only when they have high fevers and hospitalized, they are tested. Somebody with a one day high fever and then not going to hospital and the showing low fever and or no fever becuase of their immune system took care of it the next day is not going to be tested or reported. 

Edited March 3, 20206 yr by CartagenaWarlock