It is possible to catch Covid-19 twice according to Public Health England, but immunity can last 5 months and you can do a lot during that time not just to avoid catching Covid-19 twice but also to avoid ‘long Covid’. Did you know that you can use simple home testing kits to measure nutrients in your gut microbiome where 70% of your immune system is?
Increased stress hormones decrease your digestive hormones and lead to increased inflammation, one of the main risk factors in catching Covid-19, but these non-invasive tests can assess whether you have the right level of vital nutrients in your gut microbiome, whether you can digest and process them effectively, they can measure your sleep-wake hormones to see if you are getting adequate sleep to recover and they can even measure your genetic predisposition to some of the chronic health problems that have been identified as risk factors in those who have more serious effects of Covid-19 infection.
You do not need a doctor’s appointment to get them done and there is no need for a blood draw. The tests are non-invasive saliva, urine, stool, finger-prick test or buccal swab, all of which you can do yourself, then our courier will collect them and take them to Genova Diagnostics, one of the most trusted international laboratories for these kind of tests.
The Institute for Functional Medicine offers its members on-gong training in prevention, resilience and recovery from Covid-19 and we are kept up-to-date with the latest information on pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and lifestyle interventions that can help our clients avoid catching Covid-19 twice. With this as the foundation, and as a registered practitioner of functional medicine in the UK, I am delighted to be able to offer a new Transformation Programme called Long Covid Resistance, Resilience and Recovery Plans.
Long Covid Resistance, Resilience and Recovery Plans.
State-of-the-art non-invasive tests that you can do at home can show us clearly what nutrients your body is lacking, what the impact of stress is on your body, whether you are getting enough sleep for your body to recover and renew itself and even look at your genetic predisposition towards some of the underlying risk factors for catching Covid-19.
The BBC ran a fantastic documentary called The Truth About Boosting Your Immune System, which you can watch here for as long as it is on BBC iPlayer.
The Truth About Boosting Your Immune System
All packages offer an extensive 1:1 consultation and a personalized health timeline produced along with the functional medicine matrix so we can identify which of your body systems are out of balance. Likewise, everyone will be given recommendations on supplements that can be taken to address the immediate imbalance.
All tests can be done from your own home. The kits will be delivered to you with clear instructions, but you will also have access to Simone at 360 Health Consultancy and Alex, our account manager at Genova Diagnostics if anything is unclear. Once you have completed your test, we will tell you how to arrange for our courier to collect your samples from you. Simone will receive the results and contact you for an in-depth 1:1 discussion about the findings, the recommendations and what your options are going forward if you would like a nutrition, exercise and lifestyle plan put together for you, whether you would like the support of a health coach etc.
The distinction in the three packages comes down to the lab tests that you need.
Bronze Programme
The bronze level is geared towards those with chronic fatigue symptoms either from life in general, a previous illness, or from having had Covid-19 in the past. These excellent foundational tests include an Adrenal Stress Profile to see how well your body is able to adapt to stress. Secondly, the Metabolic Analysis Profile is a nutritional panel that gives us detailed information about your nutritional intake and whether you are getting the right goodness into your body to keep your energy levels, immunity and other body functions working effectively.
Silver Programme
The tests at this level are slightly different from Bronze because the more advanced tests include much of the information.
Comprehensive Adrenal Stress Profile with SIgA
How your body is coping with stress and how strong your front line of defence is against toxins coming into your nasal passages, lungs and GI Tract.
Nutrition Testing
As with the bronze panel, your nutritional intake will be measured in relation to the following:
- Malabsorption and Dysbiosis
- Cellular Energy and Mitochondrial Metabolites
- Neurotransmitter Metabolites
- Vitamin Markers
- Toxin and Detoxification Markers
- Tyrosine Metabolism
- Amino Acids
- Oxidative Stress Markers
- Essential Fatty Acids
- Nutrient and Toxic Elements
Genome Testing that could possibly help you avoid catching Covid-19 twice
The Metabolomix+ Panel is a state-of-the-art analysis of not only the gut microbiome but we can also use genomic testing to assess cholesterol regulation, methylation and crucially, inflammation. By having this insight into your genetic predisposition towards certain health problems that are known risk-factors, you can follow the advice from those finding to help you avoid catching Covid-19 twice or of developing ‘long covid’.
It is very important to note that having a genetic pre-disposition to something does NOT mean that it will develop, even if it is something that runs in your family. In fact, knowing your genetic pre-disposition gives you the opportunity to take simple actions at this stage (EG diet modification) before the condition is triggered and before symptoms arise.
If, however, you prefer not to know your genetic pre-dispositions in this area, they WLL NOT be tested.
Cortisol Awakening Response
The Cortisol Awakening Response shows how well your wake-sleep cycle is working so we can assess whether you are getting enough sleep for your body to recover and renew itself. This is critical for our immune system to work properly because too much sleep and inactivity can be as harmful as not enough sleep
Gold Programme
Where the Silver programme is good for indicating whether your body is getting the right nutrients, the additional panel in this plan gives you a 12-page report on how well your body is able to process the nutrients that you are getting. If, for example, you have a rapid digestive transit and lots of inflammation in your gut, then it does not matter how much good food you eat because for whatever reason, your body is not processing it. This extremely comprehensive programme will give you a thorough understanding of what is happening to your body systems and crucially what you can do about it.
To find out more you can book your FREE 15-minute Discovery Call here
