COVID-19 is highly linked with hyperinflammation and dysfunction of the immune cells. Studies have shown that adequate nutrition, a modifiable factor affecting immunity and limiting systemic inflammation, may play an adjunct role in combating the negative consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Due to the global lockdown conditions, the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed, among others, to restrictions on fresh food availability and changes in lifestyle and eating behaviors. The aim of this paper was to review the data regarding eating habits in European countries within the general population of adults and some specific subpopulations, including obese, diabetic, and psychiatric patients, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The PubMed database and the official websites of medical organizations and associations were searched for the phrases “COVID” and “eating habits”. Papers regarding the pediatric population, non-European countries, presenting aggregated data from different countries worldwide, and reviews were excluded. During the COVID-19 pandemic, unhealthy lifestyles and eating behaviors were commonly reported. These included increased snacking, intake of caloric foods, such as sweets, pastries, and beverages, and a decline in physical activity. Data suggest that poor eating habits that create a positive energy balance have persisted over time as an additional post-COVID negative consequence.
Brain micropolarization has long been recognized as a therapeutic approach for the treatment of neurological disorders. In both neurological and psychiatric treatment, due to their functionality, noninvasive methods, such as Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), transcranial Electrical Stimulation (tES), and transcutaneous Vagal Nerve Stimulation (tVNS), are preferred. The above methods are registered for clinical use worldwide as adjuvant therapy for many neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, depression, brain stroke, vascular dementia, chronic pain, and others. Although SARS-CoV-2 is considered a respiratory pathogen, it also displays a potent neurotropism with neuropsychiatric consequences that may occur during the acute phase of infection or may be delayed even months after COVID-19 illness. People with long COVID conditions most commonly experience a ‘brain fog’, which is associated with cognitive deficits, concentration and memory disturbances, and headaches. Long-COVID may also include neuropsychiatric disorders such as dyssomnia, dementia, depression, or even psychosis. Neurological lesions have a multifactorial background and may be induced by the direct viral invasion of the neurons and glial cells, an inflammatory response with excessive cytokine reaction, or hypoxic injury due to respiratory impairment. Recently, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, it has been suggested to implement brain neurostimulation for the treatment of neurological manifestations. However, until now there are only a few studies, including clinical trials, presenting the practical use of this method. Since no authorized strategies and standards for long-COVID treatment are developed, neurostimulation may be considered as a potential therapeutic tool for alleviating neurological symptoms in patients with long-COVID19. Materials and methods To identify relevant papers, we searched PubMed and Wiley Online Library databases using the following keywords: neurostimulation, long-COVID, brain fog, and neuropsychiatric symptoms. A literature search was based on the current articles describing neurostimulation and Long-COVID conditions. Aim This paper aims to present neurostimulation as a potential therapy to alleviate persistent and chronic neuro-symptoms in patients infected with SARS-CoV2.
Aim of the study: Early motherhood is the time when the female body must cope with sleep deprivation, fatigue, and stress associated with increased responsibilities following the birth of the baby. The aim of this paper was to investigate the psychological wellbeing and physical activity of healthy mothers in the first months postpartum according to the infants’ feeding method. Materials and methods: 24 healthy exclusively breastfeeding and 13 healthy exclusively formula-feeding mothers participated in this study. The results were based on the standardised scales: Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and Kaiser Physical Activity Survey (KPAS). Results: When comparing data between the two studied groups, we found that breastfeeding women reported lower levels of sleepiness (p = 0.011) and fatigue (p = 0.0006) than formula-feeding mothers. Perceived stress and physical activity did not differ between the groups. Positive correlation between PSS and FSS was found (r = 0.62, p < 0.005) in the group of breastfeeding mothers. Conclusions: 1) In breastfeeding mothers, fatigue and perceived stress reinforce each other. This relationship serves as an alarm signal to provide nursing mothers with optimal care in order to prevent them from stopping breastfeeding. 2) In a healthy population of mothers from 3 to 6 months postpartum, exclusively breastfeeding women are observed to have lower fatigue and sleepiness levels compared to those who decided to feed their children with formula only. These conclusions may be an additional source of information for the promotion of breastfeeding.
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