There are still many people concerned about getting vaccinated against covid and this post is to help them support themselves if or when they decide to go ahead. I know some are feeling anxious leading up to their appointment.

I personally am in support of the public health measures against Covid-19, including vaccination, as I see them in alignment with Naturopathic Philosophy which emphasises Prevention of Disease. There is plenty of evidence for Covid-19 vaccinations being a heck of lot less risky than getting Covid-19, and reasonably protective against it. I also believe the vaccination is for the greater common good, in our current circumstances, and being vaccinated not only helps prevent more severe illness in ourselves, but helps protect the more vulnerable in our community.

I see Naturopathy and Natural Medicine not as an “alternative” medicine to mainstream medicine, but as one complementary to it. In this circumstance, our immune systems have not come across this virus before and this can lead to high rates of disease and mortality, on a population basis. Naturopathy can support the body but cannot create that immune response memory without the virus, or a vaccine.

Side effects to the vaccine are common (around 50% of people report side effects in the vaccine reporting system), but while these can be uncomfortable, most are mild, expected and within a normal range (sore arm, headache, tired, feeling fluey), and pass within 2-3 days. Unexpected or severe side effects need to be reported. And of course, head to the doctor or emergency department if that seems warranted.

The covid vaccines are not full of adjuvants as previous generations of vaccinations tended to be- this is new. There is no need to detox from these, as some people may have done in the past (eg aluminium, mercury adjuvants used to be in some vaccines given to children).

My recommendation, which is also the medical one, is to make sure you are not sick on the day of the vaccination. If you are, it is best to postpone it. Also do not get a flu jab, or any other, within the same week or even longer. Give your immune system all the space it needs to focus on the one vaccination.

Try and get good sleep the night before, and avoid acute stressors. Be ready to take the rest of the day off and the next day, if necessary, to rest, although it may not be necessary.

It takes time for the immune response to develop. Give your body plenty of rest, good food, keep stress to a minimum, and stay well hydrated. Sunlight, fresh air etc. These are the best support.

An inflammatory response to the vaccination is normal. That is the immune system doing its job. However, a couple of days after the vaccination, and especially if you have an uncomfortable inflammatory response, it is fine to take some iboprufin, or a herbal anti-inflammatory supplement such as high dose curcumin.

I recommend some immune supporting supplements before and after the vaccine, especially for people who are vulnerable and may have a less effective immune response, such as the elderly or immune compromised, and particularly for those at higher risk of more severe disease. For these people, ensuring adequate nutrition is important because without a good immune response the vaccine may not be effective, or as effective.

Vitamin D adequacy and supplementation has been shown to be beneficial for a better response to Covid-19, and I also recommend you make sure your Vit D levels are ok around the vaccination, and take a supplement if they are low.

Immune support nutrients include: Vit D, Vit C, B12, Vit E, Zinc and Selenium but really any deficiency is not going to be helpful. Studies have shown that even focusing on basics like adequate fruit and vegetables, can improve immune response to the flu vaccine in the elderly, and its likely the same is true for the covid-19 vaccination.

To keep it simple, I recommend a basic Vit C, Zinc and Echinacea supplement from Blackmores. Or, the equivalent cold and flu immune supporting supplement you may have on hand. This will be a support to your immune system before and after although interactions are not known, so I do not recommend any supplements on the actual day of your vaccination.

Other herbs are known to be supporting of immunity including the medicinal mushrooms I talked about in the last newsletter, astragalus and echinacea and ashwagandha.

Another herb commonly used for immune support is thuja. However this is usually used in homeopathic form, as thuja 30C. Thuja 30C or as a low dose herb, helps ease side effects and helps the immune system find balance, and has a long traditional use around vaccinations. If you are familiar with homeopathy, there are other remedies that may be useful for any fever, nausea or headaches. There are also homeopathic nosodes available for each of the vaccines- feel free to contact me about these.

The natural medicines of good nutrition, hydration, plenty of rest, gentle movement, low stress and sunlight are not to be underestimated and will optimise your immune response. Remember that it is not necessarily a bad thing to have some response, but to have no response does not necessarily mean it is not working either.

Another article on this topic:

https://theconversation.com/how-to-make-covid-vaccines-more-effective-give-people-vitamin-and-mineral-supplements-154974