NOW is the time to prioritize health!
Food is medicine!
The world is currently turned upside down with the COVID-19 outbreak. It’s a scary time for all of us. There is a collective fear that’s spreading WAY faster than the actual virus. We are all effected in different ways, but the fact is that we are ALL effected. People are glued to their phones, televisions and computers, just waiting for the next update. Hand sanitizer is sold out everywhere you go. Human contact is avoided. People are hoarding food and toiletries. Businesses are closing. The anxiety is through the roof and the obsession of the virus is highly contagious. There is so much focus on sickness right now… but what about HEALTH?! Let’s start having more conversations about how we can support our health by boosting our immune systems, decreasing stress, getting more rest, focusing on staying positive, being grateful, noticing the kindness of others and maybe even embracing this time to connect with our families. What a beautiful gift for all of us…we are learning to slow down.
Health is a HUGE topic and not only includes what to avoid (like avoiding large groups of people and touching your eyes, nose and mouth), but also what to bring in and add to our lives. NOW IS THE TIME TO PRIORITIZE HEALTH!! What we feed grows, and energy flows where attention goes. Health and wellness is not just determined by what you avoid, but how you fuel you body, mind and spirit in healthy, positive ways.
When you look at your life holistically, you can see and feel the wholeness that you are. We are not just pieces and parts, but our systems work as a whole unit. When one part is out of wack, everything is effected. Every choice you make either promotes and elevates your health, or reduces and degrades your health. For an example - your caffeine intake could be effecting your sleep, your sleep could be effecting your digestion, your digestion could be effecting your mood, and your mood could be effecting your relationships, and so on. Making one small adjustment to your caffeine intake could help all those other areas. Everything is connected. Stepping back and looking at your health from a wider lens could help you connect the dots between who you are and where you want to be. Making little changes can impact your health in positive ways.
Now lets talk about lots of good stuff that will PROMOTE your health and keep your attention on your wellbeing. Here are some simple ideas that will keep you feeling, strong, relaxed, balanced and at ease during this unexpected time of stress.
Body:
WASH YOUR HANDS WELL…because we can’t hear it enough!
Focus on eating whole, non processed, packaged food to support our immune system, reduce inflammation, and provide your body the vitamins and nutrients it needs to thrive. Think food that comes from a green plant, not a cement plant. Include more superfoods (food with exceptional nutrient density) such as, blueberries, broccoli, eggs, beans, walnuts, oatmeal, kale, green tea, quinoa.
Move your body everyday. Get creative if you are at home a lot, like have dance parties, run up and down the stairs, hula hoop contests, yoga, and more! Exercise releases feel good chemicals that keep you in a relaxed state.
Drink filtered water (not from a plastic bottle) and commit to hydration
Pay attention to your nose and mouth. Maintain moist mucous membranes (it is protective!). Consider daily saline Neti Pot and/or nasal spray
Prioritize rest
Mind:
Meditate daily to clear your mind of stress and worry. Being still helps to balance movement.
Focus on solutions, not problems
Create a gratitude list and generate a list of what’s going WELL
Establish an abundant mind set. Remind yourself that you have everything you need.
Use creativity to express how you feel. Start a project and document this time in a creative way.
Spirit:
Communicate with your loved ones regularly
Engage is positive reading that’s uplifting and inspiring
Pray and spread compassion
See how you can serve others
One of my favorite Grateful Dead lyrics is “Wake up to find out that you are the eyes of the world.” These 13 words remind us that we not only get to choose WHAT we see, but HOW we see it. It’s like that question, “is the glass half empty or full?” The choice is ours. Let’s let our health, peace, positive attitude, gratitude and groundedness be contagious.