Introduction
I just got “the call” that my mother has tested positive for COVID-19. She has all of the major comorbidities, so the prognosis is not good. We know that age, obesity, hypertension, and diabetes significantly increase the risk of hospitalization and death. While we cannot change our age, we CAN reduce our weight, lower our blood pressure, and normalize our blood sugar. Achieving a normal weight and waist circumference is our best chance for fighting this off.
I come from a family that always “battled with their weight.” My father died just shy of his 91st birthday, but he spent the last 40 years of his life in poor health due to metabolic conditions. My mother, now turning 85, has struggled with obesity and type 2 diabetes for decades. These conditions are deeply related to diet and lifestyle—factors that could have been put into remission with the right changes.
Shared Comorbidities
When I became obese and developed type 2 diabetes myself, I justified it as “genetics.” I realize now that the high risk was our shared diet and lifestyle. Our comorbidities were adopted, not inherited. I spent years using food as comfort, contributing to the hyperinsulinemia that drives metabolic disease.
Three years ago, I began my own health journey. I lost approximately 60 pounds and a foot off my waist, putting my blood pressure and diabetes into remission. This anniversary marks two years of active weight loss and a year of maintenance.
Joy’s Health Recovery: April 2017, April 2019, and April 2020.
The Challenge of Protective Immunity
A report in The Lancet indicated that while 90% of severe, hospitalized cases develop IgG antibodies, fewer than 10% of non-hospitalized individuals with milder symptoms develop antibodies [1]. This suggests that herd immunity may be a dim prospect. If most people don’t produce antibodies after infection, they are not immune and could potentially be reinfected. Lowering our personal risk through metabolic health is the most proactive step we can take.
The Reward System: Carbs and Fats
For many, the combination of refined carbohydrates and fat results in massive dopamine release from the brain’s reward center—significantly more than when eating either alone [2]. This drives cravings and the “comfort eating” many have turned to during lockdowns. These refined foods contribute to the high rates of obesity and hyperinsulinemia we see today across North America.
We need to differentiate between refined “carbs” and real, whole foods. Eating significantly less processed food and more nutrient-dense whole food is both safe and clinically effective. If we are not willing to admit that obesity and high blood sugar are problems, we remain in denial.
Final Thoughts
It is my hope that presenting this evidence motivates people to consider change. Obesity, hypertension, and diabetes are significant risk factors in this pandemic. If not now, when? I wish each of you good health and a long life.
More Info?
If I can help support your health journey, please let me know by reaching out through the Contact form.
To your good health!
Joy
You can follow me on:
Twitter: https://x.com/jyerdile
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BetterByDesignNutrition/
References
- Altmann DM, Douek D, Boyton RJ. What policy makers need to know about COVID-19 protective immunity. The Lancet. 2020 May 30;395(10238):1527-1529. [https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30985-5]
- DiFeliceantonio AG, et al. Supra-Additive Effects of Combining Fat and Carbohydrate on Food Reward. Cell Metabolism. 2018;28(1):33-44. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2018.05.018]
© 2025 BetterByDesign Nutrition Ltd.
Joy Erdile is the Registered Dietitian at BetterByDesign Nutrition Ltd., and has been supporting clients’ nutritional needs since 2008. Joy has a post graduate degree in Human Nutirion, more than 17 years of experience in private practice, and is a published in mental health nutrition. She is licensed in BC, Alberta, and Ontario, and her areas of expertise range from routine to clinically complex cases. Joy is passionate about helping people feel better and restore their health, and believes that there is no one-size-fits-all approach, but that Nutrition is BetterByDesign©.