The coronavirus is in everyone’s minds at the moment. Airlines have gone bankrupt because of the panic that it has caused; people are locked up in their homes as a prevention measure; you have been warned to wash your hands and be alert. You feel unprotected, powerless, weak when facing this threat. However, this can be a reality check for all of us, human beings. You may not be as powerful as you thought. You may not be the centre of the universe. Maybe you are only just another being populating this planet, and therefore vulnerable to its illnesses. This awareness might bring a humble sense of rootedness and belonging.
While going through this reality check, and becoming humble about your condition as a human being, you might want to remember that science has evolved for many centuries. There are certain facts that we know for sure about our bodies. There are certain things that you can do to help your body being protected from the corona or any other virus: boosting your immune system.
Breathing – Taking deep breaths
This simple yet powerful action of breathing deeply can enhance your immune system. Your immune system is suppressed by the fear response, so if you become too anxious about what is going on around you, take a few deep breaths. That will put a stop to your fear response and will restore your body to a calmer state, which is beneficial for your immune response.
Diet – Eating a healthy diet
What is a healthy diet you might ask yourself. Once again, if you are looking at boosting your immune system, some foods are known to help you. While eating a balanced, varied diet, I would avoid too many sugars and stimulants. This is because sugars, including too many carbs, and stimulants, like caffeine, activate your nervous system and they might turn on your fear response which suppresses your immune system, as explained. It would be better to try to increase your vegetable consumption and introduce some of these foods in your diet: citrus fruits, red bell peppers, broccoli, garlic, ginger, spinach, yogurt, almonds, turmeric, oily fish, etc. Please feel free to google other immune system boosting foods.
Exercise – Regularly exercising
Regular exercise will make you stronger and will improve your immune system, reducing the chances of contracting any illness. Each person might need different amounts and types of exercise. For some people, exercising 20 minutes 2 or 3 times a week will be enough, while others would need 1h every day of a gentle form of exercise. Check with your own body and try not to over or under do it. Generally, exercising 10 minutes each day is better than exercising for a solid 2 hour block every month.
Massage – Massaging your neurolymphatic points
For centuries, in many cultures massage has been considered an essential tool to prevent and relieve conditions. In order to boost your immune system, you can consider massaging your neurolymphatic points every day (it takes less than 3 minutes). If you experience pain in any of these points, you might want to spend a bit of extra time on them. Soon enough, they will all become painless and you will know that your immune system is at its best. Here is a picture of all the neurolymphatic points.
Energy medicine – Tapping, doing tai chi or qigong
Since Einstein, scientists know that we are not only matter, but also energy. We can boost our physical immune systems, or we can create more balanced energy fields around our bodies. A very simple way of protecting yourselves energetically and physically is doing Donna Eden’s 5 minute daily routine. The more you practice this routine, the better and stronger you will feel.
In this post, I haven’t spoken much about counselling or psychotherapy. It goes without saying that counselling will support you in any difficult situation you may find yourself in, including being anxious about the coronavirus or any other illnesses. Many of my clients express some worries about this highly contagious virus and many feel calmer as they leave their sessions. If the tips mentioned do not calm your anxiety about the coronavirus and you are starting to feel overwhelmed, you might want to consider looking for professional help. It is possible that this crisis is actually triggering an old traumatic experience from your past.
© Alda Counselling - Exeter & Teignmouth
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