As humans, we are all facing an opportunity to use one of our most extraordinary abilities: adaptation. We are all adjusting to changes in our external world (our jobs, our family, our community, our world) as well as our internal world (our immune system, our nervous system).
As we all “feel our way” through times of uncertainty, we want to impress this point upon you: If there’s one thing our body knows how to do, it is adapt. Our body and mind are well equipped for this adaptation response, but it is up to us to be the managers of our health. We can either assist the body in doing its job to the best of our abilities, or we can resist, making it harder for our bodies to make these adjustments. This, my fellow health seekers, is something we have control over!
Although there are a lot of opinions on the subject, we have done our best to provide some useful tips for you to consider:
- Acceptance: this does not mean “giving in” or “giving up,” it simply indicates a willingness to practice non-resistance. The simple definition of stress is resistance to what is. It doesn’t mean our very real struggles will go away but acceptance can open the door to allow you to work with instead of against what is.
- Keep a schedule: Here is a fabulous work-from-home checklist to keep you on task in a different environment: Checklist – Working From Home – 2020
- Hydrate: Although this may seem obvious, when we are out of routine, one of the first things that can escape our mind is water intake so make sure you set up a reminder on your phone to drink water or make sure you set a goal amount to drink out of a measured container like a Nalgene or other water bottle. Bonus: If you drink more fluids, you tame your hunger signals, and with more time at home over-eating or eating without hunger is a temptation.
- Eat well: Some of our favs are bone broth for a nutrient-packed boost, brazil nuts for their high selenium content, garlic and onion for flavoring your food and boosting your immune system, colored bell peppers and citrus for their high vitamin C content, and mushrooms as a food high in zinc. Here are two recipes for a quick Instant Pot Bone Broth or Magic Mineral Broth (our favorite!) You can also purchase bone broth from a well sourced company like Kettle and Fire.
- Schedule in play time or creative outlets: Let’s face it, no matter how many people you are sharing a home with, we will have more opportunity to play and/or create together or for ourselves. This is proven to be beneficial to your health so let that childlike energy out!
- Start a project! It’s the time of year when we get into the spring cleaning spirit and maybe you’ve been “too busy” to get to it. Now’s the time to declutter and dust off the accumulation from winter!
We hope these tips are useful to you. Take care of yourselves and we’ll see you soon!
