By Kathy D’Agati
COVID-19 officially became a pandemic on March 11, 2020.
While there appears to be good news on the horizon regarding promising vaccines, there are still many months of hardship that lie ahead.
What you do in the next few months will have a major impact on what the future will look like for you.
If you stay home (a lot), wear a mask every time you go out and wash your hands (a lot), you may be one of the lucky ones who avoids getting the virus at all.
But it shouldn’t end there.
There is a whole lot more you can do.
Here is some critical information that isn’t being talked about nearly enough:
When you track the history of Covid-19, it quickly becomes clear that there are significant differences among people who come in contact with this disease.
Why do some recover at home, others require hospitalization, and some don’t recover at all?
Pre-existing conditions like metabolic syndrome play a major role.
Among 5700 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in and around New York City, most had a comorbidity associated with metabolic syndrome. These included hypertension (56%), obesity (42%), and diabetes (34%).
Certain chronic conditions, like the comorbidities mentioned above, result in altered immune system function, which can lead to poor outcomes.
Today, more than 30% of the adult population in the United States has metabolic syndrome.
The good news – It is well within your power to change that.
Dietary interventions are of the best preventative measures you can take to correct metabolic syndrome, and reduce the probability of infection or the severity of symptoms should you become infected with Covid-19.
Food is Powerful Medicine
A diet that is plentiful in fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, virgin olive oil, nuts, seeds, lean meats and fish that are high in omega-3 fats, that is also low in sugar and processed foods — has been extensively studied for its positive influence on the comorbidities associated with metabolic syndrome and its ability to reduce chronic inflammation.
You can literally eat your way to a healthier immune system. In today’s world, that has become an imperative.
If nothing else, Covid-19 has taught us how vulnerable with are to globally transmitted viral diseases.
Covid-19 let us know that what we eat and how we live can make the difference between life and death.
Let us learn this lesson well.
Use this time at home to cook your meals and try new foods. Discover the succulent flavors of fresh foods simply prepared. Work together as a family to create special meals. Create memories that will truly last a lifetime.
Let that be the gift of this awful pandemic.
Kathy D’Agati is a Certified Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach specializing in autoimmune disease and metabolic syndrome. She can be reached at: kathy@backtobasicwellness.com
