Coronavirus Prevention: How to Stay Healthy During Pandemic
Protection Against Covid-19 | Exercise | Immune system | How to Stay Healthy | Mental health
A pandemic is defined as the worldwide spread of a new infection or disease, such as was the spread of Spanish flu in 1918, the AIDS pandemic in the 1980s, H1N1 flu in 2009, and the latest Covid-19.
As we look into the third year of this pandemic, it is worth noting how the virus has changed our daily routine in ways never anticipated. Gradually, face masks and alcohol sanitizers became the ‘new normal’, and people around the world became mostly home-bound in order to prevent or minimize their exposure to COVID-19 pandemic. There have been multiple ramifications ranging from travel restrictions, downstream supply chain effects, slowdowns in the economy and a mass exodus of the US workforce leaving their previous jobs. The pandemic disruption also was the driver and catalyst for this site and other informative health services.
A day that previously may have been filled with the typical exploits such as going to the shopping mall, running errands etc, is still not back to normal especially for those who are not vaccinated or who still hesitate to go out to crowded places. Preparing to deal with any pandemic involves staying proactive and having some form of physical activity, particularly in this ‘socially-distant’ era. Even if Covid-19 has not affected you directly, it most probably has had a powerful impact on your routine, which can negatively affect your overall health and well-being.
Here are some tips to maintain a healthy lifestyle in this period of social distancing:
How to protect yourself from covid-19?
Stay Physically Active
Even though gyms are open and things are gradually shifting back to normal, a majority of the population is still hesitant to engage in crowded spaces. For this reason, an exercise regime at home remains the most viable option to maintain a healthy routine. Aerobics, pushups, sit-ups, planks and squats can all help maintain optimal health at home. If home is not an option, the outdoors and our local parks may be a reasonable default.
Some ideas for non-equipment workouts include:
- Brisk walking up and down the stairs for 20 minutes, 2-3 times a day
- Dancing to your favorite upbeat music for a few minutes every day
- Push-ups against the wall or floor of your room
- Performing squats and sit-ups
- Engaging in planks against the floor of your living room
Nubian Doc’s 8-week health plan has a complete guide to equipment-free workout plans and healthier recipes to help you walk through pandemic.
Snooze Well
While you sleep, your immune system stimulates the release of proteins, named cytokines. Certain types of cytokines are needed to be increased during infection or inflammatory response, or during stressful conditions. Sleep deprivation tends to lower the production of these defensive cytokines. Therefore, it is recommended to have enough sleep for your immune system to function properly. It is recommended that adults aged 18-60 get at least seven or more hours of sleep per night.
Drink Enough Water
Drinking enough fluids is often neglected, despite the importance it holds in keeping healthy.
Adequate water consumption is crucial to health for so many reasons: for temperature regulation, lubrication of joints, nutrient delivery to cells, prevention from infections and proper functioning of our organs. Sufficient water intake also helps balance your mood, cognition and sleep quality.
Being well hydrated during an illness (such as Covid-19) is essential because of the need to replace fluid loss and thin out your respiratory secretions.
Summary: Staying physically active can have a positive impact on both physical and mental health, which is why it is advisable to followhome-based workout regimes in order to stay healthy. Adequate sleep is also essential for optimal health and well-being, as well as keeping yourself hydrated. Drink plenty of water especially during an illness (such as Covid-19) as it helps replace your fluid losses and thins out your respiratory secretions.
Strengthen Your Immunity
Having a strong, healthy immune system will ward off or fight the Coronavirus, should one be exposed. To strengthen immunity, Vitamin C, D and Zinc play an important role for the human body. Turmeric and garlic are also natural remedies to help boost your immune function.
A healthy, robust immune system will not necessarily prevent one from contracting the virus, however, it may make the body well-equipped to fight it.
Nubian Doc provides a guide on how you can improve your immune function through its educational blogs, aimed to promote a healthier lifestyle.
Manage Your Stress
A pandemic is a seemingly challenging time, and prolonged periods of staying indoors can have an impact on psychological well-being. The growing anxiety surrounding a pandemic is one of the many concerns that have affected millions of people.
Listening to calming music, meditating, yoga, exercising and reading are some positive coping mechanisms that can help us mitigate and prevent mental burnout.
