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Five Steps to Reduce Stress, Improve Immunity, and Decrease Your Risk of Coronavirus Infection

Five Steps to Reduce Stress, Improve Immunity, and Decrease Your Risk of Coronavirus Infection

1. Stay socially connected while socially distancing: While social distancing, which means limiting physical contact with others, is important to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, staying socially connected improves immune function and decreases the risk of being infected.

Studies comparing gene expression in lonely people to socially connected people found 209 genes expressed differently. Specifically, in the lonely group, genes that are associated with inflammation were turned on, whereas genes that have antiviral roles were turned off.[1] [2]

Steps to stay socially connected while staying physically apart, would include:

  • Engaging in activities with members of the household, talking and encouraging each other, playing games, doing puzzles—but also actually connecting and showing interest in each other.
  • Talking with friends and family on the phone, via Skype, or FaceTime
  • Creating online groups of friends or family for discussion, sharing, Bible study, and encouragement

2. Get 8 hours of sleep each night: Multiple studies have demonstrated that sleep is essential for healthy immune response. Those who sleep less than 8 hours each night have immune systems that are less responsive to infection, while those who sleep 8 hours each night make antibodies more effectively and are able to fight infections more readily. This is one factor why vaccines are not as effective in every person. Persons with chronic sleep deprivation do not get the same antibody production and subsequent protection from vaccines when compared to subjects who sleep 8 hours each night.[3] [4]

Steps to improve sleep include:

  • Decrease or eliminate stimulants, such as caffeine
  • Do not use alcohol as a sleep aid
  • >Use the night setting on electronic devices to decrease blue light
  • Don’t eat a heavy meal before bedtime
  • >Ensure a comfortable bed and cool sleeping environment
  • Ensure your room is dark
  • Keep animals out of the room and bed
  • Consider a sound machine or fan to create “white noise”
  • Establish a routine and schedule for going to bed and getting up—and stick to it
  • If sleep problems persist, see your doctor
  • Do not take sleep medications unless directed to do so by your doctor

3. Regular moderate aerobic exercise: Studies show that regular moderate to vigorous exercise of no more than 60 minutes enhances multiple immune functions. However, extreme exercise, such as running a marathon causes immune dysfunction. Regular moderate aerobic exercise improves macrophage activity, circulation of immunoglobulins, anti-inflammatory cytokines, neutrophils, and various lymphocytes. These changes improve the body’s immunosurveillance. Moderate “exercise is now viewed as an important immune system adjuvant to stimulate the ongoing exchange of leukocytes between the circulation and tissues” and improves the body’s immune response to vaccination. [5]

Steps to healthy exercise:

  • See your doctor to get a physical exam and start exercise under your doctor’s supervision
  • Begin low and go slow, gradually increasing duration and intensity
  • Choose an exercise you enjoy
  • Exercise outdoors when possible
  • Examples of aerobic exercise include: walking, running, biking, rowing, swimming.
  • The easiest to engage and maintain over time is regular walking—aim for 30–60 minutes a day, 5 days a week

4. Healthy Nutrition: The goal of healthy nutrition would be to move your diet away from foods that increase inflammation and impair immune response toward foods that decrease inflammation and improve immune response. Plant-based diets have been shown to do just that. A meta-analysis of 29 studies found that plant-based diets decreased a host of inflammatory factors and, thereby, decreased disease risk.[6]

Steps to healthy nutrition include:

  • Eat fruits, nuts, vegetables—the more colors the better as the colors are high in anti-inflammatory factors: berries, carrots, yams, spinach, etc.
  • Get your vitamin D level checked by your doctor and take vitamin D supplements to achieve a level of 75–100 nmol/L. Levels below 25 increase all causes of death, and levels above 140 increase all causes of death.[7] Studies show that normal vitamin D levels improve immune response and may reduce risk of infections, particularly viral infections like influenza and corona.[8] [9]
  • Avoid or minimize junk food as such foods are highly inflammatory

5. Laugh: In 2019, I wrote a blog on the benefits of laughter and will recap some of those benefits here.

Mirthful laughter reduces inflammation, improves diabetes control, and reduces incidence of heart attacks.[10] Other researchers found beneficial effects of laughter on the blood vessel. Nitric oxide is a chemical that the body uses to dilate blood vessels; mental stress was shown to degrade nitric oxide. This means that laughter minimizes the negative effects of stress by reducing the breakdown of nitric oxide, leading to vasodilatation and better blood flow.[11] On average, laughter increased blood flow by 22 percent and stress decreased blood flow by 35 percent. [12]

Laughter has been shown to improve the response of the immune system, which is especially important at this time.[13] In a study performed by Berk LS, et al., they found increased blood levels of interferon-gamma (an immune product that fights infections and cancers) in ten healthy fasting males after being shown a comedy video (p=0.02).[14] As a result, interferons have become a line of pharmacotherapy in viral infections, systemic carcinomas, hepatitis B and C, in addition to the development of antiretroviral drugs.

