There are some simple steps that groups of people with high risk of infection can take to minimise the potential severity of getting sick. In these times, improving gut health and your immune system will help, particularly for those with chronic health conditions.
The Australian Government has said that the following groups are at higher risk than other groups:
- people with compromised immune systems (e.g. cancer)
- elderly people
- people with diagnosed chronic medical conditions
- very young children and babies
- people in group residential settings
- people in detention facilities
Generally, people on this list have clear guidelines involving isolation steps and hygiene.
What can be done to help those with chronic medical conditions?
The Centre of Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) have both found that people with chronic medical conditions are at higher risk for experiencing more serious complications from viruses and are at a higher risk for death.
Three major conditions that they have highlighted are heart disease, diabetes and lung disease. The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reports that among those with pre-existing conditions:
- 5 percent have cardiovascular disease
- 3 percent have diabetes
- 3 percent have chronic respiratory disease
- 0 percent have hypertension
- 6 percent have cancer
What precautions can be taken against getting sick for people with diabetes?
Most medical professionals who treat diabetes emphasise basic hygiene and illness precautions, as well as doubling down on efforts to achieve good glucose control.
Endocrinologist Dr. Jennifer Dyer in Ohio has been receiving patient calls concerned about getting sick, and the information she is passing along is this: “Bottom line: make sure you get a flu shot. If you or your loved ones get sick with a flu-like or cold-like illness, first make sure it’s not the flu, which is treatable. If there is any progression to pneumonia, get support and treatment fast as this is what typically makes these viruses dangerous.”
“Bottom line: make sure you get a flu shot.”
Is a healthy gut essential for a strong immune system?
We may only just be beginning to discover the many ways in which a healthy or unhealthy gut can affect our lives, but we already know a lot about the important bacteria; namely about how they affect our immune system. Specifically:
- bacteria teach our immune system how to behave
- a healthy microbiome helps keep a balanced immune system
- bad gut bacteria can lead to disease
- a diverse gut flora is the healthiest
It is not so easy to permanently change an established gut flora, good or bad. Once disturbed, the flora will return to normal within a short time frame, just like when you return home after a vacation and eat your usual diet. It’s also important to understand how to build a healthy gut biome.
Researchers have shown that in laboratory mice a certain bacterial composition is associated with Type 2 diabetes and obesity. In fact, researchers were able to transfer obesity to lean mice by transplantation of the gut microbiota.
The microbiomes associated with chronic diseases all seem to have one thing in common: a lack of diversity. A diverse microbiota is more likely to bounce back from unhealthy fluctuations in diet and withstand outside intruders, and this means a much more tolerant and well-regulated immune system.
Can those with impaired immune systems still control blood sugar levels?
Yes. However, when buying products designed to improve your gut biome, it’s important to ask the following questions. Is the product:
- clinically and scientifically proven to treat diabetes
- shown to lower and improve control of Blood Sugar Levels (BSLs)
- a food that is proven to promote good intestinal health
NutriKane D meets all these criteria.
For those vulnerable, it is important that you follow the government advice, eat a balanced diet, look after your gut health and keep your blood sugar levels supported in a healthy range.