Summary: Having a strong, healthy immune system will ward off or fight the virus, should it be contracted in the first place. To strengthen your immunity, Vitamin C, D and Zinc play an important role for the human body. Listening to calming music, meditating, yoga, exercising and reading are some positive coping mechanisms that can help us prevent a mental burnout.
How Do I Take Care of Myself at Home During a Lockdown?
Self-Care at Home during a Pandemic
The social isolation, issues with lockdown and changes in our regular interactions with friends and family has been frustrating for many. Which is why it isn’t selfish to place additional focus on self care and prioritizing your health. Particularly for women, taking care of family, being better able to care for and help others requires you to be at your best.
To take care of your physical and mental health, we recommend exercising, meditation, breathing techniques, yoga and spending quality time with your loved ones.
It is also fairly natural to fall prey to social media consumption during these times, so focus on minimizing your screen time and scrolling endlessly for hours. Replace these urges with listening to podcasts or reading something uplifting.
Cook Your Own Food
Good health and optimum nutrition is important during stressful times, especially when health matters most. There’s nothing better than a scrumptious, home-cooked healthy meal-especially if you take the time to cook it yourself.
This will help you keep busy and healthy at the same time. Get your cooking utensils ready and cook your favorite meals if you are bound to the indoors during this time. If you have limited time due to other responsibilities then focus on meal planning 1-2 days per week or if you want more variety then cook enough for left-overs for 1-2 days.
And our e-book serves a guide to healthy yet mouth-watering recipes for you to try.
Work on a Hobby
Have you ever thought about learning a new instrument or cooking a newly discovered meal? A pandemic is the best time to learn something new or work on a hobby you’ve not had time for in years. Whether it’s a new language, a musical instrument or creating the perfect ‘dalgona coffee’, you can acquire these skills from the comfort of your home in today’s digital world.
Summary: While you are staying at home during a pandemic or a ‘lockdown’, it is healthy to have less screen time and more meditation time, combined with listening to or reading something uplifting. Cooking a meal, learning an instrument or working on an existing hobby would also help you keep busy and productive during stressful pandemic times.
How Should I Deal with Post-Covid Weakness?
Get Plenty of Rest
Rest is recommended, particularly after contracting the virus. Getting enough rest and a good night’s sleep can help your body speed up the process of healing.
High Protein Diet
Stock up on good quality proteins, as disease-fighting antibodies are mostly made up of them. An adequate intake of good quality proteins will act as your protective guard against disease, and will help your body ward off the virus and its side effects. Simply add an egg to your breakfast or dinner to maintain your intake of proteins (if you’re not a fan of meat).
Increase Your Fruit Intake
Fruit is great medicine to revive your health, particularly after contracting the Coronavirus. Nature has blessed fruits with antioxidants that help you recover after illnesses, and it is recommended to have at least 5 servings of fruit in a day to ward off weaknesses caused by the Coronavirus. No matter how effective supplements are, they can never be an equivalent substitute for natural and organic foods.
Summary: Getting enough rest and sleep can help your body speed up the process of healing. An adequate intake of good quality proteins will act as your protective guard and will help your body diminish the virus and its side effects efficiently. Take at least five servings of fruits per day to ward off weakness caused by the Coronavirus.
Covid-19 and Mental Health
Covid-19 has presented many challenges in people’s lives invoking stress, anxiety, fear, and loneliness. As a result there has been an increased incidence of mental health and substance abuse. For this reason self care strategies as mentioned earlier are important as well as maintaining social connections. If you feel like your symptoms are worsening and not well managed ask for help by talking with a close friend or family member. If this isn’t available contact your primary care provider or a mental health specialist for guidance. There are also many telehealth services that provide counseling and treatment. An important organization that provides resources is NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness).
Summary: Self care strategies and maintaining social connections are important in mitigating the psychological challenges associated with the pandemic.
Bottom Line
As we step into the third year of this pandemic, it is worth noting how the virus has changed our daily lives and set a ‘new normal’. Even if the pandemic has not affected you directly, it has certainly had an impact on life in many ways; in turn potentially impacting one’s psychological and physical health.
Practice self-care strategies such as staying active, well-hydrated, and maintain a healthy diet which all help during this time.
If you are looking for guidance on healthier lifestyle choices, Nubian Doc has you sorted. Our Health Education articles can help you find your way towards optimal health and fitness.
