6 Tips to Stay Healthy During Chaotic Times

1. Supplements to Support Your Immune Defense

Vitamin C tops the list in terms of supporting your immune health. Chinese researchers have found that taking high doses of Vitamin C can help build a more powerful immune system and may help improve lung function. Making sure we get adequate amounts of Vitamin C is a boost to our system. Diarrhea is the most common problem with high doses which is an excellent way to ensure we don’t take too much. There are many good food choices that have lots of Vitamin C.

Vitamin D has also been shown to support your immune system. Research has shown a link between Vitamin D deficiency and coronavirus severity. People who have inadequate Vitamin D levels have been shown to get sicker. High doses of Vitamin D are not recommended, but testing your blood levels can help you ensure that you have an adequate amount. Go outside and get some sunshine too, although remember to avoid the sun during the hottest times of the day.

Here is an article in The Lancet that discusses the connection between Vitamin D and Covid-19.  

2. Healthy Diet and Nutrition

Eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables. People encourage eating all the colors of the rainbow to ensure that you get a wide variety, each providing a different nutritional mix.

Most of us eat more junk food, including carbs, than fruits and vegetables and that isn’t a good ratio if we are trying to stay healthy. While we may all be eating more comforting food during this quarantine, it’s important to remember to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Eating healthy is a crucial part of staying healthy during stressful times.

Remember that protein helps your brain stay sharp and your stomach stay full longer. Given the stress of this pandemic, keeping our brain sharp and not overeating are two goals worth working towards.

3. Exercise

Make sure to exercise regularly by walking or running outside or taking an online workout class. Research has shown that spending time outside uniquely helps improve mood by providing access to fresh air, nature, Vitamin D, and moving your body, with results that go far beyond exercise alone. Staying inside so much of the time makes it easy to get lethargic. Staying on electronic devices also contributes. Taking the time to be aware of our bodies as something other than just a tool to hold our heads up helps us feel more grounded and happy. Moving our bodies in whatever form of exercise we choose is one of the best ways to get out of our head and into enjoying life.

4. Mindfulness

Take a few moments each morning to sit in silence, meditate, or focus on your breath. Take deep, slow breaths through your nose on the inhale. Tell your muscles to relax during the long exhale. Focusing on your breath is particularly useful because slow deep breathing is inherently relaxing. However, focusing on any physical sensation helps keep the mind occupied. When thoughts enter your mind during this time, simply be an observer, don’t engage with them. You are not your thoughts or the associated feelings. If you don’t connect with them, they will quickly fade and you can return your focus to your breath.

Many people report during this pandemic that it is hard to calm down. A brief period of mediation twice per day is one way to do so. Meditating for even 5 minutes twice a day for a week can start to shift your nervous system into a lower gear that lasts throughout each day. This routine takes a while to become a habit, but it is immensely powerful. Taking some time to reflect each day helps move your state of mind to a more relaxed baseline rather than staying extremely alert and feeling anxious much of the time.

5. Rest

Get adequate sleep.

If you struggle to get a good night’s sleep and often find yourself waking up feeling tired, then you really need to consider the health of your circadian rhythm.

Your circadian rhythm is your brain’s internal clock, and it’s responsible for dozens of critical functions in your body. In order to have optimal health and energy, it’s absolutely critical that yours is functioning properly.

You’ll know if your circadian rhythm is broken if:

• Your sleep is NOT great. (You have racing thoughts at bed, you wake up in the night, have insomnia, etc.)
• Your energy is chronically low, and you drag yourself through the day.
• You’re moody, anxious, and depressed.
• Your brain is foggy, and you can’t think clearly.

Here are three simple tricks that you can use to immediately start fixing your circadian rhythm and improving your sleep and energy struggles:

1. Get bright, outdoor light every morning in the first 30 minutes after waking. If there isn’t sunshine where you are, then consider using a seasonal affective disorder lamp.
2. Turn your electronic devices off and get them out of your bedroom at night, at least one hour before sleeping.
3. Keep your bedroom in complete darkness when you sleep. Studies show that even soft moonlight or street lights filtering through curtains can keep you awake.

Check out this blog post to take a much deeper dive into circadian rhythm science and healing protocols.

6. Connection

Schedule frequent video conferencing calls with friends and family. Stay in touch and reach out to those you care about. Some people are using this as an opportunity to connect with folks they don’t stay in good contact with.

One positive to these disruptive stay at home orders is that it helps remind us of what (or whom) we really care about. Reach out to people you care about, as well as neighbors or friends whom you think may be having a hard time. A little connection can go a long way.