If You Feel This, You May Have COVID Now — Eat This Not That

By Ghuman

Introduction

If you’re feeling any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, it’s important to take the necessary precautions to protect yourself and those around you. Eating the right foods can help you stay healthy and fight off the virus. In this article, we’ll discuss what foods to eat and what foods to avoid if you think you may have COVID-19. We’ll also provide some tips on how to make sure you’re getting the nutrients you need while you’re sick. By following these guidelines, you can help ensure that you stay healthy and recover quickly.

If You Feel This, You May Have COVID Now — Eat This Not That

If you’re feeling any of the following symptoms, you may have COVID-19: fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea.

It’s important to take extra precautions if you think you may have COVID-19. The best way to protect yourself and others is to stay home and practice social distancing. Additionally, it’s important to pay attention to what you eat. Eating the right foods can help boost your immune system and help you fight off the virus.

Here are some foods to eat if you think you may have COVID-19:

  • Fruits and vegetables: Fruits and vegetables are packed with vitamins and minerals that can help boost your immune system. Try to eat a variety of colors to get the most nutrients.
  • Whole grains: Whole grains are a great source of fiber and can help keep your digestive system healthy. Try to choose whole grain breads, pastas, and cereals.
  • Lean proteins: Lean proteins like chicken, fish, and beans are a great source of energy and can help keep your immune system strong. Try to choose lean proteins that are low in saturated fat.
  • Healthy fats: Healthy fats like olive oil, nuts, and avocados are a great source of energy and can help keep your immune system strong. Try to choose healthy fats that are low in saturated fat.
  • Herbal teas: Herbal teas are a great way to get extra fluids and can help keep your body hydrated. Try to choose herbal teas that are caffeine-free.

Here are some foods to avoid if you think you may have COVID-19:

  • Processed foods: Processed foods are often high in sodium, sugar, and unhealthy fats. Try to avoid processed foods like chips, cookies, and candy.
  • Refined grains: Refined grains like white bread and white rice are low in fiber and can cause blood sugar spikes. Try to choose whole grain breads, pastas, and cereals.
  • Sugary drinks: Sugary drinks like soda and juice are high in sugar and can cause blood sugar spikes. Try to choose water or unsweetened tea instead.
  • High-fat meats: High-fat meats like bacon and sausage are high in saturated fat and can increase your risk of heart disease. Try to choose lean proteins that are low in saturated fat.
  • Caffeinated beverages: Caffeinated beverages like coffee and energy drinks can cause dehydration and can interfere with sleep. Try to choose herbal teas that are caffeine-free.

Eating the right foods can help boost your immune system and help you fight off the virus. If you think you may have COVID-19, it’s important to take extra precautions and pay attention to what you eat.

Winter, and the cold weather, meant a huge surge of COVID cases last year. This year, despite the vaccines, it’s happening again. Hospitalizations are also going up, as vaccine immunity wanes and more people go indoors. But certain symptoms are also more likely if you come down with COVID-19 now, according to the COVID Symptom Study. Researchers have been tracking symptoms reported with new COVID cases via an app, and these are the five they say are most common as of this summer. “There are a few reasons why symptoms may be changing, including the fact that those who have been vaccinated experience less severe symptoms, as well as more cases being reported by younger people, who we have found experience different, less severe symptoms as well,” say the researchers. Read on to find out what they are—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure Signs You’ve Already Had COVID.

Young woman sitting on a couch, holding her head, having a strong headache. Close up Portrait of young woman with headache.
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The researchers are tracking COVID cases that occur in people who are unvaccinated, along with people who’ve been fully vaccinated and those who’ve had one vaccine dose. “As we have found, even people who have had one or two doses of the vaccination can still be susceptible to contracting COVID, and the symptoms and severity differ depending on how many vaccinations you’ve had, if any,” they wrote. But not headache, which was the #1 symptom reported among all three groups. 

Ill young blond woman having fever and blowing her nose while having a blanket on her shoulders and sitting on the couch with her eyes closed and table with pills in front of her
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A runny nose was the #2 most reported symptom by fully vaccinated and partially vaccinated people, and the #3 most common symptom in the unvaccinated. Interestingly, earlier in the pandemic, a runny nose was thought to be unrelated to coronavirus infection. 

At the same time, the researchers say that an early telltale sign of COVID—loss of smell—seems to have become less common as the virus has evolved. It ranked #9 among the unvaccinated and only made the top 5 (at #5) in people who were fully vaccinated.

man with sore throat

A sore throat was the #4 most reported symptom among the fully vaccinated, #3 among the partially vaccinated, and #2 among the unvaccinated. 

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woman with lovely long curly hair standing outdoors blowing her nose in an urban square due to a seasonal cold or hay fever
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Sneezing was the #3 most reported COVID symptom among the fully vaccinated and #4 in the partially vaccinated group. “Curiously, we noticed that people who had been vaccinated and then tested positive for COVID-19 were more likely to report sneezing as a symptom compared with those without a jab,” the researchers say. “If you’ve been vaccinated and start sneezing a lot without an explanation, you should get a COVID test, especially if you are living or working around people who are at greater risk from the disease.”

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Sick man holding his chest in pain while coughing in the living room.
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A persistent cough was the fifth-most-reported symptom among the unvaccinated and partially vaccinated. But it only ranked #8 among the fully vaccinated—possible evidence that another previous hallmark symptom is becoming less common. Also sliding down the list: Shortness of breath and fever, which are much less frequently reported now than in the pandemic’s first waves, the researchers say. Now to get through this pandemic at your healthiest, don’t miss these 35 Places You’re Most Likely to Catch COVID.