Trump's Fast-Food Diet May Make His COVID Symptoms Worse

 President Trump just disclosed to the world that he and his wife, Melania Trump, have both tested positive for coronavirus.

After months of downplaying the severity of COVID-19 and just yesterday telling an audience "the end of the pandemic is in sight," Trump announced on Twitter early this morning that he and the first lady have contracted the disease.

The announcement came just two hours after he disclosed on Twitter that his close adviser, Hope Hicks tested positive. With less than a month until the election, Trump's two-week quarantine will interfere with his campaigning schedule—especially if he doesn't take his recovery seriously.

While there are so many things health experts still don't know about coronavirus, there is one thing that people do have control of that may help expedite the recovery process: a healthy diet. Registered dietitian and nutritionist, Cordialis Msora-Kasago, MA, RDN, a Los Angeles-based national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics told Eat This, Not That! in a previous article that diet plays an essential role in recovery.

As your body fights coronavirus, it endures higher levels of inflammation yet lower levels of micro-and macronutrients your body needs to sustain itself. In order to bring down those inflammation levels and support the immune system, one has to replenish with healthful foods—not foods that further promote inflammation.  

"Studies indicate that malnutrition […] impacts recovery time and increases risk of complications," said Msora-Kasago. "In addition to helping the body maintain a healthy weight and stay strong, good nutrition provides the nutrients needed to optimize the immune system and aid in recovery."

It's no secret that Trump's diet isn't the healthiest. In fact, the president is often criticized for his terrible eating habits, including regularly eating fried foods and red meat. His infamous gargantuan McDonald's order, which clocks in at 2,390 calories, is also a point of concern. In addition to his poor dietary habits, he also has a condition that puts him at a higher risk of adverse symptoms to coronavirus.

Last year, Trump released his physical to the public, which revealed that he is considered obese for his height. As Dr. Mark Cucuzzella, MD, FAAFP said to ETNT in an article, "Recent research has shown that in the United States, the majority of individuals needing hospitalization due to COVID-19 had a preexisting health condition, such as hypertension, obesity, and type 2 diabetes."