A WFPB Diet’s Effect on Covid-19
In previous posts, I’ve discussed how a whole-food, plant-based diet helps the body fight disease and no disease has been more at the forefront of modern concerns than Covid-19. COVID-19 infections are still growing in 36 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control. It’s not the danger it once was, but we still need to be careful and make choices that will help us avoid the disease. Could starting a WFPB diet be one of those choices? Sources say yes. A recent study out of Massachusetts General Hospital says that people whose diet is based on healthy plant-based foods have lower risks of contracting the disease as well as lower risks of serious symptoms. And here are six reasons why.
- A WFPB diet lowers your sodium intake and increases Potassium.
Inflammatory immune responses and acute respiratory symptoms of COVID-19, including pulmonary edema, shortness of breath, fever and nasopharyngeal infections are associated with sodium toxicity from the eating of a high-sodium diet such as the Standard American Diet, according to an article from Cambridge University.
Sodium toxicity lowers the amount of an enzyme, called angiotensin-converting enzyme, that protects the body against pathogens, the Cambridge article says. It goes on to explain that this toxicity also affects immune response and is associated with several of the conditions that increase the risk of getting COVID-19, such as chronic kidney disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity.
A WFPB diet is low in sodium due to the removal of animal products and processed foods. Some WFPB diets also remove most forms of added salt. Plant foods also tend to be high in Potassium which facilitates the excretion of sodium from the body. Both of these factors of the WFPB diet will reverse sodium toxicity and thus lower the risk of contracting COVID-19.
2. A WFPB diet lowers inflammation.
Chronic inflammation impairs the immune system and lowers the body’s defense against viral infections, says Cambridge. It also plays a part in the development of several comorbidities associated with Covid-19.
The most inflammatory foods are red meats; processed meats such as lunchmeat, bacon and sausage; commercial baked goods; products made with white flour; deep-fried foods; foods high in sugar and products containing trans fats, says hopkinsmedicine.com. All these foods are off-limits when following a WFPB regimen.
Furthermore, plant foods are rich in bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols and carotenoids, that modulate inflammation in the body, says Dr. Jennifer L. Weinberg, MD, MPH, MBE in an article on Rupa Health.com. Together this reduces inflammatory states in the body which strengthens the immune system.
3. A WFPB Diet lowers heart disease risk, a comorbidity for Covid-19.
Having Heart Disease increases your risk of a bad outcome from COVID-19, says Cardiologist Kim Williams, SR. MD in an article found on Rush.edu. Both Covid-19 and heart disease have damaging effects on the heart. COVID-19 can decrease heart function, create systemic inflammation and have a direct effect on heart cells which can lead to myocarditis. Underlying conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity can also have a serious impact, as can certain heart medications.
“A heart-healthy diet…helps to lower risk factors associated with a bad outcome from Covid-19,” explains Williams. There is no diet healthier for the heart than a WFPB diet. The diet reduces inflammation, boosts the immune system and has strong positive effects on heart disease that include reversal of the condition. It can also reverse diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity.
4. A WFPB Diet can reverse many of the risk factors for Covid-19.
Diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and high cholesterol are all risk factors for Covid-19. They are also the results of years of eating a diet high in fat, calories, refined carbohydrates and processed foods. Having any of these conditions along with Covid-19 doesn’t make for a promising outcome.
With a WFPB diet you will be eating low-density foods that will make it extremely difficult to overeat due to their extremely low-calorie and high-fiber content, says Megan Edwards, author of “New Study Confirms Plant-Based Diet Can Promote Type 2 Diabetes Remission,” an article found on Forksoverknives.com.
These foods will stabilize your blood sugar, lower your cholesterol and blood pressure, and promote weight loss, Edwards says. Your chances of reversing the conditions mentioned above are quite high and without these comorbidities, your chances of avoiding a serious case of Covid-19 are also quite high. It’s a win-win.
5. A WFPB Diet builds Immunity.
With a WFPB diet you are getting high levels of many important immune-boosting nutrients such as vitamin C, lycopene, Zeaxanthin, and other phytonutrients, says Nelson Huber-Disla, author of an article on Nutritionstudies.org titled, “Reinforce Your Immune System With Plant-Based Nutrition.”
The diet also promotes weight loss which has beneficial effects on cell-mediated immunity, Huber-Disla says. This is a type of immunity that doesn’t involve antibodies. It also increases the production of natural killer cells.
A WFPB diet is also a great source of protease inhibitors such as Trypsin and trypsin-chymotrypsin, according to an article on nutrition.bmj.com. These protease inhibitors are bioavailable and keep the COVID-19 virus from binding with host cells.
Finally, a WFPB diet also includes many foods, such as green tea, garlic, Kiwi fruit and mushrooms, that boost the body’s immune response.
Put all of this together and your body will be a mean, lean, Covid-fighting machine.
6. A WFPB diet heals the gut where many infectious diseases begin.
Many infectious diseases stem from gut dysbiosis, resulting in an uncontrolled, excessive, inflammatory response, according to nutrition.bmj.com. This response can worsen Covid-19.
Plant foods, fermented foods and high-fiber foods can modify and maintain the gut microbiome, nutrition.bmj.com says. The article goes on to explain that this healthier state in the gut can increase the immune system’s fighting power against infections, including those of the respiratory tract. A study of 568 COVID-19 cases showed that those eating a plant-based diet had 73 percent lower odds of moderate to severe COVID-19 severity, says Nutritio.bmj.com.
Having a healthier gut is advantageous to the health of your immune system and there’s no better way to improve the health of your gut than to adopt a WFPB diet.
Conclusion
Covid-19 was the biggest pandemic to hit during my lifetime and probably yours as well. While the greatest danger has passed, Covid-19 is still around and probably will be for many years, if not indefinitely. We must still keep aware of developments with the disease and ways to stave it off. Eating a healthy diet, like a WFPB diet, maybe one of the best ways to do just this. A WFPB diet will improve the health of your gut, reduce inflammation, boost the immune system and reduce comorbidities. It’s a surefire defense against this scary foe. So eat well and do your best to keep COVID-19 from getting the best of you.
To follow my journey follow me here at wholefoodplantbest.medium.com and at www.pinterest.com/wholefoodplantbest.
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or a medical professional. The information provided on the site is for educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your doctor before making dietary changes or using any advice given here.