Freaking out about the Coronavirus and whether you’re going to get it, won’t serve you any good. Neither will hoarding toilet paper. If you need that much TP to last you 2-3 weeks, you’ve got more serious health problems than contracting Covid 19. We’ve all been advised to stay away from crowded places, yet we’re all swarming to the store to stock up. Yes, washing your hands, not touching your face, working from home, washing your hands, avoiding crowded public places, washing your hands, staying away from sick people, and washing your hands (did I mention that already?) will all help minimize exposure to any illness. But the best defense you can take to prevent, minimize the duration of an illness, and recover quicker if you do get sick, isn’t found in the meat, snack food, or prepackaged convenient food sections of the store. It’s in the produce aisle. That’s right, good old-fashioned fruits and vegetables. Yes, beans, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds are essential too and compliment a well-balanced health regimen, but natural vitamins and minerals is what your body needs.
Boosting your immune system is what’s going to keep you healthy. Exercise is importance too, as well as calming the mind (not an easy thing to do in the throws of a pandemic). Stress will cause more inflammation in your body and decrease your immune system making it harder to fight any little invader that makes it’s way in.
How do I make sure that I’m getting the proper nutrients to prevent, fight off, and recover faster? Choose fresh or frozen vegetables and fruits and eat them at every meal. Yes, every meal. It’s easier than you think. Add veggies to an egg or tofu scramble. Saute veggies and pair with beans for a quick fajita or taco. Eat a piece of fruit with every meal or for a snack instead of reaching for a sugary processed sweet. Make veggies and fruit the main portion of your meals along with a normal portion size of protein (think of a deck of cards) and whole grains (1/2c is a serving). Vitamins, minerals, protein, fiber, healthy fats (avocado, nuts and seeds) is what your body needs to perform at it’s best.
I also recommend adaptogens to keep you healthy. What are those? Adaptogens are non-toxic plants that help the body with things that cause stress. Physical, chemical, and biological stressors that we encounter every day ( work deadlines, kids, pollution, finances, depression, global pandemics, junk foods, etc) decrease our immune system and contribute to inflammation. Turmeric is a very common herb that helps reduce inflammation. Ashwaganda helps with mood. Mushrooms (the edible kind at the grocers) are powerful immune boosters. There are many many more powerful plants that help the body cope with everyday life circumstances we encounter. If you take medications for an existing medical condition, always check with your doctor first to make sure an adaptogen is safe to take.
To all of you hoarding TP, paper towels, convenience foods, and snacks…Thank you for leaving the produce department stocked for the rest of us who know the secret to staying healthy!
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