COVID-19 is persistent in more ways than one. What some people initially believed would be a 15-day lockdown is now well into a second year. According to current statistics, the world has recorded more than 190 million confirmed cases resulting in more than four million deaths. Of those, the U.S. claims more than 34 million confirmed cases resulting in more than 609,000 deaths. In our state of Florida, we’ve had nearly 2.5 million confirmed cases resulting in slightly fewer than 39,000 deaths. Most of those infected experience mild to moderate symptoms and fully recover within a couple of weeks. Unfortunately, about 10 percent of those infected — even those with only mild or no symptoms initially, suffer long after the usual two-week recovery period and even after they’ve tested negative for the virus. These “long haulers” commonly experience one or more of the following symptoms, some of which can be […]
COVID-19
As of today, Tampa has a “fully vaccinated” rate for COVID-19 of 40 percent for all ages — which includes 50 percent for ages 18 and above and 71 percent for ages 65 and above. However, what that means is about 60 percent of our local population isn’t vaccinated. By comparison, across the entire state, approximately 50 percent are fully vaccinated, while 53 percent have received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine. People have all sorts of reasons for not getting vaccinated, including lack of access to the vaccine, COVID-19 not being seen as a real threat, concern over the vaccine’s side effects, an inherent lack of trust in vaccinations, misinformation about cost (it’s free), and lack of information about the vaccine and its long-term effects. Whatever the reasons for getting vaccinated or choosing not to, Florida appears to be in line with vaccination rates across the country,
If you’ve lost your sense of smell or taste (or both) to COVID-19, you’re in the majority. Nearly 86 percent of COVID-19 patients lose their ability to smell to some degree and sometimes entirely. The good news? Recent studies show that 95 percent recover these senses within six months of having the illness — most within two to three weeks. People who lose their sense of smell to any degree or who experience a change in the way they perceive odors are said to suffer from olfactory dysfunction (OD), which also impairs their sense of taste. If you can’t smell anything, you have anosmia. If you can smell odors to some degree but not as well as you normally do, you have hyposmia. And if you can’t taste anything, you have a rare condition called ageusia. Most people who lose their sense of smell or taste draw the obvious conclusion
People often brag about how little sleep they get or need as if that’s a good thing. While it’s true that some people can function better than others on less sleep, quality sleep enables our bodies to fight infection, repair damage, and recover from illness. Here at BioDesign Wellness Center, we take sleep very seriously, both as a symptom of underlying dysfunction and as an essential tool for restoring optimal health and fitness. In this post, we present some of the evidence that attests to the importance of sleep in combating illnesses (including COVID-19). We highlight some additional benefits of quality sleep and explain how we work with our patients to ensure they get the sleep they need. Exploring the Connection Between Lack of Sleep and COVID-19 According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adults of any age with certain underlying health conditions have an increased risk of
It goes without saying that Thanksgiving 2020 is going to be a different animal than past turkey days, capped this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) suggestion that we should perhaps cancel this year’s holiday travel plans and large family gatherings. All signs point to a Covid-19 resurgence this holiday season with disturbing numbers of Americans testing positive for the virus in nearly every state, including here in Florida. So, for this holiday season at least, it behooves us all to meet the challenges of protecting ourselves and our families by making health a top priority. Here at BioDesign Wellness Center, we have several health tips for those who believe their family circle is small enough — and safe enough — for an in-person holiday gathering. Healthy tips for Thanksgiving Day feasting If you have a food allergy or sensitivity, bring food you can eat, so
If you follow the news lately, you may begin to think that we are in the midst of a pandemic poised to wipe out three-quarters of the world population. However, while the Coronavirus of 2019 (COVID-19) is a potentially deadly and apparently very infectious disease and not something you want to catch, fear and panic are counterproductive and unwarranted. In this post, we explain what the coronavirus is, attempt to alleviate any fear or panic you may feel, and provide some practical guidance to build resilience and prevent infection. What Is the Coronavirus? Coronaviruses (CoVs) are a large family of viruses that cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). These viruses are zoonotic, meaning they’re transmitted between animals and people. SARS was first transferred from civet cats to humans, and MERS was first