What is Long Covid?
Long covid is a condition where people diagnosed with Covid 19 long term symptoms. Featuring symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, joints aches, neurological, respiratory problems along with hypertension and so on.
How much Long Covid lasts?
Post-acute covid 19 seems to be a multisystem disease extending 3 weeks up to 12 weeks. Around 10% patients tested positive who remain unwell even after three weeks.
What tests are required?
Blood tests like C  reactive protein, ferritin, troponin, D dimer, chest X ray are done as well.        ÂÂ
Does Vaccination help to prevent long covid?
Vaccination process helps to prevent long covid symptoms by contracting the virus. An important role of vaccination is to maintain safety and efficacy level which is intended to human use.  As WHO is working along with their partners around the world to facilitate equitable safety access against Covid 19.
What are long Covid problems?
According to WHO, patients who have gone through severe covid infection experience problems in several body organs like eye, throat, lungs, heart and brain.
Case study reveals that 81% of covid 19 patients reported ocular issues with in just two weeks. 18% patients are reported photophobia where as 17% are reported itchy eyes.
A recent survey of general practitioners reveals sore throat, runny nose, headache, nasal problems along with cough, fever and shortness of breath.
Covid 19 can cause lung complications such as acute respiratory distress syndrome, pneumonia along with long term damage to the tiny alveoli within the lungs. The scar tissue can lead to long term breathing problems in the affected individuals.
Even within the youth individuals Covid 19 can cause strokes, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease where as some children experience multi system inflammatory syndrome.
Covid 19 can also affect prolonged damage with in the blood cells more likely to clotting and clumping off. Large clots can cause heart attacks, strokes.
Which safety measures should be taken by us to restrict Long Covid?
One thing needs to be kept in mind while recuperating from Long Covid. You are not contagious neither do you carry the virus in your body. But that should not restrict us from wearing masks, practicing social distancing and following Covid appropriate behaviors. A proper discipline in our lifestyle is the best possible way to come out from the clutches of Long Covid.
Right Diet: Always consult your dietician/Doctor before altering your food habits, but in genral, your food should be rich in protein, take sufficient leafy vegetables and fruits. Minimize proteins from animal source and increase from plant based sources. Soyabean, Legumes etc are good options. Eat atleast two helpings of fresh fruits daily. Drink atleast 8 glasses of water.
Exercise: Although fast fatigue is one of the major symptoms of Long Covid, at least try some mild to moderate aerobic exercises to improve your lung and heart function. Yoga is another very good practice for overall health recovery post Covid
Manage Stress and Sleep Patterns: 8 hours is great but a 7 hours of sound sleep should be bare minimum on a daily basis. This helps keep the cortisol levels in check and helps the body recover faster and better.
In the recently concluded national Sero Survey conducted by ICMR, we came across some data which you all need to know.
The Survey was conducted on 28975 sample size. In that 67.6% population had developed antibodies against Covid-19. If we look at the age wise segregation, >60  years, 76.7% population, 45-60 years, 77.6% population, 18-44 years, 66.7% had developed antibodies. Therefore the age group of 45-60 are slightly ahead than others in terms of development of antibodies.
If we look at the previous data trend, the first Sero Survey conducted in May-June 2020 showed only 0.7% population with antibodies. The second Sero Survey conducted in Aug-Sep 2020 showed 7.1% population. The third sero-survey showed 24.1%. The 4th Sero Survey saw a significant jump with 68%.
If we look at the breakup of the of the sample size, among the 28975, 7252 were healthcare workers. At 69.2%, women are leading against 65.8% with men. Urban areas showed 69.6% prevalence and Rural areas showed 66.7%.
If we look at from the Vaccination point of view, sero-positivity was 81% among people who had taken at least one dose and 89.8% among those who had taken both the does.
So what is the take home message from the 4th Sero Survey report, to sum in one sentence, we can say, there is a ray of hope but no room for complacency. Because on one hand, we can see that 68% population have developed anti-bodies against the virus. But still 30% of the population is still susceptible. Also, since the report is based on a sample size, the same result cannot be extrapolated across the population throughout all states and districts.
Therefore to cut the story short, please complete your vaccination dose and get your Spike Protein Antibody Test conducted to know your antibody titre.
Everything you eat and drink in the morning has an impact on our activeness, alertness, and concentration throughout the day. The morning meal is regarded by dieticians as the most important one for your health and proper functioning of your body, which is why you should not be skipping it. Breakfast helps you maintain stable insulin levels an at the same time reduces the risk of diabetes and obesity. What's more, it provides you with energy for the day, which improves brain functioning and general well-being.
When should you eat breakfast?
