Covid came and visited me just before Christmas 2021. It was a horrible influenza with several days of fever and weakness. This is Day 27 since the onset of symtoms. I’m testing negative again since Day 24 and I’m happy with my recovery. I’m regaining strength and energy with every day. People have been asking what I took and what I did during the illness, so here’s a quick account. To be clear, this is not medical or therapeutic advice. I chose what I considered to be the best options available to me at the time. These may not be the same for you. Always consult with your trusted health team before taking medications and supplements, and do your very best to be well informed about your treatment options.

Most Important: Start From a Basis of Robust Health

For several reasons ranging across the spectrum of personal health issues and socio-poliitcal concerns, I and my husband are unvaccinated. I may go into the details in a separate post. Enough to say here that regardless of not having received one, two or three doses, we weren’t concerned when we contracted the virus, knowing that we had none of the comorbidity factors which render it particularly dangerous. If it had occured eight years ago, before we took responsibility for our health, the story may have been different. For Fiorenzo, it was little more than a common cold. My immune system responded much more aggressively. Symptoms were more severe and my recovery is taking longer. We both took supplements every day, but I needed the help of antibiotics and cortisone to combat it quickly. Which I did: on Day 21 from the onset of symptoms, I did my first modified 7 Minute Workout to start rebuilding my strength.

I truly believe that the extent to which our bodies were able to respond successfully to the virus wasn’t dependent solely upon the supplements and pharmaceuticals that we took during the critical days. For seven years, since September 2014, we’ve followed the Paleo Diet and Lifestyle which is specifically anti-inflammatory and nutrient dense. It supports the digestive system, the immune system and the nervous system. We’ve done our very best to reach our health potential. What this means is that when the virus hit, we were both in a state of robust health. If we’d been undernourished, if we’d been suffering from any of the lifestyle diseases, if we’d been smokers or drinkers or if our immune systems had been weak, our recovery may not have gone so well.

Do Autoimmune Issues Affect the Immune Response? An  Interesting Question

Having said that, I’m curious as to why we had such a different response. I wonder to what extent my immune system may still be affected by autoimmune “confusion”, and if so, could that have contributed to the response? It’s possible that, although my blood tests are negative, my immune system is still producing autoantibodies – just not enough to register in the lab. This could well be the case, because my connective tissues still don’t recover as well as they could after exercise.

Also, I understand that once your body has learned how to produce autoantibodies, it never forgets. Could it be possible that the spike protein triggered a more aggressive immune response than my husband’s because of autoimmune interference? I really don’t know.

What I do know is that notwithstanding the autoimmune factor, when the virus hit me, I couldn’t have been healthier.

Poor or Mediocre Health May Not Be Enough for a Quick Recovery

I’m convinced that, now that these kinds of viruses are circulating in the world, robust health is everything. Poor health or mediocre health, I fear, may not be enough to protect you. When people say, “I know a person who was young and healthy and he died…” my question is always, “How do we know he was healthy?”. What was his daily diet? Was he overfed but undernourished? How were his cortisol levels? Vitamin D? How many hours did he sleep each night? Was he mostly sedentary throughout the day? Or did he exercise too much? Was chronic inflammation bubbling away deep inside, hidden and silent?

I ask the same kind of questions with regards to Long Covid. What are people actually doing to support their recovery? Mostly, what are they eating? I’m not saying that the issues of both critical and long term symptoms don’t exist and aren’t severe. But there simply isn’t enough information and support regarding optimal nutrition and physical health. I’m very curious to see how my own recovery continues.

If you’re concerned about your health, if you’re living with the signs and symptoms of inflammation, malnutrition and/or are managing autoimmune or other disease, then I strongly encourage you to get serious about reaching your health potential. Think about doing my Paleo Reset 31, or investing in a Private Health Coaching program. Reach out and contact me for information, motivation and support.

From First Symptoms to “Negative”: What I Took and What I Did to Optimise my Recovery

Unfortunately for me, symptoms were at their worst over the Christmas period when doctors weren’t available. Also, my preferred treatment option, which would have been to follow the early home prevention protocol of ippocrate.org, was not operating at the time. (They launched a new service model when I was well out of the fever stage.) I didn’t have access to ivermectin or hydroxychloroquine. So, we did the best we could with what was available.

My home doctor gave good advice with regards to supplements. The only thing I would suggest is that rather than saying, “Call me if symptoms get worse,” it would be more appropriate for doctor’s to say, “Call me if you’re not improving after 2 or 3 days.” This was the point that I was at. I realised I wasn’t improving, and that the strategy needed to change before it turned nasty. Given that my only option was antibiotics and cortisone, I wish I’d started them earlier.

