Post COVID Recovery and Rehabilitation Care

Post COVID

Post-Covid recovery and rehabilitation care are important because the COVID-19 virus has affected many people across the world, which symptoms include, a high temperature, continuous cough, Loss of taste or smell, tiredness and difficulty breathing, or shortness of breath.

COVID-19 recovered patients may continue to report a wide variety of signs and symptoms including weakness, fatigue, body ache, cough, sore throat, difficulty in breathing, etc. After you have been ill, especially for a long time, it is normal to take a while to feel like yourself again. How long this takes can vary from person to person.

As of now, there is limited evidence of post-COVID damage, and further research is required and is being actively pursued. A holistic approach is required for follow-up care and well-being of all post- COVID recovering patients.

Recover from After covid symptoms

An integrated holistic approach for managing patients who have recovered enough from COVID for care at home. It is not meant to be used as preventive/curative therapy. The recovery period is likely to be longer for patients who suffered from a more severe form of the disease and those with pre-existing illness.

It is very crucial to meet the increased nutritional requirement of your body as it helps in replenishing your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing during this time. Few modifications in your daily routine which will help in early healthy recovery are:

If you feel any of the following symptoms, do not exercise and contact your healthcare professional:—

• Nausea or feeling sick
• Dizziness
• Severe shortness of breath
• Clamminess or sweating
• Chest tightness
• Increased pain

Post COVID Recovery and rehabilitation Care Tips:

1. Do Mild/Moderate Exercise

Daily practice of Yoga, Pranayama, and Exercise is important to regain health and enjoy life again. For Post-Covid recovery and rehabilitation care, do this practice as much as health permits or as prescribed.

Take small steps in gradually and safely increasing your physical activity. Physically active help to improves:

• Improve Fitness Level and Increase confidence
• Reduce breathlessness, Body ache, and weakness
• Improve muscle strength, balance, and coordination
• Reduce stress and improve mood, thinking
• Improve your energy and many more.

Daily morning or evening walk at a comfortable pace as tolerated. Today it has become clear that gradually increasing exercise is imperative for regaining strength. Even if you are too weak to stand, there are exercises that can be done from a chair that can increase your strength and mobility.

These simple rules will help you exercise safely:—

• Always warm-up before exercising, and cool down after exercising
• Wear loose, comfortable clothing and supportive shoes.
• Wait at least an hour after a meal before exercising.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Avoid exercising in very hot weather.
• Exercise indoors at a comfortable temperature.

2. Eat balanced Diet

Proper nutrition is vital, people who eat a well-balanced diet tend to be healthier with stronger immune systems and lower risk of chronic illnesses and infectious diseases. Eating healthy is also very important for recovery, especially when you are weak.

Eat a variety of fresh and unprocessed foods every day to get the vitamins, minerals, dietary fibre, protein, and antioxidants your body needs. A balanced nutritious diet, preferably easy to digest freshly cooked soft diet.

Watch your diet during recovery and choose foods that will provide needed proteins and nutrients for healing. If you don’t have an appetite, try eating smaller more frequent meals until your appetite begins to return.

Eat fresh and unprocessed foods every day:

• Eat fruits, vegetables, legumes (e.g. lentils, beans), nuts and whole grains (e.g. millet, oats, wheat, brown rice), and foods from animal sources (e.g. meat, fish, eggs and milk).
• Daily, eat 2 cups of fruit (4 servings), 2.5 cups of vegetables (5 servings).
• For snacks, choose raw/steamed vegetables, and fresh fruit rather than foods that are high in sugar, fat or salt.
• Do not overcook vegetables and fruit as this can lead to the loss of important vitamins.
• Avoid processed meats because they are high in fat and salt.
• Eliminate the industrially-produced trans fats. These are often found in processed food, fast food, snack food, fried food, pizza, & cookies.

3. Keep yourself well hydrated:

An infection can dehydrate the body, so it’s vital to hydrate yourself when you’re recuperating. Water is essential for life. It transports nutrients and compounds in blood, regulates your body temperature, gets rid of waste, and lubricates and cushions joints.  Good hydration is crucial for optimal health.

Here are  simple ways to drink more water.

• Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water every day.
• You can also consume other fluids like hydrating foods, soups, and herbal teas.
• Restrict intake of too much caffeine and avoid consuming sweetened fruit juices, syrups, fruit juice concentrates and carbonated beverages as it contains sugar.
• Keep a bottle handy with you to track your water count daily.
• Drink a glass or two after wake in the morning.
• Eat water-rich foods.

To enhance its taste, fresh or frozen fruits like berries or slices of citrus fruits may be added, as well as cucumber or herbs such as mint, lavender, or rosemary.  

4. Have adequate sleep and rest

Your sleep was likely disrupted during hospital and home isolation. Feeling stressed can also affect your sleep. By ensuring you are getting enough quality sleep and the right amount of rest, you are giving your brain and body the best chance to recover. When you’re ill, getting enough time for resting and repairing is crucial for making a speedy recovery.

