HEALTHY HABITS AND COVID-19

COVID-19 has disrupted modern life at every level. In late 2019, there was a coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan. In some sense, it has ruled our world, our news, our economy, and our lives.   Tens of thousands of people infected, and many have died. The COVID-19 virus attacks the respiratory system and has been especially cruel to the elderly. During these crucial times, all of us should practice healthy habits for our own well-being and the safety of others.

There are several things that we can do to give ourselves and our society the best chance to avoid contracting Covid-19 or any other illness.

Heeding Authorities: As a society we have to listen to the authorities regarding precautions that should be taken to reduce the virus spread. Again and again, leading health authorities has recommended social distancing, which means that we will have to remain away from groups of people.

Adjusting Routines: Unfortunately, local gym and recreational centers will close for the foreseeable future, and you will need to discover other ways to exercise and stay healthy.

Staying healthy in a time like this requires some adjustments to your regular routine. Stopping your exercise routine because your gym has closed due to the virus is not a great option because it has been shown that performing an exercise routine consistently can help to boost your immune system.

Keep your hands clean: Make sure to keep your hands clean. Wash your hands frequently and with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds. If your hands are clean and free of most germs, when you touch your face you will be less likely to transmit germs into your body.

Reduce stress: Everyone has stress in their lives. If stress levels are too high for too long, the immune system is compromised. All too often bad eating choices accompany stressful days/situations. Exercise is the best way to combat stress, but you can attempt to meditate or relax with family and friends. Try to hang out with people that live “healthy” lives because it will make your choice of living that way more appealing.

Plenty of sleep: The proper amount of sleep is necessary for the body to maintain mental and physical health. The body can heal itself in most instances, but lack of sleep will hinder the healing process. The brain needs 7-8 hours of sleep to remain healthy. The skeletal system repairs itself during the deep sleep stages and lack of sleep can raise the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol. Both of these hormones can have harmful effect on the cardiovascular and immune systems.

Consistent exercise: There are three key areas of fitness to maintain year-round: cardiovascular, strength/endurance and flexibility exercise routines. If you sustain a habit of consistent exercise, you will see the results of your efforts.

Cardiovascular: The goal of a good routine in to maintain your heart rate at approximately 60-70% of the maximum heart rate for a minimum of 30 minutes 5 days per week. A simple formula to figure out your maximum heart rate is 220-your age x .70. (i.e. 220 – 52 = 168 x .70 = 117.6 or 118 beats per minute).

Muscular strength/endurance: Building muscular strength involves taxing the muscles in a way that causes micro-damage to the muscle cell. This damage heals itself, and the muscle will get stronger. Developing muscular endurance requires high repetitions and less resistance. These exercises can easily include sets of 15-20 repetitions of a given exercise.

Flexibility/stretching: Static and/or dynamic stretching before a workout or run should be incorporated into the routine. These stretches have been shown to enhance flexibility of the joints and soft tissues by increasing blood flow, tissue temperature and reducing fluid viscosity. Static stretches are less effective before exercise and require that the soft tissue is “held in a stretched position for a prolonged time period. Dynamic stretching techniques utilize movements (dynamic) that are similar to those that will be used during the actual competition/event.

Our schedules and lives are currently flux and maintaining healthy habits can help guard our bodies and reduce stress. Everyone must follow the direction of the authorities to beat it. Our society will prevail, but it will be a challenge for everyone. Lives will be changed forever, and we can only hope that this type of pandemic never happens again.