Not “Just a Bug”: The Real Risks of Viral Illness

A few months ago, I lived through some form of a COVID virus and am still trying to recover. We are living in unprecedented times with new illness's, unknown toxins and radiation coming at us from every direction. Recovering is not like it used to be, and illness has changed from needing some downtime to recover, to drastically adjusting your lifestyle to survive. When you already have a preexisting condition, today's virus's can create a domino reaction within the body.

Once a virus enters (through airway, gut, blood or skin), it begins its replication process. Your body signals for help (which can contribute to symptoms and in some cases, tissue injury). Your body reacts by means of a fever, fatigue or aches. If your immune response is too strong or poorly controlled, inflammation can injure tissues within the lungs or other organs. If your blood vessels become inflamed, other organs can become compromised. For example, if you have pneumonia, your blood vessels can become leaky or form microclots, which will constrict oxygen flow, and now the kidneys, heart and brain begin to struggle.

When our bodies have prolonged exposure to a virus and our immune system becomes dysregulated, secondary infections can form. As a society, we have become dependent on antibiotics to "get over" our infections. But antibiotics do not work on virus's. Letting a virus "run its course" is no longer an option. Until doctor's start expanding their knowledge beyond 1950, we need to take control over our health. Information online is biased, regurgitated, unregulated and like the game telephone, can become skewed where the original message is completely different from the last. Be careful "googling" your condition.

Understanding your own baseline, especially if you live with a chronic condition is important when a viral infection takes place. Trusted resources like NIH and PubMed are great placed to start. Herbs and supplements work wonders for chronic conditions. I'm not saying western medicine isn't necessary, but most of the time we can find natural solutions to keep our bodies in balance. This not only helps for everyday aches and pains but is a great foundation for when virus's do sneak into our system.

At the end of the day, the goal isn’t to live in fear of every virus, it’s to be prepared and informed. Listen to your body, take recovery seriously, and don’t ignore warning signs when something feels “off.” Healing can be slower than we want these days, but it’s still possible, one careful choice at a time.

Take great care,

Jody