Banner image: Spices and herbs, whether fresh or dried, are important foods for the microbes in out gut that help keep our bodies in balance.
Lifestyle choicessuch as eating healthy, staying active as well as resting after exercise, and managing stressmay help prevent people from developing severe COVID-19 and mitigate post-infection conditions and symptoms, reports a new CU Boulder paper.
Recently published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, the paper details various biological mechanisms, resulting from modern living, that predispose humans to chronic, low-level inflammation and incline them toward even more damaging inflammation when fighting off the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19.
Many of the problems that were seeing from COVID are being attributed to how our body ramps up an immune response that is way over the top compared to what is needed, said Elizabeth Enichen, lead author and 2021 Honors graduate in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.
COVID can also shut down our antiviral defenses before we're able to develop a more robust and specific response, preventing us from regulating our own immune system, said Enichen.
Elizabeth Enichen is a2021 Honors graduate in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.
The publication details how existing chronic inflammation combined with an out-of-balance gut microbiome (the collection of resident bacteria in ones lower digestive system) predisposes the immune system to overreact. In humans, this overzealous inflammatory response to SARS-CoV-2 can lead to severe disease, organ damage and death.
Bats, on the other handwho likely harbored the virus before it jumped to humansare able to coexist with viruses like this one because of their lower propensity for inflammation and an at-the-ready antiviral defense, according to the paper.
The basic science of what individuals can do to protect themselves comes at a crucial time. Although President Biden told news program 60 Minutes on Sept. 18 that the pandemic is over, about 400 people still die of COVID-19 every day, and more than 23,000 Americans remain hospitalized due to the virus. And the lingering or new symptoms of Long COVID, categorized as post-acute sequelae (PASC) of SARs-CoV-2, remain a concern for millions of those still recovering.
Barbara Demmig-Adams, co-author on the study, and professor of distinction and director of the EBIO Honors Program within the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, suspects that imbalances in our immune response and microbiome also play a large role in PASC, which can include brain fog, memory issues, shortness of breath, exhaustion and chronic pain.
The surest way to prevent PASC: Dont get infected, she said. But those who do can mitigate lasting health impacts through basic lifestyle choices, according to Demmig-Adams.
Thats because much of our modern lifestylethe food we eat, how sedentary we are, and how stressed out we are on a regular basisthrows our immune system and microbiome off-balance.
Many of the things you can do to lower the risk of chronic disease also apply to infectious disease, said Demmig-Adams. If you make small tweaks in exercise, diet and stress, those can all act together to help reduce this uncontrolled inflammation that COVID is superimposed upon.
Heres how:
When we eat food, were also feeding the swarm of symbiotic creatures inside of our gut, known collectively as the microbiome. These microbes play a big role in regulating our immune system, said Enichen.
And when were not eating a balanced diet, that can shift the composition of our microbiome. This can cause the body to turn on itself, as our immune system sees too many of certain bacteria as a threat.
Berries and fiber-rich fruit and vegetables support the lung and gut microbiome, enhancing our defenses against viral disease. Nuts and seeds support the kinds of microbes that restore balance to our immune system.
That contributes to underlying inflammation, said Enichen. If you already have an unbalanced microbiome and then you get infected with COVID, you can have an excessive immune response.
Berries and fiber-rich fruit and vegetables support the lung and gut microbiome, enhancing our defenses against viral disease. Dark leafy greens like kale and spinach, as well as canned fish (sardines, tuna) high in omega-3 fatty acids and canned corn can all help rebalance inflammatory responses, the authors report. Whole-grains, nuts and seeds support the kinds of microbes that restore balance, according to the paper.
Demmig-Adams also notes that what we eat is often too bland for our microbiomes palette. Spices and herbsboth fresh and driedarent just flavorful, but food for the microbes we depend on.
