The Girlfriend Doctor w/ Dr. Anna Cabeca: Getting a Shingles Wake Up Call with Dr. Anna Cabeca

Getting a Shingles Wake Up Call with Dr. Anna Cabeca

Aug 19, 2021

Dr. Anna tells the story of how she got a big wake up call about her life and health after she got shingles during a recent vacation. Find out why Dr. Anna felt betrayed by her body at first but then came to realize that the shingles were a sign that she needed to slow down and reconnect with what her body needed to thrive and what you need to do to do the same.

[0:55] We often get wake up calls in life that tell us there is something better we need to be doing for our health.
[1:55] Dr. Anna recently had an experience with shingles after traveling and working across several states. While shooting a documentary with Dr. Trevor Cates in Park City, Utah. she woke up with a lesion on her back. The next day, the number of lesions increased to four.
[4:10] Her first response was to be angry at her body and frustrated that, despite eating healthy foods and living a healthy lifestyle, her body still became infected with an uncomfortable disease. But was she really as healthy as she believed?
[4:50] Shingles is a disease caused by the chickenpox virus and often ends up buried and dormant in a particular nerve dermatome. Shingles tend to wrap around and stay limited to one half of your body, and often causes a lot of pain, including long-term neuropathic pain after the disease is gone.
[7:05] Roughly 1 in 1000 people will experience shingles in their lifetime and the number of adults over the age of 30 getting it has been increasing since 1998. We have to look at what is compromising the immune system of young adults and causing this increase.
[7:50] When we are stressed, our body is producing cortisol which is a natural anti-inflammatory hormone. If there is inflammation in your system and you go on vacation, underlying infections can flare up. This is the likely scenario with Dr. Anna’s shingles infection.
[10:05] As soon as she realized that the infection was shingles, she immediately started antiviral therapy and increased the immune boosting supplements she was taking.
[10:40] Eventually, she was no longer angry at her body for “failing” her but, instead was thankful for her body showing her that she needs to slow things down and take the rest her body was asking her for.
[11:40] Between the treatment and rest, Dr. Anna was able to beat the shingles within the week.
[11:55] Dr. Anna’s Immune Protocol was crucial to her success in treating the shingles in addition to the power of alkalizing superfoods and higher vitamin intake.
[12:50] When it comes to shingles, vitamin D3 is especially powerful as a treatment.
[14:25] Vitamin C is our immune champion. It’s necessary on a regular basis because it supports so many vital functions of our bodies. Added together with the other elements of the Immune Bundle, you have a powerful support system for your health and immune system.
[17:10] There is a shingles vaccine that you can get if you’re in the US called Shingrex. If you’re over the age of 50 and may have a weaker immune system, it may be a good option for you.
[18:15] You need to be thinking about how you are treating your body. Are you taking time to destress? Are you nourishing your body with healthy foods that support a strong immune system? Get ahead of shingles before it becomes a major issue for you.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Mama Doctors Immunity Bundle: drannacabeca.com/products/mama-doctors-immunity-bundle

Daily Dose Supplements

youtube.com/thegirlfrienddoctor

dranna.com/show

Always seek the advice of your own physician or qualified health professional before starting any treatment or plans. Information found here and results are provided for informational purposes only and are not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified healthcare professional and are not intended as medical advice.