Give yourself a boost before you feel bad from the vaccine.
Image credit: Henrique Félix
Let me start by saying that I am pro-vaccine, especially for the Covid-19 vaccine that most of us should be getting right about now. I had the Moderna vaccine, and barely felt the first shot but the second one did affect me some. Honestly though, I’ve had plenty of worse hangovers in my partying days.
If you are undecided or against the vaccine read this part: Experts are worth listening to. The vast majority of people in medicine and the medical research field have dedicated themselves to do good and save lives. I have taken several classes in biochemistry and though I only have a basic understanding, I do have an understanding. My advice: unless you have a reason not to (i.e. you are allergic to the ingredients, or your doctor tells you not to) get the vaccine. You will be saving lives other than your own. If you have other questions or concerns, feel free to contact me and I would love to discuss this subject with you.
Here’s a little advice on how to bolster your immune system before you get the shot so you can be prepared:
When you get a vaccine it is going to kick your immune system into high gear and it is going to tap all available resources. Those folks who didn’t feel anything from either shot likely just had plenty of good resources.
If you’re like me, a little older and maybe weren’t the best to yourself in the past you might be wise to bank some resources before getting the shot. Here are a few things you can do:
Eat well. Leading up to and after the shot you’re going to want to avoid sugar, dairy, alcohol, and any heavy or greasy foods. Lots of cooked veggies is great! After you get the shot if it makes you feel not so good have soups with broth that are light and nourishing, phò is great or some good ol’ vegetable soup. I managed to cook myself some soup in the middle of feeling pretty bad and I don’t recommend it, cook it beforehand if possible, you’ll be glad you did. Avoid cold or uncooked foods.
Hydrate. Drink water, room temp or warm is best, herbal teas are nice too, especially ginger tea. Icy things slow down your digestion and metabolism so avoid them.
Light exercise. If you already exercise a lot, keep it up but save those heavy workouts for later. If you don’t exercise regularly, get moving! Walking, stretching, yoga, qi gong, tai chi are all great options. Even if you are feeling sick, some light stretching can really help your body to kick out the bad stuff. Do it, don’t overdo it.
Rest. Schedule your vaccine shot so that you can take some time off. I scheduled mine on a Friday night and didn’t make weekend plans so I had time to recover. Make time for yourself, otherwise it will probably drag on even longer.
Listen to what your body is telling you. If you feel like you’ve been hit by a truck, then you’re probably running a fever. Running a fever is not a bad thing, its just your body doing what it is supposed to. I know it doesn’t feel great but if you can tolerate it don’t take anything to lower the fever unless it gets above 101℉ or if you are so uncomfortable that you can’t rest (sleep is important). Wrap up, have some light soup (miso with scallions is great) and sweat it out. Your body is trying to reach a higher temperature to eradicate the invaders, so taking ibuprofen will make you feel better but your body will take a little longer to kick the invaders out. Tough it out if you can, take minimal pain relievers, avoid cold meds altogether.
Vitamins and supplements? Sure, if you already take them. Vitamin C and zinc are helpful as well as B vitamins or just a multi-vitamin is fine also. Mega-doses are not necessary and just make your body work harder to eliminate them so stick with the usual dosage. You’ll want to take these with food in your stomach. If you are taking any prescription medications always check with your doctor or pharmacist to make sure there are no interactions.
With any luck you won’t feel much of anything at all, but you might. Remember, you’re pretty tough to have made it this far in life, you got this.
Good luck. Thank you for stopping by and reading my blog.
Amy 💜