I am sure that most of us are done hearing about this virus, but it is something that is happening. Instead of engraving panic and fear into all of us, I am going to list 5 things that we can all do during this time to keep our immune systems functioning really well.
*Now are any of these things cures? Absolutely not. These are preventative measures we can take to keep ourselves healthy and god forbid we do get sick, our immune systems will be stronger to help fight it off.
1. SLEEP!
I cannot even begin to tell you how important sleep is to our immune system. And not just sleeping but making sure that we are getting good quality sleep. 7 hours is the average amount of time we should be getting each night. If you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep a few things you can try is putting your phone away about an hour before sleeping. Also you can schedule your phone (this is if you have an iPhone, I am not versed in other phones) to go on "night shift" at a certain time every day. It changes to a warmer tone because the blue light really effects our sleeping schedule. Also turning the television off at night, sticking to a bed time routine, lavender or other calming smells, etc. Do not underestimate the importance of sleep.
2. Do not forget about your fruits and vegetables
I know a lot of us went to the stores and got some frozen foods and non perishables for just in case moments, but do not forget about keeping up with our friends fruits and vegetables. The vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients in them will build our immune system stronger and help keep us healthy! You can have fruit smoothies in the morning, veggie fried rice, salads, fruit salad, etc. With this extra time it is a perfect time to try out some new recipes!
3. Sunlight
We are still able to step outside for a few minutes each day and soak up that beautiful vitamin D, which is essential for keeping our immune system strong! Take a few minutes each day and sit outside. Whether you take the dog(or yourself) for a walk, just sit outside, drink your coffee outside, etc. Sunlight is your friend.
4. Do not feed into the fear and panic
Intense panic is not going to do you any good. This is just going to cause added stress and stress can actually suppress your immune system. Stay calm. This is the time to focus on yourself, do some self care acts, deep breaths when you feel afraid or anxious about our current situation, hobbies you have not had time to do, etc. Do whatever makes you happy and keeps you calm. I know many of you are moms with all the children home all day and you will probably laugh at this one because it is so difficult to be calm and focus on yourself. But remember that it is important to keep yourself healthy so try to find just a few minutes whether it is before the children wake up, when they go to bed, etc.
5. Keep active
Many of us were crushed to hear that the gyms closed. But that does not mean that we cant keep active from home. There are plenty of free home workouts we can find online/youtube, this is a great thing to do outdoors if it is nice weather where you are! Even if the weather is not the best where you are you can still do about 20-30 minutes of exercise every other day. This is really important in keeping our immune systems healthy! So whether it is a bit of cardio, yoga, zumba, whatever you will enjoy...do it. Trust me it will make you feel better that you are staying active and productive!
Last thing I want to say is I am keeping all of you in my prayers during this time. We will all get through it. Bulk buying is not necessary and just adds to the fear and panic. Stay healthy my friends!
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