💪 IMMUNE RESILIENCE #14: 18 ways to self-care right NOW
💪 IMMUNE RESILIENCE #14: 18 ways to self-care right NOW. A few weeks ago, on the International Day of Happiness, you might recall that I drew your attention to a wonderful FREE resource – Happiful Magazine. The wonderful folks at Happiful have stepped up to the plate yet again to offer us more help.
18 Ways to self-care right NOW
An email dropped into my inbox on Friday which detailed 18 ways in which we can look after ourselves during these confusing and uncertain times – all of which will calm our stressed nervous system, down-regulate our stress levels and up-regulate our body’s parasympathetic healing response, helping us build a resilient our immune system.
8 ways to find happiness
There are plenty of opportunities to find happiness during these uncertain times – the trick is to spot them and nurture them when they present themselves:
- Reconnect with others: a quick “How are you doing?” is always welcome
- Get moving: exercise is vital for body and mind
- Refine your craft: or start a new one. Get creative! (and see the next section)
- Count your blessings: literally! Make a list and appreciate the many good things in our lives
- Put self-care first: slow down, take a step back and put YOU first for a while
- Dance it out: lose yourself and dance like no one’s watching – no inhibitions!
- Be there for others: we’re stronger together
- Take it back: think back to childhood – comfort and delight can often be found there.
4 mindful crafting activities
Mindfulness is a wonderful thing. It reduces stress and anxiety and helps maintain our mental wellness. The brilliant thing about mindfulness is that it can be used in many ways. One creative idea is to take regular crafting activities and give them a mindfulness spin by slowing down and letting the activity absorb your attention.
- Paper cutting
- Macramé
- Mindful scrapbooking
- Slow sewing
5 uplifting home workouts
Exercise can have an incredibly uplifting effect on our mental health and general wellbeing. And although the fitness industry can feel intimidating and inaccessible, exercise is for everyone.
Check out this post from five online fitness instructors who are prioritising feeling good over looking good.
Remember your mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic
We’re all well aware of the physical health issues we’re being exposed to during this pandemic, but let’s not forget about our mental health.
Whether you are already receiving support for your mental health, or the current situation has brought on new anxiety and distress, please, please remember that help IS available.
This article clearly sets out guidance and options if you feel you need outside support during this time of ‘lockdown’ and perhaps self-isolation.
Resilient health is holistic health…
Our health is in our hands … WE make the decision to create the lifestyle changes that bring energy, vitality and resilient health… so let’s take the first step, however small, and walk purposefully and consistently towards those goals.
This post is part of the Immune Resilience Series – with this series, I’m making a commitment to my subscribers to provide helpful, evidence-based information and insights into what we can do with nutrition and lifestyle medicine to build immune resilience – the capacity of our immune system to respond to external challenges (such as the Covid-19 pandemic) and return to a healthy state of wellbeing.
THE REAL FOOD SOLUTION
Our risk for contracting communicable diseases like the Covid-19 virus increases when our immune system is weak and a weakened immune system is largely the result of a less-than-optimal diet and an unsupportive lifestyle.
Even as we are experiencing this current crisis, we are also seeing underlying epidemics of chronic diseases of every kind – diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, degenerative, digestive and autoimmune disorders across the globe. These conditions too, are largely diet and lifestyle-driven and they are preventable.
We need to act now
We have robust science to show us that what we eat has never been more important for our health and, because all life is inextricably connected, for our planet. The Real Food Solution will help you to discover the power of real food as medicine for better health… for you and for our planet.
Crises like Covid-19 are a test our humanity… let’s stop queuing up for loo rolls and start creating a strong, resilient foundation of immune health… together.
Stay safe, stay informed and get empowered, Izabella.