Going vegan this year was one of the best decisions of my life | Shaista Aziz

Having long Covid made me reassess my health and wellbeing, and the benefits have been profound

At the start of 2021, I was diagnosed with long Covid. It was a huge relief to finally know why I had been struggling so much with my health - extreme fatigue, continuous coughing and, most distressing of all, brain fog and panic attacks. The diagnosis was also the beginning of a journey that would take me - of all places - to a life-changing decision about what I eat.

After further tests, I was told it was very likely that I had caught Covid a while ago, possibly at the start of the pandemic, before tests were available. I'm very fortunate to have a brilliant and caring GP who listens to me and provides me with support. He signed me off work for two months and helped me understand that I needed real rest to assist my recovery.