I have to preface this by saying I am not a healthcare professional. In fact, its optimistic to say I am an interested passer-by. With that in mind please take this as anecdotal and realise that everyone’s response to Covid is different.
On Saturday 23rd of January I got the text I had been dreading. Some one I work with closely had gone down with Covid and I had been identified as having been in contact with him by Track and Trace. As such I should isolate for 10 days. At this point I felt fine, was sure I hadn’t caught it and was feeling frustrated because I knew it was coming up to month end and I had a lot to do at work. As there was only two people in my department we had effectively closed it down.
On Sunday I woke with a cough. Not much of one. if fact I only coughed a handful of times all day. However, as the day wore on, I started to feel really fatigued. I still didn’t really feel ill, just super tired.
On Monday the feelings continued. Still not really much of a cough but I decided to go for the test. I booked it at the local testing centre, the overflow Carpark for the Ricoh Arena, where there was someone to administer the test for me. It wasn’t as bad as I had heard and, for me, the worse bit was having the oversized earbud stuffed up my nose.
At 03.05 on Tuesday Morning I had the result. “You have tested Positive for covid. This means you likely had the virus when you were tested and must now self isolate”. Well, damn! Tuesday I slept a fair part of the day, again with minimal coughing. Where was this crippling virus I had heard so much about. The one we had all been in fear of for over 12 months. To me it was nothing worse than a mild cold.
And then my Wife and son caught it.
The results couldn’t have been much different. My wife has so far spent 8 days in bed and had to have an ambulance because her breathing became so laboured on Saturday. My son has been coughing non stop. Neither of them could eat and have had little energy to do anything.
So what was different. How did I have such a mild reaction to the same virus that later infected my family?
I train most days and have good cardiovascular health. my wife and son do not. I take Vitamin D daily. Again my wife and son do not. While I have no empirical evidence to say this is the definitive answer a lot of articles I have read do state that Vitamin D has been shown to boost the immune system and, up here in the northern latitudes, we do not get any Vitamin D from the sun from mid Autumn through to late spring. Our bodies cannot produce it and there are only certain foods that can provide it (Mushrooms for one). Vitamin D helps boost moods and this is the reason I take it. I fall victim to SAD every winter so take it to keep that at bay.
Of course, having a good level of fitness in you breathing apparatus is always a good starting point in battling a virus that restricts your lung function and I am grateful that my lung function is still strong from my running days. I genuinely believe that the combination of healthy lungs and Vitamin D is what has saved me from the worst effects of Covid. Vitamin D supplements are not expensive and, for anyone living in regions of low levels of winter sun, I believe it should be an essential aid to well being.
If I am right you could bolster your immune system for very little cost. I think it is worth a try.
Nothing here should prevent you following your local government’s advice. Stay safe!
dlissaman_fit 