I would like to start this blog by stating that I am not a medical provider and am therefore not providing medical advice to you or making any claims about the products that I use. I am simply sharing with you what has worked for ME! I have been drinking the same super-foods for immunity and many other health benefits for the past 5+ years. I recently contracted COVID-19 and was in isolation for ten days. I cannot help but think that the years of preparing my body for any possible circumstance by fueling my body with plant medicine was a significant contributor to my positive outcome. In this blog, I will share my experience with COVID and the ingredients in the superfoods I drink plus their health benefits. Again, I am not claiming to have the cure for COVID-19, but I am sharing how I have spent years building up my defenses.

My COVID-19 Experience

On 11/30/2020 I was exposed to a co-worker who had contracted COVID-19 from her daughter. At the time we were unaware that she had been exposed. On 12/1/2020 my friend was notified she had in fact tested positive for COVID-19. That evening my partner and I immediately went to our local primary care physician and got both rapid and three-day COVID tests. The rapid came back negative and we were to wait until 12/4/2020 for the three-day test. Although the test was negative I still had to quarantine due to the incubation period. During this time I started to develop a very tight chest and a cough. My mind kept telling me it was probably just anxiety waiting for the final tests to confirm a negative result.

The scary part about COVID is many of the symptoms can be caused by other things so it is hard to know for sure what is going on. I, however, am very in tune with my body, and in my heart, I knew something was wrong. On Saturday 12/5/2020 I went in to get a clearance test in hopes I could go back to work, turns out, I was positive for COVID-19. This started my 10-day isolation. During 4 of those 10 days, I had a hard time breathing and required oxygen and an inhaler. During 2 of them, I had a fever, and for the rest of the isolation, I was able to tend to my fitness and movement which meant increasing my heartrate without decreasing my oxygen. 

I feel very grateful and fortunate this was my experience. I live at 10.200 ft elevation with limited medical care, my partner is recovering from Stage IV cancer. I realize how fortunate I am and that my experience is not the same as others. I have family members who have passed from this deadly virus and thankfully that was not my experience. Every time I started to panic or my oxygen was low I would tell myself “you are at home, you are in your guest room, you are not in a hospital, you do not require a ventilator, you are going to be ok.”

Mindset is always a big contributor to any situation, but now on to what I believe contributed to my good outcome. 

Super-foods and Immune Support

I have been drinking the same superfoods for the past five years. When I tested positive for COVID-19 that did not change. I continued to drink my superfoods and also added in a cup a day of bone broth, and a supplement called VIrustat by a company called Energique. The superfoods I drink have been a constant and so I would like to share with you the blends that are in them and their healing properties. 

Since drinking my superfoods I have lost weight, curbed my asthma symptoms, achieved healthy blood pressure and cholesterol. In addition to all of this, I also used to get chronic bronchitis and I have not had bronchitis in years. SCORE! Below please see the following breakdown of ingredients and benefits as well as the attached label:

SATISFY YOUR CRAVING + HEALTHY ENERGY

Protein, fiber, and beneficial carbohydrates help curb cravings and provide healthy energy. Shakeology is a low-glycemic index (Low-GI) food. Low-GI foods release carbohydrates more slowly, causing a lower blood-glucose response. Protein and fiber help you feel full so you eat less, which helps support any weight-loss goals.*

LEAN MUSCLE SUPPORT

Protein also helps you maintain lean muscle mass and support muscle recovery. With 16 g of protein from multiple sources like flax and peas, Shakeology is a well-rounded protein source, providing all 9 essential amino acids.*

GUT HEALTH HELP

Probiotics, prebiotics, fiber, and digestive enzymes help support regularity and healthy digestion. Our formula has 6 g of soluble and insoluble fiber as well as beneficial bacteria.*

FREE-RADICAL FIGHTERS

Superfoods like camu-camu and pomegranate have antioxidant properties that can help fight free radical damage caused by the daily stresses of modern living.*

SYSTEM SUPPORT

Vitamins and minerals** help your bodies’ systems run smoothly, while superfoods and phytonutrients such as matcha green tea and kale support vitality.

STRESS BUSTERS

Adaptogenic herbs and botanicals have traditionally been used to help the body adapt and respond to the effects of stress, whether it’s from your busy lifestyle, the environment, or working out. Our proprietary blend includes unique ingredients like ashwagandha, reishi, and chaga, which you don’t usually get from an ordinary diet.*

One of my favorite properties of the superfoods I drink is the adaptogenic herbs. I first learned of adaptogens when I was working with Dr. Mamak Shakib, D.C. These magical herbs help to counteract the effects of stress in the body. Stress causes very real physical changes in the body, including harming the neurological, endocrine, and immune systems. Adaptogens have stimulant properties that help counteract those harmful effects. 

Another thing I learned from Dr. Shakib is how epigenetics works, and how we may have predispositions for certain ailments but it is our environment that determines whether or not these ailments will fully express themselves. As a social worker, I work in stressful environments daily, not to mention adding in the stress of daily living, and a global pandemic. I know how important it is to manage my stress levels with self-care, but being able to manage them with my diet has been a huge game-changer. The calmer I was able to be during my experience with covid the easier I could breathe and allow my body to heal and repair itself. I know that the adaptogenic herbs I put in my body daily helped along in that process. This is just one portion of all that these superfoods have to offer. I truly believe after five years of using plant-based blends of protein, antioxidants, probiotics/pre-biotics (which aid in supporting the gut health which is a huge immune booster, see my blog on Gut Health), greens, and adaptogens, I know I have built a healthy defense against my predisposing genetics and my environment. 

So many things are out of our control, but we can control what we put in our bodies and how we take care of ourselves. I hope this article finds you well and gives you some food for thought about how you can build your defenses.

If you feel like you are wanting more recipes, tips, and tricks to living your healthiest life, I have lots more tips and tricks where those came from. All of my meal plans include access to hundreds of recipes and short, easy, all levels workouts. If you have any specific recipes you would like or fitness program questions, always feel free to reach out to me. Thanks for reading. I hope this information was useful and finds you in a space of the heart. 

Love and Light Always

Sarah 

“Sarah Savino is my recommended Wellness and Nutrition Coach who resides in Colorado but has a community of clients she guides and manages nationally. She has her frequent retreats that her clients are encouraged but not required to attend and someone who knows first hand how it is to be overworked and overweight. She is a living truth that once within the right community and with the right guide, everything is possible. She can be reached thefitphilanthropist@gmail.com and facebook.com/sarah.savino IG- the_fit_philanthropist ”- Dr. Shakib, your Irvine Posture Chiropractor