Does anyone else feel like we’re living in the “twilight zone?” I feel like we’re living a scene out of a movie. Unfortunately this movie is our actual life and it can be unsettling when we dwell too much on the uncertainty of our situation. We are in Utah and when I first heard a school district near us was closing I got pretty panicky. I went straight to the store and got plenty of food and supplies for our family of 7. I then spent way too much time on social media reading about the severity of this virus. I let fear take over my faith for a bit and it was not a place I want to be again. However, I quickly decided that I needed to focus on what I could control and give the rest to God. Here are a few tips that have helped me to focus on the things that are in my control which is how I spend the time that I have & what I feed my mind and body with. I hope some of these can help you as well.
- Make sure to get enough rest. This one is really important to keep our immune systems healthy. Our immune systems become more compromised when we don’t give our bodies enough adequate rest. Cortisol, the stress hormone, is more abundant and weakens our immune system.
- Drink boost juice, collagen based drinks, & singing canaries! There is a THM sale going on right now with some THM staples and immunity building products such as baobab & collagen. If you missed the sale announcement, it is still going on until tomorrow. Here is the link: THM Sale. I love to use half collagen and half protein powder in my shakes in the morning. Baobab has a mild fruity taste & has so many antioxidants in it. Boost juice will give you that extra vitamin C to keep your immune system strong. Vitamin C is what all of the medical professionals are recommending we take extra of to keep our immune systems healthy. If you’ve never had it, here is the recipe: Boost Juice- FP . Singing canaries are also great for helping you get in some extra Vitamin C and for building up your immunity. You can find the recipe here: Singing Canary-FP
- Spend time doing things at home that you don’t have time for when you’re constantly busy. I’m trying to figure out this homeschooling thing but I’m really enjoying spending this extra time with my kids even though it is challenging at times. We were able to go on a 4 hour bike adventure on Sunday after in home church to enjoy nature and each other and it is something we normally don’t have time to do.
- Limit your time on social media. Like I mentioned before, when they closed down the first school district here, I started consuming my time with updates on social media. I became very fearful and scared with all the uncertainty around. I’m now trying to limit how much I read. It’s much more pleasant to focus on what we can control.
- Find projects around the house that you’ve neglected. I’m thinking of painting my bedroom which I’ve been wanting to do for ages. I seriously bought the paint over 3 years ago so now I have time to actually use it. I also need to embroider my 2 year olds stocking which is quite time consuming so it’s a perfect time to do it!
- Learn some new skills or start some new habits. Have you been wanting to start exercising? Meal plan? Organize your recipes? Learn to dance? Learn to play the guitar? Learn to draw? There are so many FREE resources right now that can help you implement your new habits or learn new skills. Not having enough time is no longer an excuse!! Today, I learned how to draw an elephant and a giraffe with my kiddos on youtube. I have never been a good artist so it was fun to learn some drawing skills. If you want to try an online exercise platform, I have a lot of resources I can give you so let me know, but here is one you can try out: Travel Workouts
- Stay connected & focus on those you love the most. We are social beings and are not meant to be isolated so it’s important that we check in with our family, friends, & neighbors. Texting, emailing, dropping off some extra supplies (TP anyone?), or skyping are all great options that still adhere to the social distancing rule. It’s also a great opportunity to really connect with our children and spouses and those who live under our roof. Get out some old games or break out the new ones from Christmas that you haven’t played yet. Spend time outside together. Bake together. Do art together. Work on projects together. Read together. This is a unique time to make some lasting memories with our loved ones inside our homes.
- Stay positive and hopeful and rely on your faith. I have a wall hanging in my house that has never been more profound. It says “let your faith be bigger than your fear.” We simply need to hand our fear over to God and He will calm our troubled hearts.
- Resist the urge to emotionally eat. A lot of us might feel like turning to food for comfort. Remember that when you treat your body well, you are not only keeping your immune system healthy so if you do happen to get the virus you can fight it, but you will also be mentally and physically able to handle what’s going on and to be there for your loved ones. If you must indulge in comfort foods, choose THM foods. Some of my favorite THM comfort foods are pasta alfredo, no bakes, shakes (the brownie batter shake is a yummy one!), lavash chips seasoned with TRUE lime seasoning, garlic and salt and eaten with salsa and cottage cheese; peanut butter and Lily’s chocolate chips on a light rye wasa cracker, sometimes melted and with gentle sweet or even just a spoonful of peanut butter with some Lily’s chocolate chips and sweetener.
- Keep your meals as simple as possible but keep them healthy! Make sure you have plenty of shelf stable THM staples on hand like oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, beans, unsweetened canned fruit and veggies, low sugar pasta sauce, nuts, etc. Have plenty of protein options in your freezer & make sure you have plenty of frozen fruits and veggies on hand in case you can’t get fresh produce. I think we will still have access to fresh produce but if you’re avoiding shopping, frozen is such a great option. Smoothies are a great way to start your day! Throw in some frozen avocado or spinach for some extra nutrition.
I’d love to hear from you! How are you coping with staying at home? What are some things you are doing to stay positive and productive?
