Taking Control In A COVID-19 World
By: Robin Shatz 3.30.20
I just did a video for Whole Living and wanted to follow up with a blog. To simplify what I was saying, we need to get back our own personal control of what is happening to us with the outbreak of Corona Virus/COVID 19. I can go on and on about it and what it is but really all of us are still in the question area of how it affects us as a whole. Sooner or later scientists will soon find that answer and assuage our fears and questions but that will take time.
So what is it that we can do for ourselves in the mean time? I feel from what i have been hearing and seeing we as a whole have worked ourselves into a state of anxiousness and fear. We have the news blasting crazy numbers and they are always changing. With social media we hear our friends and family even strangers voice there own concerns and scary thoughts and opinions. When we have the feeling of no control, the world is doing this to us and all we can do is let it happen.......than yes we are falling down into the rabbit hole along with everyone else.
I’m going to say right now, yes the world as we know it has shifted, however we DO still have control and say, what happens to us. Lets rethink this. We are taking it back, this is our own life and body as well mind. There are four principals we need to always go back to for our foundation and get us shifted from the craziness.
Food
Environment
Movement
Mindset
Lets talk about food and how important it is for our mind and body. Food is medicine. Yes, i enjoy a good pizza any day but I know to stay healthy I have to have a well rounded and healthy lifestyle most of the time. Right now when we go into the grocery stores a lot fo the shelves are empty or just starting to fill now, however all along we never lacked for good fresh vegetables and fruits. Remember fruits and vegetables are loaded with all kinds of wonderful vitamins and minerals from vitamins A & C to iron and fiber. Our immune system is built on the foundation of good food. Create those salads, soups, stews, smoothies and use what’s in front of you in the store.
It is easy to fall into the habit of emotional eating, we cant go anywhere as we are self isolating as best we can and to sit in front of the TV and eat a bag of chips or have sugary snacks isn’t helping. Not only are these foods breaking down the immune system but the fat is also clogging everything else up. PUT DOWN THE COOKIES AND CHIPS!!!
Your home is a reflection of you. We forget about that sometimes. Get up and clean up the mess . No one likes to live in clutter! Organize! Everyday work on a project around the house to feel accomplished. Use this isolation time to your advantage. A little each day creates such a wonderful feeling of control. GET DRESSED!! Staying in your pajamas for a lazy day is one thing, but not everyday. It becomes very depressing to wake up and not get out of those pajamas. Put on clothes that you have always wanted to have the time to mix together , work on you style! It is also a good time to slowly eliminate from your closet what you need and dont. Get your makeup on girls! When you look in the mirror what do you ‘want’ to see? Getting dressed and makeup on for the day brings up the good feelings the ‘oxytocin’ that we need to thrive and also better yet it builds up the immune system.
So you are in the house! Get up off the bum and exercise!! Heck you can do that during the commercials. Change it up, maybe you will do jumping jacks or sit-ups at one commercial and the next you will run in place or side step. Make it your own but move the body! You see with movement/exercise you are building muscle and helping the lymphatic system too move. Movement also creates happy endorphins and oxytocin to stimulate the body in a positive way.
Change the mindset!! Turn off the news, and negative radio and social media after 15 min. Do not drown yourself in listening to what you cannot do anything about. Watch positive, educational , motivational TV. Listen to great forward thinking podcasts. With learning you have control over and exercising those brain receptors and that never hurts.
Soon enough the craziness will be over and everything will be as back to normal as it can be after this. I just want to end by saying.... YOU are in control now go and do what is the best for you, you’ve got this!