7 Tips to Stay Mentally Healthy During a Crisis

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused worldwide panic and distress on people from all walks of life. Majority of people already know the basics on how to avoid the spread of COVID-19, but it’s equally important to keep mental health in check especially during a crisis.

It can get overwhelming and stressful when you read the news or when you continuously talk to other people about the virus, so here are seven simple tips on how you can take care of your mental well-being.

  1. Take a break from your screens

Your social media feed is now flooded with news and information on the coronavirus—some fake materials are also circulating—and this can trigger uncertainty, anxiety, or restlessness. One way to manage this is to schedule breaks in between screen time and limit your usage of social media. If you wish to keep informed on the essentials, follow only trusted sources like the Health Canada (https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada.html ) and the World Health Organization (https://www.who.int/) to avoid potential exposure to false news.

  1. Create and follow a routine

Humans are creatures of habit who thrive on schedules and fixed tasks. This can be carried out in the comfort of your own home. Avoid spending too much time doing only one activity such as sleeping or watching TV. For those working from home, create a routine during working hours and set boundaries between work and play. Make use of a designated working area in your home to avoid bringing work-related stress inside rooms for relaxation such as your bedroom.

  1. Get up and move

Staying indoors should not hamper physical activity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends exercising regularly to cope with stress from COVID-19. Physical activity has proven to be beneficial in improving overall health and in ensuring our bodies grow, develop, and function as they should. According to Harvard Medical School, exercising not only reduces stress hormone levels, it also stimulates endorphin production. Endorphins are brain chemicals that help boost our mood.

These are simple exercises you can do to get your blood pumping:

  • Dancing
  • Brisk-walking around the house
  • Walking up and down the stairs
  • Skipping rope
  • Lifting heavy objects such as grocery bags
  • Using own body weight (push-ups, planks, lunges)

 

  1. Connect with the real world

Maintaining strong emotional connections with your family and friends during times of crisis is an essential part of survival. Reach out to a loved one online or over the phone to relieve stress. If extreme distress persists and affects your day-to-day living, you may consult a medical professional remotely as well. At the same time, make yourself available to people who you think may also need extra emotional support.

  1. Strengthen your immune system

Your physiological well-being—including mental health—has a great effect on your overall health. Regularly eat well-balanced meals composed of fruits, vegetables, and proteins. Avoid eating high-sodium and high-sugar food.

Consider taking multivitamins with vitamin C and zinc which are known to boost your immune system. It’s also a good idea to get more vitamin D the natural way by getting some sunlight. Get some much-needed sun exposure if you have a small balcony or by staying in a well-lit room. Consider squeezing in a couple of indoor exercise routines to get your blood pumping and to maintain a healthy weight.

  1. Focus on things that matter

Lessen your worries by focusing on things that are proven and on matters that you can control. COVID-19 affected a percentage of the global population, but there are also documented recoveries. We can focus our energies on supporting our medical professionals who are doing their best in treating those who are sick. Leading experts around the world are also hard at work in developing a cure or vaccine for the virus.

  1. Be still and try meditation

Find time during the day to sit comfortably in a quiet corner of your house, and take a deep breath. For a few minutes, close your eyes and try to let go of the things that stress you. Meditation is a mind and body practice that helps people relax and stay calm even in a stressful environment. Faith-based practices such as praying, is also a form of meditation. Do what works for you to refresh your mind and body.

It is perfectly normal to feel anxious about the COVID-19 health crisis. At this time, there are many things beyond our control because we are still learning much about the virus and its effects on life. You may not feel at your best today, and that is okay. What is important is being able to talk to someone who can help relieve your anxiety.

If you feel like you need someone to talk to, you may call Canadian wellness helpline at 1-855-242-3310 and visit https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/topics/mental-health-wellness.html for more resources to keep yourself wellbeing.

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Why Probiotics are Good for Your Health

Your gut health can greatly affect your holistic wellbeing. When you hear the word ‘bacteria,’ you automatically think they cause disease. However, there is such a thing as ‘good bacteria’ that are actually beneficial for you—these are called probiotics. One of the best ways to achieve good intestinal health is getting enough probiotics in your diet that can be found in your everyday food staples.

What are probiotics

The etymology of the term probiotic comes from the Latin word “pro” which translates to the preposition “for” while “biotic” stems from Greek origin that means “bios” or “life.” From its name alone, probiotics mean they are essential to life.

