There has been much written about the importance of managing stress during the pandemic. Stress is at historically high levels for folks no matter where you are on the economic scale.
What can you do to strengthen your immune system? One thing is to eat the right foods such as prebiotics, Vitamin C, antioxidants, and garlic. Another way is to change the way you think to which I have spoken in previous blog posts on this site.
Living under constant stress, even low grade stress, causes the body to produce too much cortisol, which can lower your resistance to infection and contribute to poor sleep and higher blood pressure readings. There are a few life style tweaks you can do to protect yourself:
- Take a seat and a breath. Even 5 minutes a day of guided meditation, or simply sitting quietly and focusing your breath, can lower your heart rate, blood pressure, and anxiety.
- Get 7-8 hours of sleep. If you suffer from insomnia, talk to your doctor and perhaps pursue cognitive behavior therapy or hypnosis which can help with sleeplessness.
- Do cardio and strength training as exercise increases your resilience so that you can fight off infection. Carve out at least 10-30 minutes a day for movement.
- Stay calm. Lavender essential oil has a calming effect. You can add a few drops to a warm bath, use it in a diffuser, or put it on your wrists and neck while you work or sleep.
All of the above strategies can be helped with hypnosis which can produce a profoundly deep state of relaxation where one is more open to suggestions for healthy choices.
My office is currently closed for inperson visits but I am available for phone and email consults. My hope is to reopen when vaccines become widely available. It is my personal and professional belief that hypnosis should be done in person at least on the first visit so that both you and I can see how you respond. I do have CD’s for sale at $12 each that can facilitate a relaxed state. You can request one through my email at holtadams2002@yahoo.com or by phone at 361-442-9590.