{"id":14358,"date":"2021-12-06T08:32:31","date_gmt":"2021-12-06T08:32:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.theguthealthdoctor.com\/?p=14358"},"modified":"2023-02-28T12:52:09","modified_gmt":"2023-02-28T12:52:09","slug":"how-to-stop-long-covid-ruining-your-festive-buzz","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theguthealthdoctor.com\/how-to-stop-long-covid-ruining-your-festive-buzz","title":{"rendered":"How to stop long-Covid ruining your festive buzz"},"content":{"rendered":"

As you may already know, COVID-19 can manifest in different bodies in wildly different ways. What was a mild case of coughing and fatigue for you might have required hospitalisation, or have even proven fatal, for someone else.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To make things more complex, while most people recover within 12 weeks – and often a lot sooner! – for some, there is the harsh reality of \u2018long-COVID\u2019 to deal with. Not only is this potentially debilitating, it\u2019s also widespread: affecting an estimated million plus people in the UK alone, right now. This number is, sadly, set to rise. So, what exactly is long-COVID – and how can you try to avoid it ruining your Christmas?<\/span><\/p>\n

Hold up: what actually *is* \u2018long-COVID?\u2019\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

The phrase \u2018long-COVID\u2019 started life on Twitter, where people who were struggling with long-lasting COVID symptoms were speaking to one another and invented the descriptor. Fast forward to today, the condition is formally recognised <\/span>in<\/span><\/a> the scientific literature<\/span>. To get specific, long-COVID, also known as \u2018post-COVID Syndrome\u2019, is defined as ongoing symptoms which continue for longer than 12 weeks and cannot be explained by any other condition. (If you have symptoms that last for more than 4 weeks but go away before 12, this is known as \u2018<\/span>ongoing symptomatic COVID,\u2019 FYI.)<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Long-COVID symptoms might look like<\/strong><\/p>\n

– Fatigue\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

– Breathlessness\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

– Heart problems including damage the heart muscle itself and chest pain\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

– Brain fog and dizziness<\/span><\/p>\n

– Changes in taste and smell\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Other symptoms include gut upset, changes to your gut microbiota, joint pain and depression and anxiety, but can alter over time. It\u2019s vital to note that people with \u2018long-COVID\u2019 are not contagious. These symptoms are thanks to your body\u2019s response to the virus *after* the initial, infectious illness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And why do some people suffer from long-COVID?<\/b><\/p>\n

It\u2019s still early days in terms of the research, and much remains murky. Plus, much like acute COVID infection itself, long-COVID can be felt differently and can come with a different set of symptoms from person to person.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, your chance of being impacted by long-COVID doesn\u2019t seem to be linked to how unwell you were with the virus itself, and even those with mild symptoms at first can still find themselves having problems that stretch out over the weeks and months.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In terms of <\/span>why<\/span><\/i> it happens, the current thinking is that it\u2019s to do with the impact that COVID-19 has on your organs; (the <\/span>virus can gain access to your lungs, heart, gastrointestinal tract, liver, kidneys, spleen, and brain, explaining how long-COVID can feel like a full-body condition) <\/span>the way your body responds and fights the virus \u2013 not to mention the psychological issues that are associated with dealing with COVID-19.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Okay, but what has my gut got to do with it?<\/b><\/p>\n

We know that our lung and gut microbiota can influence each other and just as long-COVID can affect pretty much every organ in your body, so too can our GM. What\u2019s more, a healthy microbiome can help support your immune system, communicate with your brain, lungs, and other organs, and is linked with better heart health. These areas are all commonly affected by long-COVID.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I want to be clear: a healthy gut <\/span>won\u2019t <\/span><\/i>make you immune to COVID-19, or long-COVID. But supporting your gut microbes with a diverse, plant-based diet <\/span>can<\/span><\/i> put you in the best position to recover, if you are impacted.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you are suffering from long-COVID, here are my top tips to manage it. Fingers crossed, these can dial down its impact on your festive season.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n