Thursday, April 9, 2020

The Ways to Avoid Getting Sick From Coronavirus That No One is Talking About.

Aside from washing one’s hands a hundred times each day, keeping a safe six to ten feet away from other people, and #stayathome, what are the other ways in which we can avoid getting sick from Coronavirus?
Because, in the news, we are hearing a lot about sickness and death, though not much about the people who are not getting sick.
While I am not a scientist, and there are no guarantees, the people who are more likely to fall desperately ill are the ones who do not take great care of themselves, health-wise.
If you have a rock-solid immune system, which comes from taking great care of yourself, then if you do contract the virus, your body is way more likely to be able to fight it off.
A strong immune system and top-notch health is the best armor you can possibly have to ward off and protect yourself against the virus.
Here are several ways in which you can accomplish obtaining that:

Getting 8+ hours of sleep.

This is one of the most crucial. And not many people are doing it. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently declared a sleep epidemic throughout the world. Sleep, though, almost more so than exercise and diet, is the single most restorative thing you can do for your body.
And no, it is not true that “everyone can function on different amounts of sleep.” This is a fallacy. All humans need, at minimum, 7 hours every night. Though 8 is ideal.

In not getting enough sleep for just one night, you decrease the T fighter cells in your body by 70%, thus resulting in a steep rise in the risk of getting cancer and contracting other various diseases. Now, imagine not getting enough sleep most nights, or for even weeks or months at a time. You are at grave risk for cancer and other sicknesses as a result.
Not getting enough sleep for just a couple of nights raises your blood sugar levels to levels of a pre-diabetic. It impairs your cognitive functioning and ability to learn, as well as process memories. Lacking sleep makes you fat. It wrecks your skin. It makes you hungrier (when in reality, you do not need the calories). People who do not get enough sleep tend to get sick far more often. The list of detriments to health that not getting enough sleep does to you goes on and on.

Eating Healthy.

Personal opinions differ on what this means. Eating healthy though, according to numerous research and sources, looks something like this.
Consume lots of lean proteins (fish, meats), eggs, some cheese and yogurt, occasional rice, only pasta made with rice flour (and otherwise, no pasta), a plethora of fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, and healthy fats such as avocado, olive oil, etc. And, drink a lot of water and green tea (you can read about the bad-ass benefits of drinking green tea here).
Avoid eating sugar, processed foods (basically anything from a box), wheat, all pasta (except if made with rice flour), all bread (even gluten-free), much alcohol, and legumes. Wheat, sugar, and legumes are considered toxic to humans. (The Perfect Health Diet by Paul Jaminet, Ph.D. and Shou-Ching Jaminet, Ph.D. And, The Paleo Manifesto by John Durant. Plus, unquestionably from several other sources of which I am not yet aware).

(Some sources for the above ideal nutrition information include: Wheat Belly by Dr. William Davis, The Perfect Health Diet by Paul Jaminet, Ph.D. and Shou-Ching Jaminet, Ph.D., The Paleo Manifesto by John Durant, The Paleo Approach: Reverse Autoimmune Disease and Heal Your Body by Sarah Ballantyne, The Whole 30: The 30-Day Guide to Total Health and Food Freedom by Melissa Hartwig Urban and Dallas Hartwig. The list can certainly go on).

Exercise.

I realize that being homebound can make this more challenging. However, YouTube right now is a great resource for this. You can find innumerable fun exercises and workouts right on your computer.
You can also purchase, for relatively cheap, workout equipment on Amazon.com, like a kettlebell, exercise ball, yoga mat, workout bands, hand weights, and more.
With most people working remotely, this means a lot of us are sitting for hours and hours of our day. And with gyms closed, many people are forgoing exercise altogether. Do not let this happen. You need to stay in shape. Make it a point to do so. Your body and health need this from you.
Staying strong is a method of keeping your body in top shape and able to fight off disease, if and when it enters. When one’s body is out of shape and weak, you are less able to fight off sickness.

Drink lots of water.

Most people move through their days partially dehydrated, though unaware of this. Water is crucial to keeping your organs and body systems functioning at tip-top shape. Without enough water, your body systems do not function as well. Water also helps with flushing out toxins. Aim to drink several tall glasses of plain water every day.

Get outside for at least 20 minutes a day.

Yes, outside. You can go outside while still practicing social distancing. We humans need the sunshine, the fresh air, and the outdoors. For both our physical and mental health. Without it, your health does take a hit.
The air is not so dense with Coronavirus that, on stepping out your door and taking a breath, you have now breathed it in.
Thus, there is no reason to fear going outside. Either for contracting or spreading the disease. The atmosphere is too large and sparse for this to be a concern. Going outside is not the problem. Social distancing is.
So, get outside and keep a distance of six to ten feet from people. Then, you’ve got no issues. Keeping yourself shut away indoors though is not doing anything good for your health.

Keeping a positive, non-fear-based mindset.

Stress, anxiety, worry, anger, and fear, all weaken your immune system. People who live high-stress lives tend to have way more health problems than those who have less stress in their life. Thus, this is where learning to control your thoughts and mind come in very hand. In fact, they are crucial right now.
What is happening in the world is scary. There is much uncertainty out there at the moment. A lot of people are sick. Employment, for many, has either ceased or is uncertain. All of this is deeply upsetting.
And, the news does both, reporting on what is happening, as well as structuring their stories in such a way that they attract high numbers of readers. And, how might they do that? Well, by writing about things that are terrifying will keep people freaked out and coming back to keep checking in on these scary stories and figures. They manufacture fear to keep people worrying and coming back to read updates on the scary stuff.
Yes, the news does exaggerate or leave certain things out or even skew things for their benefit. Remember that.
So. Make the effort to keep your mind off stress, cynicism, and fear. Ruminating on these emotions will only weaken your immune system, making you more susceptible to getting sick.
These are several things over which you have control in your life, and which can help significantly with safeguarding you from getting sick. These can even be game-changers, in terms of whether you fall ill or not.
Instead of focusing on the numbers of sick people and the unknown of what is happening right now (which is ultimately pointless since you can do nothing to change or influence it), focus on what you can control. All of the above with regards to your health.
It is your best defense against getting sick and protecting your health.

