By Ravi Sahay
Across nations, the Covid-19 pandemic has brought our healthcare system to our knees.
What can we do? What are the overarching lessons for us?
Here’s an idea in a catchphrase: “Build Immunity and Build Community” is the
sustainable solution for individuals, families, and countries.
Why? Based on collected data on infections, hospitalizations, and deaths, it has become
apparent, immunocompromised people comprise the largest share of this pandemic calamity. Hence, strong immunity is the best preventative measure against all sickness including future pandemics.
How? By educating everyone about how to build and achieve a healthy microbiome. A healthy microbiome builds strong immunity. The scientific community has proven that lifestyle changes with healthy eating, exercise, and daily detoxification are the way to make us and our country healthy and prosperous.
Here are my suggestions:
1. Get needed vaccines
2. Build up your microbiome for healthy immunity in the long term by eating well,
movement, getting a good night’s sleep, and managing stress
3. Build community for mental health; avoid loneliness by staying connected
These simple suggestions have the ability to empower individuals to lead healthy lives, and at the same time, reduce our enormous healthcare costs.
I am not a doctor, nor a medical researcher—I am an empowered patient who has recovered from several chronic diseases and conditions: heart attack, congestive heart failure, sinusitis, eczema, gout, and more.
I have written two books on my recovery. The most recent, May You BE Healthy, is centered around Ayurvedic wisdom and the microbiome, the other, My Health is Your Wealth, is about Ayurveda and candida.
Ayurveda is an ancient holistic medical system from India based on creating a balance of microbes in the gut. Ayurveda claims that almost all chronic diseases, both physical and mental, happen due to the gut flora imbalance and that a healthy lifestyle is the key factor in maintaining this balance.
More than two thirds of Americans are now overweight or obese. With the recent rediscovery of the microbiome and how it affects health, researchers are coming to the same conclusion: for chronic and new autoimmune diseases, a healthy microbiome is a must.
To solve our many healthcare challenges, now is the time for our public health system to rise and give a clarion call: “Build Immunity and Build Community.”
About the author
Ravi immigrated to the US from India in 1971 with a degree in Electrical Engineering; earned two master’s degrees in EE and business; and rose up the corporate ladder, but his health started to fail. In mid-life, Ravi struggled with several chronic diseases including heart disease and high blood pressure. After his heart attack in 2003, Ravi enrolled in Dean Ornish’s Heart Healthy program where Mimi Guarneri, MD became his Integrative Medicine cardiologist. Dr. Guarneri shepherded Ravi to full recovery. She has written the foreword to his book.
http://www.projectwellbeing.org/ and http://www.ravisahay.com/
