This situation is stressful. I won’t sugar-coat it. One article is telling you that it’s no big deal and another is telling you that schools are closed for a month and all your friends are posting on their Instagram stories how they are working from home. You may even have the CDC website bookmarked or always pulled up watching that number of cases steadily increase.

By now you have seen “the curve.” If you haven’t it shows the potential exponential growth of coronavirus. The goal is to flatten the curve so that we don’t overload the health care systems. As someone who works in a hospital, I can tell you that during these winter months we normally operate close to capacity as it is, and the incredibly fast growth of Covid-19 could put hospitals over their threshold quick. We need hospital beds, doctors, nurses other personal to care for each patient. If a local outbreak is too big, there will not be enough providers to care for patients. We flatten the curve by limiting how fast the virus spreads, ways that we do this are to cancel school, work from home, and limit meetings of large groups of people. 

So, you’re stuck at home. You’re freaking out a little less now. How do you stay healthy?

Do the obvious.  

Wash your hands with soap and water often or use hand sanitizer that is at least 60% alcohol, avoid touching your face, limit contact with sick people, stay home if you are sick, cover your coughs and sneezes, and keep your surroundings disinfected. If you aren’t already doing these things, I have questions…

Keep your nutrition at the top of its game.

No, you can’t boost your immune system in a day or really even a week no matter how much vitamin C you take. But guess what, you can strengthen it over a few months (and the Coronavirus will likely be around for a few months). 

So let’s amp up those fruits and vegetables! Worried about everyone sneezing and coughing on produce? Worried about the stores being out? Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables and perfect! Most of them are even more fresh than the “fresh” produce because they are frozen or canned at their peak freshness. If you do choose fresh produce, always make sure to wash them thoroughly. Fruits and vegetables provide a number of essential and important nutrients for your health.

Whole grains. Carbs are your friends (right now and always); they give your body the energy it needs to stay healthy and function at its best. Let’s hear it for our shelf stable option: brown rice, popcorn, quinoa, oatmeal, and whole grain pasta just to name a few. 

Protein I’m targeting you next. We have so many options: eggs can last for 3-5 weeks in the fridge; chicken, fish, and read meat can be found frozen in single serving packages so that you don’t have to thaw out more than you need if you’re stuck at home; and canned and dry beans are a wonderful budget friendly choice. Remember if you are using dry beans they need to soak for about 8 hours before cooking. 

Keep your stress low.

I know this is one tough right now but remember that stress wears your body out. It is exhausting and depending on your different stress reactions, your body could be in a constant fight or flight mode. This will only weaken your immune system and make you more likely to get sick 

Ways to decrease your stress: meditate, deep breathing, call a friend (one who calms you down), exercise, read (something other than the CDC website for the 14^thtime today) 

Exercise within reason.

Exercise is one if the best ways to release stress and to help you feel better after a long day. It can boost your energy, improve your sleep, and reduce your risk for chronic diseases. If exercising at a gym remember to wipe down the equipment with a cleaning solution or sanitizer before AND after you use it to help prevent the spread of disease. 

Coronavirus is serious, especially for those who are immune compromise, over 60 years of age, and have other comorbid conditions. It’s important that we all take the necessary measures to stay healthy and prevent the spread of disease to keep our loved ones safe. Keeping yourself healthy is the first step in getting through the pandemic. 

Photo From: Nissen, J. (2020, March 12). The chart that explains why everything is being canceled over coronavirus. Retrieved March 14, 2020, from https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/the-chart-that-explains-why-everything-is-being-canceled-over-coronavirus