Research suggests plant-based diet can help reduce COVID-19 risks. Is that true?
 |  | By Daphne Lee, News Editor | | I'll refrain from asking how on earth it's October already. Instead, let's talk about food because it's Friday and World Vegetarian Day.
For a while, I quit eating meat after sitting through a brutal lecture on animal cruelty and factory farming. But life isn't worth living if I can no longer have fried chicken. What I can do is to try to be more mindful about what I eat on a daily basis.
Now I probably eat too much tofu, and sometimes I substitute ground pork with shiitake mushrooms just because. And who doesn't love the convenience of sheet pan roasted vegetables on a weeknight? | | | Today's Top Story | | Can a Plant-Based Diet Reduce COVID-19 Risk? |  | Countless studies have claimed that a plant-based diet can work wonders for our health, like reducing risk of stroke. Since last year, some scientists have also suggested a plant-based diet may lower the risk of COVID-19 infection and hospitalization.
The journalist in me was very skeptical about these claims because COVID-19 is spread through respiratory droplets and airborne transmission, and a carrot won't block someone's spit from my face. So we asked the researchers about their studies.
Andrew Chan, MD, MPH, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, says even though diet isn't a primary risk factor for COVID-19, it can predict many health conditions that may worsen a coronavirus infection. There's limited research on the gut microbiome, but healthy gut bacteria derived from a balanced diet could potentially strengthen your immune system.
People who can afford a plant-based diet may also be more likely to have better household conditions or access to care.
The bottom line is that a plant-based diet alone won't make you invincible, but it's indicative of a certain lifestyle. "Diet is one aspect of risk that is important to take into account but it is not the only aspect," Chan says. "We know for sure that the science demonstrates that vaccinations are critical, as is wearing a mask." | | Know More | | Foods that have a "plant-based" label aren't necessarily healthier, experts say, because you might be tempted to buy a bag of veggie chips over real vegetables. A healthy diet doesn't have to be complicated: Choose fresh produce over processed foods and prioritize basic foods like seeds, nuts, and fruits when you're shopping for groceries. | | Feel Better | | Ongoing research is evaluating exactly how the microorganisms in our gut work to protect us from illnesses. Fruits and vegetables like apples, bananas, and artichokes are rich in soluble fiber and prebiotics, which may help promote calcium absorption and improve immune functions. | | |  | | Why does it feel like the seasonal flu shot doesn't always work? Every year, flu shots are updated to counter predicted mutations. But sometimes researchers might miscalculate the mutations and the circulating variants may not be covered in the update. |  |  | | Afraid of Needles? Vaccines May Be Coming to Your Nose | | You might be able to get a COVID-19 shot up your nose rather than having a needle jabbed into your arm. New research shows that a nasal spray may offer even more protection than typical in-arm vaccine injections. Since COVID-19 infection occurs in the nose, scientists are suggesting to concentrate immune response in the same area so it prevents the virus from getting deeper into the body. But it might still take a while before any intranasal vaccine enters the market. | | | | Older Americans Aren't Using Health Savings Account | | Healthcare costs can be daunting, especially if you're going into retirement. Only a quarter of Americans aged 50 to 80 have saved money for health care expenses, and only a fraction of them are utilizing tax-free health savings accounts, according to a new poll. In addition to your retirement fund, it might be worth investing in a health savings account, which can grow over time and help pay for future medical services. | | | | | |  | | Paola de Varona, associate news editor of Verywell Health, is an advocate for early mornings. |  | | Wake up an hour before starting your workday. Use that time to do something that isn't about productivity to stay grounded. I like to take a walk or meditate. | |  |  | Paola de Varona
Verywell Health Associate News Editor
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