Should You Put Your Diet on Hold to Help Prevent COVID-19?

Have you been wondering about what your efforts to lose weight have been doing to your goal to prevent COVID-19 from spreading? If you are, you’re not alone. Moreover, you’re not crazy for being curious about the impact of dieting on your immune system. 

After all, many things we do have an impact on our immune system health.  This means that, depending on the diet you’re following, you may be helping to prevent COVID-19 related problems, or you may actually be making them worse.  Here are some of the basics to help you understand the situation. 

How to Learn More to Prevent COVID-19 Spread

That said, if you’re concerned, it’s best to phone a doctor or nutrition expert, or conduct further research using only trustworthy websites from health organizations such as the WHO, CDC, or hospitals. 

Remember that your best ways to prevent COVID-19 are:

• Regular, thorough hand washing
• Stop touching your face
• Social distancing
• Self-isolation if you are sick or have been in contact with someone who is
• Calling your doctor (not going to the ER) if you have symptoms

No Diet Will Make You More or Less at Risk of Catching a Coronavirus

Keep in mind that when it comes to your opportunity to prevent COVID-19 in terms of catching it and/or spreading it, your diet doesn’t play any role at all.  Instead, it has to do with the strength of your immune system and how easily you may be able to get through it without severe symptoms.

To be clear, your diet will not absolutely dictate the severity of your symptoms. However, by taking steps to make sure your immune system is strong, you improve your chances of an easier case.

Does Your Diet Weaken Your Immune System?

The answer depends on your diet and your health. If you are extreme dieting, the odds are that you will weaken your immune system. This is particularly true of extremely low-calorie diet, cleanses and diets that don’t provide you with balanced nutrition.

Research has shown that these types of diet boost your stress response and weaken your immune system.  This means that if you are extreme dieting and you catch COVID-19, your immune system may not be running at its best to help you get better.

That said, if you are following a healthy diet, eating enough calories to keep you strong, are exercising regularly, getting enough sleep and working on stress management.  Another important study conducted by the Garvan Institute showed that even modest weight loss can help your body to protect itself against a number of types of illness.