Body Talk
Mel Watson
Covid 19 is still very much in the forefront of our minds, but there is always something new to report and hopefully we are now seeing a plateau.The good news is that the vast majority of people will survive the virus,but the bad news is the lock down may not eliminate it completely so we will still need to be on our guard.
Doctors are saying that there is more that we can do to reduce the probability of us catching it, and they are also saying that the high numbers of deaths are generally in the vulnerable group of people who already have seriously debilitating illnesses and chronic lung conditions, although not forgetting the small minority of people who appeared to have no health issues at all. The thing is none of us want to find out which category we fall into, so we should all continue to take good care of ourselves and uphold high standards of personal hygiene.
Weight and obesity seem to be a significant factor in how seriously the virus will affect any individual.A study of 4,000 patients showed that age is the biggest indicator, but also obesity os a big factor in survival rate.
A small weight gain during the lock down will make minimal difference, but excess weight in general makes it difficult for the lungs to expand leading to less movement in the diaphragm. The weight of extra fat on the airways can make breathing more difficult which will raise the risk of acute lung damage.
So once again the message is to look after your health in all aspects and the measures we are taking to stay healthy now should remain in place, this is no time to be complacent.
