Prevention and self care during the corona virus pandemic is key to not only our well being but that of our community.
- Wash your hands for 20 seconds using friction, soap, and water or use enough hand sanitizer to wet your hands, using friction to rub your hands dry.
- Don’t touch your face.
- Practice social distancing of six feet from others.
- Limit trips out to grocery stores and other essential errands.
- While there is no proven transmission of the virus infecting a person from a surface, one wonders if you should “clean” items as you bring groceries into your home, or packages off your porch. Here is a how to video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKx-F4AKteE
- Work remotely unless your job is designated as essential.
- Look to the CDC for the latest recommendations. This is not a DYI situation.
What is ineffective:
- DYI alcohol based hand sanitizers. If you want to use alcohol, I’m afraid you’ll have to use 70% isopropyl alcohol as opposed to the stuff you drink. Alcohol that you drink isn’t strong enough to kill the virus. Here is a link that provides a good explanation of “why” 70% isopropyl alcohol is the one to use: https://blog.gotopac.com/2017/05/15/why-is-70-isopropyl-alcohol-ipa-a-better-disinfectant-than-99-isopropanol-and-what-is-ipa-used-for/#Why_Is_70_the_Most_Effective_Concentration_of_Isopropyl_Alcohol_for_Disinfection .
- If you choose to wear a mask, wear it correctly: make sure it covers your mouth and nose and has a good seal. You’ll need an N95 mask or better. Make sure you wash your hands 20-30 seconds before you remove it–or put it on. Please remember that our health care workers are facing shortages. If you have extras donate them to you.
What About Herbs?
You will notice, I didn’t say grab this herb or that. Herbs are complicated. This virus is too. The danger is if you take an herb/herbal formula to strengthen your immune system, that herb may actually make the illness worse, you have to add additional herbs to kill the virus. There is nothing that I am aware of that adequately does this on the shelves of your natural food store. You have to go to a licensed herbalist.
I tried to get the preventive herbal formulas back in February but the herbs and herbal formulas have been back-ordered. In Chinese hospitals, Chinese herbal formulas are given concurrently with antiviral and other pharmaceuticals for the COVID19 virus. All Chinese healthcare workers are on a preventative herbal formula. Many Chinese citizens are on preventative herbal formulas as well. Sorry, there is no herbal over the counter go to for COVID19.
Fortunately, despite being inundated with orders, the US herbal companies are meeting the challenge. I hope to within then next week or so (mid-April) be able to offer Chinese herbal formulas specific to the COVID19 virus. These formulas are based on those used in China for the prevention and to address the mild form of the illness caused by COVID19. These are NOT to be used instead of social distancing/hand washing/not touching your face or western medical healthcare.
Unfortunately, one of the best herbs to deal with the serious lung issues resulting from COVID19 has been banned in the United States, and there really is no effective substitute. This means the most helpful formulas to deal with the cytokine storm are unavailable in the United States.
So what can you do to help yourself?
- Eat well!!! Eat a nutritionally dense diet. Sugar and refined foods all add to inflammation and lower your immunity so it’s best to cut them out or significantly reduce them from your diet.
- Incorporate turmeric, garlic, oregano into your dishes…don’t go overboard here, just add it to soups, stews, meat dishes, salads and the like. These herbs are good for inflammation and are antibacterial/antiviral and are good to have in your daily diet regardless of COVID19.
- Sleep! Make sure you are getting enough quality sleep. Practice good sleep hygiene!
- Exercise, out of doors if possible! Air quality has improved since the pandemic began. Make sure you enjoy your time 6 feet from every other person trying to enjoy his or her time.
- Take care of your mental health: meditating, exercising, taking some “me” time, journalling, blowing off steam to a friend, etc.
For surviving self isolation, isolating with your family, a list of ideas
By Yourself, for Yourself
- Take up a new hobby or break out an old one: a musical instrument, painting, sketching etc. you can buy supplies online, but expect a delay in delivery
- Connect with your library online–they have lots of online resources in addition to language learning.. Depending on your library branch you may be able to access The New York Times for free as well as magazines and books. Definitely worth exploring
- Research your ancestry online
- Garden or pot some plants
- Tackle a home project that you just haven’t had the time to get to, such as organizing all your photos
- Pick a new or a favorite author and read all their books…or maybe pick a new genre
Quality Time with Household Members:
- Experiment in the kitchen and have a cook off: who can be the most creative with food items that you have at home. I found an amazing recipe online by searching: recipe, cardamom, zucchini, lime.
- Reach out to family and friends via phone, video call
- When you call that elderly neighbor or relative, consider recording his or her stories.
- Movie nights, game nights, charades, puzzles etc. with your household members
- Crossword puzzels–some free ones on line at https://www.vox.com/2019/9/16/20861003/free-online-crossword-vox
- Try a new language on line–there are several free ones like Mango to get you started https://mangolanguages.com/ Check your local library online resources for free access.
- Howl at the moon at 8pm or start another public display of appreciation for our healthcare workers with your neighbors.
Virtual connection with friends and community
- Enjoy an online happy hour/tea/coffee break with a friend or two.
- Convert your book group to a virtual book group or join an online book group https://time.com/5809322/social-distancing-book-clubs/.
- Explore online events such as those offered by Book Passage https://www.bookpassage.com/event
- If you have Netflix, host virtual movie nights online: Netflixhttps://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/host-virtual-movie-night-friends-205248969.html
- Look for volunteering opportunities: reach out to elderly or immune compromised neighbors and ask if you can pick up some groceries, donate blood https://www.vitalant.org/Home.aspx, or contact your local food bank https://www.sfmfoodbank.org/.
- Donate disinfecting wipes, masks, hand sanitizer, or other medical supplies to the local hospital, urgent care center, or local police station. We raided our wildfire evacuation “go kit” and gifted several masks to a nurse who works with COVID19 patients as well as safety glasses for the police.
banner photo by UnSplash