Even wellness guru Gwyneth Paltrow is not immune to COVID-19.
The actress and founder of Goop said in a recent blog post that she had COVID “from an early age” and has been experiencing persistent fatigue and brain fog. In the post Goop, Paltrow shared the “long-term detox” regimen she has been following to help with the prolonged side effects, which, along with dizziness and increased heart rate, are common among long-distance COVID-19s.
Paltrow said that in January she did “some tests that showed really high levels of inflammation in my body”. Then she turned to functional doctor Dr. Will Cole, who recommended an intermittent fasting plan that Paltrow describes as “keto and plant-based, but flexible” and includes fish and some meat.
In addition to instructing her to cut sugar and alcohol, Cole made Paltrow take several vitamin and mineral supplements, from vitamin D3 to zinc and selenium. Paltrow added that she works out in the morning and fasts daily until 11 am. “Everything I am doing is good, as a gift to my body,” she writes.
Dr. Christian Sandrock, an infectious, pulmonary and critical care physician who helped start UC Davis Health’s Post-COVID-19 Clinic, told Yahoo Life that fatigue and “sluggishness” or brain fog that Paltrow is experiencing are common post-acute COVID syndrome symptoms. “Probably more than half of the people who have had symptomatic COVID will have [post-acute COVID syndrome]”Says Sandrock.
The inflammation described by Paltrow is also common. In patients with “prolonged symptoms, we see that they have high levels of inflammation,” says Sandrock. “There are some blood tests that generally indicate that you are inflamed. We see this in so many different diseases. The million dollar question is: what treatments will help? There is no protocol. [The symptoms are] so extensive that it really became very individualized now. “
Although the symptoms Paltrow is experiencing are consistent with long COVID, the treatment she is trying is not something recommended by experts – and, in fact, can be detrimental to recovery.
Sandrock says that “fasting can reduce some levels of inflammation”, but that there is currently no data “specifically with acute post-COVID syndrome” and fasting. For patients with COVID-19, Sandrock adds that also “there is no data that fasting improves its outcome” with acute illness and that “it could, in fact, be harmful. … You may experience fatigue and dizziness from not eating. We do not recommend fasting [for COVID-19 patients]. We recommend not overeating and eating unprocessed foods. “
As for Paltrow’s routine of working out in the morning on an empty stomach, nutritionist Bonnie Taub-Dix, creator of BetterThanDieting.com and author of Read before you eat: taking you from the label to the table, tells Yahoo Life that this is not feasible for everyone, especially if you are dealing with the long-term side effects of COVID-19. “Some people, when they eat before working out, don’t really feel well,” says Taub-Dix. “For other people, if they no eat they don’t feel well. They may feel dizzy or tired and have no energy to work out. “
Although Taub-Dix praises Paltrow for “trying to eat healthier, exercising and taking care of herself,” she says: “I am not a big fan of diets as restrictive as the keto. With Paleo or Ceto [in general], you don’t really have a lot of carbohydrates in your diet … or fruits, vegetables or whole grains – all of which are rich sources of fiber. “
Taub-Dix adds: “Someone like Gwyneth Paltrow is an example. She looks beautiful, talks about healthy habits and people listen to her. So, I just wanted celebrities like this to talk about healthy, balanced diets, allowing all foods to enter without demonizing food or saying that you have to cut out all XYZ to be healthy. Young people are also listening to celebrities – not just older people who can afford to buy these things. ”
However, Taub-Dix is pleased to see Paltrow incorporating plant-based foods into his diet, and says that you don’t have to become vegetarian or vegan to reap the benefits. “You can put plants as protagonists on your plate,” says Taub-Dix, noting that eating a meatless meal once a week is a good place to start. “Introducing plants slowly can make a big difference in your diet and in your life.”
Both experts agree that the supplements Paltrow is taking don’t raise red flags, but they also may not be helping. “Our general rule of thumb when patients ask about supplements is: I have no data on whether it is harmful or useful,” says Sandrock. “If you take them as supplements, they are generally not harmful. If you have the financial resources, I have no problem doing that. I just don’t have any data that will help you. “
Taub-Dix points out that most of these vitamins and minerals can be found in real foods. Paltrow said he takes the butyrate supplement, which Taub-Dix says “may be good for you because it helps in terms of intestinal health and feeds good bacteria.” However, she adds that a diet rich in fiber also helps to improve gut health “because it causes your colon to produce more butyric acid, which is butyrate”.
Paltrow also takes zinc and selenium supplements, which Taub-Dix says helps support the immune system, and selenium also helps with thyroid function. “If your thyroid is off, you can feel tired, listless and with weight problems,” explains Taub-Dix. “It could be that your thyroid levels have been affected by COVID.”
But she adds that you can find both minerals in a variety of foods. Selenium is found in Brazil nuts, sardines, whole grains, eggs, oats and beans, while zinc is found in meat, seafood, vegetables (such as legumes and beans) and nuts. “These foods are really good,” says Taub-Dix. “These are the most underrated foods in the store.”
Paltrow also takes at least 500 IU of vitamin D3 a day, which Taub-Dix says is useful in terms of supporting a healthy immune system. Unlike other supplements in the Paltrow regimen, Taub-Dix notes that vitamin D is more difficult to obtain from food, although you can find it in oily fish such as salmon and sardines, along with eggs, fortified milk and juice. Orange. You can also get vitamin D through exposure to the sun. “But I’m guessing that Gwyneth uses a lot of sunscreen,” she says.
Taub-Dix says people often take vitamins as “safe” to make up for nutritional gaps in their diet, but she notes that many vitamins must be taken with food. For example, “vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, so when you eat fat, it helps to absorb D,” she says, adding: “It’s okay to take a supplement, but I prefer to eat something rather than eating from one powder or a pill. “
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