When you eat breakfast matters. You should eat it within an hour of waking up because then, the level of glucose in your body is really low and you need to boost it by eating a balanced, wholesome meal. Also, in the morning your stomach secretes more gastric juice. If you tend not to have your breakfast, you put yourself at risk of inflammation, gastric mucosal damage, and stomach ulcers. Many people on a weight loss diet believe that if they skip breakfast, they will lose weight. They couldn't be more wrong! During lunch or dinner, your body will quickly make up for the calorie deficit related to not having had breakfast. People who do not eat breakfast tend to snack on unhealthy foods to dull hunger pangs. Consequently, instead of losing weight, they gain it! When you eat your breakfast, you ramp up your metabolism, which, in turn, supports healthy weight maintenance.
How many calories should your eat for breakfast?
Calorific value of breakfast is related to the frequency of eating per day. In the optimal nutrition model, it is recommended that you eat five meals a day including breakfast that should provide more or less ¼ of the body's daily calorie intake. With three meals a day, breakfast should satisfy about 30% of the daily calorie needs. It follows therefore that a person whose daily calorie intake is 2 000 kcal, may eat 500 kcal for breakfast. Whereas, for people with lower daily calorie needs (e.g. 1 500 kcal), the caloric value of breakfast should be about 375 kcal.
Why Lunch should be lighter?
Considering the daily working routine or regime, most of us will be consuming the lunch while at the office or at work or on the go. As discussed earlier, a heavy breakfast will already replenish our overnight low glucose level and also provide us with the much needed calories and nutrients. A luch should be considered as a mere top-up. We should eat only that much so that the stomach does not feel empty and we do not run low on the glucose and calorie levels. Too heavy breakfast can bog you down as after a heavy meal, most of our blood gets concentrated around the GI region and our limbs and extremities like the brain gets devoid of blood as therefore we tend to feel sleepy and tired post a heavy lunch which may not be a good idea during work.
Dinner should be the least
It is advocated to have a very light dinner for few very specific reasons. After dinner, we do not carry out much activities. Hence the body does not require much energy and calories. This is not the only reason. Eating too much before sleeping can cause Reflux Disorder which can lead to GERD (Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease). ÂÂ
Zinc as a nutrient
Zinc is a nutrient that plays many vital roles in your body. Because your body doesn’t naturally produce zinc, you must obtain it through food or supplements. Zinc is required for numerous processes in your body.
Function of Zinc
Sources of Zinc
Zinc is naturally found in various foods.
Daily Requirement of Zinc
The RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) of Zinc is 10-12 mg
Zinc Deficiency Consequences
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What is Spike Protein?
In SARS CoV virus, the genetic material is enveloped and is surrounded by a capsule that is made up of three types of proteins- Spike Protein, Membrane Protein and Envelope Protein.
The Spike Protein are protrusions on the surface of the virus like the spokes on top of a crown. Hence the SARS CoV virus is called as Corona Virus. It is a part of the structure of the virus.
What is the function of Spike Protein?
Spike protein has a receptor binding domain that helps it attach to the human host cell. It acts as a bridge in connecting the virus to the human cell.
What is the link between Spike Protein and the variants of Covid-19?
Mutation is a natural phenomenon in every living cell. The different strains of Covid-19 is based on the mutations in the Spike Protein (example; Delta Plus has been formed as a result of Delta acquiring a mutation called K417N in the spike protein).
What is the significance of Spike Protein?
Most of the vaccines developed are designed to target the Spike Protein. The vaccine induces formation of antibodies in our body that will go and attach to the Spike Proteins. Hence the receptor binding domain in the Spike Protein gets blocked and it cannot attach to the human cell and prevent transmission of its genetic material. Hence the cell will not get infected. This is called competitive inhibition.
What is SARS-COV-2 Spike Protein Antibody test?
The role of vaccine is to induce production of antibodies specific to the Spike Proteins. The SARS-COV-2 Spike Protein Antibody test can be conducted after 14 days from the second dose of vaccination. With the help of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein IgG we can measure the level of antibodies produced in the body after vaccination.
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The ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) poses several challenges to clinicians. Clinical assessment is indispensable, but laboratory markers, or biomarkers, can provide additional, objective information which can significantly impact these components of patient care. In this article, we will discuss 10 different markers which can give a quantitative indication about the severity and prognosis of Covid-19. It has to be noted that this is not an exhaustive list and it is up to clinician’s judgment which test/s needs to be conducted on the patient based on the history and condition. This is just for information purpose.
-This test can help to assess the severity of the disease.
-This test helps to easily assess the risks of pulmonary complications.
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D-dimer  is one of the protein fragments produced when a blood clot gets dissolved in the body. It is normally undetectable or detectable at a very low level unless the body is forming and breaking down blood clots. Then, its level in the blood can significantly rise.
