Long Covid Tips

One of the most frustrating elements of my symptoms is memory issues.   This is very common for people with neurological issues and chronic fatigue.    Our memory system consists of several steps: Working Memory: focus, purpose and intent the ability to hold information or a goal in your head long enough to not lose track of what you are doing/hearing/saying; an early stage of short term memory Short Term Memory: temporary storage for a small amount of information for quick recall the ability to retain information from seconds or a few minutes ago Long Term Memory: longer lasting storage with greater capacity but slower access speeds  the ability to remember what you did earlier in the day, last week or decades ago It is common for long-COVID sufferers like me to have issues with Working Memory.  While I have exceptional recall of information before my illness, I struggle to remember what was discussed 5 minutes ago, unless I took notes.  I also forget to...

As previously discussed , it is believed that excess free radicals, oxidative stress, and insufficient antioxidant levels are bad for the nervous system (and really the entire body) and play a role in neurological disorders and long-COVID symptoms.  One of the ways I try to get enough antioxidants is to make a variety of easy to brew herbal teas or tisanes.   Useful Antioxidant Ingredients As someone who treasures variety, I keep the following items on hand to work with, mixing and matching them as the mood suits me: Dried Ginger Pieces Sweet and spicy, believed help with nausea, inflammation and boost serotonin and dopamine levels Dried Rose Hips Slightly tart, loaded in antioxidants, may reduce inflammation, boost immune system, fight type 2 diabetes, and potentially even fight sagging of skin Wild Blueberry Powder Very high in antioxidants, and may help regulate blood sugar, boost immunity, support eye health, reduce gastrointestinal symptoms and possibly ease UTI symptoms....

As we age and are bombarded with solar radiation, chemicals in our environment and natural biological processes, our bodies are exposed to free radicals.  Free radicals are unstable atoms or molecules that have an unpaired valence electron.  This imbalance makes them very reactive, and they tend to steal electrons from cells in our bodies which can damage cells and cause inflammation.  While free radicals have some uses, if your body has too many of them that electron stealing process subjects your body to oxidative stress which has degenerative effects such as accelerated aging.  Studies associate excess free radicals with aging, diminished health and with diseases of the central nervous system, inflammatory and autoimmune disorders, cardiovascular disease, cancer and more. Recent studies suggest long-COVID is partly caused by oxidative stress and a shortage of antioxidants in the body . My long COVID recovery team suggested that I have a diet very high in antioxida...

Merry Christmas! Since this is a very new web site and many people are finding it each day, I would like to point out my recent post “ Thanksgiving Feast Adjustments for Long COVID and CFS ”.  In this recent post I shared some strategies I planned to use for Thanksgiving to help keep my symptoms in check.  In short, it included: Reducing reined carbs Reducing refined sugar Reducing exertion to manage my energy budget I will not bore those who already read it by repeating it all, but with Christmas coming up it seems worth calling attention to that post for new readers since the typical Christmas feast is so similar to that of Thanksgiving. To add some extra value to that topic, here are some supporting links providing additional dietary recommendations for long COVID.  If you read them carefully, you will see that they offer mostly similar advice, though some emphasize the importance of including whole grain complex carbohydrates for energy over simple carbs, while others...

Dietary Advice I Received from a Long COVID Program As with many conditions, eating the appropriate foods can help with symptoms of chronic fatigue, brain fog and neurological strain.  Interestingly, when I started the post-COVID rehabilitation program, they put me on a diet that was extremely high in lean animal protein which runs somewhat counter to the modern fads of plant-based everything.  But many of their other suggestions seem similar to aspects of the Mediterranean Diet, The Harvard “Healthy Eating Plate” and other mainstream health diets.  Here are some of their suggestions to me, which were adapted from a pamphlet called “ Healthy Brain, Healthy Nerves ” by Doctor Jinny Tavee, a neurologist specializing in neuromuscular disorders and integrative holistic medicine. They Asked Me to Eat: wild caught fish: 3-5 servings per week, prepared without much fat (e.g. avoid deep frying, butter poaching, etc.) brightly colored fruits and vegetables: 5-6 servings per day gr...