Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we live our lives. With the virus spreading rapidly, it is important to take extra precautions to protect ourselves and our loved ones. Eating the right foods can help boost your immune system and reduce your risk of getting sick. In this article, we will discuss some of the things I wish I knew before I got COVID-19, including what to eat and what to avoid. We will also discuss the importance of eating a balanced diet and how to make healthy food choices. By following these tips, you can help protect yourself and your family from the virus.
Things I Wish I Knew Before I Got COVID — Eat This Not That
COVID-19 has changed the way we live our lives, and it has also changed the way we eat. With the pandemic, it is more important than ever to make sure we are eating the right foods to keep our bodies healthy and strong. Here are some tips on what to eat and what to avoid to help protect yourself from COVID-19.
Eat This
- Fruits and vegetables: Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is essential for a healthy immune system. Choose a variety of colors and types to get the most nutrients.
- Whole grains: Whole grains are packed with fiber, vitamins, and minerals that can help boost your immune system. Choose whole grain breads, pastas, and cereals.
- Lean proteins: Lean proteins such as fish, chicken, and beans are a great source of essential nutrients. They can help keep your immune system strong.
- Healthy fats: Healthy fats such as olive oil, nuts, and avocados are important for a healthy immune system. They can also help keep you feeling full longer.
Not That
- Processed foods: Processed foods are often high in sugar, sodium, and unhealthy fats. These can weaken your immune system and make you more susceptible to illness.
- Refined carbohydrates: Refined carbohydrates such as white bread and white rice can cause blood sugar spikes and can weaken your immune system.
- Sugary drinks: Sugary drinks such as soda and energy drinks can cause inflammation and can weaken your immune system.
- Alcohol: Alcohol can weaken your immune system and make you more susceptible to illness. It is best to avoid alcohol during the pandemic.
Eating the right foods can help keep your immune system strong and protect you from COVID-19. Make sure to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Avoid processed foods, refined carbohydrates, sugary drinks, and alcohol. By following these tips, you can help keep yourself healthy and safe during the pandemic.
Over one million lives in the U.S. have been lost to COVID-19, and for some survivors, there are regrets. “Conflicting messages from the federal and various state and local governments haven’t helped. Because some leaders have suggested that COVID-19 is no worse than the flu, millions of Americans did not wear masks. By some estimates, not wearing masks could have contributed to 130,000 deaths,” say David Chesire, Associate Professor, College of Medicine, University of Florida, and Mark S. McIntosh, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, University of Florida. Here are the experiences of five COVID-19 survivors, and what they learned from their experience. Read on—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure Signs You’ve Already Had COVID.
College basketball coach Chris Kielsmeier, 44, experienced severe fatigue that he wrote off as work stress. “I was fatigued, just like every basketball coach in the country is in March, but I really didn’t think anything about being sick,” Kielsmeier says. “At the time, I contributed it to losing a game and the season almost being done. Looking back on it now, I knew that it was starting to hit me that day because I really wasn’t myself. And the next night, I woke up in the middle of the night with the worst aches, chills and pains that I’d ever experienced in my life.”
Tommy Daniels, 63, has lung disease and says the COVID-19 vaccine saved his life. “It was the vaccine,” Daniels says. “It did its job. Without it, I probably would have died.”
“Tommy is a shining example of someone who has tried to take care of himself and his community,” says pulmonologist Rachel Taliercio, DO. “Existing lung damage due to COPD means those individuals are more likely to experience severe complications from COVID-19. We know overall effectiveness of the vaccine has led to fewer hospitalizations among people who are vaccinated.”
Sarah Keil, 43, is warning people with underlying conditions to get vaccinated. Keil has MS, and ended up with a severe case of COVID-19 in June 2021. “I didn’t get vaccinated because I was worried about what kind of neurological side effects I could get because of my MS,” Keil explains. “I wanted to research more into the shot before getting it. I have a lot of regret, not only for myself but for everything I put my family through.”
Months after undergoing open-heart surgery, Victor Young, 64, believes the operation helped him survive COVID-19—and his surgeon agrees. “I have a theory. I actually think the heart surgery saved me,” says Young. “It’s the only reason I made it through COVID.”
“If Victor had gotten COVID without having his heart issues addressed, he might not have recovered,” says Eric Roselli, MD. “Even though the way COVID affected him was primarily a pulmonary issue, I don’t think — with the shape his heart was in before his surgery – he would have been able to tolerate it.”
“It’s easy to give up. It’s easy to lay in bed under the covers and not let the world in around you,” says long COVID survivor Joe Nero, 58. “But God has given us gifts, including the gift of being alive. So, trust in the nurses, our unsung heroes. Trust in the doctors. They know what they’re doing, and know there is a light at the end of the tunnel. You can overcome! Life is only as good as we make it. I would encourage anyone who is struggling to recover to stop sitting, get up and try walking. If you sit all day in a wheelchair, you’ll just waste away. First, walk two steps, then 20 and then walk for 20 minutes. It takes motivation and determination.”
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.
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