Let’s Rise Together. Replace Fear with Power. Let’s get in the best shape of our lives and be immune boosting beasts! Be champions of health! Be the healthy deviants who resist infections and flus. Be like Joe Pilates’s WWI campmates who were the only ones to resist the tragic Spanish Flu pandemic because their immune systems were so strong. Let’s get stronger together and build a fortress of vibrant, radiant health.
It is prime time to shift from “How do we hide?” to “How do we get in the best shape of our lives, and become as resilient as possible??” It is clear that the tragic effects of Coronavirus are most severe in people with cardio-metabolic dysfunction including inflammation and insulin resistance, hallmarks of metabolic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and high blood pressure (BP). The key to our personal health, and public health at large, lies in preventing and reversing metabolic disease. It’s time to get truly healthy.
The Immune system is powerful, the innate and adaptive programs within our bodies provide barriers to invading pathogens, and fight them if they cross these barriers. By harnessing our power to fortify these resources within ourselves, we build resilience and health. We can see this in the numbers of people who have been infected by Covid-19 but are symptom free. In this healthy population, the body’s immune system is strong enough to fight off the infection.
How do we fortify our immune system?? There are many ways, and the most powerful are LIFESTYLE behaviors, the Four Pillars of Health. Think of what helps us fight off a cold: rest, healthy foods, fluids, lowering negative stress, appropriate levels of movement, fresh air, and time in the sunshine, positive relationships. These intuitive actions are key to building a strong immune system to be resilient and ready to prevent infections and disease that may come along at any time. Strong aerobic fitness, respiratory capacity, vitamin D3 (hello sunshine!), and melatonin (just say no to blue light in the evening!) are proving to be fortresses of immune health in this pandemic.
Even more important than what we can “take” to augment immunity, is what we can steer clear of, especially sugars, and processed veggie oils which annihilate the immune system. Give your immune system a fighting chance. Treat it with honor and respect, and it will serve you well.
By reducing high blood sugar, insulin resistance and inflammation, we not only work to prevent and reverse chronic metabolic diseases, but we build resilience to viruses and infections. Yes, we give our immune system a rocket boost! This will elevate the health of our communities; physically, mentally, and financially.
It’s time to rise up and take action for our personal health, and for the health of everyone around us. And as a bonus, by taking these healthy steps, we are rewarded with vibrant energy, lean body composition, clarity of thought, joyful mood, bone and muscle strength; we become smart, healthy, strong, happy, resilient human beings!
Did you know that only 1:8 Americans is metabolically healthy? This is an alarming statistic, indicating the prevailing pandemics of obesity, cardiovascular disease, obesity and insulin resistance which predispose our population to suppressed immune function.
Take the Metabolic Health Challenge
How do we measure metabolic health? Do you know your score in these very important health parameters? Let’s find out!
Most medical doctors look for the presence of these factors of Metabolic Health;
1. Waist circumference: under 40 inches for men 35 inches for women, measured above the umbilicus. Abdominal obesity is dangerous, as visceral fat surrounds the organs and is highly correlated with disease risk and immune dysfunction.
2. Blood Pressure under 120/80.
3. Blood sugar regulation and insulin sensitivity; HbA1c under 5.7
4. Triglycerides under 150 mg/dL.
5. HDL cholesterol above 40 for men or 50 for women.
How are you doing in terms of these markers? Wouldn’t it feel great to be getting 100 percent on this test?? Working to meet these targets is of utmost importance, especially now when our immune systems need to protect us more than ever.
I learned about this from personal experience. At the pinnacle of my professional dance career, I was diagnosed with pre-diabetes. I was incredibly physically fit, but I had become one of the 7/8 metabolically unhealthy people in the US. My body was insulin resistant, with an elevated HbA1c, indicating I was not regulating blood glucose adequately.
I had learned that insulin resistance is a hallmark of metabolic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and cognitive decline. I thought I was doing everything right, as I had been taught in medical school and by the ADA and AHA. I was super fit, and yet, my body was incredibly inflamed. I could have written this off to a genetic history of diabetes, or I could dig my heels in to figure out how to lead myself to thrive. I chose the second option. And never looked back!
With a great deal of research into how to truly cultivate health, (rather than just treating disease) I embarked upon the journey, moving out of pre-diabetes and systemic inflammation, into vibrant thriving health. I went Primal. It required a revamping of my lifestyle habits, giving up grains, adding healthy protein and fats, more high quality sleep, respecting the cycles of deep work and deep rest, and creating my Four Pillars of Health system. The rewards are invaluable: clarity of thought, freedom from aches and pains, joyful mood, vibrant energy, and high function physically and mentally. I am now devoted to empowering others to thrive also. I am honored to be a Primal Health Coach and sharing the information forward. The information is life saving and transforming in brilliantly positive ways. It is a thrill to be constantly learning more. The education never stops.
By committing to the Four Pillars of Health, Nourishing Food, Intelligent Movement, Quality Rest and Positive Mindset we can meet the targets for metabolic health, prevent disease, elevate immunity, create thriving health and become happy, healthy, smart, resilient human beings.
Science reveals that insulin resistance and inflammation, characteristic of metabolic diseases, suppress immune function and increase the risk of the tragic effects of coronavirus. This illustrates the necessity for public health movement towards better insulin and glucose regulation as a community health measure.
There will be more pandemics, viruses, and infections. It’s time to get in the best shape of our lives to be resilient. To build our immune systems to fight infections with fortitude and to keep us healthy. We can prepare with intelligence by getting metabolically healthy.
Rather than outsourcing our health, we can take active steps to prevent and reverse these diseases through lifestyle changes, and thereby elevate our immunity to viruses and infections. In so doing, we take active steps towards preventing chronic disease such diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, metabolic syndrome, cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s, inflammation, arthritis, auto immune reactions and other disease states which have become pandemics in their own right in the US.
And when we do so, we will be rewarded with vibrant energy, strength of muscles and bones, healthy joints, sharp minds, joyous peaceful mood, clear focus, feelings of being engaged and purposeful. And being resilient to pathogens. It is incredible to realize we have the power within ourselves to create health and vibrant energy, allowing us to live rich and meaningful lives. Let’s do this!
If you are seeking guidance on taking steps towards your personal health goals, feel free to reach out. And if you enjoy structured online programs, Mark Sisson’s 21 Day Reset is an unparalleled resource for resetting your health compass to optimal.
Thanks for reading. May health and happiness be yours. Here’s to vitality!
Best,
Jennifer
Disclaimer; Coaching services and information on this site include education, guidance and tips on primal living and generally healthy movement. I am not a medical doctor and services are not intended to be medical advice or a substitute for a diagnosis, treatment, or prescription that a physician, licensed dietitian, physical therapist or health care professional might recommend.
Jennifer Beamer's Empower Pilates Malibu 