Introduction
As the world continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, doctors are warning of a new set of “worrying” symptoms that could indicate a more serious infection. While the most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, cough, and shortness of breath, some patients are now experiencing a range of other symptoms, including fatigue, loss of taste and smell, and gastrointestinal issues. In this article, we’ll explore these “worrying” symptoms and provide tips on how to stay healthy during the pandemic. We’ll also discuss the importance of eating the right foods to boost your immune system and fight off infection.
Doctors Warn of “Worrying” COVID Symptoms — Eat This Not That
As the world continues to grapple with the novel coronavirus pandemic, doctors are warning of a new set of worrying symptoms that could indicate a person has contracted the virus.
The symptoms, which include a loss of taste and smell, fatigue, and a persistent cough, are not as common as the more well-known symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever and difficulty breathing.
However, doctors are warning that these symptoms should not be ignored, as they could be an indication of a more serious infection.
In addition to these worrying symptoms, doctors are also recommending that people take extra precautions to protect themselves from the virus, such as washing their hands regularly, wearing a face mask, and avoiding large gatherings.
They are also recommending that people eat a healthy diet, as this can help to boost the immune system and reduce the risk of infection.
Eating a balanced diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins can help to keep the body strong and healthy, and reduce the risk of infection.
In addition, avoiding processed and sugary foods can help to reduce inflammation in the body, which can help to reduce the risk of infection.
By following these simple steps, people can help to protect themselves from the virus and reduce the risk of serious illness.
Doctors and scientists are still learning about the long-term effects of COVID-19—and even with vaccinations and boosters available, symptoms can be lingering. “Long-term COVID—or post-acute COVID—affects a multitude of organ systems,” says Devang Sanghavi, MD. “Starting from head to toe, it leaves behind multiple symptoms in a large proportion of patients who have recovered from COVID-19.” Here are symptoms of COVID-19 that shouldn’t be ignored. Read on—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure Signs You’ve Already Had COVID.
Long COVID has been linked with type 2 diabetes, both causing it or making it worse for those who already have diabetes. “There are a number of factors that seem to be associated in recent studies with long COVID, ranging from things like type two diabetes to viral load… as well as things like autoantibodies. We don’t really understand very much, but we’re learning literally on a week by week, month by month basis,” says Dr. Anthony Fauci.
“One theory is that inflammation inside the body caused by coronavirus brings about insulin resistance, a feature of type 2 diabetes, which means the body isn’t able to make proper use of the insulin it’s producing,” says Faye Riley, Ph.D.
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Brain fog is one of the most common symptoms of both COVID-19 and long COVID.
“The defining feature that a lot of patients have been mentioning is the inability to fully concentrate,” says Dr. Monique White-Dominguez, a physician with Sameday Health in Los Angeles. “The short-term memory seems to be affected most, the ability to recall what I just did 35 minutes ago. It could be someone who was really healthy, a successful executive in their late 20s, who thinks, ‘Oh shoot, I forgot that meeting. I even had eight different reminders on my phone, and I still couldn’t remember that.’”
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Chest pain is a familiar symptom of long COVID, as is fatigue. “Severe fatigue is common after infection with the coronavirus, just as it is after any serious illness. Many people experience shortness of breath, chest pain or palpitations,” says cardiologist Wendy Susan Post, M.D., M.S. “Any of these problems could be related to the heart, but they could also be due to other factors, including the aftermath of being very ill, prolonged inactivity and spending weeks convalescing in bed. You want to consult a doctor if any of your symptoms are severe, especially shortness of breath.”
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Mental health issues have unsurprisingly been on the rise since the start of the pandemic, thanks to factors such as loneliness and long-term isolation. “People are feeling overwhelmed, uncertain, anxious, helpless, frustrated, stressed and exhausted,” says Lisa MacLean, MD, a psychiatrist at Henry Ford Health System. “With the worsening of—and gradual decline in mental health—we are also seeing anger, depression, insomnia and increased substance abuse as well as a reported increase in isolation and loneliness.”
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Even fully vaccinated people can still get COVID-19, which is why it’s important to remain cautious about virus variants and be aware of what cases are like in your community. “It is not uncommon to see breakthrough infections,” says Dr. Sanghavi. “A factor that leads to that is the time from the initial vaccination. As more time passes, the immunity against infection wanes and the antibodies in a person’s body are low. Then, obviously, these vaccines were created for a different strain, so the efficacy of the vaccine itself may not be as good for Omicron as compared to say Delta as compared to Alpha, which was what it was originally designed for.”
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Follow the public health fundamentals and help end this pandemic, no matter where you live—get vaccinated or boosted ASAP; if you live in an area with low vaccination rates, wear an N95 face mask, don’t travel, social distance, avoid large crowds, don’t go indoors with people you’re not sheltering with (especially in bars), practice good hand hygiene, and to protect your life and the lives of others, don’t visit any of these 35 Places You’re Most Likely to Catch COVID.