These past weeks I’ve been reflecting on our current global health crisis as I’m sure you have been, as well. There has definitely been some underlying anxiety along with my reflections. While we are living in an unprecedented time in history, I’ve been thinking about what we can learn from all of this. There is a list a mile long with takeaways and things we can do differently in the future both collectively and individually. In fact, I’ve already shared three of my takeaways here. My reflections have actually helped ease my anxiety and given me hope for the future.
The one thing that’s really been on my mind this past week is the physical health of people in the countries where, unfortunately, the death rate is higher than most. Now, I want to be clear that I’m not a medical doctor, nor am I a scientist. However, I have been studying health and fitness for the past 20 years. I find health and fitness incredibly interesting, which is why I became a certified health coach and personal trainer. I love researching and geeking out on this stuff so I can help people become the healthiest version of themselves.
When I got over my initial shock of the rapid increase in the number of infected people and the number of people dying, I became curious about those who were passing away from complications from COVID-19 and those who were recovering. While there are several factors when analyzing the data, including the number of people being tested, who is self-isolating, and who is taking other recommended precautions, and when local governments started taking the situation seriously, to name a few, there is one factor that I believe plays an important role in all of this: physical health.
I started doing some research and found that a majority of the people who are passing away from this infection have underlying health issues such as diabetes, respiratory issues, high blood pressure and heart disease.
One article stated that New Orleans’ death rate is the highest in the United States. This is mainly due to many people in New Orleans being overweight. A friend and fellow health coach who lives a few hours from New Orleans once told me that people in Louisiana love their flavorful, fried food! It’s an important part of their culture to gather together and enjoy a delicious beignet after a meal that includes deep fried anything.
In Italy, most of the deaths are said to be older people with underlying health issues. One of the reasons I think it spread so rapidly there is they are known to have large family gatherings and they greet each other with kisses.
“But, Melissa, what about the younger population being infected?” Yes, I understand there is a small percentage of young “healthy” people who are being gravely infected with the virus. In my opinion, this could be because they have not yet been diagnosed with a health issue or perhaps have been misdiagnosed. From my knowledge, some diseases could take years to build up which means they wouldn’t be diagnosed until years later. A friend of mine who is a registered nurse told me that a person can be a diabetic for up to 10 years before their numbers actually confirm they are, in fact, diabetic. That’s crazy!
The obesity rate is also high in the U.S. so we are expected to see a high death rate here, as well. Fast food and a sedentary lifestyle is way too common in our country. Much of this has to do with people being under educated about what a healthy lifestyle looks like, to no fault of their own. They prioritize what’s important in their life by what they are being told by authority figures that may not necessarily be true. I could go into more detail here but I’ll save it for another article.
I don’t want to drive fear into you with this information because we all know there’s more than enough fearful energy flowing throughout the world as of late. I do, however, want to bring awareness to you. If there was a perfect time to start taking control of your physical health this is it!
This global pandemic has brought so much clarity to my life that I’m more motivated than ever to help people create healthier lifestyle habits. While changing your lifestyle habits now might not be enough prevent your body from getting infected with this virus, you can start right now to prepare your body for future viruses. While, according to scientists and medical professionals, this may be the most intense virus in our lifetime there will be more to come.
I mentioned a few weeks ago that building a strong immune system is a key component in giving our bodies the ability to fight off disease. Our bodies are very wise. When we give our bodies the appropriate input they will provide us with the optimal output to live a healthy, abundant lifestyle. Here are my six simple healthy lifestyle tips for you to start incorporating into your life one at a time.
Tip #1: Get adequate sleep
In our home, we make sleep a priority. Lack of sleep negatively effects our mood, appetite, cognitive function, and our physical fitness. When we sleep our bodies (and brains) take that time to recover from any physical and mental stress. In order to do this, it’s important that we follow our circadian rhythm. This means winding down at night when the sun goes down and waking up when the sun rises.
Tip #2: Eat delicious and nutritious food
When we eat healthy food that nourishes our body we have more energy, better cognitive function, and enhanced mood. When we eat highly processed foods with little nutritional value, our bodies have little to work with. Our bodies thrive on a whole food diet of vegetables, starchy carbs, healthy fats, high quality protein, (and fruits and dark chocolate in moderation). It’s simple: just eat real, whole food. Your body will thank you!
Tip #3: Cultivate meaningful relationships with your tribe.
I’m a firm believer in surrounding yourself with people who are going to support you and who share your values. It could be your immediate or extended family, friends, or co-workers. It is so important to nurture these relationships on a daily basis. So, what does this look like? When you’re having a meal together put the phones away and steer your energy and focus to the conversation and the other person’s needs. During this time it’s important to utilize technology. We had an Easter get together over Zoom yesterday with our family. We’ve also been using FaceTime to talk to my mother-in-law who lives 10 minutes away to be sure we’re physical distancing ourselves.
Tip #4: Make time for the 3 R’s: rest, recovery, and relaxation.
There are some days when I just want to lay on the couch and watch movies or binge watch a TV show all day. When I don’t feel like working out, or cooking, or cleaning this is my body telling me I need a break. Some days I just want to sit outside in the fresh air and enjoy a delicious beverage. I like to take a hot shower at the end of the work day before I jump into making dinner. This helps to me relax and wash off the busy day.
Tip #5: Move your body frequently doing activities you enjoy.
Our bodies are meant to move frequently. My husband and I have a rule: we only do physical activities that bring us joy. I love riding my bike around town, whether it’s to our favorite local coffee shop, to the grocery store or just around the block. We’re also into hiking, whether it’s a challenging quad-buster or easy stroll.
Tip #6: Express gratitude throughout the day.
When my husband and I have a meal together we share at least one thing that we’re grateful for. We also share our gratitude throughout the day when we are truly feeling grateful for something in our life. This habit reminds us to appreciate all the abundance in our life even in the face of life’s challenges.
During the month of April we’re offering our group and one-on-one coaching as an “invest what you can” program. What does this mean? If you’re ready to make simple healthy lifestyle changes one a time you tell us what you are able to invest financially and we’ll work with you on a flexible payment schedule. When you sign up for one-on-one coaching you are invited to join the bi-monthly group coaching sessions. Let’s hop on a call together to see how we can make health coaching work for you!