Staying Healthy During the Coronavirus Pandemic!
With so many basic items hard to find on store shelves, this is a good time to try Amazon Prime! Amazon is also experiencing the effects of panic-buying. But I have found a few items that were unavailable in my local store.
I am sure you have read most of these suggestions a hundred times. Get ready for time 101, plus a few tips that I have not seen elsewhere!
Social Distancing is your new friend!
People are social creatures. Even anti-social homebodies don't want the government telling you to stay in your house if possible and to stay 6 feet away from others when you do venture out.
Being ordered to keep our distance feels like a violation of our freedom. But that does not negate the fact that it is a good idea and we should give it a chance. By slowing the spread of COVID-19, we are giving hospitals and manufacturers a chance to catch up. Many of us may benefit from advances in medicine, as science tries to figure out the best way to handle future cases.
Wash Your Hands!
The internet is filled with memes about this being 2020, and we are still trying to teach people to wash their hands. Before you dismiss these lessons, please take a minute to watch the instructional videos. Are you really washing your hands as good as they suggest?
You should be thoroughly scrubbing your soapy, wet hands for at least 20 seconds. Wrists, palms, backs of hands, between your fingers, and around your fingernails. A good timing trick is to sing the "Happy Birthday" song to yourself twice.
I do not always wash my hands as thoroughly as they suggest. But I am washing them that thoroughly:
- When I wake up
- Before and after work and shopping
- After checking the mail or bringing in deliveries
- Before and after caring for my 88-year-old neighbor (She has a very hard time recovering from illness. I also try to hold my breath or at least breathe away from her when I have to get physically close.)
- After starting a load of laundry
- Before bed
Sanitize and Moisturize!
If you are lucky enough to come across some hand sanitizer for those times when soap and a sink aren't handy, don't forget to moisturize! Many sanitizers come with aloe as a healthy way to help combat the drying effects of alcohol.
Still, our hands are not meant to be scrubbed with soap and doused with chemicals so many times per day. Be sure to pick up a good moisturiser before your hands show signs of irritation. Preferably something mild and unscented if you have allergies.
Take care of your health!
If you do catch coronavirus, your first line of defense will be your own immune system. Keep your body as healthy as possible by getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, meditating to reduce stress, and getting fresh air and exercise.
The above tasks may be hard between recent closures, "stay-in-place" / lockdown / quarantine orders, and all the panic-buying that is going on. Just do your best.
Sleep
Your mind and body will both function better if you routinely get a good night's sleep. I do not have a solution for noisy neighbors or for your mind wondering all over the place when you lay down at night. But there are some tricks that can help.
- Find your optimal sleeping temperature. Most people sleep best when their house is cool. Blankets, electric blankets, and fans can help keep everyone reasonably comfortable.
- Blackout curtains can help control light. Consider a nightlight if your home is starting to feel "spooky."
- Fans, music, and white noise really do make a difference!
- I know a lot of people who get a more restful night's sleep with the help of Melatonin. Reminder: Do your research before taking any new medications or supplements.
Eat Healthy
I know, panic buying is causing shortages all over the place! A good multi-vitamin and calcium supplement can help fill in the gaps.
Did you know, some vitamins are fat-soluble. I try to take my multi-vitamin with a lunch that includes healthy fats. If my lunch was fat-free, I take it with a fish oil supplement. Fish oil and multi-vitamins are complimentary. According to ClinicalTrials.gov , "Combining fish oil and vitamin C supplementation will provide a greater anti-inflammatory effect again."
Calcium may be better absorbed when taken separately from your multi-vitamin. I take mine around supper time. (last meal of the day)
One of my grandmother's home health nurses swears by airborne effervescent tablets. The recommended dose is expensive and seems a bit excessive with the multi-vitamin. But I do occasionally take one a day for an extra boost.
Meditate and reduce stress
These are stressful times. Take some time each day, multiple times per day if you can, to clear your mind. Find your happy place and find peace. If you have a relaxing hobby that can be done at home, do it. Consider a music subscription or look for Youtube playlists. Pray. Soak in the tub or stand under the shower a few extra minutes while the kids watch videos or nap. Sit alone in your closet with the lights off and just breathe.
Remember these words of encouragement: "This is only temporary", "Life will go on", "Life will be normal again", and "This is only temporary."
Yes, I realize that I stated that this is only temporary twice. Once from a standpoint of "this is only temporary, we will not be locked in our houses forever." and once from a standpoint of "Life is only temporary. Trust your God to get you through this."
Fresh air and exercise
A strong body to help defeat whatever illness may come your way! I am fortunate to live in a small town where I can easily walk my dog and tend to my garden without coming within 10 feet of other humans.
A lot of people don't have the same living situation that I do. With so many gyms being forced to close, this is a good time to learn how to work out with what you have.
If you don't know where to start or if you are bored with your own routine, Youtube and several streaming services will have exercise videos available!
Did you know that there are even videos for less mobile individuals to exercise from their chair?
Use common sense and be careful not to overdo it. Quarantine is not the time to try out new moves that you are unsure of.
Look for the silver linings
Use this time to organize and prioritize your life. Go through that box of "junk". Scan family photos. Remind yourself what is really important. Cherrish any extra time you get to spend with loved ones. Check on friends and relatives that you are usually too busy for - especially if you suspect they are being isolated alone. (Warning: Calling a lonely loved one can be stressful in itself.)
Think about who you are and who you want to be. Come up with a plan, a few simple steps, to get you closer to where you want to be.
And don't forget to have some fun! Be a goofball. Release your inner creativity. Laugh at the "covid-19" parodies. (well-known songs, re-written about quarantine). Break out the board games.
Challenge yourself.
Make plans for what you can look forward to this time next year. - Maybe you could video yourself doing a home-version of it now and doing the real thing when this is over!
And remember, Do Not Panic!
Every tickle, cough, or sneeze is not "the rona" come to get you. If you do get sick, let somebody know. Ask your doctor about testing options. Follow suggestions to self-quarantine for at least 14 days.
Let somebody know if you run out of or don't have something important while in quarantine. If that person can't help you, ask someone else until you get it. I pray that people will surprise you with their generosity!
Life will return to normal. It will never be the same, but there will be a new normal and it will be good.