Sleep has a huge effect on your body’s ability to rest and recover and it is a vital part of our daily routine.

When you’re asleep the body appears rested and relaxed, but it’s actually doing a lot of activity to revitalize and repair. The recommended amount of sleep for adults is 7-9 hours a night.

Try following these tips to help you relax and get a good night’s sleep:

• Stop using electronic devices an hour before bed
• Try meditation and take time to think about positive moments in your day
• Have a warm, decaffeinated drink such as chamomile tea.
• Take a bath before bedtime.
• Listen to calming music.
• Sleep in the darkroom.
• Try breathing exercises to relax your body and mind.

5. Eat small and frequent meals.

Many people experience loss of appetite and reduced food intake when unwell with COVID and during their recovery. It is normal to feel tired after being unwell, and recovery can take time. For a Post-Covid recovery rehabilitation care plan, you need healthy and nutrition-dense food frequently.

When we are unwell it is difficult to eat and drink for many reasons. If we do not eat and drink enough our body may need to use its natural stores of energy, protein, minerals, and vitamins. Due to this, you may notice some weight loss or your muscles getting smaller and weaker. Eating small and frequent meals helps in fulfilling your nutritional requirement as well as prevents GI-related complications like gastritis, bloating, heaviness, acidity.

Tips to gradually increase food intake.

• Include small 6-7 meals in a day.
• Take small bites of food, take single.
• Make sure you are sitting in an upright, comfortable position when eating
• Eat nourishing foods that you enjoy
• Chew well before you swallow.
• Take your time when eating.
• Get some fresh air before eating a meal – this may help to increase your appetite

Eat while sitting up and choose foods that are easier to chew or softer to make it easier to breathe

6. Managing stress and Do relaxing activities

Being extremely unwell in a hospital can be a highly stressful experience. This can have an understandably difficult impact on your mood. Your mood may be further affected by frustrations about not yet being able to return to your daily activities the way you would like to.

Post-Covid recovery rehabilitation care helps Manage stress and relax you, therefore an important part of your overall recovery.

Here are some simple things you can do to manage stress and do relaxation

• Relaxing activities, like listening to music, reading.
• Spiritual practices help to relax and reenergizes.
• Slow and deep breathing also helps to reduce stress.
• Spend time with family.
• Staying socially connected is important for your mental wellbeing, through call, video call, and message until the pandemic ends.
• Be physically active as this reduces stress.
• Eating sufficiently and healthily.
• Get enough quality sleep

7. Avoid smoking and consumption of alcohol

Smoking directly damages your lungs and lowers down their strength and capacity, making you prone to furthermore infections. And as we all know, alcohol consumption suppresses the immune system so; Smoking and alcohol consumption both should be avoided.

There is no disputing that quitting smoking is difficult and that nicotine withdrawal is uncomfortable, but there has never been a better or more urgent time to stop using tobacco.

People who already struggle with alcoholism may face additional challenges during COVID-19. However, the situation also presents some opportunities for improvement. On the one hand, people may feel that the social distance and isolation compels them to drink. However, considered from another perspective, this provides a unique opportunity to help reduce alcohol consumption.

In many cities, bars and public drinking venues are closed. Rather than continuing to drink at home, you could use this as an opportunity to sober up. Without social pressure and demands, you can learn to spend time with yourself and the people that you live with without consuming alcohol.

This could provide you with a unique opportunity to hone your social skills without relying on alcohol as a crutch. If you spend your quarantine time learning how to socialize on your own, you may find that you become less reliant on alcohol.

8. Managing activities of daily living.

Gradually increase your involvement in your daily activities or hobbies to the best of your ability, as this helps to improve your mood. It is important to become active again when you are recovering, but this can be hard if you feel very tired, breathless, and weak, which is normal after being severely unwell. Everything we do, including washing, dressing, and preparing meals, as well as work and play, takes energy and trying hard to overwhelm you.

The following strategies may be helpful you manage the things:

• Adjust your expectations for what you can do in a day.
• Save your energy by doing tasks sitting down when you can, such as when showering, dressing, or preparing food.
• Set realistic goals based on how you are feeling.
• Pace yourself and try to do light tasks between heavier ones.
• Let others help you with tasks that you may be struggling with

Few more tips

• Take Steam inhalation and do gargles.
• Take regular medications as advised for COVID.
• Maintain Social Distancing
• Take breaks from COVID-19 news, including social media.
• Focus on enjoyable activities

Takeaway.

This Integrated holistic approach may help post covid patients to recovered and regain their health to enjoy life fully. If you still find it difficult to recover, talk to your GP. They may refer you to a physiotherapist and nutritionist, for further rehabilitation and if required also advise further examination.

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