COVID-19 is an ongoing pandemic, affects different people in different ways. Most infected people will develop mild to moderate illness and recover without hospitalization. As the festive season has started in India celebrates Navratri, followed by Karwachauth. People of the country do fast during these festivals.
Doctors have advised people to avoid fasting during this festive season and make necessary changes to safeguard their health, especially if they are recovering from a Covid infection or belong to the high-risk group.
“People who are Covid positive or are recovering from Covid infection should avoid fasting during Navratri or Karwa Chauth. Those who are considered highly susceptible to the virus — elderly, people with diabetes, hypertension or other comorbidities, and pregnant and lactating women — should in no way fast during the pandemic,” said Col Vijay Dutta, senior consultant, internal and respiratory medicine at Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, New Delhi.
“Intermittent fasting shifts the primary energy source of the body from glucose to free fatty acid (FFA) which helps burn fat. However, fasting may reduce the body’s innate defence mechanisms as well as adaptive immune responses as immune cells which rely on glucose to sustain their function and proliferation. Reduced glucose availability and hypoinsulinemia during fasting may have negative effects on immune mechanisms,” he explained.
The doctors also advised pregnant and lactating women not to fast in such conditions. They cautioned that the whole day fasting could interfere with natural metabolism causing a hormonal imbalance which may lead to acidity, bloating, nausea, and discomfort.
Gauri Agarwal, a senior gynaecologist & fertility expert at Seeds of Innocence, New Delhi, said that the whole day of fasting can affect the blood sugar levels in pregnant women.
Pregnant women or lactating mothers should avoid fasting on both Navratri and Karwa Chauth. Day-long fasting can create stress on the body and adversely impact the blood sugar level, pushing it higher than normal.
source:https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/health/avoid-fasting-docs-advice-to-high-risk-covid-candidates-158017