Why it’s important to prepare for your vaccination and how to optimise your response.
Every person is unique and how efficiently the vaccine boosts your immune system depends on your state of health. Preparing your level of wellness can greatly impact how quickly and efficiently you respond to the vaccine. Information is rapidly changing, and I regularly update this blog based on information as it comes to hand.
There are still many people reluctant to have ‘the jab’ for many reasons, but there is increasing evidence NOT vaccinating increases your chances of becoming infection, and of dying. In a Texan study from October 2021 they showed:
- Unvaccinated people were 13 times more likely to become infected with COVID-19 than fully vaccinated people.
- Unvaccinated people were 20 times more likely to experience COVID-19-associated death than fully vaccinated people.
https://www.dshs.texas.gov/immunize/covid19/data/vaccination-status.aspx
To understand how these vaccines work, this excellent 3 minute YouTube clip explains how they work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZLxvo21XDg
These few steps below will not only maximise the benefit of your vaccination but also improve your overall health.
Diet:
Ensure you’re eating a healthy diet with plenty of veggies, fruit, nuts/seeds, lean protein, a variety of fibre and healthy fats. Fast & processed food and sugar lowers immune response. A healthy microbiome is essential for optimal immune health, and any gut infections or inflammation will impact immune response. Consider incorporating drinking green tea – the compound in green tea (EGCG) enhances the body’s uptake of zinc and is independently antiviral effects.
Lifestyle:
- Ensure you’re feeling calm. Acute stress effects viral clearance
- Sleep is essential for optimal immunity
- Ensure you don’t smoke.
Supplements recommended:
- Ensure your micronutrients are at optimal levels including zinc, magnesium (1),Vitamin D and A (2)
- Vitamin C and selenium is involved in a healthy immune response
- As your microbiome can impact your response to COVID, there are specific strains of probiotics that support immunity (3)
- Standardised (preferably practitioner quality) Curcumin derived from Turmeric has far reaching effects as an antioxidant, liver protective, immune balancing, anti-bacterial, anti-viral/fungal and anti-inflammatory.
- Medicinal mushrooms are specialised immune modulators
Some other useful tips:
- If you develop headache 4-20 days post-vaccine that does not respond to pain relief, see your doctor immediately.
- If you are planning on having a massage or Bowen Therapy session, I suggest waiting at least two days after each injection just in case you have a negative reaction. Most people will have some local arm pain and swelling, but some people will have more severe, flu-like symptoms. For the latter, delay massage until you are feeling well again.
- Many of my clients are concerned about the additives in the vaccines, so I’m now suggesting a short course of products to clear toxins from the body (e.g. Toxaprevent, glutathione or other toxin binders).
What are the side-effects of having the vaccine?
The Australian government releases a safety report weekly to summarise negative side-effects from the vaccine: https://www.tga.gov.au/periodic/covid-19-vaccine-weekly-safety-report-18-11-2021?fbclid=IwAR25jI4jeOB3BTrEVxo7dn1jrD3H6NjHZ0SE2XapPz7xU0W-57B4qUhMOt4
Will the vaccine affect sperm health?
A study published in July 2021 in JAMA measured sperm parameters of 45 men before and 70 days post-vaccine on this study. There appeared to be no negative impact on sperm parameters.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2781360.
Will the vaccine affect my fertility, and should I get vaccinated if I’m pregnant?
This is not a straightforward answer and you need to weight up the risk of complications from getting infected with COVID during pregnancy vs the increased miscarriage risk. In 2 recent studies (one published 20th Oct 2021 by the New England Journal of Medicine on 18,500 pregnant women) add to the evidence that COVID-19 vaccines are safe before and during pregnancy. Researchers found no link between COVID-19 vaccines and risk of first-trimester miscarriage, regardless of whether the vaccines were from Moderna, Pfizer and BioNTech, or AstraZeneca. However in another review of the data conclude that the claims made using these data on the safety of exposure of women in early pregnancy to mRNA-based vaccines to prevent COVID-19 are unwarranted and recommend that those policy decisions be revisited.
Overall, the women who did miscarry were 9% less likely to have been vaccinated, according to the researchers’ calculations.
In women who were advised not to become pregnant post vaccine or who had had the COVID vaccine once pregnant did not appear to have increased rates of miscarriage according to this article. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7927763/. There appears to be no impact on fertility, risk of maternal illness or teratogenicity (birth defects) once pregnant.
However, if you are aged between 35-49 and are pregnant, the risk of a miscarriage increases from the average 22.3 % to 38.7%
The updated Australian Government Health Guidelines actively encourage women planning pregnancy, who are pregnant or breastfeeding to ‘have the jab’. The potential risk of side-effects seem to outweigh the negative impact if women were to contract the virus, and offers protection for the baby.
