By Joy Stephenson-Laws, J.D., Founder

Many are anxiously awaiting a COVID-19 vaccine. Developing a vaccine that is safe and effective usually requires research and several phases of testing. Some vaccines may take 10 to 15 years to develop! Fortunately, this process is being accelerated in order to obtain a coronavirus vaccine ASAP.

Dr. Fauci said we can expect a vaccine in the second half of 2021. If you’re thinking that this is not soon enough, I hear you. We are all ready to ditch the face masks, gather in large groups with people we love and care about, go to concerts and movie theaters and overall be rid of the anxiety that many of us may be experiencing with the threat of COVID-19.

But a vaccine may not be the “magic bullet” or lifesaver we are all hoping for. And this may largely depend on our current health status.

If you are a regular reader of pH Labs blogs, you already know that being chronically overweight or obese significantly increases your risk of developing serious health issues such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, depression and more. You may even know that obesity increases the risk of developing serious complications due to COVID-19. 

If this isn’t scary enough, researchers are now finding evidence which suggests that if you are at an unhealthy weight, the coronavirus vaccine may not work for you.

More than 107 million American adults are obese

The purpose of a vaccine is to deliver immunity, and obesity may not make this possible or only allow a very weak immunity defense. Vaccines are not magic bullets or necessarily lifesavers.

“In the case of influenza, obesity has emerged as a factor making it more difficult to vaccinate adults against infection. The question is whether that will hold true for COVID-19,” according to one report.

This all has to do with how excessive weight can impact the immune system. 

Your immune system is made up of various organs, cells and proteins. For example, the liver, tonsils, adenoids, appendix, spleen, thymus, bone marrow and white blood cells are usually considered part of your immune system.

So, it makes sense that you would want to keep the organs, cells and proteins of this system healthy. Obesity, however, can make it difficult for these organs to remain healthy by causing chronic inflammation. “A healthy immune system turns inflammation on and off as needed, calling on white blood cells and sending out proteins to fight infection. Vaccines harness that inflammatory response.

But blood tests show that obese people and people with related metabolic risk factors such as high blood pressure and elevated blood sugar levels experience a state of chronic mild inflammation; the inflammation turns on and stays on,” according to the report referenced earlier. 

Belly fat (also called visceral fat) is particularly dangerous because this type of fat grows deep inside the stomach and may wrap around your vital organs, increasing the risk of developing health issues such as heart disease, diabetes and fatty liver disease. It is also believed to release certain hormones and molecules, such as leptin, which may contribute to being in a chronic state of inflammation.

“While the exact biological mechanisms are still being investigated, chronic inflammation seems to interfere with the immune response to vaccines, possibly subjecting obese people to preventable illnesses even after vaccination,” according to the report.

“Evidence that obese people have a blunted response to common vaccines was first observed in 1985 when obese hospital employees who received the hepatitis B vaccine showed a significant decline in protection 11 months later that was not observed in non-obese employees.”

So there you have it. If we really want to win the battle against this pandemic, we have to win America’s obesity epidemic.

I hope what people take from this is that your weight is not about how you look or the number on the scale. It’s about putting your body in the best possible position to protect itself and live the healthiest and happiest life possible.

We may feel a huge loss of control right now with COVID-19, but we do have a lot of control in regards to preventing and eliminating obesity.

Maintain a nutrient-rich, healthy diet, workout regularly and drink alcohol in moderation (if at all). You can even take advantage of innovative technologies such as contact thermography and Cryo T-Shock.

Finally, it is imperative to have a balanced and adequate amount of the essential vitamins C and D and minerals, such as magnesium and zinc, in order to help prevent as well as combat obesity. In order to determine if you are nutritionally balanced, you have to take a nutrient test. If the test reveals you have any deficiencies or imbalances, a competent healthcare professional can work with you on making the necessary dietary changes and recommend quality supplements if necessary.

Enjoy your healthy life!

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice. Please consult with your doctor or another competent healthcare practitioner to get specific medical advice for your situation.    

The pH professional health care team includes recognized experts from a variety of health care and related disciplines, including physicians, attorneys, nutritionists, nurses and certified fitness instructors. This team also includes the members of the pH Medical Advisory Board, which constantly monitors all pH programs, products and services. To learn more about the pH Medical Advisory Board, click here.