We are certainly living in interesting times, aren't we?
Let's talk about how to cope with all the things happening today.
Many countries around the world including Italy, China, Peru and others have been on lock down (quarantine) for 2-4 weeks in order to prevent the spread of the Corona Virus and it is likely that we will be next. This practice has been successful in stopping the spread of CV. The only places people are allowed to go during lock down are supermarkets, gas stations, and the pharmacy.
Until then, since most of us are still working and in public places, we must strengthen our immune system. 1,000 mg of Vitamin C taken 3 times per day between meals is great to boost the immune system. Other things to boost the immune system include: zinc 30 mg per day, garlic (1 clove per day), fresh grated ginger, raw onions, mushroom extracts, fresh fruits, berries, nuts and vegetables, bone broth etc. It is important to get good sleep, fresh air, and 15 minutes of direct sunlight without sunscreen for the natural vitamin D synthesis in the skin which had been used to treat other viral epidemics in the past.
In times of crisis we see humanity at its best and at its worse. While some people do things such as looting during a riot, others step up and donate resources, time, and services. Nike and other retailers are giving their employees paid leave to prevent or curtail the spread of the virus. And some NBA players are donating money to pay for arena staff who will be out of work for at least 1 month due to arena closures. These types of stories, where people and businesses are going above and beyond their call of duty, are something to inspire and uplift us amid such uncertain and potentially stressful times.
What to do if you are stuck at home? Use this time as an opportunity for growth, self improvement, and relationship bolstering. Here are some ideas:
1. Share a healthy meal with a family member. Many of us skip meals, eat on the run, or just don't have organized eating habits. This is the time to slow down and eat consciously and deliberately and together. Since grocery stores are still open (perhaps with limited hours), you can still find a lot of the ingredients for various recipes, and if not you can improvise! A delicious breakfast I ate with my daughter who is homeschooling today is an acai bowl. I use a basic recipe and make substitutions such as almond milk instead of apple juice and I add a scoop of plain protein powder to offset all the fructose (natural sugar). This is not something we can usually do on a weekday (it's more of a Sunday treat) so we can cherish the chance to break out of the normal routine and make the morning special with a delicious and nutritious meal. A healthy meal is a great line of defense and spending quality time with a loved one is priceless. Maybe add a gratitude prayer before and/or after the meal. Use the extra time to explore a few new recipes for dishes you haven't made yet but would like to try.
2. Exercise. The gyms might be closed but don't let that stunt your creativity! Get your favorite playlist and have a dance party, dust off that old cardio equipment or workout DVDs that you never use and get your money's worth. There are a plethora of free yoga, qi gong, tai chi, belly dancing and other exercise videos on youtube that you can watch and do in your living room. You can do jumping jacks, burpees, sit ups, plank, squats, lunges, push ups and much more without needing much space at all.
3. Meditation and/or prayer or journaling. This is a great time to introspect. Give another meaning to "going inside." Ask yourself important questions about your goals and dreams and plans and be still and welcome the answers that come to you. There are so many things we put on the back burner because we "don't have time." Guess what, now we have time! What a blessing! Time is the most precious commodity of them all. Let's utilize it positively and create healthy habits to take beyond the lock down! Start a gratitude journal and count all your daily blessings.
4. Household projects. Here is an opportunity to clear your clutter. Organize your closets, shelves, drawers, basement, attic, yard/garden. Our space is important for the way we function. Getting rid of things that we no longer use or need is very liberating on many levels. Looking around at an organized and clean home is a wonderful feeling.
5. Personal Growth. We have access to so many wonderful educational tools. Read books, watch Ted Talks on any subject that interests you, watch (Netflix) documentaries such as What the Health, The Game Changers, Forks over Knives, Super size me, The business of cancer, The business of being born, vaccine-nation, and others. There are audible books, study the bible or review other texts to improve your job performance.
6. Crafts. You may have a special skill that you don't have time to cultivate such as painting, piano, sewing, poetry or creating a photo album book of your favorite digital photos. This is a time to pick up creative projects and perhaps even discover a hidden talent. You can create a vision board, draw, sing, write a short story.
