How to Get Better After Long COVID

 

Overcoming Long COVID: 

A Functional Medicine Approach

COVID-19 has affected millions of people around the world. While many recover fully, others continue to experience lingering symptoms for weeks or even months. This condition, known as Long COVID, affects up to 30% of those who had the virus, leaving them struggling with issues like extreme tiredness, brain fog, shortness of breath, chest pain, and joint discomfort. Many people with Long COVID also develop conditions such as fibromyalgia, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), or Histamine Intolerance, making recovery even more complicated.

If you or a loved one are dealing with Long COVID, you don’t have to go through it alone. Functional medicine offers a personalized, root-cause approach to healing. Instead of just treating symptoms, it looks deeper to find out why your body is struggling to recover—and what can be done to help. By working with Shannon, a Functional Medicine Health Coach at Intentional Wellness, you can get expert guidance and support on your journey to healing.

 

 

What is Long COVID?

Long COVID, also called Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection (PASC), is a condition where symptoms continue long after the initial infection. It affects different parts of the body, including the nervous system, immune system, and energy production pathways. No two people experience it exactly the same way, which is why a personalized approach is so important.

Common Symptoms of Long COVID:

• Extreme fatigue and muscle weakness
• Brain fog (trouble thinking, remembering, or focusing)
• Headaches and dizziness
• Shortness of breath and heart palpitations
• Digestive issues (bloating, nausea, or food sensitivities)
• Joint pain and body aches
• Sleep disturbances and anxiety

Why Do These Symptoms Happen?

Scientists believe Long COVID is caused by a mix of different issues, including:

• Chronic Inflammation – The immune system stays overly active, causing ongoing pain and fatigue.
• Immune System Imbalance – Some people develop autoimmune reactions, where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells.
• Mitochondrial Dysfunction – The tiny energy factories in your cells (mitochondria) stop working properly, leading to extreme exhaustion.
• Gut Issues – A disrupted microbiome (the bacteria in your gut) can lead to inflammation, food intolerances, and immune dysfunction.

While conventional medicine focuses mostly on managing symptoms, functional medicine goes deeper to uncover and fix the root causes—leading to real, lasting recovery.

 

How Functional Medicine Can Help You Heal

If you’re struggling with Long COVID, Shannon at Intentional Wellness can help you create a recovery plan that fits your unique needs. Functional medicine focuses on whole-body healing by improving nutrition, immune function, energy levels, and gut health.

Step 1: Finding the Root Causes & Reducing Exposure

Instead of just treating symptoms, Shannon will work with you to identify what’s causing your lingering health issues.This might include:

• Looking at inflammation levels and immune function
• Checking for gut imbalances and food sensitivities
• Evaluating nutrient deficiencies that affect energy and healing
• Exploring how stress, sleep, and lifestyle impact recovery
• Using air and water filters to reduce exposure to pollutants.
• Eating organic produce to minimize pesticide intake.
• Incorporating detox-supportive practices like sauna therapy and dry brushing.

By understanding these underlying issues, you can take targeted steps toward healing instead of just guessing what might help.

 

Step 2: Supporting the Immune System

For many Long COVID patients, the immune system stays on high alert, causing inflammation and making it harder for the body to fully recover. Functional medicine helps by:

• Lowering Inflammation: Eating foods rich in omega-3s, turmeric, and antioxidants can calm an overactive immune system.
• Balancing Immune Function: Nutrients like vitamin D, zinc, and probiotics help bring the immune system back to a normal, healthy state.
• Healing Chronic Fatigue & Brain Fog: Mitochondria-supporting nutrients like CoQ10, magnesium, and acetyl-L-carnitine can restore energy and mental clarity.
• Pacing and Resting: Shannon can help you develop an activity plan that prevents burnout and allows for gradual recovery.  

  

Step 3: Healing the Gut for Better Immunity

Many people with Long COVID experience digestive issues, food sensitivities, or histamine intolerance. That’s because about 70% of your immune system lives in your gut! If your gut is out of balance, your immune system struggles too.

Ways to Improve Gut Health:

• Probiotics & Prebiotics: Help restore good gut bacteria and improve digestion.
• Gut-Healing Supplements: Nutrients like L-glutamine, zinc, and collagen repair the gut lining.
• Anti-Inflammatory Diet: Whole foods, bone broth, and fermented foods can support healing.

 

Step 4: Managing Mast Cell Activation & Histamine Intolerance

Some Long COVID patients develop Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) or histamine intolerance, leading to symptoms like skin rashes, flushing, dizziness, and digestive problems. Shannon can help you:

• Follow a low-histamine diet, avoiding foods that trigger inflammation.
• Use natural supplements like quercetin and vitamin C to calm the immune response.
• Support detoxification with milk thistle, glutathione, and cruciferous vegetables to process histamine more effectively. to help your body clear out histamine. 

Step 5: Restoring Energy & Reducing Stress

Long COVID drains your body’s ability to produce energy, but the right lifestyle changes can help you feel stronger again.

• Mitochondrial Support: Supplements like CoQ10, alpha-lipoic acid, and magnesium improve energy production.

• Better Sleep Habits: Simple changes to your routine (sleep hygiene), along with natural sleep aids like melatonin, can improve rest and healing.

• Gentle Movement: Shannon can help you create an exercise plan that supports recovery without overexerting yourself to lower cortisol levels.

Reducing stress is also important. Techniques like yoga, meditation, deep breathing, and mindfulness can lower inflammation and improve healing.

The Path to Recovery: 

Get Support from Shannon at Intentional Wellness

Recovering from Long COVID can be a challenging journey, but it’s important to remember that recovery is possible. Consulting a healthcare provider – especially one who is an functional medicine trained healthcare professional, resting and pacing yourself, exercising, eating a healthy diet, practicing stress management, and seeking support are all important steps in your recovery. Remember to be patient and kind to yourself and take it one day at a time.

Healing from Long COVID is possible, but it takes time, the right approach, and the right support. Working with a Functional Medicine Health Coach like Shannon can help you:

• Understand your symptoms and their root causes
• Create a step-by-step recovery plan tailored to your needs
• Make simple lifestyle changes that support long-term healing
• Get expert guidance on supplements, nutrition, and self-care

You don’t have to figure this out alone. If you’re ready to start feeling better, Shannon at Intentional Wellness can help.

Sign up for Functional Medicine Health Coaching today and take the first step toward healing from Long COVID.

 

References

• Hollander, David. “Intestinal Permeability, Leaky Gut, and Intestinal Disorders.” PubMed, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11577579/.
• Nigh, Gregory W., and Shalley E. Greenberg. “A Clinician’s Guide to the Elimination Diet.” PubMed Central, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5647120/