David JC Cutler shares getting infected by the novel coronavirus can take a severe toll on your health. If you get infected by the novel coronavirus, you will develop antibodies that increase your immunity to subsequent infections. However, since it is early days, it is not clear how long this immunity will last. It is, therefore, important for old people or those who have co-morbidities like diabetes, cardiac disease, hypertension, etc. to take additional steps to boost and protect their immune systems when recovering from COVID-19. While it remains essential to wash your hands frequently, wear marks, and practice social distancing, you can also boost your well-being by practicing the following health tips:
Exercise Regularly, Recommends David JC Cutler
When you are infected by the coronavirus, it reduces the capacity of your lungs and your entire system becomes weak. By exercising regularly, you can bring your muscles and lungs back to optimum performance. However, in the initial days of your recovery, you must take things slowly as your body will usually be weak, and you will get tired easily. The point is to start slowly and gradually ramp up the intensity as well as the duration till you can revert to your schedule before you had fallen ill. Exercising in the fresh air will also boost your mood and make you feel happier, and make your stress disappear.
Follow a Nutritious Diet
You need to have a nutritious diet so that you can speed up your recovery. Different people react differently to the disease and its treatment. While some people lose weight, some can end up gaining weight. To get your health back, make it a point to eat nutritionally-balanced meals with the right proportion of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and fiber. Focus on fresh produce like leafy greens, fruits and vegetables, eggs, milk, and poultry, advises David JC Cutler. As always, try to stay away from red meat, processed foods, and junk food. Make it a point to cook lightly so that you can digest your meals easily.
Focus on Honing Your Mental Faculties
One of the effects of the COVID-19 infection is that you tend to lose your ability to concentrate and remember stuff that you had easily been able to earlier. To get your mental abilities back to speed, you should invest some of your time in playing memory games, solving puzzles, and indulging in activities that make you focus and think harder. Keep on challenging yourself to solve problems quickly and to do exercises that are aimed at building mental sharpness.
Conclusion
It is important to appreciate that COVID-19, in most cases, can severely weaken your physical and mental health. Therefore, you should not hope that you can return to your earlier level of fitness overnight. You will need to give yourself time so that you can repair your immune system and get back your health. If you face any health issues while recovering, be sure to contact your healthcare provider. Above all, recognize that COVID-19 is a serious illness. And you should reach out for any help you need from your family and friends.