Most people think of COVID-19 as a lung disease. That’s a big part of the story. But now, as the pandemic stretches on, it’s clear there is another danger to worry about.
Many doctors assumed that once people recovered from COVID, they could carry on with their lives normally.
Two new studies show this may not be true. The disease may leave patients with lasting heart damage.
Both studies were published in the journal JAMA Cardiology.
The first looked at 100 COVID-19 patients. Most were healthy otherwise. None had severe cases of coronavirus. Some had no symptoms at all.[1]
But 78% of them showed signs of heart damage.
Cardiologist Dr. Clyde Yancy wrote the editorial that accompanied the research. “Months after exposure to COVID-19, we can still detect evidence of a heart that’s not completely normal,” he said.
Even if the heart problems left behind by COVID are minor, they may get worse in the future, he added.
The second study examined the hearts of 39 people who died from coronavirus. The virus was still in the hearts of 24 of them. It was still replicating in five. The results clearly showed that the coronavirus infects the heart.[2] [3]
The bottom line?
If you get coronavirus, even if you don’t get very sick, your heart may have lasting damage. And you may be more prone to heart ailments in the future.
And you won’t be alone.
At last count, roughly 4 million Americans have had coronavirus. And that is probably a substantial undercount. If this new research holds up, many millions of us could be left with some degree of heart damage from the pandemic.
4 Ways to Support Your Immune System
It’s more important than ever that you keep your body’s viral defense system in peak condition. Here are five ways to support immunity:
- Eat yogurt. It contains probiotics, “good” bacteria that keep us healthy in many ways, including by stimulating systemic immune response.
Be sure to get full-fat yogurt that contains live and active cultures. And avoid yogurt that has sugar or artificial sweeteners. Add a healthy fruit such as blueberries if you want flavoring.[4] - Take vitamin D. Dr. Malcolm Kendrick is a member of our Scientific Advisory Board at the Institute for Natural Healing. He advises patients to take 2,000 IUs of vitamin D daily during the coronavirus pandemic.
“A low vitamin D level is almost certainly why flu epidemics occur in winter months,” Dr. Kendrick said. He believes vitamin D is equally effective against the coronavirus.
A major 2017 study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) analyzed 25 clinical trials that tested vitamin D in 11,321 people. The data came from 14 countries, including the U.S., England, Japan, Australia, Canada, and Italy.
The study found that taking vitamin D supplements cuts in half the risk of getting respiratory infections caused by viruses.[5]
Be sure to take the D3 version of the vitamin. It is more bioactive in your body than D2.
You can also raise your D levels by getting more sun exposure. Spend 15 minutes a day or more in direct sunlight (not through a window) with your arms and legs exposed, being careful not to burn. - Take elderberry extract. A lab study at Australia’s University of Sydney tested elderberry extract on human cells infected with the flu virus.[6]
The researchers found that the fruit extract fought the virus at multiple points. It stopped the initial infection and inhibited growth of the virus so it couldn’t spread.
A clinical study at Israel’s Hadassa University Hospitals Clinical Virology Laboratory confirmed that the results are valid in real-life settings. It divided patients with upper respiratory infections into two groups. Some were given elderberry syrup (Sambucol). The others got a placebo.[7
More than 93% of the elderberry group got significantly better in just two days. It took six days for the placebo group to start to recover.
Most studies used the syrup (Sambucol) form of elderberry. It is widely available online. Follow the directions on the label for dosage. - Meditate. Dr. William Malarkey says meditation improves immunity by reducing stress hormones. He is an immunology professor emeritus at Ohio State University.[8]
He explains that during times of stress, your body fires up adrenaline, norepinephrine, and cortisol.[9]
The hormones help you rise to the challenge of facing an immediate threat, but at the cost of suppressing immunity.
A 2016 USC study found that meditation reduces stress hormones while increasing antibody response and immune cell count.[10]
Mindfulness is a popular form of meditation because it’s so easy to do. You can learn how to do it here.
It’s clear now that the lungs aren’t the only major organs affected by COVID-19. Protect your heart by making sure your immune system can stand strong against the coronavirus.
Editor’s Note: Discover the single best supplement for stronger immunity… The fruit extract that helps 93% of people with respiratory viruses get better in just two days… The germ hotspot that most of us forget to sanitize. Find all this and more in Independent Healing’s Coronavirus Pandemic Guide. Go HERE.
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[1]https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/fullarticle/2768916
[2]https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/fullarticle/2768914?appId=scweb
[3]https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/28/health/covid-heart-damage-two-studies/index.html
[4]https://www.karger.com/Article/FullText/496426
[5]https://www.bmj.com/content/356/bmj.i6583
[6]https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-04/uos-eec042319.php
[7]https://www.cnn.com/2018/09/26/health/flu-deaths-2017–2018-cdc-bn/index.html
[8]https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/meditate-that-cold-away
[9]https://www.nytimes.com/guides/smarterliving/improve-your-immune-system
[10]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4940234