The 2019 Novel Corona virus COVID-19, first identified in Wuhan, China, has reached a level of global pandemic. What can we do to support our overall health at this time?
Transmission
COVID-19 mode of transition is airborne by coughing and sneezing; person to person contact by touching or shaking hands, touching a surface with the virus on it, then touching our face before washing your hands; and rarely, through fecal transmission.
Prevention
Hygiene: wash your hands for 20 seconds thoroughly with soap and water.
Coughing hygiene: cover your mouth and nose with the shirt sleeve or elbow, not your hands.
Clean surfaces: disinfect all objects and surfaces you touch.
Avoidance: practice social distancing until the risk of transmission is thought to be low. Avoid large crowds. Avoid traveling via area’s where crowds exist such as airports, trains, and busses.
Stay at home if you are sick, except to get medical care.
Health Promotion
Eat a clean balanced diet: ensure you are eating foods rich in Vitamin C: broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cantaloupe, kiwi, lemon, and oranges.
Sleep: ensure you are getting adequate sleep. Sleep is necessary to maintain a strong immune system.
Stress management: reduce and manage stress. There is a strong correlation between being stressed and being more susceptible to infections. The lower the stress, the better our immune system can function. Great stress management techniques while in home isolation are journaling, meditation, breathing exercises, yoga, attending to houseplants, watching relaxing movies, laughing yoga, dancing, or napping or sleeping a few extra hours.
Reducing indoor pollutants: use a HEPA air filter to reduce indoor pollutants, which can worsen lung related illnesses.
Exercise: even if you are avoiding crowded areas such as gyms, moderate exercise is important to continue, as it enhances immune function and reduces the risk of respiratory infections. Try: yoga, stationary bikes, YouTube home-exercise video's.
References:
Casteleijn, D. &.-B. (n.d.). Respiratory Infections and Immune insufficiency. In J. Sarris & J. Wardle (Ed's). Clinical Naturopathy: An Evidence Based Guide to Practice, pp.159-182.
CDC. (n.d.). CDC. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidance-home-care.html
Dasom Kim, a. Z.-F.-X. (2018). NCBI, pubmed. Chronic Dis Transl Med, 75-94. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6033955/
PMC, US National Library of Medicine National Institute of Health. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2104758/
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