As you know I’ve been discussing that we need to find a way forward and taking a lot of flak for it. Ironically, about a week ago, the World Health Organization (WHO) all but admitted containment is not an option and holding out for a vaccine, if one is developed, is not in the cards for the foreseeable future.
Without directly saying it they were essentially saying we have to learn to co-exist with COVID-19. What they failed to say was how we need to manage it’s spread through the population as best we can while doing all possible to protect those most vulnerable to exposure.
The hard data demonstrates this virus is not the next black plague or ebola. An overwhelming majority of people who are infected range from asymptomatic to a flu that does not require a hospital visit. . . we know full well who the most vulnerable are, where they reside and how to protect them. I’ve covered all this in prior posts. Time to move the discussion forward. The real question which needs to be asked is this:
What can we do to be a healthier Herd?
The ‘Herd’ begins with a ‘Herd of One’ . . . YOU. If anything, COVID-19 is a real-life call to action. Whether it is getting exposed to COVID-19, a vaccine or training up for your next event becoming the best version of yourself is now an obvious imperative. So today I am going talk about the HOW and the BIG WHY.
Optimize your fat metabolism. This is the physiology evolution conferred upon us. We are meant to metabolize fat for our aerobic needs. Modern man has moved from being a super fat burner to being a super fat storer. One of the main co-morbidities of COVID-19 is obesity.
Get your Vitamin D! Whether through the sun or supplement YOU need to get your serum 25, Hydroxy Vitamin D above 50 ug/dl, yes, 50 and not 30. 30 is the bottom of the medical reference range and far from optimal. While I fully realize correlation is NOT causation, there is an overwhelmingly tight inverse correlation between Vitamin D levels and the severity of colds, flus or corona viruses.
Get your Vitamin C / Ascorbic Acid! Vitamin C is a potent anti-oxidant so whether you are training for an Ironman or Ultra or back on the street facing a potential exposure to COVID-19 get at least 500-1500 mg of AA.
Get aerobic. A huge part of OFM is expanding your fat based physiology through a variety of modalities of training. COVID-19 is a SARS Corona Virus so reaching your aerobic potential is key for your personal Herd Health as much as being able to crush your next competition or training session.
Get outside and get moving! Sunlight, fresh air and physical activity.
Whether you are getting off the couch, coming out of ‘Shelter in Place’ or a seasoned endurance athlete intrigued by what fat adapted athletes are achieving by tapping into their limitless energy you have arrived at the source for fat-adapted performance.
None of these strategies cost a lot of money and what money you spend will be the best investment you can make in your health & performance.
This picture sums it all up…….the best way to tackle Corona is outside aerobic activity with lots of sun, a ‘twist’ of Vitamin C and a dose of downtime from the stress of modern life. Does this look difficult?
If you have any questions on how to build your ‘Herd Immunity’ to whatever life throws at you give us a shout.