COVID-19 Complications: Reducing Your Risk

Over the past month, hospitalization rates have fallen in many part of the U.S., including the State of Maryland (my home). Yet while infection rates remain high (~20,000 new cases each day), most COVID-19 positive cases (~9 of out of every 10) exhibit a range of symptoms between none and mild-moderate (low-grade fever, cough, weakness and fatigue) that can be treated at home. 

Should you become infected with COVID-19, here are some suggestions that might help to reduce your risk of a COVID-19 complication.

Stay well hydrated:  With a cough and fever of 100.5ºF (38ºC), fluid loss can be significant: ~16 oz (475 mL) daily on top of normal fluid requirements (~64 oz/ 1.9 L per day).  Because severe dehydration can land you in the hospital, the goal is to stay well hydrated throughout the day.  To do this, drink 8 oz of water hourly over 10-hours each day until the fever subsides.  

Stay well nourished: The antiquated adage “feed a cold, starve a fever” has no place in the treatment of COVID-19 (or any other infection for that matter).  This is because fever raises metabolic rate resulting leading to higher caloric requirements. You may need to force yourself to eat if you’ve lost your sense of taste and smell (one of the signs of coronarvirus).  Recommendations include increased protein intake from plant-based sources such as chia seeds, lentils, almonds and Ezekiel bread to name a few (see other top foods in “Heal Your Heart”).   Also try to consume foods enriched in Vitamin C (such as broccoli, grapefruit, strawberries), zinc (such as hempseeds, oysters, shitake mushrooms) and cook with anti-inflammatory spices (such as garlic, ginger, turmeric) and foods (such as salmon, sardines, herring).

Stay less stressed:  Like with other infections and illnesses, emotional stress complicates COVID-19 recovery efforts.  To more effectively combat this infection, (beyond adequate hydration and nutrition), aim for 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep (see my blog “Want to sleep like a baby”), consider meditation, magnesium containing foods and stay socially connected with friends and loved ones until circumstances permit physical connections to be reinstated.

Practice breathing exercises: Check out this informative video from Dr. Jonathan Bayuk on useful breathing exercises (and his other recommendations) that may help to limit COVID-19 related lung complications.

Get Sunlight:  As low Vitamin D levels may play a role in COVID-19 complications, aim for 15-20 minutes of sunlight daily. For more info, also refer to my blog “COVID-19 Diet : What We Know”.

What about taking a blood thinner? A major advance in reducing the need for a ventilator and improving hospital survival rates has been the use of blood thinners (or anticoagulants).  This is because COVID-19 has a tendency to promote blood clots that can form in vascular regions including the legs, lung and brain.  At this time however, there are no recommendations to take a blood thinner (including aspirin), unless you are hospitalized with COVID-19 (or have a non-COVID reason to be on this group of medications).   

Michael Miller, MD is Professor of Medicine, Epidemiology & Public Health and a cardiologist at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland.  His recent book,  “Heal Your Heart: The Positive Emotions Prescription to Prevent & Reverse Heart Disease” is published by Penguin Random House, USA.