Discover more from Long COVID: Insights from a journey back to wellness
One day, in the depths of my Long COVID (LC), I listened to a blog about dysfunctional mitochondria. Despite brain fog, I was curious.
Could mitochondrial dysfunction (MD) be involved in LC? If so, what would be needed to care for my mitochondria?
Dozens of scientific publications later, I had chewed through mitochondrial connections to COVID-19, mitochondrial function and metabolism and, importantly, what causes mitochondrial dysfunction. I was inspired by articles on the mitochondrial biogenesis, the process of repair and replacement. The implications of MD in the nervous system, especially the brain, raised hope and gave added reason for patience and persistence.
Mitochondria are the tiny organelles found inside virtually every cell in the body. They are best known for producing the energy that body organs and tissues need to function. Mitochondria also play key roles in the innate immune system, in calcium storage and in a form of housekeeping that helps to identify and remove damaged cells from the body, including some that may be pre-cancerous.
By November 2022 I’d come to agree with a small group of scientists and physicians that MD might be the underlying element linking many, if not all, Long COVID symptoms. (As I’ve written previously, please feel free to challenge this hypothesis.)
Based on mounting evidence, my strategy for regaining my health became focused on supporting recuperation and vitality in my mitochondria. It wasn’t easy. It wasn’t overnight. The resulting apparent mitochondrial biogenesis involved time, understanding, commitment and tender loving care for myself with an ever vigilant eye toward mitochondrial vitality.
I’ve promised several readers that I would summarize my protocol. Please understand that what follows is, just that, a protocol. It’s not a menu. As far as I am able to determine, the elements work synergistically. That means that they work together to optimize results. Metaphorically, consider what it would be like to drive a car that lacks spark plugs, motor oil, transmission fluid… you get the picture.
Inflammation is the enemy of mitochondrial vitality. Beyond a primary SARS-CoV-2 or another viral infection, diet and stress are two common sources of inflammation that may affect mitochondria. My approach involved determining if my diet was causing inflammation. Testing my own system with a simple elimination diet provided rapid insights on the culprits and that diet-associated inflammation is reversible.
Taming stress involved cultivating feelings of safety, music, getting out into nature, gentle meditative movement including walking, yoga, tai chi and qigong. Vigorous exercise too early in the process of recovery can result in exercise-induced damage and fatigue (post-exertional malaise). For me personally, it took months before I was able to return to my previous level of endurance and sustained vigorous activity.
Building resilience, once well on the way to recovery, has involved exposing my body to temperature extremes. Following morning stretching and a hot shower I briefly stand under an ice cold shower, outdoors if the season allows. My body has come to crave the contrast of hot and cold.
Intermittent fasting has also boosted my overall energy and has helped to clear away remnants of brain fog.
Dietary supplemental needs vary depending on a number of factors. As a 125 pound female in my 7th decade of life, my body likely requires more or less of various supplements than individuals with different body size, age and needs than mine. In terms of selecting dose, I began by using doses suggested on the package. I personally take more than the generally recommended basic doses of Co Q-10, Vitamins C and D and B-Complex Vitamins.
My daily supplements with specific mitochondrial connections include: Coenzyme Q-10, a comprehensive B-Complex vitamin, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K Complex including K1 and K2, Magnesium, and Melatonin.
Dietary choices are critical to reduce inflammation and to supply nutrients needed to support recuperation and ongoing wellbeing. My diet includes daily servings of leafy green vegetables to support a healthy gut biome, anti inflammatory foods such as parsley, celery, kale, onions, garlic, and many high color vegetables with lots of olive oil.
Protein comes from small servings of cold water fish (salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines and herring), dairy (I use goat’s milk and cheeses) and free range poultry and eggs.
Sabotage to wellness would include most processed ‘foods’, foods containing sugar and high fructose corn syrup, foods made with many of the commonly available vegetable oils. I avoid foods with known contamination with pesticides and chemical preservatives.
Organic foods are often painfully expensive but so is Long COVID. We choose to spend our resources on quality food rather than medical costs. An easy rule of thumb, whenever possible, I buy fresh or frozen food from local farmers.
What I’ve laid out here is only a brief summary. It’s basic to my adopted lifestyle and to my recovery from Long COVID. Evidence suggests that it’s also a prudent roadmap to recovery from other health challenges. I hope that it can offer insights to those who are living with LC and the professionals who are frustrated by the lack of any framework that explains the big picture.
MD can effect any tissue or organ in the body including the brain. If you’re a longterm reader, there’s more news about Frank and his continued progress. Watch for it.
Thank you so much for this. Your post is very reflective of my own journey towards recovery. It has been a slow and steady progress towards greater resiliency and health. It feels supportive to my heart to read about your journey here as a story of success and helps me feel connected and not alone in this process. Thank you for sharing.
Mardi, I just tried to share your link to this article with someone on Facebook and it was flagged as not being shareable for going against community standards. 😟