When it comes to diet during the pandemic, Verma recognizes that typically less-healthy comfort foods are attractive when we experience stress. First, dont buy tempting foods so that it doesnt become an issue, she advises. Also, give yourself some grace no one is perfect. I like to set myself up for success with small goals to make sustainable long-term lifestyle changes. If you can initially commit to one healthy meal a day, thats something easily achievable, and youll feel good about meeting that goal. Then gradually make it two meals, etc.

Those who do contract COVID-19 may face cardiovascular effects that physicians are still learning about. It can cause minor issues, such as palpitations, to more serious issues, such as heart attacks, Verma says. Unfortunately, there is no great way to predict who is likely to have these complications, although underlying cardiovascular disease does make the risk higher. Many people are also facing symptoms after recovering from COVID-19 infection from a cardiovascular standpoint. Verma sees these patients in a special post-COVID-19 cardiac clinic for those more than 30 days past initial infection.

I have noticed that many people who come see me had a relatively benign course of COVID-19 not needing hospitalization and mild symptoms, she says. However, they then have cardiac symptoms lingering or developing in the weeks after, typically palpitations, high heart rate, low blood pressure or high blood pressure, chest pain, shortness of breath, etc. Again, we dont have a good reason for why this happens to some and not others. Also, we dont know how long these symptoms will last or if they will go away completely. These are real symptoms, though, that are having a major impact on quality of life.

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Maintaining a Heart-Healthy Lifestyle Amid the Pandemic - Ladue News