The Pandemic That Is Changing the World
I know you’ve been inundated with information about COVID-19 that may have left you feeling informed, stressed, overwhelmed, relieved, or some combination of all of those. In this post, I’ll get straight to the point. My goal is not to further inundate you and cause panic. My goal is to inform with the intent of heightening awareness and stressing the equal importance of self care and selflessness during this time. Here are some things that you can do to protect yourself and serve others:
Listen to reputable sources
There are so many different outlets for news these days and not all of them are reputable. I’m not one to watch the news, but I do read information from reputable sources online. I highly suggest that you go directly to those who know what they’re talking about. The CDC is a great place to start for basic protocol. There are also many doctors who study infectious diseases (Dr. Tyna is one that I follow) and share reputable information about COVID-19. I also follow some people on social media who live in Italy and are insta-vlogging their everyday lives, which gave me much more insight into what my life may look like in a few weeks than the news did. My point is, be selective with who you follow, what you watch, what you listen to, and what information you take in, both for mental and physical health’s sake.
Establish boundaries around all things coronavirus
One of my favorite therapists on Instagram is Sara Kuberic, AKA @millennial.therapist. She posted a list of boundaries around coronavirus that you may find useful. It’s important for you to carry what you know about yourself with you throughout this experience. If you know you’re easily overwhelmed or stressed, enforce your boundaries and limit your exposure to things that will heighten those feelings.
Be alert, but not panicked.
This is something that has really bothered me. The mass hysteria is what caused people to purchase ridiculous amounts of toilet paper and fear things that shouldn’t be feared. Be alert, but do not panic. This virus is serious and information about COVID-19 is changing by the minute, but panic may actually induce fear that will leave those who need the resources the most without. Please think about you AND everyone else. All you can do is your part and if everyone does their part, this will pass much faster.
Here are my suggestions for things that you could be doing:
Cleaning frequently touched surfaces often (including electronic devices): with every new item/person that enters your home everyday, more germs are coming with those things. We know that COVID-19 cannot live in the air, but it can live on most surfaces including clothing, paper, and countertops. So cleaning frequently touched surfaces regularly and maybe even designating a space in your home for “dirty items” to be handled can be beneficial.
Taking supplements: if you’ve been with me for a while, you know that I’m a huge advocate for all sorts of non-western medicine (read more about the vitamins and supplements I take here). If you are well, not only is social distancing important, but boosting your immune system is also important so that in the event that you do become ill, the illness will pass faster and you’ll bounce back more quickly. One supplement that I take daily for immune support is zinc.
Zinc keeps the immune system strong, helps heal wounds, and supports normal growth. I’d also suggest astragalus, which is a plant native to Asia. It increases the production of white blood cells and may also have mild antiviral activity and help with the prevention of colds. My last suggestion is andrographis, which is an herb long used in traditional Chinese medicine and ayurveda. The compounds is contains (andrographolides) are thought to have anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antioxidant properties. Of course, Vitamin C, turmeric, herbal teas, western medicine, etc. other immune boosting supplements that are more commonly known are beneficial as well. It’s important to note that COVID-19 appears to be binding to certain receptors, and certain immune boosting supplements bind to those same receptors in the respiratory system. I am still monitoring the research closely and if any particular supplements are found to be disadvantageous specifically against fighting COVID-19, I’ll share updates here in this post.
NOTE: I AM NOT AN HERBALIST OR MEDICAL DOCTOR. THESE ARE SIMPLY SUGGESTIONS BASED ON MY RESEARCH AND PERSONAL EXPERIENCES.
I’ve also been following a coronavirus map from the University of Washington that has been pretty accurate over the last couple of weeks. Feel free to peruse it for real time updates as your mental health allows.
My final thought is this: now is the time to be selfless in a selfish society. Selflessness can be a rather uncomfortable experience for all of us (read more about my thoughts on that here). But it’s extremely important for us to think outside of ourselves. Some people have lost jobs or have jobs but cannot work right now. Elderly people are suffering (all well as people who are members of the vulnerable populations). People who aren’t on WIC have purchased all of the WIC eligible food in some grocery stores, and those who can only buy WIC food are left without. Some kids are out of school without food because school is the only place they get meals. Medical professionals are putting their health on the line daily to help us. Cancel your routine appointments to avoid taking up space for someone who may need that care more than you AND to reduce the possibility for the spread of the virus. If you are confirmed positive but “feel fine” or want to exercise your rights as an American citizen to be free and move about the world, please think about the people that you are putting at risk by being out and about. As we move about the world (or our homes for now), take care of yourself and please think of others who are also depending on your kindness and selflessness.
As always, I hope you found this useful and thank you for journeying with me.