Just start….

I have been asked by so many over these past weeks, “how do I  make myself more healthy in the midst of this pandemic”.  I find the question a bit odd since getting healthy doesn’t happen overnight.  It is a process, a commitment to all aspects of whole health. I realize we all feel the fear that maybe our own immune system won’t protect us. We might worry what if we succumb to this terrible virus like so many young and old. I too want to make myself “more healthy”.  I have been taking the time to take more coursework and dive deeper into areas such as sleep for example. This is an area that has profound impact on our overall health.  But I suppose people just want to start somewhere.  Maybe start with physical activity and nutrition? Maybe just quiet the mind?  There are so many wonderful resources that people can tap into to help them get information and support.  When I coach someone, we begin with a tailored program that identifies what is most important in that individual’s life. There is no cookbook.  Each individual is unique.  Might we begin with nutrition?  physical activity? stress protective activities? environmental? Everything is related. Everything is connected.

Today someone asked me what about the food I choose.  “Should I start to think about more organic food choices, she asked?” I shared the Environmental Working Groups Dirty Dozen List and Clean Fifteen List.

https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/clean-fifteen.php

https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php

 Here’s a place to start. The EWG even has a great Healthy Living app that you can use on the go when you shop and make choices about not only food, but house essentials. 
So maybe we start there.  Just start. Think about how your health is the #1 priority. I have seen so much during this pandemic as I take care of patients  at severe risk of contracting this horrible virus or risk of dying from it.  I have seen colleagues, who have dedicated their lives to caring for others, die.  I have wondered if my negative test is really negative as I battled relatively mild symptoms that my doctor was concerned could be COVID -19 related. Has my own immune system shown me that what I have been doing for all these years has paid off?  And so, we move forward with making choices. Choices to be as healthy as possible. It all doesn’t have to happen at once.  Maybe, we just make the commitment to start somewhere.