Add cinnamon to your oatmeal, rosemary to your potatoes, and nutmeg, cloves and ginger to your pumpkin-themed food or drink this fall. And when takeout is tempting, Demmig-Adams suggests modifying what you buy: Add extra dried oregano or fresh basil to pizza or pasta, cardamom to your chicken or cumin in your breakfast burrito.
Demmig-Adams suggests, for the most part, to skip the supplements, especially high-dose ones. The best way to get the necessary nutrition on your microbes menu is to get them directly from your favorite foods. For example: Quercetin, a promising antioxidant currently being studied for its ability to suppress SARS-CoV-2 cell entry and replication, is naturally found in onions, green tea, berries and red wine. The carotenoid zeaxanthin, which Demmig-Adams group has studied for decades, can also help suppress cell entry and oppose run-away inflammation. Its found in eggs and corn.
We should be just as careful about overexerting our bodies as not moving them enough, said Demmig-Adams.
While regular physical activity can reduce run-away inflammation and boost immunity, exhaustive exercise without sufficient recovery can actually promote non-resolving inflammation and may exacerbate COVID-19 disease risk, according to the new paper.
So, if you regularly push your body, make sure to build in time for adequate rest and recovery. And if you are actively sick or recently recovered, realize that the amount of physical activity your body can handle will likely be different for a while.
Exercise doesn't have to be this crazy, intense time that you dread. Rather, the evidence suggests that doing that more moderate and enjoyable exercise seems to be what creates the right balance of those pro and anti-inflammatory signals, said Enichen.
Demmig-Adams is a fan of the goldilocks approach: not too much, not too little.
Anything that you can do again the next day should be fineand that varies. It's very personal.
Taking the stairs, going on walks and doing stretches and exercises at home all offer substantial benefits. And if you do want to ramp up your workout routine, do so gradually and build in plenty of recovery time, she said.
Too much physical activity without adequate rest and recoverycan increase risk for severe COVID-19. After big hikes, bikes or climbs,be sure to build in some down time.
Unfortunately, chronic psychological stress can also wear us down and contribute to non-resolving inflammation in the body, as well as disrupt our gut microbiome, according to the study. And research shows women have been more likely to experience intense stress, eat poorly and move their bodies less since the start of the pandemic.
Yoga, therapy, mindfulness-based meditation practices and acupuncture have all been shown to reduce the harmful chronic, non-resolving inflammation that contributes to severe COVID-19. Our bodies and minds also reap benefits from just 5 to 10 minutes a day of deep-breathing, journaling or letting ones mind wander while on a walk, according to research compiled in the new publication.
The good news, the authors stress, is that everything counts: Every time you take the stairs instead of the elevator, eat something with herbs and spices, or sit down and just breathe deeply for five minutes can have an impact.
It doesn't have to be perfect, said Enichen. All those small improvements can really act together to play a big role in improving our gut and our immune system.
People are also quick to blame themselves for not doing something well enough, when often there are barriers we cant control, she said. Cant afford healthier meals? Dont feel safe going on walks in your neighborhood? Simply do what you can.
Its really important to emphasize that there are also all these structural factors at play that do influence who has the education and access to healthy foods, or who has the time to be exercising, said Enichen. There needs to be structural level work done to expand access and make it more equitable for everybody to access these recommendations.
