Body weight, 'bad' cholesterol new risk factors for coronavirus

Maintaining a healthy body weight and increasing HDL or ‘good’ cholesterol levels can help lower the risk of Covid-19 infections, claim researchers in a new study.

Previous studies showed that people with Type-2 diabetes and a high body mass index are at a greater risk of experiencing hospitalisations and other severe complications related to Covid-19.

However, the new research from the University of Maryland in the US has identified certain lifestyle factors like body weight and cholesterol as new risk factors for Covid-19.

"Our findings point to some healthy measures people can take to help potentially lower their risk of Covid-19 infection," said Charles Hong, Professor of medicine at the University’s School of Medicine.

"Controlling body weight is very important during this time, and measures to increase HDL levels like regular exercise and a diet rich in monounsaturated fats like extra virgin olive oil and avocados might be helpful too," Hong noted.

The team found that people, who were Covid positive, were more likely to be obese or have Type-2 diabetes. They were also at greater risk of getting symptomatic infection in the first place, the researchers claimed.

On the other hand, those who tested negative were more likely to have high levels of ‘good’ HDL cholesterol and be at a healthy weight with a normal body mass index (BMI), revealed the study published in the journal PLoS ONE.

"Certain baseline cardiometabolic factors appear to either protect a person from Covid-19 infection while others make a person more vulnerable to infection," Hong said.

"But this study wasn’t designed to determine what factors actually cause Covid-19 infections. These are statistical associations that point to the importance of a healthy functioning immune system for protecting against Covid-19 infection," Hong added.

For the study, the team used data from the UK Biobank of 5,00,000 British volunteers over age 40. Health factors were compared between those who tested positive for Covid-19 and those who tested negative.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

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How your body weight affects your sex drive? Everything you need to know

How your body weight affects your sex drive?

When it comes to your sex drive, it can be heavily impacted by your body weight. As much as you want deny it, but your sexual performance and desire can rely heavily on how you feel about yourself. Studies suggest that being overweight can lead to a depleting sex drive. Keeping that in mind, here are some ways your libido may be affected by your weight.

Hormonal changes

An increase in body weight can lead to an increase in sex-hormone-binding globulin, which causes the sex hormone testosterone to fall. Due to a drop in the sex hormone, sexual desires and libido may decrease drastically, which can in turn impact your sex drive.

Body image issues

Research has often linked woman's sex drive to their body image and confidence. Being overweight can make people feel extremely underconfident and uncomfortable. On the other hand, people who are fit and healthy give away an air of self-confidence. That said, how you perceive yourself has a lot to do with how you perform sexually.

Obesity and erectile dysfunction in men

Men suffering with obesity often find it hard to stimulate their sexual desires. As per many experts, obesity lowers testosterone in men, triggering a decrease in sex drive. This can sometimes lead to erectile dysfunction in men. Men who are overweight or obese have a higher risk of developing heart disease, diabetes and high cholesterol, which can further increase their chances of erectile dysfunction.

Inability to climax

Being overweight can also narrow down the blood vessels facilitate the blood flow to your genitals. Hence, without proper blood flow, men and women face difficulty in reaching a climax. This can often lead to a depleting sex drive.

Limited sex positions

Your physique enables and helps you act out your sexual fantasies. If you're obese, chances are that your sexual movements will be restricted. That said, it can be a turn off and can kill your sex drive.

How to increase your sex drive?

Physical activities and regular exercise can enhance your sex drive. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is key to healthy sex life. Apart from that, do not obsess over your body image, instead love yourself and your body for however it is.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

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What Are Blood Cleansers? Ways You Can ‘Detox’ Your Blood

There are so many teas and supplements available on the market that claim they will rid your body of dangerous toxins piling up in our bloodstream but are they actually doing what they claim and do we need them to begin with? The truth is, most of these products probably don’t do much and their effects are so difficult to measure since our body does all the heavy lifting on its own when it comes to blood cleansing. To learn more about blood cleansers and ways you can support your body and help it detoxify itself with things you already have at home, continue reading this article.

What Are Blood Cleansers?

Good news, you already have everything you need to cleanse your blood, as the most powerful blood cleansers are the organs that filter the blood, namely the liver, kidneys, and lungs.

The liver is like a sponge that absorbs all the waste products and toxic substances found in our bodies and breaks them down into harmless compounds. These substances include hormones, medications, and food. These compounds either leave your body during the process of digestion or are further broken down by other organs, such as the intestines and the kidneys and are subsequently excreted. 

 

The kidneys further clean our blood from toxins and byproducts that are then excreted through urine. Finally, the lungs release toxic gases, such as carbon dioxide from our blood when we exhale, which is an essential function of the lungs. Other organs and systems, too, like the lymphatic system, for example, help clarify the blood of microbes. Nearly every organ that participates in the process of metabolism, e.g. our spleen or intestines, and even the skin all help clean out the body.

All of these organs work hard around the clock to help your body stay clear of toxins and infections, and so making sure you support the health of these organs is the best thing you could do to keep your body free of toxins. The best way to do that is through healthy nutrition, as well as a few extra ways we’ll discuss below.

 

Foods and Drinks That Help Keep Your Blood Clean 

Hydration is the number one thing you should observe when it comes to detoxing. No need to go on a juice cleanse for a week or gulp down gallons of water every day, though, as this may actually have the opposite effect and wash out essential nutrients from your body. 

 

Simply drinking enough is just perfect, and you’ll know you’re doing well if your urine is either clear or a very light color during the day. Having slightly darker urine after sleep is okay, as we usually don’t drink and go to the bathroom for several hours when we sleep and our metabolism slows down during the night. A benchmark of liquid intake is 8 glasses of water a day (which equals around 2 liters or 0.5 gallons).

Apart from staying hydrated, though, you can make certain dietary adjustments, too, that will help you keep those organs healthy. Warm herbal drinks, such as chamomile tea or chicory, have been found to aid metabolism and boost the kidneys. 

 

Some fresh fruits, herbs, and spices, too, help metabolic processes:

Citrus fruit

Onions and garlic 

Turmeric 

Ginger 

Pomegranates 

Blueberries. 

 

Keep in mind, however, that none of these are a quick fix, and maintaining a healthy whole food diet that’s low in highly processed, salty, sugary and fried foods and drinks combined with the healthy foods and drinks we mentioned above over a long period is what will make a real difference in your health and well-being. 

 

Other Ways You Can Detoxify Your Body

 

Maintaining liver health and the health of other organs is the primary way you can make sure your body is toxin-free. Apart from a healthy diet and sufficient liquid intake, other things to consider are your body weight, exercise and harmful habits, such as smoking and alcohol abuse. 

 

Drinking less is essential, as alcohol damages both the liver and kidneys, as well as other organs. Similarly, obesity can cause nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, which impairs the function of the liver. Finally, exercise boosts digestion and blood circulation, as well as sweating and breathing, all of which will help your body get rid of toxins better. 

 

In the end, the takeaway of this article is that slow and steady wins the race, and maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle is more than enough to keep your body toxin-free even without all of those premium-priced detoxifying products.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
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