From Money to Meditating, Door knobs to Diets,
Here Are All My Tips and Tricks to Get Through These Crazy Days.
1. Cleanliness:
Yes, wash your hands, but also do these simple things. Clean the following in soapy water or with antibacterial wipe or electronics-safe cleaning product at least daily, preferably twice a day. (If you are on the go and can’t rely exclusively on wipes, carry a milk jug or bottle full of soapy water.) Dry after cleaning.
Self
Eye Glasses
Hands including fingernails
Computer
Phone
Purse
Wallet
House (if you are living with others)
Toilet handle
Bathroom faucets
Kitchen faucets
Fridge door
Stove knobs, Microwave, coffee pot.
Door knobs
Favorite Pen
Car
Steering wheel
Door handles
Dash controls
Public
Gas pump (filthy! Carry jug of soapy water if you don’t have plenty of wipes.)
ATM keypad (and cash, so wash after handling cash.)
Grocery story checkout pin pad
Maintain six feet distance. Even with checkout person at grocery. Don’t be shy about asking people to move back. Talk as you move: “I’m going to step six feet away, would you mind also stepping back?”
Yes, wash your hands, but also do these simple things. Clean the following in soapy water or with antibacterial wipe or electronics-safe cleaning product at least daily, preferably twice a day. (If you are on the go and can’t rely exclusively on wipes, carry a milk jug or bottle full of soapy water.) Dry after cleaning.
Self
Eye Glasses
Hands including fingernails
Computer
Phone
Purse
Wallet
House (if you are living with others)
Toilet handle
Bathroom faucets
Kitchen faucets
Fridge door
Stove knobs, Microwave, coffee pot.
Door knobs
Favorite Pen
Car
Steering wheel
Door handles
Dash controls
Public
Gas pump (filthy! Carry jug of soapy water if you don’t have plenty of wipes.)
ATM keypad (and cash, so wash after handling cash.)
Grocery story checkout pin pad
Maintain six feet distance. Even with checkout person at grocery. Don’t be shy about asking people to move back. Talk as you move: “I’m going to step six feet away, would you mind also stepping back?”
2.
Body
This is not the time to accept one of those intense 30-day challenges you are being bombarded with online. You are under enormous stress.
So either:
Continue usual workouts but gently,
or if you weren’t active,
Add some gentle walking for two or three periods per day.
Diet
The cycle of comfort foods plays itself out pretty quickly with jagged moods and crashes of energy. This is not a time to overdo, nor to fast or begin new intense diets.
Eat well.
Cooking itself is also a de-stressor for many.
Rest
More than you think you need to, but try to keep a regular schedule.
Hydration
Singers say "Drink heavy, pee light." Drink more water than you think you need to. This will help keep your nasal tract and throat hydrated and help to wash any virus down into the digestive tract. (And that’s good.) A good way to make sure you drink enough water is to drink a huge, 16 oz. glass of water as a “snack” between meals and at bedtime.
Gargle
Studies have shown that gargling with water twice daily cuts down on a common cold developing into an upper respiratory tract infection. It may not prevent the cold itself, nor COVID 19, but remember any illness at the moment could cause great concern and possible isolation.
Spray your nose.
This is a singer’s trick I like. Huff Post says: “Use a saline nose spray several times a day to flush out the bacteria and viruses. Nasal sprays are sterile, take seconds to use, are inexpensive, and have been shown to be safe and effective for preventing and treating cold and flu symptoms. There are smaller versions for kids. Using it three or more times a day is a wonderful and safe preventive measure for everyone in the family."
Supplements and Supportive Methods
Though I won’t recommend specifics for you, if you have things that you know from experience help you to feel well, use them. I use essential oils daily, for example, and it helps me feel well. Vitamin C, Black Elderberry extract, whatever your usual supports are, continue them, or those that you bought and liked, but put in the back of the cabinet, maybe it’s time to pull them out.
This may not the time to spend hundreds of dollars on new vitamins in a panic. It will be difficult to tell if new things are working as your stress level and your body are not exactly normal right now. It may only add to your financial worries if you overspend.
Eating a spoonful of honey twice a day has also been shown to improve immunity, and though it may not prevent this virus, as mentioned, any illness at the moment could cause great concern and possible isolation so preventing a cold right now is also of great importance.
Body
This is not the time to accept one of those intense 30-day challenges you are being bombarded with online. You are under enormous stress.
So either:
Continue usual workouts but gently,
or if you weren’t active,
Add some gentle walking for two or three periods per day.
Diet
The cycle of comfort foods plays itself out pretty quickly with jagged moods and crashes of energy. This is not a time to overdo, nor to fast or begin new intense diets.
Eat well.
Cooking itself is also a de-stressor for many.
Rest
More than you think you need to, but try to keep a regular schedule.
Hydration
Singers say "Drink heavy, pee light." Drink more water than you think you need to. This will help keep your nasal tract and throat hydrated and help to wash any virus down into the digestive tract. (And that’s good.) A good way to make sure you drink enough water is to drink a huge, 16 oz. glass of water as a “snack” between meals and at bedtime.
Gargle
Studies have shown that gargling with water twice daily cuts down on a common cold developing into an upper respiratory tract infection. It may not prevent the cold itself, nor COVID 19, but remember any illness at the moment could cause great concern and possible isolation.
Spray your nose.
