The Immunity Fix Book Review
With the COVID-19 pandemic still raging on, many of us are searching for the best ways to give our immune systems a boost to stay healthy in these uncertain times. Dr. James DiNicolantonia, author of The Salt Fix, and Siim Land deliver just this in their newest book, The Immunity Fix. The Immunity Fix not only offers a comprehensive plan on how to enhance your immune system, but it also examines the ins and outs of the immune system and how different viruses affect our health.
What I love most about this book is that it includes the most up-to-date scientific information (including information on COVID-19)! The authors share in my belief that our health, save for genetic factors, is completely in our control, it’s just about building healthy sustainable habits. A few of my biggest takeaways from this book were:
Sleep is a vital piece of the immunity puzzle.
Of course, this isn’t exactly groundbreaking news, but it was interesting learning about the toll that lack of sleep has on our body. Our immune system is dependent on getting 7-9 hours of rest; it uses this time to recover from any “damage” that occurred throughout the day. Dr. DiNicolantonia suggests keeping the bedroom dark and cold and night, utilizing white noise machines, and avoiding caffeinated beverages after 11 AM for the best results.
Pump up the nutrients.
Again, not exactly headline news, but an extremely important point nevertheless. Oftentimes we as a society focus on eating “healthy,” and yet we are a nutrient-deficient population. Just a little more intention when choosing what you’re putting into your body can make all the difference. A quick grocery shopping tip, stick to the perimeter of the store, opting for whole foods such as grass-fed meat, whole fruits and vegetables, eggs, legumes, and nuts. Stay away from processed foods as much as possible. Processed = processing nutrients out of your food (even if the product markets itself as “healthy”).
It might also be worth asking your doctor to check your vitamin and mineral levels with a simple blood test at your annual physical. This kind of test can help inform what kinds of foods you should add to your diet to really optimize health.
Supplement when you’re ill.
This was a standout part of the book for me! Of course, whenever I feel a cold coming on, I immediately reach for the citrus fruits, Vitamin D, and zinc. But there are other supplements that Dr. DiNicolantonia covers in this book that have been scientifically proven to reduce the duration and severity of the common cold, flu, and URT infections. From black elderberry extract to AP-Bio to melatonin, you’ll know exactly what to add to your medicine cabinet so you’re prepared the next time you feel a chill coming on.
Overall I found this book to be a pretty easy read. There is definitely some medical jargon included, but it is very well-researched with nearly 2,500 references, so I really felt like I was arming myself with the best possible information. I also found all of the references to COVID-19 to be remarkably interesting and helped me gain a little perspective. This was an awesome first read of 2021 for me, and I’d absolutely recommend it for anyone looking for practical advice on how to take charge of their health.