This article was originally published here, on Medium.com.

Wednesday, April 1, 2020

Rockin' Reads, Terrific Television Shows, And Other Fun Stuff To do While Stuck At Home.

In the midst and height of social distancing, #stayathome, and Coronavirus, I thought to come up with some fun lists for fellow readers and fellow humans for potential inspiration, ideas, and possible enjoyment.  In the meantime, please also share your own suggestions, recommendations, and the fun stuff you have come up with for engaging in while stuck at home too!



There is certainly something in here for everyone and all differing tastes.

So, without further ado, a plethora of great ways to spend your time right now...



Rockin' Recommended Reads

-Call Me By Your Name by Andre Acimen
-Man's Search For Himself by Rollo May
-Zen and the Art of Happiness by Chris Prentiss
-Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
-Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
-Shrill by Lindy West
-The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin
-How Will You Measure Your Life by Clayton Christensen
-Rage Becomes Her by Soraya Chemaly
-Beartown by Fredrik Backman



Terrific T.V.

-Six Feet Under
-The Wire
-Homeland
-Friday Night Lights
-The Office
-Curb Your Enthusiasm
-Deadwood
-Game of Thrones
-Dexter
-The Affair



Fantastic Films

-There Will Be Blood
-Pan's Labyrinth
-Parasite
-The Nightmare Before Christmas
-It's a Wonderful Life
-A Man Called Owe
-Brittany Runs a Marathon
-Little Women (the new or the old one)
-Edward Scissorhands
-Last of the Mohicans



Great Games

-Scattergories
-Guess Who?
-Cards Against Humanity
-Trouble
-Yahtzee
-Zombie Dice
-Taboo
-Catchphrase
-Sorry!
-Twister or Hide and Go Seek



Delicious Desserts

-Less-Sugar Triple Chocolate Mousse
-Country Livin' Sweet Potato Pie
-Mostly Healthy Matcha Truffles
-Grain-Free Walnut Cardamom Cake with Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting
-Cranberry Curd Tart (sugar-free, dairy-free, and wheat-free).
-Paleo Pumpkin Pie
-Chocolate Paleo Cupcakes
-Vanilla Paleo Cupcakes
-Blackberry Poppyseed Cheesecake
-Wheat-free Carrot Cake



Healthy (and Yummy) Eats

-Grain Honey Mustard Marinated Salmon
-Summer Quinoa Buddha Bowl
-Wheat-free Pizza 
-Wheat-Free Pancakes
-Buckwheat Pancakes
-Raw Vegan Lasagna
-Green Summer Rolls with Mango Miso Sauce
-Cashew Coconut Thai Salmon Curry
-Paleo Fish Taco Bowls
-Greek Style Baked Cod with Lemon and Garlic



Exercise-At-Home Ideas

-Yoga
-Pilates
-Kettlebell
-Foot injury workout routine (I've been using this one lately!)
-10-minute booty strengthening workout
-Various cardio routines
(I highly recommend YouTube for finding some of these.  Just search and you will certainly find loads of good workouts, with minimal equipment needed.  You can get an awesome workout with your body alone).



Other Great Ways to Use Your Time While Stuck at Home (Working Remotely Aside)

-Take naps.  Getting enough sleep is crucial to a strong immune system.  If your schedule allows it, squeeze in a 30-minute nap (in addition to making sure you are getting 8-9 solid hours each night).

-Schedule Skype or Zoom dates with close friends to keep in touch.  Have tea together and just talk for an hour or two.  You might be surprised how rejuvenating and joy-inducing this is.  To both see their face and connect with someone whom you care for.  If you can, do one of these per day.  If not that frequently, shoot for a few each week.

-Journaling.  Writing in a journal comes with a whole host of benefits.  It can help you to de-stress, assist with the sorting through your emotions, improve your writing skills, be a great support in working through difficult emotions or complicated thoughts, etc.

-Learning a new skill.  Been wanting to improve your baking or cooking skills?  To expand your recipe repertoire?  Interested in learning a new language?  Or, planting a garden in your back yard?  Wanting to get into sewing or playing an instrument?  Now is the time.

-Listening to music.  It's a great time for putting on your favorite tunes and dancing around the living room, kitchen, bedroom, you name it.  Not only does this boost your mood, but it's also great exercise.

-Meditating.  This can be an excellent means of clearing your mind, relaxing, and learning to center your thoughts and body.  I've heard great things about it.  Thus, if interested, now is a great time to experiment with meditation.

-Working on Your Goals.  Whether that is writing a book, getting into better shape, reading more, connecting more deeply with your loved ones, coming up with a better financial plan, getting more sleep, etc, now is a perfect time to hone in on and push toward actualizing your goals.

For those who are not sick right now, and those who are reasonably stable financially (if both of these factors fit you and your life right now, you are incredibly blessed.  Remember this, every single day), this can be a time of reset and opportunity.  A time during which to make the most of each of your days.

In the words of Seneca: "It's not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it."