Q. Why didn’t PRO Club members get sick more often?
A. These individuals are engaged in healthy lifestyle behaviors. Someone who exercises, watches their diet and is within 5 to 10 pounds of normal body fat will have a stronger immune system. Therefore, if they contracted the COVID-19 virus or one of its mutations, they may have no symptoms, or mild symptoms (low grade temperature, runny nose, or general malaise/tiredness) for a short period of time. When they recover, the immune system will have built a system of cells which will likely prevent someone from contracting COVID-19 again.
Q. What makes a strong immune system?
A. Physical activity (exercise), healthy diet, reduced stress, adequate sleep, normal weight, and no inflammatory disorders (like excess weight and metabolic disorders) help to build a stronger immune system.
Q. Why when COVID-19 first surfaced, why did it effect the elderly so severely?
A. Although all age groups are at risk of contracting COVID-19, the risk of severe illness from COVID-19 increases with age due to physiological changes that come with ageing and potential underlying health conditions. Also, many elderly people are either overweight or not physically active or both. All of which directly impacts the strength of the strength of the immune system.
- Excess body fat and other disorders are “inflammatory,” and the immune system tries to stop the inflammation but cannot cure it.
- Physical activity is key to building the immune system. The immune system fights inflammation, so when an individual contracts COVID-19 they have a weak immune system, they get super sick, and some die.
Q. Very few children contracted COVID-19, yet a few died of COVID-19. Why?
A. Children are generally more active and thus have a stronger immune system. The children that experienced severe symptoms, hospitalization and in a few rare cases, death had an inflammatory disorder or were weak from some disorder. When these children were reviewed closely, they had metabolic diseases and birth problems like Cystic Fibrosis, severe allergies, or congenital heart disease compounded by lack of physical activity, so their immune system was weak.
Q. The Delta mutation is making more children and adults sick. Why?
A. We created the “stay home” mandate for everyone. Several research papers and a research study from The Hope Heart Research Institute found that the “stay home” order caused:
- Adults and kids reduced physical activity by 50%. Physical activity is important in building a strong immune system. So, the immune system was weakened.
- Adults and kids in the “stay home” stage of fighting the COVID-19 virus started to eat a diet high in sugar and fat. The average weight gain from February 2020 to February 2021 was 29 pounds. Weight gain is inflammatory and further weakens the immune system.
To learn more about the immune system we recommend reading our four part blog series taken from a research paper published by Dr. Mark Dedomenico, Director of The Hope Heart Research Institute. In this series Dr. Dedomenico discusses what makes up the immune system, how to evaluate your immune system, what weakens your immune system, and how to strengthen your immune system.
