Seems like there are only two kinds of people left in the world. Those folks who are just DONE with the coronavirus and those ready to HUNKER DOWN forever.
But today, I’m here with a reality check for both groups.
You certainly won’t have to hunker down forever. In fact, some things are already returning to near normal. And with a bit of common-sense vaccinated folks can do far more things safely these days.
But a new study shows why you don’t want to go to the other extreme either. Pretending the threat is over and throwing caution to the wind is a mistake.
Because there are still some hidden dangers when you get infected, even if you only have a mild case. And it’s not just the mysterious “long COVID” you’ve heard so much about.
There’s another risk that’s liable to hit much closer to home for many of us. A battle with COVID could lead to diabetes.
I’ll share the details of that study with you. Plus, I’ve got some practical tips to help you resume most of your everyday activities without putting your health on the line.
COVID-19 could drive up diabetes risk
On the face of things, the news looks excellent lately. Despite the surge in BA.2 cases, the coronavirus numbers are staying reasonably low.
Not as low as we’d like, of course. But significantly fewer people are getting sick. And most importantly, FAR fewer people are in the hospital or dying of the infection than we’ve seen in earlier surges.
Things are so much better than they were even just a few months ago, Making it easy to let our guard down. But the fact is those numbers don’t tell the whole story, either.
For example, former FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb said in a TV interview that the actual numbers in the northeast are probably eight times higher than the official ones since many people now use home tests, which aren’t reported.
Don’t get me wrong. That’s STILL good news. After all, if people are riding things out at home instead of going to the hospital, that means many cases are milder.
But there are some excellent reasons to continue to avoid getting infected besides wanting to skip feeling like something the cat dragged in for a week. A mild infection doesn’t always mean mild consequences after.
First, there’s the infamous risk of “long COVID” that I mentioned earlier. Long COVID can strike even after a seemingly brief and relatively mild battle with the virus. And symptoms can range from ongoing chest pain to neurological issues.
Plus, if you’re teetering on the brink of diabetes, the new study finds even a short battle with COVID-19 could eventually knock you over the edge.
Not already at risk for diabetes? I’ve got bad news. It turns out an infection could STILL trigger the disease.
Connect the dots between COVID and diabetes
The new study finds COVID-19 could raise your risk of developing type-2 diabetes by an astounding 40 percent compared to someone who never developed the infection.
That means about 1 in 100 people who recover from a COVID-19 infection could develop diabetes BECAUSE of the disease. And again, that includes even mild cases.
And if you are shocked by that revelation, you’re not alone. The team behind the new study called it “jarring” and “unsettling,” too.
After all, given how many infections we’ve already seen, there could be 800,000 new cases of diabetes caused by COVID already. And the pandemic still isn’t over.
We could use more research to help us understand this unexpected link. And I’m sure we will see some. But this study isn’t the only one that spotted this connection.
In a similar study, European researchers found COVID-19 infection could raise the risk of diabetes by 28 percent.
Reducing your risks
I’ll admit this finding is disturbing. But you don’t need to live in fear. You just need to take some practical steps to stay ahead of the risk.
First, if you’ve had COVID-19 and you have access to a glucometer, you might want to check your blood sugar at home from time to time. That way, you can spot any abnormalities between regular checkups.
But either way, making some changes to your diet to maintain healthy blood sugar is a good idea. Eliminating processed foods and going low carb is a great way to get started.
And second, if you haven’t had the infection, try to keep it that way. If cases are still high near you, don’t be shy about wearing a mask when you’re out, even if it’s not required.
Just ditch the cloth ones and use an N-95, KN-95, or similar high-quality mask instead. And take other practical precautions such as distancing or avoiding crowded indoor spaces as you see fit based on your situation.
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