
HOW TO REGAIN STRENGTH AFTER COVID-19 ?
Updated: May 2, 2021
Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for medical advice. If you notice symptoms and suspect of infection during your post covid recovery, please follow the recommended procedures set by out by countries governments and always seek medical attention.
This video is for anyone who has recovered from covid with a negative test and trying to deal with the after affects such as chronic fatigue, weakness, body pains, brain-fog etc at home.
Given what we know about COVID-19 and the immense impact it has on peoples lives, the road to recovery is naturally expected to be more intense.
This makes it quite natural for patients who are recovering from both mild and severe forms of covid-19 infection to feel fatigued and low on energy. The World Health Organisation (WHO) points out that even the smallest of activities require energy and are bound to be difficult to manage while you are feeling tired, breathless and weak following a severe illness.
1. Listen to your body and monitor symptoms
Please be aware that you need to continue to monitor your health and contact your doctor if you notice any alarms. You should also seek immediate help if you experience difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, persistent chest pain/pressure, confusion, bluish lips or face, the inability to stay awake or anything else that seems out of the ordinary — especially if you were previously admitted to the intensive-care unit — as this can be a sign that you may now require critical care.
Keeping that in mind, I want to share some tips on things you can do at home to help regain your energy and strength after you recovered from covid. Some of the key symptoms people notice after they tested negative are chronic fatigue, tiredness and exhaustion, muscle weakness and pains, brain fog, shortness of breath, energy dips. This might change depending on if you had any pre-disposed medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes or heart problems.
First off, don't hope to jump back to your normal life routine right after you get back home or test negative for the virus. Give yourself enough time to gradually transition into your everyday life, taking each day at a time. Keep in mind, you have just recovered from an illness that severely attacked your immune system and your body needs time to reset.
2. Boosting immunity and dealing with Inflammation in your body
Some people who have recovered from COVID-19 could be left with a weakened immune system. The virus can also have the opposite effect, causing parts of the immune system to become overactive and trigger harmful inflammation throughout the body.
Severe COVID-19 illness can result in excessive inflammation throughout the body that can affect key organs like the lungs, heart and brain. Inflammation (swelling), which is part of the body's natural healing system, helps fight injury and infection.
Inflammation is your body’s way of protecting itself from infection, illness, or injury. As part of the inflammatory response, your body increases its production of white blood cells, immune cells, and substances called cytokines that help fight infection. If you want to reduce inflammation, eat fewer inflammatory foods and more anti-inflammatory foods.
Foods to Avoid
Some foods are associated with an increased risk of chronic inflammation.
Consider minimising or cutting these out completely:
Sugary beverages: Sugar-sweetened drinks and fruit juices
Refined carbs: White bread, white pasta, etc.
Desserts: Cookies, candy, cake, and ice cream
Processed meat: Hot dogs, bologna, sausages, etc.
Processed snack foods: Crackers, chips, and pretzels
Certain oils: Processed seed and vegetable oils like soybean and corn oil
Trans fats: Foods with partially hydrogenated ingredients
Alcohol: Excessive alcohol consumption
Foods to Eat
Include plenty of these anti-inflammatory foods:
Vegetables: Broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, etc.
Fruit: Especially deeply coloured berries like grapes and cherries
High-fat fruits: Avocados and olives
Healthy fats: Olive oil and coconut oil
Fatty fish: Salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel, and anchovies
Nuts: Almonds and other nuts
Peppers: Bell peppers and chilli peppers
Chocolate: Dark chocolate
Spices: Turmeric, fenugreek, cinnamon, etc.
Tea: Green tea
3. Dealing with tiredness, exhaustion, oxidative stress in body and brain
Being unwell and recovering from an illness may make you feel tired. Fatigue is feeling tired all the time and is not relieved by sleep and rest. When recovering from COVID-19 (coronavirus), you may feel you need to sleep more or feel exhausted after only taking a short walk. Coenzyme Q10, also known as CoQ10, is a compound that helps generate energy in your cells. One of its primary functions is to help generate energy in your cells. It is involved in the production of cellular energy and serves as an antioxidant and helps heal increased demands by tissues as a consequence of disease. CoQ10 has been shown to help improve heart health and blood sugar regulation, assist in the prevention and treatment of cancer and reduce the frequency of migraines. It could also reduce the oxidative damage that leads to muscle fatigue, skin damage and brain and lung diseases.
As with all supplements, check with your healthcare provider if you have any pre-existing health conditions before using them.
While you can easily consume CoQ10 as a supplement, it can also be found in some foods.
Organ meats: Heart, liver and kidney
Some muscle meats: Pork, beef and chicken
Fatty fish: Trout, herring, mackerel and sardine
Vegetables: Spinach, cauliflower and broccoli
Fruit: Oranges and strawberries
Legumes: Soybeans, lentils and peanuts
Nuts and seeds: Sesame seeds and pistachios
Oils: Soybean and canola oil
4. Dealing with stiff muscles and body pains:
People have told the most common problems after being unwell with COVID are shoulder and back problems, but joint and muscle problems can occur in any part of the body. Some people have widespread aching that can come and go for a time as you recover.
Try stretching muscles by slowly walking or doing light yoga.
You can also use epsom salts in a bath to soak to help the muscles relax.
Top herbs for muscle and joint pain
Turmeric - Turmeric is thought to help relieve pain, inflammation and stiffness as a result of curcumin, a key chemical found in this herb.
Ginger - Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties and is thought to function as a COX-2 inhibitor in a similar way that some arthritis medications function.
Arnica - Its bright yellow flowers have a long-standing traditional use of relieving muscle and joint pain, as well as the appearance of bruising.
Bromelain - Pineapples are a well-loved, tasty tropical fruit but did you know it could help with muscle and joint pain too? Bromelain is an enzyme found in pineapple juice and pineapple stem and is often used to reduce swelling or inflammation.
These are some tips to help you on your post covid recovery at home. Please remember to contact your health care provider if you notice any persistent symptoms during the recovery.
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