The coronavirus shutdown has put everyone off of their normal health and wellness routine. Now more than ever we have less access to our typical means of exercising and staying healthy.
Luckily, most of us do have a reliable internet connection which means we have thousands of hours of information at our fingertips for adapting to our lives in quarantine, or while we stay at home. As you shift your approach to health we encourage you to keep an open mind, experiment and get creative with your new health routine.
Start by Focusing on the Basics
1. Stay Hydrated
The advice used to be to drink 8 glasses of 8 ounces of water per day. We call this old advice because health experts now know that the amount of water needed varies for each person and their activity level. The Mayo Clinic suggests starting with 15.5 cups (remember a cup is 8 ounces) of fluids for men and 11.5 cups of fluids for women.
It is important to listen to your body and drink water when you’re thirsty. Don’t rely on sugary beverages or caffeinated drinks.
Why is it important to stay hydrated? We’re glad you asked! Fluids eliminate toxins from the body, improve brain function and regulate your body temperature along with several other nifty benefits, according to Medical News Today
2. Exercise
Time to exercise could be scarce or plentiful these days depending on your situation. Some of us are working from home and managing distance learning for our children and others of us find ourselves with Netflix constantly asking “Are you still watching?” Either way, we all know that exercise is essential for our physical and mental health.
If you’re lost without your regular gym routine, don’t worry there are plenty of online resources.
Try a yoga class on YouTube, such as Yoga With Adrienne. Adrienne has hundreds of videos that focus on different areas of the body or themes such as hope, dealing with stress, or gut health.
There are HIIT Workouts, Step Workouts, and Weight Routines.
There are so many options for free that you may never go back to your old gym. And you can always walk around your block and wave hello to your neighbors.
3. Healthy Diet
Eating a healthy diet is another pillar of maintaining your health and wellness at any time, not just during the coronavirus. If you’re not already accustomed to healthy eating start at the beginning and learn about the basics at the USDA’s MyPlate website where it is recommended you make HALF of your plate at each meal consist of fruits and vegetables.
Although it may be tempting to load up on comfort foods and we know everyone on Instagram is making Banana Bread, a healthy diet will help you maintain brain and body function now and in the future.
When you go to the grocery store, make a list and stick to it (one or two impulse purchases are totally acceptable) and shop for sturdy vegetables that will keep for a while in your pantry or fridge. Think more winter vegetables like squashes and fewer delicate fruits such as berries so you don’t have to make frequent trips to the store.
4. Professional Guidance
If you feel stuck in a rut with your health, seeking professional health from a doctor or other health professional is still an option during coronavirus! Access Accident Center is providing help in our clinics and via TeleMed appointments. We recommend that if you are experiencing any pain, discomfort or tension in your neck, back, hips or low back to contact us so that we can help you feel better.
Remember to take care of yourself and remember that each day during the coronavirus we may be presented with a different set of challenges. We have a blog post with tips about maintaining your stress and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Know that no matter what you can count on Axcess to help you in any way we can during this time. If you have any questions or need acupuncture or chiropractic care, contact us here or by calling (801) 701-8222 for any of our clinics.
