good opinion piece... Covid-19

[handmade34]

James P. Phillips, MD, is an assistant professor of emergency medicine at the George Washington University, where he serves as chief of the Section of Disaster and Operational Medicine...

eat well, limit processed food, stay hydrated, exercise, take medications as prescribed, get good sleep...

...things you can do to empower yourself. First and foremost, the public health measures being recommended to us -- including hand washing, social distancing and avoiding large gatherings, really are the best means of protecting yourself from exposure. Prevention is and will remain the best medicine. However, many will still get infected despite adhering to these practices.

What else can you do to improve your odds of beating Covid-19 should you become infected? One key step: Maximize your health now, before you get sick. Studies have shown that those most at-risk are over 60 and/or have preexisting health problems like diabetes, obesity, cardiac disease, lung disease or generalized deconditioning.
If you have these (or other) medical problems, you can choose to be proactive and start addressing them with your fullest effort, starting today. You know that blood pressure medicine you never take because you hate taking pills and it makes you feel old? Start today. If you rarely, if ever, check your blood sugars and have allowed your diabetes to get out of control because the finger sticks and insulin shots are annoying -- get your sugars under control starting today. Got asthma or lung disease? Begin consistently using your prescribed inhalers.

...stop smoking and vaping immediately. Commit to losing 10 pounds this month and force yourself to walk at least a mile every single day, starting today. Get your flu vaccine right now.

Even people without diagnosed medical problems should maximize their health. Exercise, weight loss, a healthy diet and good sleep are certainly beneficial to your body. Be empowered. By doing these simple things that your doctors have recommended to you for years, you have the power to improve your resilience. How much? It depends. But in the face of this virus, even a very small amount of improvement in your overall health could be the difference between mild or more severe symptoms, and for some, it could mean the difference between life and death.

You are not helpless. Do everything you can not to get the virus. But make sure that if you do, you are already at your strongest.
Be prepared, not scared.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/10/opinions/improve-chances-against-coronavirus-opinion-phillips/index.html

[Jarqui]

1. Good advice. Thanks :)

[underpants]

2. Yep.

I'm stopping smoking. Haven't set the date yet because I know the horrible pain that it takes. Gotta do it.

[handmade34]

3. I wish you great success!!

it's not smoking for me but I'm trying to alter some relatively unhealthy behaviors and even those are tough