Coming Out of Long Covid

For years I’ve listened to people talk about Long Covid—brain fog, exhaustion, joint pain, sleep issues, losing taste and smell. I never thought I’d join them.

I caught Covid badly three years ago. By day five, taste and smell were gone. Only this summer did I finally start smelling again—I’ve been like an overexcited dog sniffing everything! Taste returned, but with an excessive need for salt overload.

Before Covid, my motto was “I don’t get sick.” But since then, I’ve caught everything going around. Last year I had shingles, which spiraled into a Dark Night of the Soul—situational depression. I tried supplements, Lifewave patches (which balanced my hormones, improved sleep, eased aches, and even helped my skin), and later, detoxing under the guidance of my nutritionist friend Leisa.

She encouraged me to try the carnivore diet to rid the body of inflammation. I committed to a month of meat and eggs, extended it to six weeks, and felt incredible—brain fog lifted, energy surged, I lost ten pounds, and even wanted to exercise again. Eventually, I shifted to a more ancestral diet with some veggies and fruit. My body shape changed, my fitness returned, and I created a carb-free, sugar-free chocolate cake recipe to stay sane.

Still, I was struggling with hot flashes, low energy dips and disrupted sleep. A naturopath finally named it: “I think you have long Covid.” His tinctures helped immediately, and adding Lionsmane supported my sleep and hormones.

Then, on a recent writing course aboard the QM2 with my father, something magical happened—my creativity switched back on. For three years, my brain hadn’t fired with ideas, but suddenly the rusty wheels began to turn again. Now, I can’t stop writing. It makes me wonder—where have I been all this time?

All the pieces I’d put in place—diet, supplements, tinctures—finally clicked. After 21 days in bed with Covid, my focus was only on recovery. I forgot how vibrant, strong, and creative I used to feel. It’s as though I’ve dropped back into my body after years in a twilight zone.

For me, the biggest shift came from radically changing my diet—ditching sugar and carbs. I did fall off the wagon briefly (an American grocery store rekindled my love affair with childhood sugar!), but balance is key. I’ll return to what works for me, because preventative health is about experimentation, balance, and finding your truth.

And if you’d like to explore what really works for you—not what your parents thought should—you know where to find me: https://bit.ly/SOMindshift