Visit link:
4 easy ways to reduce your risk of severe COVID-19 - University of Colorado Boulder
- As 2024 Travel Hits Pre-Covid Levels, Here's When To Go To Europe - Forbes - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Comparison of Impressions of COVID-19 Vaccinations Stratified by the Number of Vaccinations Among Japanese ... - Cureus - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health visits in primary care: an interrupted time series analysis from nine ... - The Lancet - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Faith and rehab keep Southwick woman on path to recovery from COVID - MassLive.com - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- China to draw on Covid-19 experience to tackle future pandemics - theSun - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Free COVID tests through USPS are ending todayhere's where to get tests online - Reviewed - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Concern about COVID reaches record low across political spectrum: Survey - The Hill - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- He Had 217 Covid Shots Without Side Effects, Study Finds - The New York Times - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- A Man Got 217 COVID-19 Vaccines. Here's What Happened - TIME - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- German man vaccinated 217 times against covid with no ill effects - The Washington Post - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Andrew Cuomo Faces House Subpoena Over Covid Deaths in Nursing Homes - The New York Times - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- It's been 4 years since COVID hit Michigan. For Long COVID patients, the pandemic isn't over. Michigan Advance - Michigan Advance - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- 4th Anniversary of the Covid-19 Pandemic - erienewsnow.com - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Reflecting on 4 years of the COVID-19 pandemic and discussing what's to come - WBUR News - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- CDC shortens 5-day COVID isolation, updates guidance on masks and testing in new 2024 recommendations - CBS News - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Father, daughter convicted in fraud related to COVID-19 relief - The Cincinnati Enquirer - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Supreme Court to weigh whether Covid misinformation is protected speech - STAT - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Oklahoma leads country in long Covid - 2 News Oklahoma KJRH Tulsa - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- MCFR firefighter dies after battle with COVID-19 - WCJB - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Audio-based AI classifiers show no evidence of improved COVID-19 screening over simple symptoms checkers - Nature.com - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Hidden death toll of COVID-19 pandemic revealed - Earth.com - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Switching arms improves effectiveness of two-dose vaccinations, OHSU study suggests - OHSU News - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Tributes paid to Irish health official 'central' to EU Covid-19 response - The Irish Times - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Court: Not wearing mask during COVID-19 health emergency isn't protected speech - Honolulu Star-Advertiser - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- One arm or two? How you get vaccinated may make a difference - The Seattle Times - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- 70% of kindergarteners didn't pass readiness test in pandemic, study estimates - University of Minnesota Twin Cities - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- USS Theodore Roosevelt sailors roam free on Guam for first time since COVID-19 outbreak - Stars and Stripes - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Pandemic linked to 14% increase in underweight children in India - Medical Xpress - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- COVID and travel: Should I still wear a mask on the plane? - USA TODAY - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Vaccine hesitancy and equity: lessons learned from the past and how they affect the COVID-19 countermeasure in ... - Globalization and Health - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Increase in STIs Among Adolescents Witnessed During COVID-19 Pandemic - Drug Topics - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- VDH: COVID deaths not seeing decline - Vermont Biz - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- US outpatient care for serious mental health issues declined during COVID-19 - University of Minnesota Twin Cities - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- COVID-19 Vaccination in a Patient With Gluten Enteropathy: A Case Report - Cureus - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- COVID-19 cases drop, but still lots of flu, RSV cases in Erie County - GoErie.com - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Lives versus livelihoods: The COVID-19 trade-off from an epidemiological-economic perspective - CEPR - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Weatherhead's Jonathan Ernest notes economic changes of childcare facilities following COVID-19 pandemic - The Daily | Case Western Reserve University - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- U.S. adults face distress, unequal mental health care access during the COVID-19 era - News-Medical.Net - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Simnotrelvir to reduces the symptoms of mild to moderate COVID-19 - 2 Minute Medicine - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Vaccine Effectiveness: Which COVID-19 Shots Offer the Most