There are two types of stress: distress (the negative type) and eustress (the positive type, which would include mirthful laughter). Distress increases stress hormones—such as beta-endorphins, corticotrophins, and catecholamines—but laughter (a form eustress) decreases these hormones, fortifies activity of natural killer (NK) cells, activates T cells and B cells, and increases Ig levels. This means that laughter is capable of combating the negative aspects of distress and fortifying the immune system to help fight against various immune mediated illnesses.[15]

Steps to laugh:

  • Check out our Reasonette comics
  • Watch non-vulgar comedy programs or stand-up comics
  • Play interactive games like Pictionary or Balderdash
  • Tell jokes to friends or family
  • Choose to see the humor in life
 


[1] Genome Biology 2007, 8:R189

[2] PNAS vol. 108 no. 7; Cole, 3080–3085, doi: 10.1073/pnas.1014218108

[3] Michael R. Irwin, Sleep and Infectious Disease Risk, Sleep, Volume 35, Issue 8, 1 August 2012, Pages 1025–1026.

[4] Prather AA, et al., Sleep and antibody response to hepatitis B vaccination. Sleep. 2012 Aug 1;35(8):1063-9. doi: 10.5665/sleep.1990.

[5] Nieman, D., Wentz, L., The compelling link between physical activity and the body’s defense system, Journal of Sport and Health Science, Volume 8, Issue 3, May 2019, Pages 201-217.

[6]> Eichelmann F., et al., Effect of plant-based diets on obesity-related inflammatory profiles: a systematic review and meta-analysis of intervention trials. Obes Rev. 2016 Nov;17(11):1067-1079. doi: 10.1111/obr.12439. Epub 2016 Jul 13.

[7] Durup D et al. A reverse J-shaped association of all-cause mortality with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D in general practice, the CopD study. J Clin Endocrin Metab. 2012;978:2644-2652

[8] Grant WB, Lahore H,. McDonnell SL, et al. Vitamin D supplementation could prevent and treat influenza, coronavirus, and pneumonia Infections. Preprints. 2020;2020030235.

[9] Chung C, Silwal P, Kim I, Modlin RL, Jo EK. Vitamin D-cathelicidin axis: at the crossroads between protective immunity and pathological inflammation during infection. Immune Netw. 2020;20:e12-38.

[10] Berk, L., et al, Mirthful laughter, as adjunct therapy in diabetic care, attenuates catecholamines, inflammatory cytokines, C-RP, and myocardial infarction occurrence, FASEB Journal, Vol. 22, No. 1_supplement, March 2008

[11] Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Nitric oxide; [Revised December 24, 2008]. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nitric_oxide&oldid=259865728.

[12]Vascular Medicine; Watching funny movies boosts blood flow to the heart. Health & Medicine Week,1660. Research Library database.(Document ID: 980266611); 2006.

[13]Berk LS, Tan SA, Fry WF. Eustress of humor associated laughter modulates specific immune system components. Annals of Behavioral Medicine. 1993;15:11.

Berk LS, Tan SA, Fry WF. et al. Neuroendocrine and stress hormone changes during mirthful laughter. American Journal of the Medical Sciences. 1989;298:390.

>Berk LS, Tan SA, Nehlsen-Cannarella SL. et al. Humor associated laughter decreases cortisol and increases spontaneous lymphocyte blastogenesis. Clinical Research. 1988;36:435A.

Martin RA. Is Laughter the Best Medicine? Humor, Laughter, and Physical Health. Current Directions In Psychological Science.2002;11(6):216–8.

[14] The Laughter – Immune Connection. Berk LS, Tan SA; [Revised November, 1996].https://www.hospitalclown.com/Past%20Issues/Final%20PDFs/Vol%202-2Berk.pdf.

