With stress and anxiety levels around the world currently at an all-time high, on top of the stress we already experience in our modern day lives, now is a good time to pay extra attention to taking good care of our overall health and wellness. Wherever you are in the world, I’m sending tons of love and light…may you, your family, and loved ones be safe.
Personally, I believe in the power of the mind, prayer and nature to heal. I rely on my intuition as my guide. I question the media and choose not to subscribe to groupthink. But faced with the current facts, my intuition and my experience in the medical field tell me we can’t dispute that, hard as it may be, acting quickly by staying home and staying well right now is the most humanitarian thing we can do for each other.
Our medical facilities need to have adequate beds and supplies to treat those affected by this pandemic, and also to keep our healthcare workers safe, in order to deal with this pandemic in the most optimal way.
I have no doubt that if we each take care of ourselves mentally and physically and do our part as a global family, we will make it through growing stronger, wiser, and more resilient together. Here are some simple steps we can take to stay well at home.
1. Support Immunity
Since fear, overwhelm and uncertainty are all things that can have a negative impact on our immune system, it’s important to support and strengthen our immunity as best we can. And that starts with the gut. Food and beverages naturally rich in prebiotics and probiotics are a fantastic way to strengthen gut health with good bacteria to defend the bad guys.
Examples include fresh fruits and vegetables, bone broth, and fermented foods like cultured veggies including sauerkraut, pickles, and kimchi and kefir, yogurt, and miso. Preparing dishes using apple cider vinegar, tamari and tempeh is a gut healthy way to go. And kombucha is a great way to drink for gut health.
Of course there are plenty of herbs and supplements worth taking as well. Given the current circumstances I’m choosing to support my immune system and lung health mainly with CBD, NAC (N-Acetyl L-Cysteine), and essential oils. I’m also keeping up with my MCT oil, vitamin C, vitamin D, and oregano oil daily. And if your gut/immunity is already compromised, probiotics are essential. Gargling with warm salt water is also a simple preventative measure we can take, using something we most likely already have at home.
2. Support Daily Cleansing
A healthy lymphatic system gives our body the best chance to move toxic matter out of its different channels. The easiest way to promote healthy lymph drainage is to drink lots of purified water. And drinking warm water is most effective for all viruses. It’s best not to drink liquids with ice.
As part of my daily water intake I drink a cup of cleansing tea with herbs like turmeric, ginger, burdock, and dandelion root. Detox water is also a fun and refreshing way to up your water intake. In this case, I would store your detox water in the fridge and let each serving come to room temperature before drinking it. Here are a few recipes to try:
Juicing, green superfood powders, green smoothies, and smoothie bowls packed with nutrient rich superfoods are all delicious ways to assist the body with detoxification.
3. Purify Your Home
One of my favorite ways to purify my home and other spaces is with essential oils. Citrus essential oils like lemon, orange, and grapefruit smell wonderful and contain naturally potent antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. Other purifying essential oils include lavender, vetiver, rosemary, peppermint, and tea tree.
A few drops each of bergamot and orange in a diffuser can uplift your mood and purify the air at the same time. Diffuing essential oils can also support respiratory health. Try this recipe for a DIY all-purpose cleaner, or you can simply add essential oils to a spray bottle with water to wipe down surfaces.
Out of hand sanitizer because of the current shortage? Quick tip: if you have some vodka or gin hanging around the house, mix essential oils into it, add it to a small spray bottle and voila! All natural hand sanitizer!
4. Exercise, Take a Walk or Bike Ride
Just because crowded gyms or workout facilities aren’t the places to be right now doesn’t mean you can’t exercise at home. Now is a great time to take advantage of YouTube or Prime and catch up on some of those workouts you’ve been wanting to try.
Feeling couped up? Get some fresh air and go for a nice walk or bike ride. Both will help you feel more joy, less stress, and help keep your immune system strong. In the spirit of extra purposeful self care during these times, turn your walk into a mindful meditation – you’ll get your exercise and calm your nervous system at the same time.
5. Get Enough Sleep
Getting enough sleep is essential to our overall health and well-being. A compromised immune system, moodiness, and lack of productivity are all side effects of not getting enough sleep, or of poor sleep quality. For tips to help you sleep better, see my post here.
Be Well
If we take simple steps to stay calm and stay well individually, focus only on the things within our control, and trust in our preparedness within our homes and personal spaces, we collectively contribute to a postive outcome together.
For methods to curb anxiety and support our mental well-being in the coming months see the next post:
7 Ways to Calm Anxiety During Overwhelm and Uncertainty
May we all be well wherever we are in the world.