After the global pandemic provided us with all kinds of changes in almost all aspects of life, we never know what might come next. At any given time, our family could be at risk of getting sick, and that’s the kind of fear we have to live with every day in such unsure times. However, there are ways we could keep our loved ones safe with healthy habits and lifestyle changes. Sitting still and hoping for the best just won’t cut it when talking about health and safety nowadays. When discussing health and safety, isolation and social distancing certainly are the first ways that come to mind. Still, there are a variety of factors to good mental and physical health.
Balanced diet
When we talk about a balanced diet, this consists of fruits, vegetables, protein, grains, and dairy. These are the five food groups essential to boosting your immune system and providing your body with the vitamins and nutrients it needs to fight illnesses. Minimizing processed and fast foods and bumping up more whole and fresh foods makes sure that you supply your body with good food that isn’t high in sodium, trans fat, or simple carbohydrates. However, making this healthier decision is understandably more difficult in the midst of a pandemic where convenience is king and fresh produce is hard to find. When choosing meals, stick to lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, and fewer sugars, even when eating junk food or fast food.
Physical activity
You can’t just rely on proper nutrition alone to keep your family healthy, as physical activities also play an integral part in wellness. When you regularly exercise, you reduce your stress levels, manage your weight and build muscle. As a result, you’re less likely to binge eat or engage in destructive habits that cause the decline of your physical health. For instance, exercise can help those particularly with diabetes control or manage consuming sweets, which benefits their overall physical health. Most importantly, physical activity also helps your family boost their immune system and improve their mood and energy levels throughout the day. Whether it’s cardio, weight lifting, low-impact exercises, or even activities like yoga, our bodies function better when adequately exercised.
Vitamins and supplements
Vitamins and nutrients also play an essential role in the human body. Consuming an adequate amount of vitamins and supplements in a day can help you fight off various diseases and help out your immune system. The ideal way to consume your daily dose of vitamins would be through the food you consume. However, this isn’t always the case. As discussed earlier, junk food often fails to deliver any nutritional value for the body. As a result, some people may need the help of vitamins and supplements to fill in certain gaps in their diet. Nutraceutical manufacturers will often provide supplements such as folic acid, ginseng, and lutein which provide therapeutic properties derived from food sources. So let’s say you’re finding it difficult to incorporate enough dark leafy greens, beans, or nuts into your diet, which are the most common sources of folate, then taking a supplement helps fill in that dietary gap. However, it’s important to remember that vitamins and supplements complement a healthy balanced diet, not replace it. These provide you with the most benefits when incorporated into an already healthy lifestyle.
Mental health
When it comes to taking care of your family’s health and well-being, their mental health is also something to be taken into consideration. In fact, concrete studies have suggested that your physical health also deteriorates when you neglect your mental health. This is why when you’re experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression, other physical symptoms are likely to follow, such as nausea, fatigue, lack of energy and appetite, stomach issues, and the like. So in order to keep your family healthy and safe during the pandemic, you should also be maintaining your overall mental health. Don’t hesitate to incorporate simple social activities to refrain them from feeling overly isolated and alone during this new normal. After all, we’re all social beings by nature, and it’s easy to feel alone during this pandemic. For instance, you could initiate working out together or watching a movie at home. These are both activities that will benefit both their physical and mental well-being.
In conclusion, these are all essential ways to keep your family safe despite the pandemic. While the new normal might give us particular challenges, the best thing you can do at the moment is to keep your loved ones safe from illnesses and diseases.
