Make Your Body a Bad Host for Vicious Germs 🧬

What comes to mind when I say the word “germs”?

Let’s face it, it usually isn’t anything good.  And frankly, beefing up the good bugs in our body may not be at the top of our minds.  Physically we have more time than before but mentally we’re occupied.

For me, my days haven’t changed significantly.  I’m still seeing most of my clients during our regularly scheduled times, only virtually which does mean less time on the road.  Really, it means I don’t have to get up so early.    Evenings are missing all the activities that filled my calendar – the kids’ guitar and volleyball practice, sand volleyball leagues for Mark and I, happy hours with friends, visits to grandma and grandpas, date nights downtown.  It’s true, physically I have more time than before.  Yet, I don’t often FEEL like I have more time than before.

Mentally I find myself engaged in more personal development, webinars, and how to best support you.  Other times I find myself spiraling down the rabbit hole that is the “news”.  An exhausting time suck that leaves me worried about how fear is impacting so many.  After pulling myself out of that hole, I spend more time trying to pep myself back up and return to an empowered human being.

Our very real and very understandable emotional ebb and flows can bring our immune system down a notch… not at all what we want happening right now.  Right?

That’s what you and I are going to talk about today:  how to operate from a place of feeling empowered by making your body a bad host for vicious germs. 

Your current self-care routine may look a bit different.  And that’s OK.  Now is a time to slow down and really listen to your body.

Restorative Sleep

During times of high stress, you may be feeling a little sleepier than usual.  If you’re like many, you’ve been going Mach 10 with your hair on fire for quite some.  It’s possible your body doesn’t understand how to downshift.

Allow yourself the break and indulge in the extra sleepy-time.  Sleep provides powerful immune fighting support.  Here’s what the SleepFoundation has to say about it with The Science of Sleep.

In the meantime, begin to develop your ideal bedtime and waketime routines.  While you won’t likely figure out what works for your ideal routine overnight, you’re making progress simply by starting the process.

Remain calm?  And laugh

Calmness means you’re better able to cope with the stress that is right now and whatever it may be in the future.  Deep breathing, laughter, meditation… honestly, sometimes I just need to have a good cry or a let out a gut-wrenching scream and I feel much better.  You do you.

Experiment.  Know that what worked one time, may not work the next.  That’s OK.  Indulge in those cute kitty videos or test out a short meditation.

If you’re looking for some video perspectives and laughter… check these out:

• Quarantine (The Soundtrack)
• Explaining the Pandemic to My Past Self

Compassion and laughter are such good medicine.

Food is our ally.

This is not the time for crash diets, setting a hard-body intention, or giving ourselves a hard time about that extra snack yesterday.  Seriously, stress is at an all-time high and routines are completely out of whack.  Now is the time for some serious grace and patience.

So, how do we do that and avoid the Quarantine-15… AND amp up our immune system at the same time?

• Now’s a great time to learn how to cook.  If you’re still trying to figure it out, pick just one new meal a week.  If you’re looking for inspiration, check out CookSmarts or you can get three free cooking lessons here, use code LEARNATHOME to get a steep discount on the full program.
• Focus on getting 4 servings of fruits and/or veggies a day.  Forget about the rest.  This will provide fiber and prebiotics to feed all the good fighters in our gut (see, everyone needs food to be strong).
• Invest in a quality immune support pack – Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Zinc, Quercetin, Elderberry, Probiotics.  You can find all my favorites right here.  If you’re curious about the role supplements play, check out this article from Harvard.

Movement

Simply get out, take a walk, and get some fresh air. Aim for 30-45 min but do what you can do, no need to push yourself too far.

Movement is medicine.  That’s all I’m going to say about this one.

Hydration

If you know me at all, you know I preach this – water, water, water.  Drink half your body weight in ounces every day.  Your body will thank me, I promise.

As we continue to navigate the unknown, remember that this is not a time for drastic changes.

It is a perfect time to be creating and designing your ideal day.  Think outside your past routines and really deep dive into the way you truly want to live and feel.

Start eliminating those unwanted habits and routines.  Begin to slide your new habits and routines into place.

Most importantly, make time to dream right now because in 5 years this will be behind you and you’ll be saying “remember when”.

It’s your life, live it in crescendo, and hold onto hope that the best is yet to come.

We are all in this together.

Wishing you great health,

Jenn