Publish 11 October 2022
After masking doors and windows for years away from the general population, could a damper on your excitement be due to a nutritional deficiency?
Shut-In Species
Were you one of—well, everybody—who lived through the global shutdown? During months of anxiety, home food delivery and binge-watching movies were the norm. Perhaps you were one of millions who learned how to bake bread from scratch, or cut and dye their own hair. A generation came to birth that is more familiar with social media than vacationing.
Venturing outdoors was as risky as a pedestrian crossing a freeway. Like nocturnal creatures, we only temporarily emerged from relative darkness to feel the sunlight burn our slow-constricting dilated pupils.
We acquired a wardrobe of facial masks more vast than any hat collection. The super-cautious covered their eyes, noses, mouths, and arms. After brief errands, we scurried back to our homes like insects beneath an overturned garden rock.
Risky Protection
Tempting infection, some people associated with visiting family. Covid cases continued to rise. The pandemic came at a great cost. Many people lost their jobs. Favorite restaurant locations bid us farewell. Prices soared at those remaining. Telemedicine could not keep up with rising anxiety and depression cases.
As if being pardoned from a lengthy prison term, many shut-ins gladly accepted vaccinations. We expected this to awaken us from a nightmare and return us to lives of normalcy. But the virus kept mutating. Second and third vaccinations followed.
In response to a crippling economy, governments began relenting. Unmasked citizens, with few restrictions, are now allowed to go out into the public, dine, shop, and travel. Two-year-old children born during the pandemic, and those a few years prior, are getting their first memorable glimpse of real-life vertically propelled unmasked Homo sapiens.
Symptoms of Confinement
Despite best efforts to resist, most of the world’s population has contracted Covid. Early victims battled, sometimes unsuccessfully, for their lives. Nowadays, many vaccinated people compare reactions to mild flu symptoms. Others have what is termed Long Covid symptoms that include persistent fatigue.
Post-COVID conditions might not be confirmed by tests:
General symptoms
- Tiredness or fatigue interfering with daily life
- Worsening symptoms after physical or mental effort (also known as “post-exertional malaise”)
- Fever
Respiratory and heart symptoms
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Persistent cough
- Chest pain
- Fast-beating or pounding heart (heart palpitations)
Neurological symptoms
- Difficulty thinking or concentrating (“brain fog”)
- Headache
- Sleep problems
- Dizziness when standing
- Pins-and-needles feelings
- Change in smell or taste
- Depression or anxiety
Digestive symptoms
- Diarrhea
- Stomach pain
Other symptoms
- Joint or muscle pain
- Skin rash
- Menstrual cycle changes
Are you one of the fortunate who has never been infected? A new species of humans is emerging from the pandemic—hopefully more resilient to the deadly virus. But many, accustomed to life behind curtains, are discovering new symptoms of brain fog, fatigue, joint pain, head sweating, depression, intimacy issues and a host of other symptoms associated with vitamin D deficiency.
Do not overdose on vitamin D. Consuming well over the daily recommended dosage can be toxic. In such cases, you may experience nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting, along with cramping in the legs and ringing in the ears.
A primary source of this essential vitamin is the sun. Remaining indoors without sufficient supplementation can lead to depletion. If you can‘t seem to get your mojo working, the mystery may be resolved with a prescription supplement. Schedule an appointment with your primary physician for testing.
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To support the writing of useful articles about immunology, ClinicalPosters sells human anatomy charts, scientific posters, and other products online. You may sponsor specific articles or remit a small donation.
ClinicalPosters sells human anatomy charts, scientific posters, and other products online to offset expense of the writing useful articles about immunology. Slide extra posters into DeuPair Frames without removing from the wall.
ClinicalPosters sells human anatomy charts, scientific posters, and other products online. You may remit a small donation.
You can support the writing of useful articles about immunology by sponsoring specific articles or remitting a small donation. Visible content is optimized for device size. Story includes one or more generative AI images to help readers visualize scenes.
