Could BOOSTING heart health… and SLIMMING DOWN… help COVID-19 outcomes?
Last week marked the 1-year anniversary of the World Health Organization declaring COVID-19 as a worldwide pandemic.
A year later, we mourn the loss of those who succumbed to the virus – 530,000 Americans and counting, and many more across the globe.
We have plenty of reason to be optimistic… from treatment breakthroughs and vaccine approvals…
But we’re not out of the woods yet. And that means we can’t rest on our laurels.
While some folks who come down with COVID-19 might only experience a minor infection… and recover quickly…
Others are FAR less likely to dodge a bullet.
In fact, the latest news is that there are 4 conditions that could put certain folks in the crosshairs for a SEVERE bout with the virus.
But there may be hope for ways to keep them from landing in the hospital.
Which of these boxes can you check?
Just-out research from Tufts University reveals that among the 900,000 COVID-19 hospitalizations as of November 2020, 2/3 of them could’ve been AVOIDED.
That is, were it not for the presence of just 4 conditions:
- obesity (30%)
- hypertension (26%)
- diabetes (21%)
- heart failure (12%)
These cardiovascular conditions I just mentioned come as no surprise to me – as COVID-19 isn’t merely a respiratory disease, but one that results in potentially MASSIVE vascular inflammation.
And last year I shared with you how being obese could ALSO impact recovery from the novel coronavirus… as it’s one of the “clearest predictors” of a “difficult battle” with COVID-19.
And the CDC recently announced that folks with an overweight or obese BMI accounted for more than 3/4 of severe COVID-19 cases…
Like those involving hospitalization, ventilation, or even death.
Now, if you’re already obese… you can’t just wave a magic wand and make all that extra weight just DISAPPEAR.
Same goes for when you’ve struggled to control your blood pressure or blood sugar levels…
Or if your heart has already started to fail.
But this isn’t an all-or-nothing scenario.
The authors of the new study estimate that more than 11% of COVID-19 hospitalizations could’ve potentially been PREVENTED by just a 10% reduction in these conditions.
Because while you may not be able to ERASE any of these 4 comorbidities… you MIGHT be able to move the needle just enough to reduce your risk.
That tells me that in addition to making some changes to promote a healthy immune response… and manage our weight…
We’ve ALSO got to support our heart health however we can.
That means not only TWEAKING our diets… and MOVING AROUND a little bit more…
But also considering supplementing with some heart-healthy nutrients, like CoQ10… hawthorn… celery seed extract… grapeseed extract… resveratrol… and more.
There’s another heart hero that can also help BEAT BACK blood sugar woes – garlic!
To a better year ahead,
Melissa Young
