Coping With Covid-19
The last few weeks everyone has mostly been pre-occupied with one thing Covid-19. Our world has been turned upside down. There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding the future. Perhaps you are worried about your job, or how to pay your bills. Perhaps you are getting used to working from home (or attempting to) while also caring for young children as well.
So how can we cope? How can we ensure that we are in the best position to handle what comes? Besides washing our hands that is.
Firstly, we need to look at our nutrition. Our body’s immune system wants to help us and work for us. In order to do so, it needs us to supply it with good fuel. Good fuel that it can take deep into every single cell of your body. What we put into our guts either feeds us or poisons us. Our gut bacteria help to provide us with essential vitamins and it is estimated that 90% of our serotonin is produced in the gut. Low serotonin levels are linked to anxiety, irritability, insomnia and lack of self-esteem amongst other things.
There are some products to avoid eating at this time especially: sugar, alcohol and processed foods. These do not supply our bodies with good nutrition and they can cause the bad bacteria to flourish meaning we leave our bodies vulnerable to attack.
What should we be eating and drinking? Well, lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, water (and no tea, juice etc does not count ;) ), bone broths, and good healthy fats like coconut oil, butter (yep, I said it’s a good healthy fat) amongst other things. Try substituting refined white sugar for maple syrup, coconut sugar or rapadura. Basically, use real ingredients to create wonderful, healthy meals and treats. Even something as simple as kick starting your day with half a lemon squeezed into hot water can really help your body out. When you start your day this way, it gives your body a boost of Vitamin C, helps it to maintain it’s optimum pH levels, acts as a detoxing agent to cleanse the liver and shift out anything your body can’t tolerate, as well as being anti-inflammatory and helping to fight of respiratory tract infections and sore throats.
Secondly, we need to get outside in the fresh air, and also let the fresh air in. Open the windows and air the house!! Airing your house acts as a dilution technique for any nasties harbouring in there that are waiting for an invitation into your body to create sickness. Let’s not give them one. You’re allowed to go out and exercise, so take advantage!!! Go for a walk, listen to the birds singing in the trees, feel the wind blow past your ears and the sunshine on your forehead. Our bodies need Vitamin D to keep us healthy, even 10-30 minutes of midday sun exposure will help our bodies to keep us well protected. Being outside in natural light also helps our bodies to release serotonin that mood boosting hormone that will help to protect us against anxiety.
While exercise helps us physically, it also helps us mentally. Exercise gives us more energy and vitality. It helps to restore our sleep patterns meaning our sleep is more beneficial for us. It keeps us mentally sharp and reduces anxiety and boosts our self-esteem. Exercise increases nerve growth factors such as Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor which helps to make your brain stronger and more resistant to issues such as depression, stress etc. After exercise our brain also releases endorphins which give us a big happy boost. What better reason for taking that walk or doing some form of workout routine? Do make sure you find one suitable do your current situation-if you’re pregnant, then Joe Wicks’ PE workouts may not be the best choice to jump right into.
And thirdly control your thoughts. The Law of Attraction states that if you focus on negativity, you will attract negativity. If you focus on positivity then you attract positivity in your life. You can learn to control your thoughts; they do not have to control you. You don’t have to sit and dwell on the negative all the time. We do not have to let doom and gloom rule in our lives. It’s very easy to do just that especially with the media headlines these days and take ourselves into a downward spiral. I know because I have been there in the past. If you’re feeling anxious and stressed and you’d like to know how to better get a grip on your thoughts so that you’re the one in the driving seat then the emotional health coaching that I offer may be just right for you. A one off session covering the basics of resilience or 8 weeks of one to one sessions, delving deep into learning what makes you tick, what belief systems you’re holding onto, what characteristics you have and how you can harness those for good to bring about positive change. I’ve been through the entire process myself, so I know just how life changing it is. And if there is ever a time to change our outlook or get our anxiety under control, then it is during a worldwide pandemic situation. You CAN come out the other side of this stronger. There IS light at the end of the tunnel, and I can guide you towards finding it within yourself if you’re willing. When negativity is no longer in control, your immune system will greatly benefit. As Bruce Lipton says in his book The Biology of Belief, “When the mind changes, it absolutely affects your biology.” Imagine the wonderful benefits to your immune system! If you’re pregnant, your developing baby will also greatly benefit. As your stress levels start to drop and you feel more in control, there will be an increase in nutrient rich blood to the uterus and a reduction in the concentration of stress hormones in the amniotic fluid.