Protection? - SciTechDaily - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- New evidence confirms COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy is safe for babies - Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Audit Committee co-chairs, Evers at odds over interest from COVID-19 funds - WisPolitics.com - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Evaluation of Olfactory Dysfunction Among COVID-19 Patients in Baghdad, Iraq - Cureus - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- COVID-19's impact on early education: Retrospective study shows decrease in kindergarten readiness - News-Medical.Net - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Rutgers researchers work on breakthrough COVID-19 treatment | Video - NJ Spotlight News - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Curious Iowa: Has the state spent all of its COVID-19 relief funding? - The Gazette - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- Accelerating into Immunization Agenda 2030 with momentum from ... - Infectious Diseases of Poverty - BioMed Central - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- Study Uncovers Why Young Children Suffer Less Severe COVID-19 - Technology Networks - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- Wenstrup, Select Subcommittee Majority Members Investigate ... - House Committee on Oversight and Reform | - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- With COVID-19 emergency orders lifted, employers seek guidance ... - Hartford Business Journal - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- Computer-aided diagnosis of chest X-ray for COVID-19 diagnosis in ... - Nature.com - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- Maternal COVID-19 Vaccination, Infection Boosts Infant Antibody ... - Contagionlive.com - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- Three Middlesex County Individuals Admit COVID-19 Fraud ... - Department of Justice - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- Seventeen Broward Sheriff's Office Employees Charged with COVID ... - Department of Justice - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- New COVID-19 Booster and Flu Shot Available at Select Public ... - Mecklenburg County (.gov) - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- Ban on COVID vaccine mandates by private businesses, including ... - The Texas Tribune - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- What Are the Side Effects of the 2023 COVID Vaccine? Experts ... - Good Housekeeping - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- Covid inquiry: Bereaved families relief as High Court dismisses Cabinet Office JR - openDemocracy - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- UK health agency failed to account for 3.3bn of Covid inventory, say MPs - Financial Times - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- COVID-19 Working Paper: Obesity Prevalence Among U.S. Adult ... - usda.gov - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- California Changes Definition of COVID-19 Outbreak Easing the ... - Fisher Phillips - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- New Study Shows Robust Pandemic Preparedness Strongly Linked ... - Nuclear Threat Initiative - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- COVID-19 Infection Reduces the Risk of UTIs, Bacteremia, and ... - Contagionlive.com - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Europe Phases Out COVID-19 Flexible Regulations - Pharmaceutical Technology Magazine - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Travel Pains and COVID: How to Decide if You're Ready to Travel - CreakyJoints - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- COVID Depression and Anxiety | Johns Hopkins Medicine - April 17th, 2023 [April 17th, 2023]
- Man declared dead due to Covid found 'shockingly' alive after 2 years in MP - Hindustan Times - April 17th, 2023 [April 17th, 2023]
- Senate votes to end Covid-19 emergency, 3 years after initial declaration - CNN - March 31st, 2023 [March 31st, 2023]
- DC COVID-19 centers closing Friday: Here's what you need to know - WJLA - March 31st, 2023 [March 31st, 2023]
- Can grade retention help with COVID-19 learning recovery in schools? - Brookings Institution - March 28th, 2023 [March 28th, 2023]
- On 3-year anniversary of COVID-19 in NC, Winston-Salem woman shares story of loss and healing after losing 2 loved ones - WXII12 Winston-Salem - March 4th, 2023 [March 4th, 2023]
- Oregon, Washington will lift mask requirements in health care settings on April 3 - KATU - March 4th, 2023 [March 4th, 2023]
- WHO says all theories for COVID origin 'remain on table' as lab leak theory gains traction - Sky News - March 4th, 2023 [March 4th, 2023]
- New COVID-19 omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 sweeping the nation, making up majority of cases - ABC Action News Tampa Bay - February 15th, 2023 [February 15th, 2023]
- Man gets 21 years in prison for stabbing wife in the Ozarks over COVID-19 stimulus check and their children - Law & Crime - February 15th, 2023 [February 15th, 2023]
- Healthline: Medical information and health advice you can trust. - January 2nd, 2023 [January 2nd, 2023]
- China can expect repeat Covid infections with new strains on the way: experts - South China Morning Post - January 2nd, 2023 [January 2nd, 2023]
- PCR tests for travellers reintroduced around the world as Covid-19 cases surge - The National - January 2nd, 2023 [January 2nd, 2023]
- Covid-19 surge after Covid-19 surge has made it impossible for US hospitals to plan for the future - Vox.com - January 2nd, 2023 [January 2nd, 2023]
- COVID-19 in China: Demand for a particular fruit rises as people seek natural remedies to fight the virus - WION - December 21st, 2022 [December 21st, 2022]