7. Plan ahead. You can do research for a blog article, make changes to your website, come up with a new advertisement or campaign for work. Many events (industrial and social) had to be canceled because of the social distancing recommendations. Start looking into replacement or substitute events, races, and gatherings.
8. Self care. Light a candle and take a hot bath with epsom salts, baking soda and your favorite essential oils. An oatmeal bath can be quite luxurious too (1 cup in pantyhose with a knot) . Cleanse, exfoliate, and moisturize your skin and use your favorite facial mask. Listen to relaxation music, binaural beats, or a guided meditation. Take care of your nails and your hair. Exchange massages with a family member. Enjoy aroma therapy in the form of an essential oil diffuser, incense, or scented candles. Use a Himalayan rock salt lamp for the benefits of the negative ions. Remember self care is not selfish. Self care is self preservation. When we are calm and peaceful we can make better decisions and enjoy life more. It benefits us and those we love.
9. Think positive thoughts. We are bombarded by negative messages in the media so we need to be mindful about what we are ingesting mentally. Positive affirmations such as, "this too shall pass" or "one day at a time" can help us to get through challenging times by staying present and positive and not letting ourselves become overwhelmed by all the potentially anxiety-provoking things happening around us.
10. Stay hydrated. Drink lots of alkaline or spring water or herbal tea. Dehydration makes us susceptible to illness and fatigue. Drinking 8 glasses of 16 ounces will help our bodies to flush out impurities, and keep us healthy. Cold infusions with berries, oranges, lemon, mint, ginger, or cucumbers can be very refreshing and provide added benefits.
11. Play games with family members. Such as xbox/nintendo/PS4/wii, cards, charades, board games, hangman, connect four and more. Or watch a movie/show together. Spending time with family members is a luxury we often miss out on even though we may live under the same roof. Having a game night or special family time can be a nice way to improve relationships.
12. Breathe. One of the best ways to change your mood, attitude, or state of mind is to change your breath. There are many different breath meditations in yoga involving, for example, breathing in one nostril and exhaling out the other one to relax the body and mind and promote wellbeing. There are also various counting breath-work techniques such as the 4-7-8 breathing technique, also known as “relaxing breath.” It involves breathing in for 4 seconds, holding the breath for 7 seconds, and exhaling for 8 seconds. This breathing pattern aims to reduce anxiety or help people get to sleep. Experiment and explore with different breathing meditations and find one that resonates with you. Breath classes can be transformational. Most of us do not realize that we are breathing shallow in our chest due to stress and not fully engaging our diaphragm and expanding our rib-cage with deep abdominal breathing.
13. Laugh. Laughter is the best medicine. There is actually a case of someone who laughed his cancer into remission. Watch some stand up on Amazon Prime, rent a funny movie, don’t take things so seriously. Yes we need to be careful and cautious but we also need to enjoy our lives and have fun!
In summary, we need to get back to the basics in order not only to maintain and preserve our health and sanity, but these same preservational activities and exercises for epidemic crisis survival are also paramount to our ability to thrive in life without any looming threats to our existence. If distancing ourselves from others means getting more in touch with ourselves, maybe it’s not such a bad thing after-all! It is my hope that we step back, reflect, and inject our lives with new found zest and meaning and purpose and energy to do great things. We were created for greatness. Now is our time to stop, look, and remember what we are here for!
In summary, we need to get back to the basics in order not only to maintain and preserve our health and sanity, but these same preservational activities and exercises for epidemic crisis survival are also paramount to our ability to thrive in life without any looming threats to our existence. If distancing ourselves from others means getting more in touch with ourselves, maybe it’s not such a bad thing after-all! It is my hope that we step back, reflect, and inject our lives with new found zest and meaning and purpose and energy to do great things. We were created for greatness. Now is our time to stop, look, and remember what we are here for!
Many blessings of complete health, wellness, and vitality.
Yours,
Ahuva Gamliel
