I got Covid and survived

As we all know, either from personal experience, social media, TV, or the press, Covid -19 affects all of us differently. This virus does not discriminate. However, for many of us, fortunately, Covid-19 does not need to be the terrifying disease it first presented as. With the right support, many of us will get through having Covid-19 relatively unscathed.

I recently got Covid and survived, relatively unscathed, although I did lose four kilograms over the 10-day period. I want to share some of the measures I used to support myself through the illness and out the other side.

 

What I experienced with Covid-19 and what I used to get myself through

Covid symptom #1

Sore throat: Luckily for me, this symptom was not too severe. My sore throat was only equivalent to the feeling one gets from sleeping with your mouth open.

manuka honey sore throatWhat helped me: I drank squeezed lemon and honey to ease the inflammation and irritation.

Covid symptom #2

Head pain: I was lucky to not really suffer from headaches, which can be common.

I suffered more from what I would call a heavy head. My head felt thick and heavy, just like when you’re over-tired.

What helped me: I drank sniffle‘eze’ tea. This is a GrowEatHeal blend of healing herbs, such as meadowsweet, olive leaf, mullein leaf, elderflower, peppermint and stinging nettle. These herbs have antioxidant, antibacterial, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and immune-stimulating properties and can clear the throat and boost energy.

Covid symptom #3

Tight chest: Like Covid, anxiety can cause changes in your body that lead to symptoms such as muscle tightness, rapid heartbeat and shaking. This is due to your body’s ‘fight or flight’ sympathetic nervous system which increases muscle tension around the chest, causing chest pain and shortness of breath. Researchers speculate that COVID-19 chest pain may be caused by damage to the heart or inflammation of the lungs. I only had very mild chest tightness.
manuka sore throat remedyWhat helped me: I continued to drink sniffle’eze’ and added kawakawa tea. A traditional Maori medicine, kawakawa’s health benefits include a reduction in cramping, improved circulation, and it is anti-inflammatory. Kawakawa has been referenced by GOVT health board as a good option to use with Covid symptoms.

Covid symptom #4

Muscle ache: Often described as a dull, aching sensation in the muscles, this was quite intense for me over two days and kept me awake. Covid-related muscle pains commonly occur across all ages, and most of the time and is accompanied by fatigue. I felt more tired from not sleeping with the ache than from anything else.
What helped me: I used magnesium oil and massaged.

Supplementing my immune system

Prior to contracting Covid-19, I had been taking vitamin C and zinc supplements, which I kept up during the virus attack. I also completely stopped taking stimulants like wine, coffee, and tea. As for my diet, I kept my food choices uncomplicated, eating vegetables, fish and easily digested foods.

Recovering from the virus

My usual 30-minute lunchtime lie down (meditation) had become 90 minutes’ long, but I found that by the end of two weeks I was able to do my usual 5km walk at relative pace.

Since recovering from the virus, I have been using various supplements to support my vascular system and get muscle tone back, these include ashwaghanda, pomegranate, hawthorne, niacin, and sulphoraphane.

On another, somewhat cautious note, the recovery time for Covid seems to be different for everyone, and there is little known about what triggers long Covid. It is not linked to the severity of your Covid-19 illness and can develop even after a mild infection.

Old-fashioned medicine

In the past, good old convalescence was the norm. It was a middle phase between illness and normality, but we don’t seem to do convalescence anymore. Instead, we have learned to pop prescription pills and carry on. More and more researchers are now saying, however, that resting is critical during and after a Covid infection and that you should not over-do it as it can exacerbate symptoms and cause further damage.

Finding the GrowEatHeal balance

Like most things in life, it’s about balance. Once you’re feeling better it might be a good idea to not push your body for a while. It may be better to just go for a light stroll instead of going for a long run, and as well as limiting physical exertion, it’s important to avoid mental stress. Covid affects your nervous system, your blood flow, and your immune system, and because all of those parts of your body take time to heal, pushing through may only exacerbate the problem.

Together, we can work out and maintain the best food, key nutrients and activity choices for you after a bout of Covid-19. Grow Eat Heal will be with you on every step of your journey towards feeling well. Our body systems determine how we feel, and we can work together on how to provide the food, and actions that give your body what it needs for peak functionality.

Grow Eat Heal is here for you with the tools to help you find health and wellness, so if you’d like to keep your mojo going, get in touch.

find me

Grow Eat Heal Ltd

Jocelyn J Murray
5 Kahu Close, Orewa, 0931
Auckland, New Zealand