I was recently taken out with the ‘cron as it made its way around our small township of Raglan.

When I first tested positive I was ‘positive’ I’d be feeling right as rain in a matter of days, and said as much to various people I had Zoom meetings scheduled with that week. I hardly ever get sick, and if I do, I usually bounce back super quick. So I was surprised to find how much longer the effects of COVID lingered around – I had a strange, dizzy feeling in my head, was sneezing, coughing, blowing my nose, and overall just felt really tired for most of my isolation week.

I did find a few things helpful for recovery, and thought I might consolidate some tips here for anyone out there currently dealing with COVID or getting prepared for when/if it decides to make an appearance in your household (as it does seem to be more a matter of ‘when’ than ‘if’!).

Supplements:

I must admit that I went a little crazy on the supplements. We had literally a whole platter of them on the dining room table and whenever people recommended another one I hadn’t heard of before that they’d found helpful, it joined the platter selection. Here’s what I took over my COVID recovery week – research them for yourself and see if you think they’re worth stocking up on, I am not a Doctor so this is purely from personal experience, and of course each one alone is only going to have a limited impact:
  • MultivitaminsĀ from BePureĀ – I take these every day anyway so just upped my dosage over COVID.
  • Vitamin CĀ – plenty of research out there on the benefits of this with COVID recovery, so I went hard on the vitamin C.
  • Vitamin DĀ – likewise, you’ll find this commonly recommended.
  • ZincĀ – be warned, don’t take this on an empty stomach like I did or you’ll also end up projectile vomiting all over the kitchen floor – not fun.
  • Andrographis – this was a popular supplement in Raglan long before COVID, if anyone starts coming down with a cold they’ll head down to the Herbal Dispensary to stock up.
  • NAC – a new one I hadn’t come across before, recommended by a friend due to studies that have been doneĀ using it for COVID treatments.
  • QuercetinĀ – another one I hadn’t previously used, it’s an antioxidant that can have inflammation-reducing properties and has beenĀ used in some COVID trials.

Other Supplies:

  • Mouth washĀ – to help reduce viral load and ease your sore throat if that’s one of your symptoms.
  • Good quality tissues! My nose got really sore from using toilet paper the first couple of days, so I upgraded.
  • Lozenges. I had good old Strepsils already in the pantry, which did help with the coughing, but I’ve heard manuka honey ones can be really effective.

Meals:

I found I wasn’t very hungry at all whileĀ having COVID. In the animal kingdom,Ā a sick animal will fast while it’s unwellĀ to allow the body time to rest & repair. I think the same is true with humans and there’s no need to force yourself to eat your usual serving sizes while you’re sick.

My COVID diet followed a very predictable rhythm of soup & toast for lunch, and fruit, granola & coconut yoghurt for dinner (I’ve been doing intermittentĀ fasting for years, so don’t usually have breakfast anyway). Here’s some recipes from our website that might be helpful for you:

Drinks:

I’m a big fan of the classic squeezed lemon, organic honey & fresh ginger combo, so sipped on plenty of theseĀ over COVID week!

I can also recommend:

  • Pukka teaĀ – lovely flavours and ethically produced
  • Immunity tonics from Chia SistersĀ as a quick way to make a nice brew
  • I’m biased of course, but our Green Apple & Ginger Kefir has always been my fave flavour, and the added vitamin C made it even more appealing while having COVID.
  • Freshly squeezed juice – orange, blended feijoa smoothies, or guava juice are all an amazing way to get a good vitamin C hit.

Mindset:

Go easy on yourself! It’s hard to be forced to stop everything you’re doing and stay at home for 7 days. You’ll naturally feel some resistance to this, and probably want to be over & done with COVID as quickly as possible (if you’re anything like me that is).

But it isn’t your typical cold and there is a lot of research being published on long COVID, brain fog, breathlessness from exercising and other impacts that people are experiencing weeks & months after they got the virus. All the experts seem to agree that the best approach is slow & steady with your recovery. Don’t push it. Going straight back into the gym after your 7 days, or straight back into your normal level of work might not be what your body needs.

Listen to your body and go at your own pace.

It’s a great opportunity to lie down and listen to podcasts or audiobooks – less taxing than staring at a screen.

InterestingĀ Links/Resources:

If you are currently isolating with COVID, I’m sending you lots of love & good vibes!Ā  šŸ’“ I hope you have nice house-mates or friendly neighbours who are able to check on you and bring you supplies. If that’s not the case and you need to reach out to someone, theĀ Community Health teamĀ are available 24/7.

Let’s keep looking out for each other!

xx