Even in the hospital, people have to eat. These diets could be optimized to combat coronavirus by adjusting to increase zinc and decrease nutritional elements which either reduce zinc in the body, primarily the zinc antagonist copper, or prioritize depleted zinc away from the immune system, primarily folic acid. (When zinc is sufficiently supplied, folic acid is not a problem.)
Likewise, to reduce the risk of stroke during coronavirus, foods containing vitamin K should be limited, and foods with magnesium and zinc should be increased.
This requires looking at each food being provided under the lens of its content of:
- zinc (benefit)
- magnesium (benefit against strokes)
- copper (antagonist)
- folic acid (can cause mis-prioritization)
- vitamin K (derimental if stroke risk)
. . . in an effort to choose foods that, by being highest in zinc and magnesium and lowest in copper, folic acid and vitamin K, can improve coronavirus outcomes, increasing survival and shortening illness and recovery times.
Other researchers will probably find other elements that should be increased or avoided.
A normally healthy hospital diet may need to be adjusted, where supplies are available, to optimize zinc and magnesium availability for the duration of the virus, in a way that would normally be unhealthy for patients recovering from other illnesses.
Research has been done about acid and alkaline levels and the way that coronavirus enters cells.
Cite!
It may have been followed by research suggesting whether there is a benefit to be more acid or more base in the lungs, in the air, and in the cells. If so, that research should be used in changing the diets and environments of people with coronavirus.
Lemon initially increases acid but then increases alkalinity in the body. Whether this would be beneficial or detrimental should be noted, and used or not used, accordingly.
Just as the body prioritizes some zinc to remove copper free radicals, it likewise prioritizes aluminum, and prioritizes lithium removal above copper. CITE
These are examples of two other elements to be limited from the diet, although they themselves are probably not an issue, not being in most food, but an example nevertheless of directions that dietitians and nutritionists could look at to give a further advantage to coronavirus victims.
Adjusting the diets of coronavirus sufferers could give an advantage. Even if it's a small one, we should give our patients every bit of help that we can.
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The traditional diet in hospitals may not be the best for Coronavirus. Likewise, suggestions for home diet could be given, with always the caveat that it should be integrated into the diets of patients where it does not contradict the way those patients already need to eat. These are tweaks, improvements. They do not supersede what the patient already is aware they must do or must avoid.
The CDC's standard suggestions for before catching coronavirus might want to be updated as well.
There are fruits and vegetables high in zinc and low in copper. These include blackberries, peas, corn and watermelon. A diet fine-tuned for coronavirus could be created, increasing magnesium as well, to reduce strokes. Unfortunately, there are too many opportunities to test such a diet, and not enough time and energy to devote to creating one.
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© Deborah Barges, July 2020, reprintable and usable per open access rules.