This is a singer’s trick I like. Huff Post says: “Use a saline nose spray several times a day to flush out the bacteria and viruses. Nasal sprays are sterile, take seconds to use, are inexpensive, and have been shown to be safe and effective for preventing and treating cold and flu symptoms. There are smaller versions for kids. Using it three or more times a day is a wonderful and safe preventive measure for everyone in the family."
Supplements and Supportive Methods
Though I won’t recommend specifics for you, if you have things that you know from experience help you to feel well, use them. I use essential oils daily, for example, and it helps me feel well. Vitamin C, Black Elderberry extract, whatever your usual supports are, continue them, or those that you bought and liked, but put in the back of the cabinet, maybe it’s time to pull them out.
This may not the time to spend hundreds of dollars on new vitamins in a panic. It will be difficult to tell if new things are working as your stress level and your body are not exactly normal right now. It may only add to your financial worries if you overspend.
Eating a spoonful of honey twice a day has also been shown to improve immunity, and though it may not prevent this virus, as mentioned, any illness at the moment could cause great concern and possible isolation so preventing a cold right now is also of great importance.
4.
Emotions/Mental Health
Watch your news consumption. I strongly suggest you try to stick with print over TV news, with radio being my second choice. And limit yourself to a certain time of day to check the news and then leave it. Make that time of day as far away from bedtime as you can! Read newspapers, check public TV and public radio websites and government pages. 1st choice read. 2nd choice: listen (to podcasts or radio.) 3rd choice: watch (which will include increasingly panicked faces and upsetting images.)
Meditation and Yoga
I used to think these were nice adjuncts to my life. Helpful, but optional. Now I feel that they are essential for physical health and mental sanity. There’s lots of amazing stuff online right now. Consider visiting a meditation class virtually, or doing a youtube yoga class.
Relationships
I know you love him/her, but it’s time to admit he/she drives you crazy, and maybe you need to keep it short or schedule some private time within the household. Also, everybody is very TRIGGERED right now, so expect people to be at their worst at times. Whatever family dynamics or old grudges were there, the volume will be turned up, so lower expectations and limit exposure.
Personal Pressure
This is not the moment to put on your cape and save the world. Get through it. Help others get through it. That is all.
Emotions/Mental Health
Watch your news consumption. I strongly suggest you try to stick with print over TV news, with radio being my second choice. And limit yourself to a certain time of day to check the news and then leave it. Make that time of day as far away from bedtime as you can! Read newspapers, check public TV and public radio websites and government pages. 1st choice read. 2nd choice: listen (to podcasts or radio.) 3rd choice: watch (which will include increasingly panicked faces and upsetting images.)
Meditation and Yoga
I used to think these were nice adjuncts to my life. Helpful, but optional. Now I feel that they are essential for physical health and mental sanity. There’s lots of amazing stuff online right now. Consider visiting a meditation class virtually, or doing a youtube yoga class.
Relationships
I know you love him/her, but it’s time to admit he/she drives you crazy, and maybe you need to keep it short or schedule some private time within the household. Also, everybody is very TRIGGERED right now, so expect people to be at their worst at times. Whatever family dynamics or old grudges were there, the volume will be turned up, so lower expectations and limit exposure.
Personal Pressure
This is not the moment to put on your cape and save the world. Get through it. Help others get through it. That is all.
5.
Anti-Viral Best Friends
Nature (If you are in a big city, watch nature videos. I like Paul Dinning on Youtube, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s live cams.)
Rest
Regular Schedule including a Quiet Period daily.
Pet the dog or cat. (Or look at video of people playing with dogs and cats.)
Walking meditation (Pick a spot where you can walk up and down for about ten or fifteen feet.) Walk mindfully back and forth for a few minutes.
Exercise, in moderation, the way you would if you had a cold or were recovering from an injury. Be gentle.
Cleaning, cooking, stamp collecting, playing piano, or whatever your favorite stress-burner is, do it.
As one friend said, “do what soothes.”
Good luck everybody, you’ll be in my prayers. I hope this list is helpful. Now I’m going to read it myself, and see if I can put all these things into practice for myself and that’ll be my final note, even for parents. You have to secure your own oxygen mask before you can can help others. Think of it as "healthy-selfish".
Much love and all my wishes for health, safety, and happiness for you and your families and friends,
Lisa (clickable image below!)
Anti-Viral Best Friends
Nature (If you are in a big city, watch nature videos. I like Paul Dinning on Youtube, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s live cams.)
Rest
Regular Schedule including a Quiet Period daily.
Pet the dog or cat. (Or look at video of people playing with dogs and cats.)
Walking meditation (Pick a spot where you can walk up and down for about ten or fifteen feet.) Walk mindfully back and forth for a few minutes.
Exercise, in moderation, the way you would if you had a cold or were recovering from an injury. Be gentle.
Cleaning, cooking, stamp collecting, playing piano, or whatever your favorite stress-burner is, do it.
As one friend said, “do what soothes.”
Good luck everybody, you’ll be in my prayers. I hope this list is helpful. Now I’m going to read it myself, and see if I can put all these things into practice for myself and that’ll be my final note, even for parents. You have to secure your own oxygen mask before you can can help others. Think of it as "healthy-selfish".
Much love and all my wishes for health, safety, and happiness for you and your families and friends,
Lisa (clickable image below!)
RSS Feed