supplements for over 30-years. About twenty years ago, my personal physician (the late A. Martin Lerner, MD), a pioneer in the field of Infectious Diseases, gave me the list of dietary supplements that he required his patients to take. It looked a lot like mine, but increased Vitamin-C to 2000 mg per day and added Vitamin-D3. He also added 2-tablespoons of milled flax seed for Omega-3 fatty acids. A complete list of what I take is at the end. (Caution: do not start a dietary supplement regimen without consulting your personal physician, especially about potential interaction with drugs you may be taking or any sensitivity to these supplements.)
Sleep.
The more we learn about sleep, the more important getting 7-9 hours of sleep a night is understood. Shakespeare said “Sleep that knits up the raveled sleave of care” (Macbeth, Act 2, Scene 2). He hit that nail on the head. It is also important for your immune system, for integrating the experiences of the day, for supporting learning, and much more.
You should recall that you are often instructed to rest when you are ill. Sleep is important for immune system performance which is actually a 24-hour a day business. Your immune system cells find viruses, bacteria, mutated cells and more, and normally get rid of them. A healthy immune system does more than cure disease; it is active in disease prevention.
I have had periods of sleep deprivation in my life. I don’t recommend it. I
consistently get 6-8 hour of sleep each night. The better I sleep, the better I feel and the more able to get things accomplished.
Stress Reduction.
Stress is insidious. It damages our bodies, it plays with our thought processes and emotional equilibrium, it can be fatiguing, disorienting, increase our blood pressure, lead or contribute to disease, and much more. However, stress can be controlled.
There are many references available on how to reduce stress and they are easy to find. Some of my favorites are (a) promptly address issues that are disturbing you and resolve them and (b) physical exercise. My preferred method is exercise, but your choice should be based upon the circumstance.
The more you are able to reduce or eliminate stress, the happier and healthier you will be.
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