One Woman’s Journey With COVID-19 Recovery

Marisel is a mother of two, who was recently looking to get back into a fitness routine. But she was having problems committing to her workouts, having neither the time nor the headspace.

Then the pandemic happened. Marisel quickly found that she had tested positive for COVID-19 and despite having no preexisting conditions or autoimmune issues, found herself hospitalized for oxygen support and medication — even coming close to ending up in the ICU.

A Time to Heal

In the hospital, Marisel could only rest and let her body recover. It was a scary time, since she didn’t know if she would get better, and what would she do if and when that happened. She spent her time watching TED talks, to nurture her mind as well as to find out what she could do to become healthier. Marisel learned that stress can negatively impact the brain, causing higher cortisol levels and potential heart attacks. But with regular exercise, she learned she could reduce stress, and strengthen her immune system, helping her recover from her condition.

Despite Marisel getting discharged two weeks after the hospital admitted her, she needed a full seven weeks to become well enough to exercise. She was having trouble breathing, which is a common problem associated with COVID patients attempting cardiovascular exercise…