Blood clotting is an important process that prevents you from losing too much blood when you are injured. Normally, your body will dissolve the clot once your injury has healed. With a  blood clotting disorder, clots can form when you don't have an obvious injury or don't dissolve when they should. These conditions can be very serious and even life-threatening. A D-dimer test can show if you have one of these conditions.
A D-dimer test is most often used to find out whether you have a blood clotting disorder. These disorders include:
In Covid-19 patients, where the virus affects the lung and in the process there is a series of cascading immunological response called as "Cytokine Storm", there is inflammation in the pulmonary tissue which can cause internal bleeding and clotting. The clotting process releases D-Dimer which can be detected through the test and that can give an indication about the extent of the infection also help the clinician the further treatment regime.
What is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a structural component of cell membranes and serves as a building block for the synthesis of various steroid hormones, vitamin D, and bile acids. Besides their structural role where it provides stability and fluidity, cholesterol also plays a crucial role in regulating cell function. Cholesterol does not mix with water. Therefore cholesterol (lipid) is packaged together with apoproteins (protein) in order to be carried through the blood circulation as a Lipoprotein.
So one thing is clear- Lipoproteins play the role as a carrier and transporter of lipids across the body. Triglycerides and Cholesterol are different types of lipids that circulate in your blood: Triglycerides store unused calories and provide your body with energy. Cholesterol is used to build cells and certain hormones as discussed previously.
Sources of Triglycerides: Triglycerides are fats from the food we eat that are carried in the blood. Most of the fats we eat, including butter, margarines, and oils, are in triglyceride form. Excess calories, alcohol or sugar in the body turn into triglycerides and are stored in fat cells throughout the body.
Sources of Cholesterol: Eggs, cheese, shellfish, organ meats, sardines and full-fat yogurt are cholesterol-rich.
Since both Triglycerides and Cholesterol cannot be transported, they need a carrier and that carrier is Lipoprotein. Let us know more about lipoproteins
Types of Lipoproteins
It is very important to know the types of Lipoproteins to know more about Cholesterol and Triglycerides.
So what is the main concept of Good Cholesterol and Bad Cholesterol?
Contrary to popular belief where Cholesterol rich food is considered very bad for health, it is not actually how things work in our body. The amount of cholesterol in your diet and the amount of cholesterol in your blood are very different things. Although it may seem that eating cholesterol would raise blood cholesterol levels, it usually doesn’t work that way. The body tightly regulates the amount of cholesterol in the blood by controlling its production of cholesterol.
When your dietary intake of cholesterol goes down, your body makes more. When you eat greater amounts of cholesterol, your body makes less. Because of this, foods high in dietary cholesterol have very little impact on blood cholesterol levels in most people.
So How HDL and LDL is regulated?
As we read in the article that Cholesterol needs a carrier to be transported and HDL and LDL are the two main carriers. There is as such no food that contains high LDL or HDL.
There are factors that regulate the levels of HDL and LDL.
Factors that raise LDL:
Factors that raise HDL:
What is the role of HDL and LDL on Heart health?
LDL is considered bad Cholesterol as it moves Cholesterol from the Liver towards the cells of the body. This is linked to formation of Atherosclerosis which is a cause of Coronary Artery Disease
HDL is the opposite as it removes the excess cholesterol from the body towards the Liver and excretes the excess Cholesterol through bile.
What is the role of Triglycerides?
Triglycerides are excess fat component from our diet which the body transports from the Liver to the cells of the body. High Triglycerides level are also liked to Atherosclerosis. Factors that raise Triglycerides level in our body are: Excess Sugar, Alcohol, lack of exercise, eating more calories than we consume.
Triglycerides are different from Cholesterol. But the healthy heart mantra is:-
Low TG
Low LDL
High HDL
Long COVID is when people continue to have symptoms of COVID-19 for weeks or months after the initial illness.
Signs and symptoms of  Covid-19 that lasts for greater than 12 weeks  and are not explained by an alternative diagnosis are most commonly described as long COVID.
What are the symptoms of long COVID?
Common Long Covid Symptoms  include extreme tiredness, shortness of breath, chest pain or tightness and "brain fog" – problems with memory and concentration.
Other symptoms include difficulty sleeping, heart palpitations, dizziness and joint pain.
How does long COVID affect people’s lives?
This is a condition that can have a huge impact on people’s lives. Many are unable to return to work or have a social life. Many have described how it affects their mental health, especially as the course of the condition is often fluctuating; just as they feel they are getting better, the symptoms return.†Because long COVID affects people’s ability to work, it has “important economic consequences†for them, their families and for society,
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