There is so much we’re still learning about COVID-19. It has been seen to affect adversely not only older people with chronic conditions, but also the young with no chronic conditions. In other words, it’s not worth the risk. Let’s see how COVID-19 affects your health and what you can do to protect yourself from it.
How COVID-19 affects your health
- Heart:
Covid has been shown to cause damage to heart muscle which in turn can lead to heart failure or other complications - Lungs:
Causes pneumonia and damage to the alveoli which can lead to long term breathing issues. - Brain:
Covid 19 has been known to cause strokes, seizures and Guillain-Barre syndrome. It may also increase the risk for developing Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. - Can affect the legs, liver and kidneys and can weaken the blood vessels.
- Scientists are considering negative effects on mood and fatigue as well.
How to take care of yourself/protect yourself
- Wear a mask when out in public.
2. Wash your hands for 20 seconds with warm soapy water several times a day.
3. Try not to touch your face, eyes, nose and mouth.
4. Practice social distancing. Try and keep at least 6 feet away from others while wearing a mask.
5. Stop smoking or vaping which increase inflammation and weaken your immune system. If you want to know why you should quit smoking and how, check out my post on Why and How to Quit Smoking.
6. Take care of your oral health so as to not let any oral infection move to your lungs and cause them to be compromised.
7. Take care of a sore throat so it doesn’t lead to a lung infection.
8. Practice breathing exercises.
For healthy people without COVID-19, Christina Rogers & Dagoberto Naranjo, respiratory therapists at the Department of Respiratory Therapy at Cedars-Sinai say it’s never a bad idea to increase overall lung capacity and improve overall respiratory health.
“Don’t underestimate the practice of simple deep breathing. Most people only use a small part of their lung capacity. By increasing the length of your inhalations and exhalations, you can increase your lung capacity and strengthen your breathing, which improves the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide, ultimately improving lung capacity.”
Christina Rogers, RRT
Several breathing exercises have been recommended. The important thing is to select one or more and do them consistently.
One easy and important exercise is to move your elbows towards your back, thereby opening up your chest. Breathe in slowly to a count of 5, hold for 5 seconds, and release slowly to a count of 5. Repeat 5 times, and practice these exercises 5 times a day, according to Dr. Keith McEwen.
Dr. Bruce Levy, chief of the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, recommends deep breathing exercises especially for the elderly, or for those with physical limitations. “Generally, I tell people to take three breaths, as big and deep as they can, every hour on the hour,” he says. “This can help mobilize parts of the lung that are sitting there unused. If parts of your lungs are quiescent, then you’re really setting the stage for secretions to sit there and fester, giving you the perfect environment for pneumonia.”
Johns Hopkins University has suggested certain exercises for COVID-19 recovery. If you have COVID-19 or any other health condition, please consult with your doctor before engaging in them. These exercises can be practiced even in the absence of COVID.
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/coronavirus-recovery-breathing-exercises
“Lung health is so critical during this pandemic. Anything that improves your lungs and overall health improves your chance of fighting off this disease.”
Dr. Keith McEwen
9. If you have allergies, take care of those so your lungs are not compromised.
10. Avoid going outdoors when air quality is low.
11. Become fit. Both aerobic and strength training exercises will help your body cope better in the event of becoming infected. Check out my posts on Aerobic Exercise and Exercise Recommendations for further guidance.
“Aerobic activity also helps air get into the deepest parts of your lungs that you don’t use when you are sedentary…If there are any secretions or pollutants you’ve breathed in, aerobic activity helps you clear them out of your lung and decreases your risk of infection or pneumonia”
Dr. Bruce Levy
12. Eat right.
Eating a healthy anti-inflammatory diet may help prevent a cytokine storm, according to Dr. Levy.
“Building up your immune system and reducing inflammation are both crucial if you’re about to be challenged by a significant viral infection.”
Dr. Bruce Levy
Lots of fruits, vegetables, and foods rich in Vitamin D and Omega-3 fatty acids (such as salmon) will strengthen the immune system. Vitamin C and Zinc are also important in building immunity.
13. Keep yourself well hydrated. For more information, check out my post about Hydration.
14. Maintain a healthy body weight. According to bariatric surgeon Dr. Keith McEwen, there’s a relationship between weight and lung health. Many are gaining the quarantine-15 (weight gain during quarantine). Don’t let it be you! During this time, I have actually lost weight. If you have been struggling with your weight and need some encouragement, check out my post Weighing In: From Despair to Hope.
15. Get your flu shot. If you qualify for a pneumonia shot, you should also get that. The goal is to keep your lungs and the rest of your body in good health and avoid inflammation (and hospitalization)which puts you at an increased risk of an adverse reaction to COVID if you do get it.
Doctors think that certain chronic conditions cause chronic inflammation, and that inflammation could influence how the body releases cytokines, or inflammatory proteins. This makes it even more important to ensure that your condition is managed as well as it can be and unnecessary exposure to the virus is avoided. Check in with your doctor if you have any concerns.
And finally, try not to stress about it. Stress also causes inflammation. Do what you can and should do to protect yourself from the virus and maintain good health, and be thankful for the blessings in your life.
If you found this post to be useful, please comment below. Share with a friend.
Sources
Mayo Clinic
American Lung Association
Wexner Medical Center, Ohio State University
Discover Magazine
E-community.com
CDC
Hopkins Medicine
“Journey to Health with Priya” provides general educational information on various topics on this website as a public service, which should not be construed as professional medical advice.
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This is great advice – especially about the deep breathing. I am glad to learn that experts are recommending deep breathing as a way to combat the damage done by a potential covid infection.
Thanks Catherine.
Great informational post! I would try the breathing technique you mentioned. I agree that eating right is so imp!
Thanks Nishtha.
Great tips. I’ve been doing a few of them but after reading this article, I will be adding more. Thank you!
Thanks Jana.
Thanks for the info about breathing exercises!
Totally agree with the breathing exercises #anythinggoes@_karendennis
Great advice. I hope we can get a vaccine soon. #kcacols
Praying for it!
While I no longer practice yoga, I still do the diaphragm breathing. It increases lung capacity and has the added benefit of reducing stress. Will definitely try the suggested breathing exercises.
You and me both!
I read about the breathing exercises and started doing them now and then in the spring. I also got us a supplement with zinc and vitamin C to boost our immune systems, and also take vitamin D. Anti-inflammatory food has interested me for quite a few years already, and I have upped my use of things like garlic, sage etc in my cooking, to hopefully help us be in decent shape for fighting off any infection. (A mask however is more about protecting others, unless you wear a proper medical grade mask.) Thank you so much for linking up with #KCACOLS, I hope you come back again next time! x
Yes, I need to remind myself about all these things I should be doing as well!
Really informative post, especially love the breathing exercises #KCACOLS
Thanks Laura.
Very well written and informative
Thanks Anjali.
Clearly and concisely put very relevant information.
Thanks Harnita.
Comprehensive content and a good reminder to sustain efforts at strengthening our immune system and why.
Thanks Malini.
Helpful and well written.
Thanks Rena
Excellent advice
Good information about the deep breathing!
Thanks Sally.