Following is a summary of what I took and what I did, as well as a day-by-day synopsis of my recovery so far: symptoms, diet, energy and actions.

What I Took and What I Ate to Recover

BEFORE THE “POSITIVE” TEST, BUT WITH ONSET OF SYMPTOMS

• Aspirin, NOT paracetamol

AFTER THE “POSITIVE” TEST

Morning (Empty Stomach) 

• Stomach Protector
• Vitamin D
• Lactoferrin

Breakfast

• Egg (maybe with a slice of bacon)
• Kiwi

After Breakfast (Full Stomach)

• Brufen, (anti-inflammatory), until I started with Cortisone

Mid Morning

• Vitamina C with Multivitamins

Lunch

• Soup made with Bone Broth, sometimes with a little cooked minced beef stirred through.

Mid Afternoon (Empty Stomach)

• Antibiotic

Evening Before Dinner (Empty Stomach)

• Stomach Protector
• Lactoferrin

Dinner

• Protein, vegetables, salad

After Dinner (Full Stomach)

• Brufen, (anti-inflammatory), until I started with Cortisone

For 2 Days

• Coinciding with the first couple of days of Antibiotics and Cortisone: Enoxaparina

During the Night, Every Now and Again

• Slices of frozen banana!
• A cup of Bone Broth

Day by Day Recovery: Symptoms and Energy

Day 1. First signs. Aching bones and muscles through the night.

Days 3 – 4. Feeling like I had a cold, but able to take Roxy, my dog, on a short walk. Nothing particular.

Day 5. Molecular test: Positive. Fever of 38. Start taking a stomach protector, Brufen (anti-inflammatory), Vitamin D, Vitamin C.

Days 6 – 10. Fever 37,7. Total weakness, couldn’t stay out of bed.

Day 10. Called doctor – realised I wasn’t improving and that the strategy needed to change. I wish this decision had been made earlier. Start the Antibiotics. Injection of Enoxaparina. Seems oxygen saturation levels are low.

Day 11. Still receiving low readings for oxygen saturation, so I went to the hospital for tests. Everything okay, oxygen okay, lungs clear. (I wonder, if it had been possible to see a doctor during these days, would they have known from a basic examination as to how my condition was proceeding? Wouild it have been necessary to go to the hospital for these tests? Just wondering.)

Days 12 – 14. A little more energy every day.

Day 15. Last Antibiotic. Able to do a Macrame Project which required energy and concentration.

Day 16. Onwards with the Macrame Projects!

Day 17. Molecular Test. Still Positive.

Day 18. Last Cortisone. Up and down with energy, but working on creative projects.

Day 19. Feeling “at risk” in my chest again. Aspirin.

Day 20. Spent time in our courtyard, in the winter sunshine, throwing the ball to Roxy. Made Choc Chunk and Hazelnut Cookies. Made yogurt in the Instant Pot. Ordered books.

Day 21. A little more energy every day. Did a modified 7 Minute Workout.

Day 22. Molecular Test.

Day 23. Modified 7 Minute Workout.

Day 24. Test Results: Negative! Finally take Roxy out for a long walk.

Day 25. Walk with Roxy 40 minutes. A few supported push-ups and pull-ups. 7 Minute Workout with a little more strength. Nap on the couch in the afternoon.

Day 26. One hour walk. Nap on the couch in the afternoon.

Day 27. Day of publishing this post. 40 minute walk with Roxy this morning. Not feeling like a need a nap today… but I might have one anyway! I’d say I’m at 80% towards full recovery. For me, this means jogging the “ring track”. If all continues as is it, I’ll start incorporating a little jogging into my walks next week.

So, that’s my story of recovery up to today. I hope you find the information here interesting. As mentioned at the beginning, nothing here is to be regarded as medical advice. It’s just what I did, given the options available. What we learnt from this experience is that everybody’s response to the virus is personal, and that the virus itself is not to be taken lightly. If it comes to you, communicate with your trusted doctors and health team. Be as well informed as possible about your treatment options. Choose wisely and act quickly. Don’t wait for it to get worse. Rather, if you’re not seeing improvement, confront it with a stronger strategy.

Best Wishes, Good Health and Happiness.

Health, Freedom, Life. Download Now your Free 30+ page Guide to the Paleo Reset 31.

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Credits

Coronavirus Photo by CDC on Unsplash | Woman Sleeping Photo by Shane on Unsplash | Pills Photo by Volodymyr Hryshchenko on Unsplash  | Woman Jogging Photo by Alex McCarthy on Unsplash