In search of....health and wellness

I don't know about you, but I want to do things that are almost diametrically opposed during this global pandemic: eat as much candy as I can and also focus on eating healthy; lay on the couch for as long as I can moving as little as possible and also walk as much as possible. I mean I have a freaking candy cabinet right now. Woosah.

I am appeasing both my slovenly and healthy physical selves by doing a little bit of everything.

I'm not young enough to slide all the way down to the bottom of my candy cabinet for two months and rebound well, plus I need to be doing basic maintenance physically so I can to keep this vessel going when I'm older. That thought hasn’t left my mind since starting. In times of stress, I wish I was the person who turned to serious as hell exercise, but I'm not. My focus areas:

Get My Water In

The first few days of this it was like mainlining coffee was my job. I am a solid water drinker but it's like I forgot myself. Understandable with life changing completely at the drop of a hat. 

When I forget water, I get headaches which I think are virus symptoms, in addition to looking super haggard and feeling like I'm drying up from the inside out. If I don’t have enough water in my system, I am sluggish, tired, weak, and I overeat because I think I'm hungry but I'm actually thirsty. I am not okay when I'm low on water intake. Water makes up a large portion of your body and is vital for a lot of the processes that it completes to keep you healthy. My goal is 100 ounces of water every day minimum, and that's straight water.  That has not changed during this time. I go for more if I'm doing strenuous activity or losing more fluids than usual because it's hot AF.

If you are someone who doesn’t like drinking tap water and tends to buy bottled, pleaaaaaasssssssse reconsider. What about a water filter? Using this water filter, I know the water I'm drinking is filtered and I don't need to worry. 

If that's a no-go, how about a gallon of water vs the individual bottles or a water cooler with a five gallon jug that is recycled?

Gentle Exercise

As I mentioned above, I have never set the world on fire with a burning desire to exercise but I also want to be able to lift myself off the toilet at 70 so some movement is required. I like zumba but classes haven't lined up with my schedule the past few years. Zoom classes happening right now are cool. I also walk at home with Leslie Sansone and of course walk outside as much as possible. I also do light arm weights while sitting.

Food

Am I eating more candy than ever, baking like I work at a bakery, and also dabbling in other junk food? Yes. In a more than a treat yo'self way? Yes. Am I doing that while still trying to keep my diet balanced and healthy-ish? Also yes. I focus a lot on trying to pack in fruits and vegetables. I'm not going to get on my case about food in addition to the weight of the world at this time, but I'm trying to be cognizant. 

Vitamins

I am extra interested in not missing a day of my normal regimen, which includes a multi with iron, fish oil, D, and magnesium. I also take elderberry extract and some turmeric.

Mind the Mind
I am worried about the lasting effects the stress over this life stoppage is going to have on people in the long term, myself included. I am trying to create space inside where this topic doesn't live. I'm good at compartmentalizing and I'm thankful for that. I am asking people around me to be mindful of my stressors-also known as don't poke the bear. 

Acupuncture, massage, chiropractor are all out for me right now, and they are huge parts of my mental wellness even though they are technically physical things. I'm using some neck massager thing and doing my stretches from my acu & chiro. It's not cutting it totally, but it will do for now, and it’s more about the commitment to my wellness at this time. 

Most importantly for mental health right now is limiting news and doing what I need to get myself through.

Never in my life have I been relieved or happy to see my birthday month end. There's a first for everything.

How are you doing health-wise through this?