These chronic health problems worry doctors the most when it comes to COVID-19
After almost a year of Covid-19 being a part of our lives, we now know more about the virus and the underlying causes that make it more dangerous for one person than another.
It is a well-established fact that increased age makes a difference. But the most important thing is not age, it’s how compromised is your health, and the impact that your lifestyle has on your health.
According to the CDC, there are more than two dozen medical conditions that can cause problems if you are infected with COVID-19. But the most dangerous are these three:
- Obesity
- Diabetes (with complications such as organ damage)
- High blood pressure (with complications such as heart damage or kidney disease)
All three are inflammatory diseases that are prevalent among American adults, and experts say they are closely linked.
The most dangerous combination is having diabetes and high blood pressure; both can trigger kidney issues as well as lung problems.
Other dangerous conditions mentioned by the physicians include dementia, chronic kidney disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Immunocompromised patients – those who smoke and those with organ transplants – also raise concern.
High-risk condition: Obesity
What the numbers say: Obese people diagnosed with COVID-19 are more than twice as likely to be hospitalized and about 50% more likely to die compared to patients who are a healthy weight, according to a meta-analysis published in Obesity Reviews. (Obesity is defined as those with a body mass index, or BMI, of 30 or above.)
Why it’s dangerous with COVID-19: Obesity can make it harder for a person’s lungs to expand, impairing breathing and oxygenation. In addition, extra fat, especially around the belly, is linked to chronic inflammation that can weaken the immune response. Obesity is also believed to increase your risk of blood clots.
What can You do:
- Lower your weight by eating more of the foods that are nutritiously rich versus calorie-rich. For example, a small quantity of oil or butter has a lot more calories than pasta sauce. If you blend your sauce with vegetables like cauliflower, tomatoes, and broccoli, those are all very healthy and have fewer calories.
- Eat foods that are water-rich, like fruits and vegetables.
- Take more calories with your breakfast, a little less with lunch, and very little during dinner. Did you know that you could be eating the exact same amount of calories, but if you take 70% for dinner and 30% earlier in the day (versus 30% for dinner) you will gain weight.
- Eat foods with less sugar or no added sugar. Sugar is very bad for health, plus they are just empty calories that make you gain weight.
If you want to learn more about the types of foods that will leave you filled full but will help you lose weight, you can read my blog on the subject here.
High-risk condition: High blood pressure
What the numbers say: When researchers analyzed 22 studies from eight countries last year, they found that High Blood Pressure was present in 42 percent of hospitalized COVID-19 patients, making it the most prevalent health condition by far. Even more stunning: Those patients had twice the risk of death compared with patients without high blood pressure, said Vikramaditya Samala Venkata, M.D., one of the study’s authors and a hospital medicine physician at Cheshire Medical Center in Keene, N.H.
Why it’s dangerous with COVID-19: Experts believe COVID-19 damages the cells that line blood vessels, causing clots and making it harder for them to carry oxygen.
What you can do: Follow your doctor’s advice to keep your blood pressure under control. Studies show patients with unregulated high blood pressure are at greater risk from COVID-19 compared with patients who take medication to control it. Make some lifestyle changes, including eating a heart-healthy diet, and exercise 3-5 times a week for 30 minutes.
High-risk condition: Diabetes
What the numbers say: An analysis of the medical records of 61 million people in England published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology found that the risk of dying from COVID-19 was almost three times higher for people with type 1 Diabetes and almost twice as high for people with type 2 diabetes, compared with those without.
Why it’s dangerous with COVID-19: High blood sugar weakens the immune systems, making it harder for your body to fight off infections. “Diabetes puts you at risk for both cardiovascular complications and infectious complications — and we know both of those things are common with COVID,” said Luke Davis, M.D., a critical care physician associated with the Yale School of Public Health.
What you can do:
Stay on top of your blood sugar levels. There are many foods that can help in regulating your diabetes, and you can learn more about those here or by booking an appointment with me.
Patients with well-controlled diabetes have a COVID-19 death rate of about 1 percent, according to a study published in Cell Metabolism. In those with a poorly-controlled disease, however, the rate rises to 11 percent.
There are very simple things you can do TODAY to decrease your risk from Coronavirus. Many of them are things you can do with lifestyle changes, such as detox, cleanse, and giving your body the nutrition it needs.
Do you need help with detoxing? Cleansing? Or changing your lifestyle and eating habits to stop creating problems with your health?
I would love to help you in your journey.
Contact me for your free consultation and to learn more about how you can radically transform your life with Simple Healthy Living.
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