Four Evidence-Based Changes You Can Make Right Now to Help Fight COVID 19
It is easy to feel helpless during our current COVID-19 crisis. Our schedules are changing, our routine is out of our control, we may be taking on new roles such as teacher and caretaker, and it can feel like your weight or eating habits are the last thing on your “to do” list. However, health should be the utmost priority right now.
There is plenty of evidence and studies on common flus and colds that suggest that our baseline health plays a huge role in our body’s ability to defend against viruses. Early data from China shows that weight is associated with your ability to survive COVID-19. So while your main focus should be on public distancing and sanitization, it is just as important to focus on health and wellness. Here is a four step, evidenced-based action plan that you can do today that will help make your body stronger in the face of any respiratory virus.
Step One: Start a Moderate Intensity Exercise Plan
Prolonged and extreme exercise usually suppresses your immune system but moderate exercise can boost it tremendously. In one of my favorite studies, mice who were randomized to moderate exercise after being injected with H1N1 strain had almost three times lower mortality rates than did the non-exercising control group (18% vs. 56% mortality, respectively). So, being active as you catch a virus can save your life. Not only that, moderate activity also decreases your risk of catching a virus. In a randomized study in people over the age of 50, those who were randomized to an 8 week exercise program before the cold and flu season had 35% less cold and flu episodes and took 47% less sick days.
It is imperative that you not let the ‘Shelter at Home’ ordinance decrease your activity. It is also important to work with exercise specialists on keeping your exercise in the moderate intensity range during this time. Some things you can at home include:
- Try a workout video (many studios are even live-streaming classes)
- Get creative with strength training (try bodyweight workouts, or use water bottles or other household goods as light weights).
- Get outside (hike, walk, jog…but practice prudent social distancing).
Step Two: Stock up on Your Veggies.
The micronutrients we get from whole food, especially vegetables, help improve our immune system on a cellular level. So if the ‘Shelter at Home’ ordinance has you eating TV dinners or instant meals, please stop! In one study, older adults who were randomized to receiving a diet high in vegetables for 16 weeks prior to receiving a vaccine had a far greater antibody response to the vaccine suggesting that vegetable intake enhances our immune response. In a 2010 study of over 1000 pregnant women in Boston, those eating the most fruit and vegetable intake had 39% less respiratory viral infections during pregnancy. So stock up on fresh and frozen veggies and eat a serving with each meal because it will drastically reduce your risk. If you’re concerned about virus transmission via fresh produce, we recommend this reassuring read.
Step Three: Adopt a Stress Relief Activity
Believe it or not, numerous studies have shown that stress (chronic stress in particular) suppresses both our cellular and humoral (body fluid) immune systems. Problematically, a viral outbreak with the ‘Shelter at Home’ mandate is very stressful. So it is super important to have and consistently practice a stress reduction activity. If you think it doesn’t make a difference, consider this fascinating study where people who received a 8 week mindfulness meditation class right before cold and flu season had 33% less infections and had 66% less sick work days. That is a pretty impressive difference that could be lifesaving during this time.
Step Four: Make Sure You Have Zinc On Hand
While we are inundated with non-supported claims on supplements that enhance immunity that we do not endorse, there is one element that has repeatedly been shown to help fight viral infections, especially respiratory viruses. Zinc is an essential trace element that is crucial for growth, development, and the maintenance of immune function. In many randomized trials, zinc lozenges at certain doses have been found to reduce overall duration of cold symptoms by three days as well as decrease the total severity scores for all cold symptoms. In one study, zinc ions inhibited the ability of coronavirus (specifically SARS) to replicate intracellularly. While there is no data on how Zinc intake may impact a COVID 19 infection, the data on Zinc in common colds and SARS suggests that it could help. Take in mind, we are not recommending daily Zinc here. You only need to take it once you start having symptoms. If you start feeling sick, I recommend you take
- One 300mg dose of oral zinc just for first day (not every day)
- Followed by Zinc Acetate Lozenges 12–15mg every 3 hours until symptoms resolve.
Your Baseline Health Will Pay You Dividends
We are all concerned when we hear the statistics and the constantly changing landscape of this new “normal”. Preserving your health prior to an illness can help reduce the chances of getting sick or lessen the severity. Rather than focusing on what we cannot control, instead aim to focus on what we can: practicing behaviors to ensure that we are in optimal health to fight the virus. Rather than viewing healthy eating, exercise, and stress relief as something to be dealt with after things settle down, reframe these practices as important prevention strategies.
Disclosure: Rami Bailony, MD, co-founded Enara Health, which has developed a platform that empowers individuals to take control of their health with confidence and “ get surgical weight loss results without the surgery.”
