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By Health and Fitness Trainer Jesi Mandagaran

            Why hello 2020, you came in swingin’, calling us out on our health with a new thug, Corona-Virus.  Globally, it’s all people can talk about.  Globally, our leaders are hard at work trying to keep civilians safe.  Globally, we are be challenged in every way possible as our human family undergo this crisis, physically, mentally and emotionally.  It’s a roaring scare and rightfully so, since this seems to be the fastest spreading disease known thus far.  With over 70% of people, in our nation alone, die from chronic diseases, and with the Corona virus taking people down, it is safe to say this is our wake-up call. And I’m calling it, “MISSION GUT CHECK”!

Although, if I may point out, too much of this is scare is prompted by overload news vomit and it doesn’t help that it’s on every outlet we have right now, networks, twitter, Instagram, Facebook, news networks, and spoken about in all circles.  Okay maybe rightfully so, but years ago when the Flu broke out, it was just as severe but it didn’t create a social scare to where people are throat punching others over toilet paper in the 99cent store.  But yes, it is scary, seeing fellow countries being on lockdown and hearing from many media outlets of all the lives being taken.   But it can be beat.  A great coach once told me, “You can beat any challenge if you can put a face on it.” Meaning, by understanding the challenge it can be beaten.

            Here’s what we know, those who survive the Corona monster are those who have healthy raspatory systems and healthy immune systems, and of course those that are in good health.  It’s important to point out that many have overcome the illness, the news just seems to highlight only the deaths and the darker side of the Corona monster.  Still, we should take serious precaution since it is a fast spreading asshole.  Sure, the recovery rate is high but spreading it to others is something to heavily consider too.  Many others in our families and friends may not be so lucky.

            As health and fitness leaders, it’s our responsibility to share our knowledge with you all on how to build a bullet proof immune system. DISCLAIMER: In no way we are practicing doctors, pushing supplements and these are just mere suggestion and tips.

            Our #1 and golden belief A HEALTHY IMMUNE SYSTEM and a HEALTHY BODY is rooted from a HEALTHY GUT.

            How do you know you have a healthy gut?

            You don’t have any obvious health conditions like, raspatory issues, chronic diseases, obesity etc. That would definitely reduce chances of overcoming the nasty Corona.

            Now is not the time to indulge into unhealthy habits or activities…

            STOP NOW if you:

• Smoke (anything harmful to your lungs)
• Consuming large amounts of alcohol
• Drugs
• High sugar consumptions
• High fast food consumptions

And for those with these habits, its super important now to go cold turkey and end these poor habits in order to increase chances to recover from the bug.

Building a Healthy Gut Tips:

• Up Fiber intake with natural supplements
• Eat more (2-3 servings) leafy greens (Kale, spinach, broccoli etc)
• Up, up, upppppp your Vitamin C (supplement form and in veggie/fruit consumption)
• Eat more fruit with high antioxidants like the berry’s family
• Eat fermented foods (Kefir, kimchi, yogurts with Live Active cultures, miso, sauerkraut and kombucha
• Prebiotics and probiotics

Here’s the rub on probiotic supplements.  Probiotics work.  The gut is something we are still learning much about.  So, there is conflicting information about whether or not probiotics work.  And this topic is something I have heavily done my homework on.  They DO work but with careful actions to consider.  They do NOT work if you are still consuming shitty high-sugar-poorly nutrient foods.

            Here’s the quick story on your gut.  The gut and your immune system are closely tethered together.  “A huge proportion of your immune system is actually in your GI tract,” says Dan Peterson, assistant professor of pathology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Good bacteria exist there to keep your body working at optimum levels.  But bad bacteria can easily overtake that area and cause havoc in your body.  How? By eating consistently shitty foods (processed foods and high sugary foods).  Excess glucose (sugar) in the body creates a nice little home for bad bacteria in the gut which creates a nasty domino effect.  First inflammation à weight-gain à chronic illnesses.  So, if you can see, if our gut is healthy, our immune system is healthy, and so is our body. Boom!

            How to create a healthy gut?

1. Cleanse
2. Add in pre+probiotics
3. Eat clean, nutrient dense foods—balanced foods
4. Eliminate processed sugars throughout cleansing your gut and while taking probiotics.

Prebiotics are SUPER necessary for keeping the probiotics (good bacteria) alive in your gut.  Picture them your probiotics like Pacman, eating all the big bad ghosts (bad bacteria) and the prebiotics are the food for the Pacmen, AKA Probiotics (good bacteria).  AGAIN, this emergency Gut cleanse works and ONLY works if you eliminate processed sugar intake.  For extreme cases, even fruit should be avoided through the duration of the cleanse.  SUGAR FEEDS THE BAD BACTERIA, not only keeping it alive but building a bigger and badder team of bad bacteria.

One more time, GLUCOSE IN THE BODY FEEDS THE BAD BACTERIA, creating havoc in the gut.  Havoc in the Gut=Unhealthy Gut= Unhealthy body = a WEAK immune system.  And of course, within this special topic today… a weak immune system is no match for the corona virus.

Of course, there are other situations to consider too, like sleep deprivation, high stressed emotions, depression, pregnant, nursing, mild colds etc.… these tend to lower your immune system if there aren’t careful actions being taken to nurture our immune system.

So, now is not the time to slack on our nutrition!  Now is not the time to become a couch potato either.  Exercise to challenge the body, NOT overly exhaust the body. 10-20min of somewhat challenging fitness, whether in your home or outside.  Just because we are homebound does NOT mean we sleep on our fitness.  But monitor your needs.

If you’re feeling fatigue and rundown, then SLEEP is your need first. By being mindful to our body’s needs, we can figure out what it needs.

This is our wake-up call, alerting us, slapping us in the face to pay attention to our health. Here is a quick list of factors and tips to decrease the chances of catching the Corona monster:

1. Nutrition (Eat organic Protein, Fats, Veggies, nuts and seeds)
2. moderate exercise (not to exhaust)
3. stress (eliminate all stress triggers)
4. sleep (6+hours)
5. rest
6. mediation
7. stay away from big crowds
8. traveling
9. shaking hands and other physical contact
10. wash hands, wash hands, wash hands, (20 sec+)
11. disinfect surfaces at work or at home regularly

Even though this disease has a high recovery rate, we should still take extreme precautions right now while the whole world, at large is undergoing this crisis.  We are responsible for ourselves but it is right we help lessen the spread for our human family.  Especially since it can spread easily and FAST.  Like I said earlier, there can be many carriers, and even though most can overcome it, we should consider others, our family and friends may not be so lucky.  Nurture your health, stay in good thoughts and share some toilet paper for crying out loud!

Stay Healthy Human Fam,

Jesi M

Health and Fitness Trainer