I sat down with Dr. Jean-Guy Daigneault, Director of Gilead Healing Center, who has been specializing in clinical nutrition, chiropractic, and overall wellness in the Lansing community for nearly two decades. He shared some practical tips that you can do on this journey to better health!

Pastor Kevin: Everyone wants to be healthy, but we know sometimes if feels like all we can do is try not to get something bad, but you and I both know there are some things we can do to position our body to heal itself, just the way God made it. If I cut myself, what does the body do? It heals, because God made it that way. So what are some things we can do to position our body to be healthy, boost the immune system, and heal itself?

Dr. Jean-Guy: That’s a great question! God wants us to be healthy—that’s number one! Our vertical relationship with Him is first. And following the pandemic, many people have had more questions. There are things we know people can do across the board that will help their bodies get the proper raw material to help them function. These are things that optimize—not a treatment or cure for anything—but optimize function. And we can implement what we know about the human body that can benefit us as it relates to the immune system.

Here are some practical ways you can boost your immune system on your way to better health!

1. Vitamin D: We naturally receive the benefits of Vitamin D from the sun, but Lansing is the second most overcast city in the nation. Over ninety-percent of people across the country are low in Vitamin D, so it is vital that we supplement with a good, inexpensive supplement. You can have your level checked with a simple lab test. Vitamin D also functions like a hormone in our body, so it is important to a lot of different biochemical pathways in your body in order for your body to function as it should.
2. Zinc: important to take daily to enhance your body’s ability to function better as it relates to your immune system.
3. Vitamin C: You may think of orange juice, but let’s understand that there are optimal sources of Vitamin C that don’t have as much sugar. If you are taking in a lot of sugar, you will reduce the good effects of Vitamin C in your body.
4. Reduce Sugar: The more you can reduce the amount of sugar intake—anything that contains sugar or breaks down into sugar—then you will enhance the response and ability for Vitamin C to do what it was designed to do. Our cells have receptors that have an affinity for Vitamin C, but those same cells also have an affinity for sugar. Sugars will hook to those cells at the expense of the Vitamin C.
5. Fish Oil: This contains Omega-3 fatty acids which we need and don’t readily get enough of in our standard diet. These are good for cognition, eyes, heart, immune system, musculoskeletal system… pretty much everything! Chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, etc, can be traced back to inflammation. Reducing inflammation with quality supplements including fish oil means you are likely to function better. You may think cod liver oil does not sound appealing, but there are various products that can deliver the benefits with a better taste; some have Vitamin A added for even more benefit during the winter months.
6. Probiotics: Often, your gut—your gastrointestinal tract—is not functioning properly. You may frequently deal with bloating, indigestion, heartburn, or similar issues, and this is often due to imbalance between the good bacteria and bad bacteria in your gut. Because 80% of our immune system is in the gut, if your gastrointestinal tract isn’t working properly then there is trouble. Also, 80% of your “feel-good” neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine, are made in your gut. If your gut is not functioning optimally, your body can’t adequately produce these, and there can be links to such things as depression. There is such a vital connection between your gastrointestinal tract and the brain. To learn more, there’s a book that explains this well: The Second Brain, by Dr. Michael D. Gershon, MD.
7. Multi-vitamins/Minerals: Organic, made from whole foods. Our diets are lacking and need this key supplementation.

Pastor Kevin: There are many ways that Gilead Healing Center is here for our Mount Hope family and entire community, from chiropractic care to nutrition, healing prayer, counseling, and general medicine. Doctor, would you pray a prayer of covering, for divine health over all who are reading this today?

A prayer from Dr. Jean-Guy:

Father God, we come before you with humility on behalf of everyone who is reading this. I pray for every one of you to know that God wants you to be healthy. I pray for wisdom and discernment to take care of your body and have the desire to do that. God’s Word tells us that the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit so I pray for you at this moment, starting today, you will have the desire to take care of yourself, to be better, to do God’s work. We know we can’t do that unless we have our health. So I pray you will have the ability, desire—not only for yourself but for others around you—to have that wisdom and discernment to help your body, your household, and the people you love and care about. In Jesus’ name, amen.