Are YOU Taking COVID Seriously?

So I was talking to my dad the other day and he asked me the question “Are you taking this Coronavirus seriously?” What he meant, of course, was if I was taking the necessary precautions of minimizing time in public, wearing a mask, washing my hands, and so on.

I thought for a second, then responded back that I was, and I was taking it more seriously than the vast majority of the country and world.

I get it, it’s an unprecedented time and no-one would have predicted this reality we live in even 6 or 7 months ago. Wearing masks has become a political issue, standing too close to people has become a social faux pas, and movie theaters might as well be ancient history.

Still, I can’t help but get the feeling that we are collectively missing the mark as a society.

Obviously it doesn’t help that it feels almost impossible to get a direct answer on what exactly we know about the virus from the news. People are scared. And thanks to our human tendency to cling to our first conclusion bias, we do a very poor job of updating our habits and “facts” with new information.

I can’t help but be confused when I see people driving in their cars alone with a mask on. Or, perhaps even stranger, when I see people walking by themselves, away from other people, outside in the sunlight with a mask on. COVID isn’t pollen. It doesn’t float around indefinitely in nature waiting to attack you.

Even more frightening is how quickly this global pandemic turned the social setting of our country and world to a negative and bitter place.

At the outset, there seemed to be a sense that we were coming together, working to fight this universal enemy.

But as the weeks turned into months and the end seems impossibly far off, tensions began to run high and patience ran low. Displaced people soon started to turn against one another and now it seems that the whole idea of social distancing might easily become the new standard of personal space.

People get weirded out if someone stands within their 6-foot bubble. Greetings have become incredibly awkward – I mean do we even shake hands or hug anymore? And for some, looking in their general direction without a mask covered face is considered a threat on their life.

I’m not sitting here claiming to have any answers on what will unfold in this crazy reality. I have my opinions and thoughts on the situation, but that’s beside the point. My hope is to draw your attention back into the present and focus it on the small set of things you can control.

We’re collectively living in a society with anxiety as the dominant mood. Anxiety, broadly speaking, is an umbrella term that refers to a hyper focus on future events that are out of one’s control. More specifically, anxiety itself is used to hide any mixture of emotions.

When we experience fear, shame, nervousness, disappointment, or anger about anything that hasn’t happened yet, we tend to call this anxiety. However, this doesn’t quite do that emotion justice and can leave us feeling confused about what exactly the problem is.

The solution to this is two fold. First, we must identify what exactly we are feeling and why we are feeling it. Then we take that future issue and redirect our energy and efforts into an immediate action related to that problem.

This is the crux of the phrase “Action Alleviates Anxiety” because action is always the trigger that pulls us into the present moment. So by focusing on what we can do now we can subvert the anxious energy we were experiencing.

So how does that relate to the current situation of the COVID pandemic? Especially when it seems that there is very little in our control? Well, it’s actually simple.

Masks, hand washing, and social distancing are all important, but they should be considered as supplements to the primary defense mechanism – your own body’s immune system!

We live in a country where 2/3rd of the adult population is overweight and 1/3rd of adults are obese. 14% or 34.2 million adults STILL SMOKE CIGARETTES, and 70% of the country is vitamin D insufficient.

It just feels like everyone is yelling about germs while very few are taking personal responsibility for their health and body. Instead of obsessing over what you can’t control, take a step back to consider what you do have full autonomy and power over – your health and daily choices.

Which brings me back to my dad’s question. I get 7.5 hours or more of sleep almost every night, I don’t eat sugar, I build my diet around whole, less processed foods, I exercise, spend time outside, manage stress, drink enough water, don’t smoke, and rarely consume alcohol. So yes, I feel like I am taking this thing seriously.

The point of this is not to shame anyone, discount any personal protective equipment wearing, discredit the efficiency of social distancing, or to downplay the severity of the situation.

The point of this is to highlight that we are our own best defense. And if we’re not taking care of ourselves consistently and with at least the minimal amount of effort, none of the other stuff will do the job for us.

And yes, I understand that it’s not as simple as just being in good shape. But it seems to me that checking that box lowers your risk an incredible amount. Even if you have an underlying health condition that puts you at higher risk, your body will still function better when you take care of it.

And honestly, if you are in a situation a compromising health issue, you should be more focused on getting in the best shape of your life than ever before!

Now, if I’ve done a good job of convincing you to take care of yourself, you may feel like the whole thing is a bit overwhelming. But that isn’t the case!

Here are some daily recommendations on numbers you need to hit: (Hit this 6 out of 7 days a week and you’ll be healthier than 99% of the country)

Sleep – 7.5 Hours or more a night
Water – 1 Ounce for every 2 pounds bodyweight AT MINIMUM
Protein – 1 Ounce for every pound bodyweight
Vegetables – 2 Fist sized servings of vegetables at every meal
Sugar – Less than 25g of added sugar a day (Less than 10 is even better)
Sunlight – 30+ Minutes outside
Exercise – 60+ Minutes of intentional movement, 3+ Hours on your feet
Mindfulness – 20+ Minutes of intentional quiet, journaling, meditation, or focus

And for those who want to go the extra mile, here is the NO list: (If you hit this 6 days a week, you’ll have the body of an instagram model haha)

NO snacking
NO drinking calories
NO added sugar
NO smoking
NO alcohol
NO junk food
NO TV
NO Sitting for more than 2 hours straight
NO complaining

Being healthy and in great shape isn’t a matter of hard work. It is truly built around consistent effort to cut out the negatives in your life. By working smart with a simple set of rules and guidelines you can create change and health in a way that you may never have thought possible before!

Now go out there and stay healthy!