The coronavirus is certainly the match sparking the wildfire of pandemic, but diabetes is the main underlying symptom serving as the brittle kindling which compromises the immune system, resulting in ICU admissions and death, according to the most comprehensive data yet just released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The report published March 31, reinforces a sobering reality that we have known for some time but is now acutely relevant – the prevalence of diabetes amongst Americans is a national medical emergency. The American Diabetes Association reports that almost 35 million people – 10.5% of the population – have diabetes (95% of which are Type 2) and another 88 million are prediabetic. Although the coronavirus is thought to be typically more severe among the elderly, people of any age with underlying medical conditions are at a greatly increased mortality risk if they contract the virus.
Underlying Health Problems in COVID-19 Patients
The CDC analyzed more than 7,000 confirmed covid-19 cases across the country between Feb. 12 and Mar. 28 in which health officials had a written record about the presence or absence of any underling medical condition. Researchers found that of all the patients admitted to an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in critical condition, 78% of them had at least one underlying health problem, with diabetes being the most common. Statistics reveal that 32% of the ICU patients had diabetes, followed by 29% with cardiovascular disease and 21% with chronic lung disease.
What are the leading causes of Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease – as well as a host of many other high-risk medical conditions? Unhealthy eating habits resulting in weight gain and obesity.
Dr. Joshua Denson, a pulmonary medicine and critical care physician at Tulane Medical Center in New Orleans said nearly all of his most critically ill coronavirus patients have a combination of three specific underlying conditions: obesity, high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes. He told NBC News: “I can tell you the ones that are doing the worst have those three problems.”
But COVID-19 is a respiratory disease. Certainly, patients with chronic lung conditions such as asthma would be assumed to be most vulnerable to high-risk outcomes, but why diabetes and heart disease?
Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious-disease physician at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security explained the answer in a recent interview with MSN. He said, “Diabetes is a metabolic syndrome that involves blood glucose levels and affects how the immune system works and makes it less effective. This is why patients with diabetes are at risk for many infections besides coronavirus. They often struggle with infections on their skin and soft tissues, with pneumonia and even more serious conditions.
And he went on to explain the correlation with cardiovascular disease: “Someone already suffering from heart problems cannot take as much strain as the average person. When a patient gets infected with something like the coronavirus, the fever causes a spike in the heart rate. Shortness of breath means the patient gets less oxygen and people with limited cardiac capacity can go into arrest.”
We Need Strong Immune Systems
If you throw a match on a pile of wet leaves, nothing much will happen, and the match will quickly burn out. If you toss it into a drought-stricken forest full of parched timber, you’ll get a raging wild-fire with devastating consequences.
We want our immune system to be like a pile of wet leaves. There will always be matches existing in the world in the form of viruses and influenza – with COVID-19 being the most recent and deadly. For the vast majority of people, however, it manifests with nothing more than mild to moderate symptoms. But people with already compromised health, their immune system mirrors that of a drought-stricken forest, making them much more susceptible to high-risk outcomes, G-d forbid.
The coronavirus pandemic is continually compared to a war – and rightfully so. There are many dangers in a battle zone such as snipers, ambushes and aerial bombings – and soldiers have to take the appropriate precautions to guard from each – such as wearing helmets, bullet-proof vests and being as clandestine as possible.
During the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, the greatest cause of injury and death were actually IEDs – improvised explosive devices that would blow up as it was driven over by a vehicle. And a real game-changer happened when the army started reinforcing the personal carriers with additional metal plates to offer greater protection from an explosion.
Even with all these precautions war is still a very dangerous environment requiring field hospitals and medivac units to be manned with incredibly brave and selfless doctors, nurses and paramedics to take care of the injured.
So what am I getting at with all this? The headlines are filled with news about recommended precautions such as social distancing and wearing masks and gloves, in addition to the unbelievable efforts of our first-responders and health-care professionals. As well it should be. I’m not belittling, downgrading or in any way discouraging people from incorporating those directives and appreciating those people.
But where are the stories about the metal plates? If diabetes and heart disease are the two leading causes for a compromised immune system and a greatly enhanced risk of mortality if contracting COVID-19 – as the most recent statistics from the CDC clearly indicate, why isn’t that among the top headlines and most aggressive initiatives being put forward?
Reverse Diabetes and Heal Heart Disease
We’re scrambling to create a vaccine, access more ventilators and provide urgently need medical supplies – as we should. But what about reversing diabetes and healing heart disease? Shouldn’t that messaging be just as aggressively emphasized? After all, it’s already in our hands to effectuate – it’s called eating healthy and losing weight. And no, we don’t have to make it much more complicated than that. And yes, it can bare immediate results and be a real game changer just as the reinforced metal plates drastically reduced the mortality of what was before the greatest cause of injury and death from the IEDs.
So, is the solution a crash diet or intermittent fasting which looks to sheds as many pounds as quickly as possible? Absolutely not. Because if you under-nourish yourself, you are still causing an instability in your blood-sugar levels and depriving yourself of optimum energy and nutrition. That’s why for years, our Soveya Solution has been focused a providing a robust and responsible food plan to maintain extended energy, optimal nutritional intake and steady blood sugar on a daily basis – resulting in conscientious and consistent weight loss – all without the need for any supplements or surgery generic valium.
And because of the current coronavirus crisis, we adapted our program to guide clients how to eat to optimize their immune system and immediately start improving their blood-glucose levels – as well as developing the skills to maintain a healthy relationship with food for sustained success. Yes, you can make a positive impact on your health right away. Is there any more important time to do so?
Obesity Is a Behavioral, Not a Medical, Problem
Once and for all we have to understand that obesity is not a medical problem and we have to turn our primary focus away from the drugs, surgery or other quick-fix interventions and reactionary responses to which we’re accustomed. It’s a behavioral problem with serious medical consequences such as diabetes and heart disease. That’s not just a subtle semantic switch. It’s a seminal difference in the way we address the situation and strive for a solution.
The goal is not to just manage the consequences with medication but solve the problem by changing our relationship with food. Perhaps now we’ll take sugar distancing just as serious as social distancing.
As I mentioned, we adapted our very popular and effective online, home-study program called the Soveya Signature Series to accommodate for the extended quarantine and lock-down in which many of us find ourselves. It’s a 10-part multi-media video series that walks you through our program for healthy weight-loss and long-term success which includes an intake portal that generates a customized food plan – not a one-size-fits-all diet. Normally, you would receive one video a week over the course of a little less than three months, but we took the exact same material and now provide it on a daily basis spanning just 14 days – and you still get the unlimited email support.
And because of the financial hardship that most people are finding themselves in these days, we have significantly discounted the price and are willing to create a payment plan if needed to make it as accessible as possible for as many people as possible.
You can register right now at the link below or call us at 1.888.8.SOVEYA (876.8392) and we’ll be happy to work out the details and get you started ASAP. It won’t just be a game changer it will be a life changer. Invest in yours today.
Click here for new Soveya Coronavirus diet program: Eating to Optimize Your Immune System
