Tips for Fighting the Flu and COVID-19 at the Same Time

The US is closing in on the grim milestone of 200,000 deaths from COVID-19. Doctors are warning this fall and winter could be deadlier than usual because the flu and the coronavirus could deliver a one-two knockout punch.   

But there are steps you can take to prevent that from happening to you and your family.

Doctors recommend doing everything you can to prevent catching either virus and strengthen your immune system so that if you are infected, your body can fight off the virus on its own.  

Both of these viruses are spread in the same way, from person to person, so the masks, social distancing, and hand washing are great prevention measures for both the flu and the coronavirus.  

And physicians strongly recommend getting your flu shot, which is available now.  

When it comes to boosting your immune system, believe it or not, intermittent fasting can go a long way.  

CBN News Medical Reporter Lorie Johnson spoke with Dr. Josh Axe who has the number one natural health website, and a new book called Essential Fasting. 

Dr. Axe explained why eating within an 8-hour window every day is so good for you. 

"When you restrict food your body has a greater chance to heal and regenerate and reset itself," he said. "When your body is working all the time it's not able to heal during that time period because your body is expending its energy breaking down food or doing something. 

"When you stop eating during certain time windows your body goes through a process called autophagy where it actually starts to regenerate new and healthy tissue. Your body uses that energy it might have used for digestion and uses it to repair your liver, to create new and healthy cells, to fight different types of diseases and so that's really how it happens."

Dr. Axe described how the human body will burn fat for energy when we avoid eating during that time.

"So when it comes to weight loss your body will actually start getting sometimes into a state of ketosis if you do this for multiple days in a row where your body will start to burn fat for energy because you're not eating during that time period. Your body will really lose weight because it helps reset your metabolism, and also it helps you in getting your body into more of a fat-burning zone."

Weight loss alone can go a long way to minimizing our chance of complications if we become infected with the coronavirus.  

Unfortunately, two-thirds of Americans are overweight and obesity is one of those factors, regardless of age, that can lead to serious complications. 

And it makes it harder to fight off the virus.

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