COVID-19, Vaccines, and Your Health

Photo by Sara Bakhshi on Unsplash

I recently listened to an episode of Dr. Mark Hyman’s podcast about the COVID-19 vaccine.

As a clinician, I found it very educational and insightful about vaccination in general.  It was also fairly easy to follow for a non-medically/science trained adult.  We all know there is so much confusing and nuanced information out there right now.  I found it to be very interesting in regards to understanding viruses all around as well as the insight given into what the future may hold.

I know this is a very polarizing topic, which is why I’m not specifically giving my opinion in regards to whether this vaccine is right for you or not.  Take some time (it’s almost 2 hours!) on your drive or daily walks to listen and educate yourself to form your own opinion.

What I want to offer is an opinion that you can hang your hat on, which is that there has never been a time like now to focus on developing a healthy lifestyle.  We’ve all heard it, but one of the facts we do know about COVID-19 (and many other infections) is that if you are metabolically unhealthy (diabetes, insulin resistant, overweight) your risk of poor outcome is much higher.  There is little to no debate about this.

If you choose to get this vaccine, it may improve your risk of poor outcomes from COVID-19.   But improving your general health will also affect your outcome.  Period.  And you can start today to improve your overall health through diet, exercise, and stress reduction.  It is never too late to make the changes and develop new behaviors and habits that can reduce your development or burden of chronic disease like diabetes, heart disease, dementia, and/or the long-term effects of viruses like COVID-19.

I believe the creation of WHOLE health is absolutely the way to live for the present and the future.

This article is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended to supplement, nor replace, the professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment of conditions from a trained healthcare professional. Please consult your healthcare provider before beginning or changing any health or fitness programs or stopping medication to make sure it appropriately meets your needs. If you have concerns or questions, you should always consult with your physician or other healthcare professional.