COVID-19 Vaccine Experience + Prep & Recovery Tips
Covid-19 has been a life changing experience for everyone but it is almost over! More and more people are getting vaccinated which means “normal” life will be restored soon. There are probably a lot of anxious and nervous people out there about getting vaccinated. So, I hope that by sharing my own experience with a COVID-19 vaccine, it can help you feel more at ease.
My first shot was not as bad as I thought it would be. After I got my first shot, my arm was sore at the injection site. I think it came from the needle penetrating my soft tissue, just like what you feel after dry needling. The next day, I felt tired. I found that getting 90 minutes of hot stone massage helped my body recover faster. The heat from the stone helped to increase blood and lymph circulation. Also, the heat helps the body to sweat, which is important in Eastern medicine because by sweating, we also release toxins out of the body. I took it easy the rest of the day with taking care of my plants and my dog.
Knowing that it’s common to have more side effects after the second shot, I did some preparation before it. Throughout the week prior to getting the second shot, I took Thorne’s multivitamin (which I normally take) and Airborne (sometimes interchanged with Liquid IV, a type of electrolyte solution). It is important to keep yourself hydrated and nourished to help the body recover from the shot faster and prevent any other pathogen invasion. For anyone who often feels dehydrated despite drinking lots of water, make sure to drink electrolyte water instead (like Liquid IV). Regular water can often cause more dehydration due to loss of minerals.
That night after the shot, I felt my heart rate increase. This may have been from my general anxiety or hyperness, which can cause restriction of the lungs. When our lungs cannot perform properly, we cannot breathe properly, which causes a decrease in oxygen levels. That will then make the heart work harder to ensure our body has adequate oxygen to cycle around. For this situation, I used Pure Shenandoah’s CBD Calm tincture. CBD has been proven to help with calming the mind and body, and I find it works well for me. However, always ask and follow the instructions of your primary doctor on the usage of drugs and supplementation.
The next day, I felt really tired. So, I went to get a 90 minute hot stone massage again to help with releasing toxins and to increase lymph and blood circulation (super important when we are sick). I went home and started to have some chills. So to help with that, I made some ginger tea. Ginger has been proven over thousands of years to be one of the best ways to aid a stomach ache or chill from sickness. I find the best way to prepare ginger tea is to take a fresh piece of ginger (about a half inch), smash it, put it in hot water, and let it steep for 5 minutes. Afterwards, add more warm water, and then drink it. I just eyeball the amount of ginger; just make sure you can taste the ginger and the spice! This basically took care of my chills.
Lastly, remember to never stand in front of air vents or heaters because this will dry out your body fluids, lungs, and nose. If you cannot avoid it, one thing that can be helpful is breathing in eucalyptus oil. I have a new obsession with fresh eucalyptus. I bought a fresh bundle of it from Trader Joe’s and hung it in the shower. Before I got into the shower, I let the hot water run so the steam could help open my airways and activate the eucalyptus oil and its medicinal properties. I often give the stems a couple of squeezes to help release more oil and scent. If you want more eucalyptus support throughout the day, you can diffuse eucalyptus oil in an ultrasonic essential oil diffuser. This will disperse the essential oil throughout the air in the room—which may help with opening and clearing the lungs and reducing some allergy symptoms.
After doing these things, the next day, I felt good as new! I hope that these tips can help you stay healthy throughout your vaccination experience and this spring. If you have any questions, please let me know!