Focus On Modulating Your Stress Response

Can you find the 'positive' in this moment?
 
Here in southeastern NC, we are quite familiar with dealing with weather disasters like hurricanes, which can paralyze our area for days or weeks.  However, most of the time, other areas of the state or country can provide relief in the way of supplies and support services that help to get things back to normal rather quickly. 


The current COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented experience that most of us in this country have fortunately not experienced in the past.  As a result, you can’t watch the news, read the paper, or link to the internet without being bombarded with images of maps or government agencies telling us just how critical the situation is worldwide.  Travel is stressful, significant events (yes, even sporting events) canceled, and health care organizations are overwhelmed.


I have struggled with balancing my need to reach out to each of you to offer support and information with my concern that you might already be on overload.  So, today I would like to suggest that perhaps in these challenging times, we ask ourselves


“What might be positive in this situation that we may not be able to see at this time?”


Please understand, I am not making light of school closings, travel restrictions, deaths related to this virus, or financial struggles affecting everyone.  However, if you can’t travel or attend to most of the things on your schedule, what might you do with your ‘spare’ time? 


I suggest that you use this time to step up your daily self-care routine.


While diligent handwashing, face touch avoidance, and social distancing are somewhat effective in preventing viral spread, I would like to suggest some other self-care strategies that you can use to boost your immune response. With a little practice, you might even continue these strategies into the future (when the virus is no longer a threat).


First, modulate the stress and fear that seems to be spreading as fast as the virus itself. Anxiety and fear can compromise your immune response leaving you more vulnerable to infection in the long term.  Strategies to decrease the cortisol release associated with stress can mitigate the effect.


I would like to suggest that you:

1. Get out into nature. Sit outside in the sunshine, walk barefoot on the beach or in the grass, or plant something outside.
2. Practice mindfulness or begin a meditation practice for 5-10 minutes/day.
3. Limit sugar and processed foods and increase foods loaded with antioxidants to boost the immune system (blueberries, dark chocolate, strawberries, raspberries, red grapes, beets, beans, orange vegetables, green leafy vegetables).  What you eat does matter!
4. Take a good quality probiotic daily.
5. Place 4-5 drops Eucalyptus essential oil into the floor of your shower daily.
   
   

While these suggestions may not inhibit the spread of COVID-19, they will allow you to look for the positive in this situation and be proactive in decreasing your stress response and increasing your immune resiliency.


If you need any additional support or information, please reach out to me.  At this time, I am continuing to see clients in my office with some restrictions.  This pandemic is going to affect everyone on some level, but I know that if we all work together, we can weather this storm.  Be well and reach out if you need additional help or support.