BY SANDRA GUY

As each day brings more sobering news of COVID-19 hot spots, staying fit remains a top priority.

That’s especially true for women, who are holding down the fort like never before as essential workers, mothers, teachers and caregivers.

Fitness superwomen like those who compete on TV shows such as “American Ninja Warrior,” “The Titan Games” and other extreme competitions show how fierce women can be in uncertain times.

If fitness extremists seem out of reach, it’s still worth a pandemic-worthy effort to maintain good health, eat a super-clean diet and start a disciplined exercise regime.

Natural remedies can play a role in staying fit and healthy. One example is bitter melon, also known as bitter gourd, a tropical vine whose edible fruit is a staple in many types of Asian foods.

Bitter melon — low in calories but high in fiber — may help people keep their weight under control and could reduce body fat. But the studies that produced those results used high-dose supplements (2,000 mg daily) rather than the actual food.

Nevertheless, bitter melon is rich in vitamins C and A as well as antioxidant compounds such as catechin, gallic acid and epicatechin, according to a report in the Journal of Lipids.

Animal studies have also shown bitter melon may decrease cholesterol levels in a way that could boost heart health, according to a report in the Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. The research involved giving rats a bitter melon extract that reduced their “bad” LDL cholesterol levels.

The studies have yet to be replicated in humans, but the research paves the way for more hopeful news. That’s something to celebrate on National Women’s Health and Fitness Day on Sept. 30.