[15]Berk LS, Tan SA, Napier BJ. et al. Eustress of mirthful laughter modifies natural killer cell activity. Clinical Research. 1989;37:115A.

 


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Testimony 30

God lead me to your book “The God-Shaped Brain” while I was searching for another book about the brain and then to your interview about your book on HeartWise Ministries [where] I found out about [Come And Reason Ministries]. I’m now devouring the webcasts of your Bible studies. I have been so greatly blessed and I thank God so much for your courage to speak the Truth in love no matter what. Listening to you contrast the two opposing systems (laws) and digging deep to unearth the hidden treasures in the Bible makes me so incredibly happy and I feel very blessed to be part of your Bible Study Group although I live far away. I am just so excited that there is a group of people that is spreading the Truth about the character of God and it saddens me how few realize what our Father in Heaven is really like.

Kessy B., Australia

 

Testimony 34

I was introduced to Come and Reason Ministries by accident, via a passing comment made in a bible study class we were visiting. I checked this website out and my life was changed. The understanding of the truth of God’s character, and how we apply it, is so right. The tricky part is consistently applying which “lens” to look through. As I began to understand, I started sharing the basics of this understanding with a discussion group I was leading and, suddenly, a lot of things started to make sense that never used to. At the same time, I enjoyed an amazing opportunity. I was able to conduct a full bible study at WORK! What an amazing experience! It is such a joy to share the truth about God and to share how it all fits in the war between God and Satan. So many people benefit when we have a correct understanding about how God works and who He really is! Thank you for this transformational understanding. Keep up the good work! God Bless you!

Tony P., CA, USA

 

Testimony 64

I’ve been reading the bible and walking with Jesus since I was around 16. I’m 42 now. I’ve mostly been alone in my walk although I went to several churches in different denominations. For the past 3 years God has been showing me His character of agape. It’s been a blessing and changed how I view God and my walk with Jesus. About a year ago I came across the power of love and the principles of design law. These teachings changed how I read scripture and have been such a beautiful blessing. I’m very excited and grateful for these truths. We share these truths of agape, design law and the reality of the principles of the two trees in the garden of Eden with people on Facebook and YouTube. People all over are learning to trust God and His agape design law which makes life possible. Thank you for everything you shared with me. May God continue to bless your ministry and lives.

Bradley M., Hinsdale, NY, USA

 

Testimony 19

I truly believe that to know who God really is the first step to understand ourselves in a balanced and kind way, so the healing can take place. Your approach really makes sense – Thank you for your ministry!

A.M., Pittsburg, PA, USA

Testimony 60

Just watched watched lesson 10 in the 1st quarter 2021 bible study classs on Isaiah. I want to thank you for your intellectual spirituality; it’s not an oxymoron! From the point of view of a teacher I also enjoy seeing how much personal pleasure you clearly take in not just tasting, but feasting on God’s word – it reminds me of Jeremiah not being able to hold it in! It makes me smile that your cup is so full and overflowing that you make it to Tuesday’s lesson (on a good day). It just goes to show the richness of God’s Word.

God bless the Come and Reason Team from our church here in Great Britain.

Andrew H., Great Britain

 

Testimony 23

I would just like to add my voice to the many people who, I believe, must have contacted you to express their appreciation for the “Healing the Mind” DVDs. I’ve been listening to your Bible study class discussions for many years and I’ve been personally blessed by your research and teaching about the character of God.

L. G., Oakland, MI, USA

 

Testimony 55

I was born [into the church], then I left it for many years. 10 years ago, I came back, but I could not take the hypocrisy and the lack of answers to the missing pieces. I struggled, but I did not abandon my commitment to know the truth. God is leading me to the simple understanding of his relevance and I am relearning what the church taught me as a youth… that he loves me, that he has led me to a knowledge of him such as I have never known. He is using Dr. Jennings to connect the dots that are now so apparent and hiding in plain sight!

Dean P., Arlington, TX, USA

 

Testimony 37

Hearing Dr. Jennings’ presentations in person came at a pivotal moment in my spiritual journey that began about nine months ago, when the fault lines inherent in my belief system began to crack under questions that most reasonable people end up asking about God and His nature. These were questions I couldn’t find answers to, and they shook my faith. I was unable let it go any longer and be satisfied. My Christian experience became distant. I was afraid; the fear in me rose like thorns, pushing me away from Jesus. And then someone heard my questions and introduced me to this ministry, and my life has totally changed.

