Understanding general health symptoms during your COVID-19 recovery

Discover nutritional information and resources to help understand and improve your general health symptoms related to COVID-19

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General health symptoms

  • Dizziness
  • Exhaustion after physical activity such as walking
  • Excessive tiredness after performing physical activity
  • Muscle and weight loss
  • Low energy or tiredness
  • Weakness
  • Pain, headaches, chest tightness
  • Fatigue

What do these symptoms have to do with my diet?

  • These symptoms may prevent you from shopping, cooking or eating the amount or types of food that you need.
  • Not eating enough or eating a diet with limited variety may lead to many of these symptoms.
  • Many of these symptoms may put you off exercising, which in turn may increase your risk of chronic conditions, such as hypertension, diabetes and obesity, and worsen your overall health.

Resources

You can listen to a podcast where our research lead was interviewed about malnutrition, general dietary advice and symptoms, antihistamine diets and more.
The British Dietetic Association Critical Care Specialist group provides eating recommendations after critical illness – Nutrition at Home after Critical Illness, which includes many of the same symptoms. Information includes:
  • Regaining muscle strength
  • Healthy eating
  • Understanding food labels
  • Links to more information such as recipe ideas and physical activity
Chartered Society of Physiotherapy have advice on pacing, motivation, exercises and other resources.
The Royal College of Occupational Therapists provides information on how to conserve your energy, including pacing, planning and prioritising activities to help you save energy.
The Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust provide ideas for energy saving when planning meals in a guide to Eating well with a small appetite [PDF] .
The Swansea Bay University Health Board has a Covid and Long Covid recovery – therapy information pack which provides ideas for fatigue management and moving and exercise.
Your GP may be able to refer you the Exercise on Referral Scheme.
NHS 10 minute workouts can be found on the NHS website.
There are also apps to help you build up your fitness e.g. Couch to 5k.

Contact us

This knowledge hub is constantly being reviewed and updated. We welcome your comments or feedback about it.

Please contact abigail.troncohernandez@plymouth.ac.uk and we will get back to you promptly.