Show notes
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In today’s episode, Dr. Carrie Jones is joined by Dr. Nik Hedberg, Founder and CEO of Hedberg Institute. They discuss the latest research and practices treating patients with long COVID.
Key Takeaways:
What Is Long-Haul COVID?
There are various hypotheses about what causes long-haul COVID and the different mechanisms. Researchers consider post-acute covid, up to twelve weeks, and long-haul beyond twelve weeks. But generally, they classify it by organ damage. So there could be a persistent viral antigen, ongoing inflammation, herpes virus reactivation, potential autoimmune mechanisms, or immune metabolic abnormalities.
Long COVID Signs and Symptoms:
There are over sixty symptoms of long COVID, like fatigue, brain fog, pain syndromes, brain, cardiovascular, gut, sleep, and skin issues, and loss of muscle mass.
Long COVID Predispositions:
Some patients have had a compromised immune system ongoing and were dealing with an autoimmune condition, chronic fatigue, or gut issues. Others tend to have high adverse childhood experiences scores. The higher the score, the higher the inflammatory cytokines. Loneliness and social isolation also increase the chances of getting long COVID.
Recovering From Long COVID:
Though some people might fully recover from long COVID, recent studies suggest that they could still have compromised immune function, even after twelve months. Some hypotheses are that we will see increased cancer rates, ongoing issues later on, and an increased risk of getting other infections.
Dr. Nik Hedberg’s Practical Advice:
The social aspect of getting well is vital, so spend time with friends, walk in nature, and be around people you like and care about. Fast can play a significant role, so figure out what works for you. Also, anything you can do to stimulate the vagus nerve will give you great results.
Dr. Nikolas Hedberg is the Founder and CEO of the Hedberg Institute and has been practicing functional medicine for twenty years. He authored The Complete Thyroid Health and Diet Guide, has written and published numerous functional medicine articles and has lectured at major universities and associations nationwide. Dr. Hedberg is also the Chief Medical Officer at Moss Nutrition Products, Founder of the Immune Restoration Center, and host of the Functional Medicine Research podcast.