I can tell you that this new, “present truth” message is far grander and life-changing than when I shifted from being an agnostic and then a nominal Christian. It has radically altered my worldview, because it reveals a God that makes sense. It is a revolution. I believe that Dr. Jennings’ message is the final message that must go to the world. If any message could be called “righteousness by faith,” as abused as that term is by the right and the left, this is that message, because Jennings’ biblical message identifies a God who is different, whose character isn’t an impossible contradiction.

I walk this path now without fear. I see people differently, and the Holy Spirit burns in my heart. Many call Dr. Jennings’ message false and compromising, but it isn’t false, because I’ve seen the fruits within my mind and body. It is not compromising, because in this message is the only road to holiness that makes any sense. No longer do I behold a pagan god who is always angry and suspicious. Instead, I behold a God who is freeing and loving, always working for our good, and giving me every reason to love my enemy even to my own death, just as Jesus pleads with us. God is good.

Anthony L., CA, USA

 

Testimony 45

I have been confused for years about what [christianity] calls [its] most disgusting teaching. It has never made much sense to me and for that reason has been evermore empty. I have listened to your class off and on and have struggled determining what is truth, because of the resistance design law encounters in the church. So, I thank God for your ministry. What you teach makes sense. It’s logical and backed up by the power of love. I have never seen that in Christ until now. I am astounded by the insight that is found when we look at God’s ministry through design law. All strength to this message, as I believe it to be the power of God.

Brendon S.

 

Testimony 62

I would like to express my thanks to the C&R team for creating a platform from which people can learn to trust in God and grow. My life is a witness to the effectiveness of this ministry. Without believing the truth about God as you have shown, I don’t know what my life would be like. I had given up on God helping me with certain sins – it was all useless. Given that the scripture is clear and God is so good, how could I have betrayed him so many times? I was a yo-yo christian; spinning up and down. My faith and enthusiasm was driven by discoveries/threats that prophecy is about to be fulfilled. But when I watched your “Healing the Mind” seminar, it was like a light finally went on. I could see God had no plan to hurt me, the danger came from sin, and that He is working to protect me and strengthen me. Thank you for allowing God to use you. The message God gave C&R saved my life!

Antony N. – Hobart, Australia

 

Testimony 18

The Healing the Mind DVD set tarted me on a journey that has changed my relationship with our loving God more significantly than any other study, and brought me to your book and Bible study podcasts, which I now listen to daily, thanks to the availability of archived content on your site and on iTunes.

Anonymous

 

Testimony 26

Your teachings about our heavenly Father have changed my life. Thank you sooooooo very very much! I know He’s doing some serious healing in my heart and life and I look forward to each new day to learn something new about Him and to just hear you speak about Him. Thank you, forever.

Nancy S.

 

Testimony 9

I really enjoy with you the view of a gracious God. Thank you for sharing the work you are allowing the Lord to do in you.

L., Queensland, Australia

 

Testimony 10

I personally download and listen to each of Come And Reason Ministries Bible study class lessons and PDF study notes to use when teaching my class. Really appreciate the class especially when Dr. Jennings is teaching. Thank God there are persons like him doing His work and traveling to share His beliefs.

B. L.M., North Plains, OR, USA

 

Testimony 71

When I was 9 years old, I remember setting at our devotional table with a hunger and thirst for God that wanted more, deeper, BETTER. I can remember literally crying and pounding on the table, “I know these teachers didn’t mean to give us error. They taught what THEY had been TAUGHT, but didn’t ANYBODY READ THE BOOK?!?!?” It mattered to me then. It mattered to me as a teenager. It matters now as I teach bible classes. It didn’t have to be so hard as I watched so many give up and lay God’s great plan and gift of salvation aside as being “impossible.” Then, a friend sent me a link to Come And Reason’s website. I grew excited. YES! FINALLY! Then another friend told me to stay away, saying her son had just broken up with a girl because she was involved with Come And Reason and that “Tim Jennings preaches a false gospel.” But, AFTER many years of developing an authentic and, dare I say FUN relationship with Jesus, through the Holy Spirit I see this message has been around a LONG time, since the apostle Paul, Ellen White, Graham Maxwell, Ray Foucher, and yourself (though I admit, you’ve made me back up, rewind and replay the clips, and get out my well-worn Bible on a few things.) I’m so thankful I have found LIGHT during these DARK days. I am not alone.

Vicki DiNitto