Introduction
As the world continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to take the necessary precautions to protect yourself and your loved ones. Eating the right foods can help you stay healthy and reduce your risk of contracting the virus. In this article, we will discuss some of the foods you should be eating to avoid COVID-19, as well as some of the foods you should avoid. We will also provide some tips on how to make healthier food choices. By following these guidelines, you can help protect yourself and your family from the virus.
You No Longer Have to Do This to Avoid COVID — Eat This Not That
The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has changed the way we live our lives. We’ve had to adjust to wearing masks, social distancing, and avoiding large gatherings. But one thing that hasn’t changed is the importance of eating a healthy diet. Eating the right foods can help boost your immune system and protect you from getting sick.
So what should you be eating to stay healthy during the pandemic? Here are some tips for eating the right foods to avoid COVID-19:
Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can help boost your immune system. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables can also help you get the nutrients you need to stay healthy. Aim to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
Choose Whole Grains
Whole grains are a great source of fiber, which can help keep your digestive system healthy. Eating whole grains can also help you feel fuller for longer, which can help you avoid overeating. Choose whole grain breads, pastas, and cereals to get the most nutritional benefits.
Limit Processed Foods
Processed foods are often high in sugar, sodium, and unhealthy fats. Eating too much of these foods can weaken your immune system and make you more susceptible to getting sick. Try to limit your intake of processed foods and opt for healthier options like fresh fruits and vegetables.
Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated is essential for keeping your body healthy. Drinking plenty of water can help flush out toxins and keep your body functioning properly. Aim to drink at least eight glasses of water each day to stay hydrated.
Get Enough Sleep
Getting enough sleep is important for keeping your immune system strong. Aim to get at least seven to eight hours of sleep each night to give your body time to rest and recharge. Avoiding late-night snacks and limiting your caffeine intake can also help you get a better night’s sleep.
Eating the right foods can help you stay healthy during the pandemic. Eating a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and limiting processed foods can help boost your immune system and protect you from getting sick. So make sure to eat this, not that, to stay healthy during the pandemic.
More than two years since the start of the pandemic in March 2020, the CDC is announcing key changes to COVID-19 guidelines—including one very significant about-turn. “This is a major change in recommendations,” says CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen. Here is what you no longer have to do to avoid COVID, according to the CDC. Read on—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure Signs You’ve Already Had COVID.
Yes, masks are still recommended for people who have high levels of infection in their communities. “I hesitate to say that we are approaching a post-COVID world when so many are still being ravaged by this virus,” says Yale Medicine infectious diseases specialist Sheela Shenoi, MD, MPH. “If there is anything we should have learned, it is that we are all interconnected; what happens in one part of the world affects everybody.”
The CDC is also dropping the recommendation that students exposed to the virus either quarantine at home or get tested every day. “The current conditions of this pandemic are very different from those of the last two years,” says Greta Massetti, who leads the Field Epidemiology and Prevention Branch at the CDC. “High levels of population immunity due to vaccination and previous infection and the many available tools to protect the general population, and protect people at higher risk, allow us to focus on protecting people from serious illness from Covid-19.”
The CDC is planning a shake-up to make the agency more “nimble” and better equipped to swiftly and effectively respond to future public health threats. “I feel like it’s my responsibility to lead this agency to a better place after a really challenging three years,” CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky told the Associated Press.
“We saw during COVID that CDC’s structures, frankly, weren’t designed to take in information, digest it and disseminate it to the public at the speed necessary,” says Jason Schwartz, a health policy researcher at the Yale School of Public Health.
The CDC’s new streamlined guidelines are a result of mass vaccination and boosters, officials say. “We’re in a stronger place today as a nation, with more tools—like vaccination, boosters, and treatments—to protect ourselves, and our communities, from severe illness from COVID-19,” says Dr. Massett. “We also have a better understanding of how to protect people from being exposed to the virus, like wearing high-quality masks, testing, and improved ventilation. This guidance acknowledges that the pandemic is not over, but also helps us move to a point where COVID-19 no longer severely disrupts our daily lives.”
In a major change to established protocol, the CDC is dropping quarantine and distancing recommendations for people who come into close contact with an infected person. “Quarantine applies to someone who has been in close contact with an individual infected with the coronavirus. Close contact, according to the CDC, means you’ve been within 6 feet of someone with Covid-19 for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period,” says Dr. Wen. “Earlier in the pandemic, the recommendations were that those exposed to Covid-19 had to quarantine themselves from others and not be in public. That’s how someone needing ‘quarantine’ was defined — as someone who has not been diagnosed with Covid-19 but does have a significant exposure. Now, someone with known exposure no longer needs to quarantine, but they do need to have a period of 10 days of masking. On the other hand, someone should be in isolation if they have been diagnosed with Covid-19. Isolation is defined as being physically separate from others in order to prevent transmitting the virus during the infectious period.” And don’t visit any of these 35 Places You’re Most Likely to Catch COVID.
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