Pregnant women who contract COVID are more likely to be hospitalised and have increased risk of complications during the pregnancy such as early term birth and stillbirth. There still needs to be longer term studies to investigate the impact of the vaccine on the infant, but some evidence immunity from the mother is passed onto the baby. The mRNA vaccines have more research in pregnancy, so the Pfizer or Moderna is recommended. If you’ve already had one dose of the AZ vaccine, it is recommended to choose either the Moderna or Pfizer for your second jab. (Information from the Spring FSANZ newsletter)
If you are breastfeeding there is no specific recommended time to have any of the vaccine options – the sooner the better. The vaccines appear to be rapidly broken down and not cross through into the breastmilk. In contrast to this recommendation, voluntary reporting systems have received numerous reports of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), gastrointestinal upset, rash, anaphylactic reaction and death following exposure to breastmilk of a recently vaccinated mother.
Choice of Vaccines.
You may want to speak to your GP regarding the best choice for you. There is a small risk of cardiomyopathy in young males in the mRNA options such as Pfizer. See https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-02740-y
Watch this Space:
Novavax on the way:
A new vaccine is due to land in Australia later this year/early next year (depending on Australian assessment of trials and safety) called Novavax. It is a more traditional vaccine not based on mRNA or DNA technology. More information in this article: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-15/what-is-novavax-vaccine-trial-results-when-australia-mrna/100215354?utm_campaign=abc_news_web&utm_content=link&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_source=abc_news_web
Oral AntiViral Drugs Study:
Pfizer Inc said late September 2021 that it has started a mid-to-late-stage study testing its investigational oral antiviral drug (a protease inhibitor) for the prevention of COVID-19 infection among those who have been exposed to the virus.
More questions?
The Doherty Institute did a Q & A session on 21/9/21 answering questions like “Are vaccines safe in pregnancy?”, “Should I vaccinate my teen”, “What about children under 12?”, “Is Ivermectin useful and why do we need to vaccinate when there are treatments available for severe COVID infections” and “Should I mix and match vaccines” etc.? See:
https://www.doherty.edu.au/news-events/news/covid-19-vaccines-your-questions-answered-part-2
Breakthrough in Treating Severe COVID
A drug combo called Regen-COV (a a monoclonal antibody combination of casirivimab and imdevimab) significantly reduced the risk of COVID-19–related hospitalizations and death in a trial published late September 2021 in the New England Journal of Medicine. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2108163
So as well as naturopathic support (nutrients, herbs and lifestyle as mentioned in my blog:https://www.holistichealth.com.au/5-natural-ways-to-support-your-covid-19-coronavirus-risk/ there are an increasing number of options to support recovery.
Special Pre-vaccine screening Consult $195:
Book a virtual appointment: https://holistic-health-pty-ltd.au1.cliniko.com/bookings
Are you contemplating the COVID vaccine and want to optimise your health beforehand, so you get the best response and reduce the risk of side-effects?
You will be required to complete a health questionnaire prior to our consult, held by phone or on Zoom.
I will review your overall health, immunity, risk factors, diet, stress and sleep and pathology screening tests and provide personalised recommendations with written instructions. Supplements may include vitamins, minerals, medicinal mushrooms and specialised probiotics (5)
About Doreen Schwegler:
Doreen Schwegler is a Medical Scientist and Naturopath with over 32 years of experience helping people lead healthier happier lives. She works in Melbourne and Sydney Australia, and offer virtual consults world wide. E: doreen@holistichealth.com.au or book online https://holistic-health-pty-ltd.au1.cliniko.com/bookings
References:
(1) Zinc supports immune response and both this and Magnesium is involved in breakdown of mRNA https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7019735/
(2) Vitamin A is important for healthy mucosal surfaces https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6162863/
(3) BMJ 2021 https://www.bmj.com/company/newsroom/make-up-of-gut-microbiome-may-influence-covid-19-severity-and-immune-response/
(4) :How mRNA Vaccines Work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZLxvo21XDg
(5) The supplements recommended are practitioner quality zinc + vitamin C, a specific immune modulating probiotic, medicinal mushrooms, Vitamins D, A, curcumin, selenium and cofactors depending on your pathology review.
Doreen Schwegler is a Medical Scientist and Naturopath with over 32 years of experience supporting people’s health and well-being. Contact: doreen@holistichealth.com.au Bookings: https://holistic-health-pty-ltd.au1.cliniko.com/bookings
Leave A Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.