Tips for a fighting chance

Life as we know it has changed and every day Covid-19 infections and death creeps closer to people you know: extended family, family and friends. You may have already suffered the loss of a loved one and only once it is close to someone you know, does reality hit as to what extent this deadly virus can be.

I am sure you have read conflicting data that more people have died from other illnesses each year other than Covid-19. This might be the case for now but there is no denying the fact Covid is veracious. In order to understand this statement lets go through a couple of scenarios.

Here are some stages of the damage coronavirus does to your lungs even after full recovery.

Covid-19 Pneumonia

► Your lungs become filled with fluid and become inflamed, leading to difficulty in breathing. The air sacs in your lungs become filled with fluid which limit the body’s ability to absorb oxygen into the blood stream and give your body the much-needed oxygen to function.

► In severe cases you would need to be hospitalised and placed on a ventilator to be able to get the necessary increase in oxygen.

► Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)

► If the fluid in your lungs persists and fills the air sacs, your lungs could go into a form of lung collapse. At this stage you will become unable to breathe on your own and will need a ventilator to help assist you to breathe. This is why there has been such a demand for ventilators world-wide because there is very little a doctor can do manually when your lungs can’t breathe by themselves. This is when machines are needed.

Sepsis

► This occurs when an infection sets in due to the body’s weak immune system and trying to fight off Covid. Infection enters the blood stream causing havoc and damaging tissue throughout the body. Your body doesn’t work in isolation but rather like a well-choreographed orchestra on playback and the minute one system starts shutting down, the rest tend to follow.

Superinfection

► Just when you thought things could not get any worse, your body is left very weak and your immune system left vulnerable. Bacteria is another virus that is a deadly attack on the system, leaving you fighting for your life. It is basically like robbing a bank. You run in yelling, shooting and causing damage yet the vault is open and there is no-one to defend the millions of Rands.

► Even if you survive any of these stages, your lungs are left damaged and scarred which would make you more susceptible to infections in later years. Lungs can repair themselves but there are a number of factors that could delay the process, such as the severity of the disease you contracted, your underlying health conditions and the timely support in treatment when infected. If you do make a recovery, it can take anywhere from three months to a year to get back to a pre-Covid state.

► If, like most employed South Africans you have no choice but to work to put food on the table to support your family and just survive, then you need to take the necessary precautions so that if you do get infected, you have the best fighting chance.

► Also remember one thing, it does not matter what your underlying condition is. You could have type-one diabetes, be overweight, unfit and a slob or you could have type-one diabetes and train every day and be someone who looks after themselves. If Covid-19 infected both these candidates, then who do you think would have a better fighting chance? The healthier one of course. They are both high risk but the person that is looking after themselves better has a better fighting chance.

► The moral of this message is to do what it takes to make sure you have a better fighting chance.

Good nutrition

► Eat mainly raw and unprocessed foods with the aim being low carbohydrates but a well-balanced diet. Good nutrition is key to good health.

Fast

► Last week I explained why fasting is good for you. Think about it in this way, by continuously giving your old cells sugar and energy, they are hanging around for dear life. If you fast, your body decides that it doesn’t really need the old and dying cells and kills them off, making way for new, vibrant and energetic cells. If a virus is going to attack, it is easier to prey on the old but harder on the young.

Good multivitamins

► There is no way your diet is perfect and that is why you supplement with a multivitamin every other day. It helps replace those vitamins and minerals you are lacking that all play an essential role in your body

Hydration

► Water is life and most of your body needs water for functioning. There is a reason doctors put you on a drip when you go to the hospital. It is to keep you well hydrated. Normal tap water does not have the right minerals and nutrients needed to assist you in keeping hydrated. Just because you drank a glass full of chlorine-infused tap water, doesn’t mean you are hydrating. Not all water is made the same. Look for water that has natural minerals in it.

Exercise

► I can’t stress enough how important daily exercise is. Having three massive two-hour sessions is not good for the average person because it leaves your body’s immune system weak, trying to repair itself and vulnerable to infection. Aim for daily moderate exercise for a period of 45 minutes. The fitter you are, the greater the chance of your body healing faster.

► Whatever your opinion of Covid-19 is, make sure you keep preparing your body for worst case scenarios. If it really is the “bad-ass” virus it is made out to be, don’t wait for news, start giving your body the best fighting chance.