When I speak with clinicians around the world, I’m often struck by how personal their journeys into COVID-19 care have been. My recent conversation with Dr Laika Khadri from Bangalore, India, was no different. Her path began not with COVID, but with cancer research, particularly the intriguing effects of metformin on cancer cells. Yet when the pandemic struck, she, like many others, pivoted to the pressing crisis—armed with her deep understanding of inflammation and immune dysregulation.
What impressed me most was how naturally she bridged the worlds of clinical research, biotechnology, and frontline patient care. In our discussion, she explained how pre-existing inflammation, rather than the virus alone, determines the severity of COVID illness. It reminded me of the analogy I often use—COVID is like spraying petrol on the smouldering embers of chronic inflammation. And as she noted, this smouldering is often silent, unnoticed until the infection arrives.
We explored the devastation of the Delta wave in India. Dr Khadri shared how nearly every family she knew was affected. Her own mother-in-law sadly passed away. It was a reminder that, despite the distance and cultural differences, this virus carved through communities with a similar cruelty around the world.
But the deeper value of our conversation came when we turned to what lies beneath the surface: the gut, the lymphatics, and the immune system. Dr Khadri laid out how gut dysbiosis and lymphatic dysfunction are likely core to post-COVID symptoms. She highlighted how lipids, bacterial fragments, and toxins absorbed through inflamed intestinal lacteals can influence everything from fatigue to clotting. Her insights into the connection between the microbiota, mitochondrial dysfunction, and chronic inflammation were compelling and reinforced many of the hypotheses I’ve long held.
What was even more striking was her caution about the popular mantra of “boosting immunity.” She warned, quite rightly, that an overactive immune system can be as dangerous as a suppressed one—especially in those already experiencing auto-inflammatory reactions. Balance, she emphasized, not just in immunity but in nutrition, inflammation, and microbiota, is the key.
Dr Khadri now works through her consultancy, Immune Inspired, offering nutritional guidance tailored to individual immune profiles. She uses basic blood markers—CRP, granulocytes, neutrophil counts—to distinguish who may need medication, anti-inflammatory care, or just nutritional adjustment. Her approach is thoughtful, rooted in science, and refreshingly patient-specific.
I believe voices like hers are vital in the ongoing COVID story. As the world attempts to “move on,” many are still struggling—often silently. Conversations like these remind us that we cannot afford to ignore the chronic layers of this illness. And we certainly shouldn’t dismiss those who are devoting their lives to understanding it.
If you’d like to explore more of Dr Khadri’s work, you can find her at Immune Inspired. And I hope this conversation helps spark your own curiosity about the complex world of post-viral health and healing.
Stay informed, stay reflective—and most of all, stay balanced.
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