Cleveland Clinic defines probiotics as “made out of live bacteria and/or yeasts that naturally live in your body.” Did you know that your microbiome—a complex system within your body—enables the healthy co-existence of good and bad microbes in the body that include viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungus? It is important to maintain balance in your microbiome to stay fit and healthy, because disrupting that balance can make a person more susceptible to disease.

What are the benefits of probiotics

Good bacteria promote healthy digestion and support immune function. There are popular types of bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria, and yeasts like Saccharomyces boulardiiHarvard Health states that these bacteria have different effects on your body that assist in the treatment or prevention of these conditions, among many others.

  • Diarrhea
  • Ulcerative colitis
  • Urinary tract infection (UTI)
  • Irritable bowel syndrome
  • Vaginal infections
  • Eczema in children

Watch: 9 Tips for Healthy Digestion

Where to get more probiotics

Certain foods have high levels of probiotics due to fermentation—a process wherein a substance is broken down with the addition of microorganisms such as bacteria or yeast. Enhance your meals with these common probiotic-rich ingredients to promote gut health:

  • Pickled vegetables
  • Yogurt
  • Cottage cheese
  • Kombucha—a fermented type of tea
  • Sourdough bread

If the probiotic-rich food is not to your liking, there are available probiotic supplements in the market such as Lactobacillus reuteri that can help improve your gut’s health and immunity to intestinal infections. It is important to consult your doctor first before taking any form of medication, vitamins, or supplements.

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Emergency Response CPR and Heimlich Maneuver

Emergency situations can happen anywhere and anytime, so you should always be alert when you encounter one. Two common emergency scenarios that you may come across are when someone has difficulty in breathing or is suffering from a heart attack. There are two first emergency response procedures that can help save someone’s life if they are having trouble breathing.

CPR

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR is one of the most important first aid emergency techniques that you must know how to perform. It is a life-saving procedure that can help someone who is suffering from a cardiac or breathing emergency. The American Red Cross explains a few steps in administering CPR:

  1. Secure the location to check the overall scenario, then approach and ask the person if he/she is okay and is in need of assistance.
  2. Call your local emergency number or ask a bystander to make the call for you.
  3. Gently roll over the person if they are lying on their belly. Open the airway while the person is lying on his or her back. You can do this by tilting the head back slightly lifting the chin.
  4. Check if the person involved is breathing. Do this for 10 seconds. Immediately start CPR if there are no signs of normal breathing.
  5. Place your hand on top of each other, then put force into compressing the middle of the chest. You should be able to administer compressions that are at least 2 inches deep at 100 compressions per minute.
  6. After giving compressions, give rescue breaths by pinching the nose shut and placing your mouth over the person’s mouth to form a complete seal. You should aim to deliver two rescue breaths in between continuous chest compressions. The chest should rise with your initial rescue breath. Re-tilt the chin if this does not happen. If unsuccessful, observe for any signs of choking and try to clear the obstruction.
  7. Continue the given steps until rescue arrives.

Not everyone is equipped with the right knowledge to properly perform CPR in emergency cases. The Canadian Red Cross offers basic and advanced life support certification courses for professionals who want to sharpen their skills. As for laypeople, American Heart Association recommends that you perform hands-only CPR if you are either untrained or have not done CPR in a while. You can watch a short video about this here.

Choking

Mayo Clinic describes choking as a blockage in a person’s throat or windpipe. This usually occurs when a foreign object is blocking your airway and can lead to low levels of oxygen to the brain. Children in particular are quite prone to choking due to swallowing small objects or large cuts of food. This is considered as a medical emergency that can be reversed by performing the following:

  • Back blows– bend the person over so the upper body portion is parallel to the ground. Give five secure back blows while securing the person’s chest.
  • Heimlich maneuver– make a fist with one hand and wrap your arms around the person’s abdomen, just slightly above the person’s navel. Press hard with a quick upward thrust and perform between 6 to 10 abdominal thrusts. You can watch a simple instructional video here and view a few illustrations of the technique here.

While first aid is not always taught in school, it is best to also explore opportunities to learn the basics. Enroll in free courses or join seminars so you can help give someone a second chance today. The Canadian Red Cross offers a variety of trainings on first aid procedures and other basic life support courses.

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