11 Ways To Dramatically Improve Health During A Pandemic

Pandemics can be a good thing. They cause a lot of panic and ultimately get people thinking about their health. If you normally don’t pay attention to yours, such times might encourage you to improve health and your immune system.

While you can never know exactly when a pandemic will arise or if you are always safe from any of the countless infectious diseases, there are some key things you can do to improve your health.

Below are 11 tips to dramatically improve your health, especially during a pandemic:

1. Practice Basic Hygiene

The easiest way for a pandemic to occur is through contact with contaminated surfaces and elements such as skin, water and even air. Observing basic hygiene not only helps you control the spread of an infectious disease, but it also helps keep you away from areas that contribute to poor health.

Sure you might wash your hands often, but if you’re home is dirty you’re still putting yourself and others at risk. For example, if you never dust your home’s surfaces until it’s necessary, you’re constantly exposed to dust which can cause you to cough and sneeze.

With proper hygiene and healthy living practices, such surfaces remain clean, reducing the time your body is exposed to dirt and harmful bacteria, thus improving your health in general. I try to make it a point to dust my home on the first of every month. I’m always amazed at how much grime accumulates in such a short period. 

Here’s a weekly cleaning schedule to keep your living space clean.

2. Adopt A Healthy Lifestyle

This should be obvious. But with all of the fear mongering seen on the global stage lately, it’s easy to forget this simple truth. A healthy body needs more than clean surfaces and a clean environment.

While your environment does contribute to proper health management, more importantly, you need to directly take care of your body as well. This means adapting to a healthy lifestyle not temporary fixes.

Some of the things you could do would include daily exercises and keeping your body active often. If possible, go for a minimum of a brisk 30 minute daily walk.

Here are some easy things you can do to enhance your lifestyle:

• Yoga
• Biking
• Hiking
• Juicing
• Painting
• Smoothies
• Swimming
• Lift weights
• Body squats
• Walk the dog
• Jumping jacks
• Mow the lawn
• Plant a garden
• Leg/knee raises from your back

If you’re looking for something more entertaining, you could try dancing, aerobics or even jiu-jitsu. This way, you will be having fun while taking care of your health. Yoga is also a great way to remain fit while focusing on internal peace. It’s something that my wife and I regularly practice to ensure we remain present and grounded with all of the craziness around us. 

Try these 7 Unconventional Workout Techniques To Keep You Fit.

3. Boost the Good Bacteria in Your Body

There are two types of bacteria. The harmful bacteria that make humans sick and the natural bacteria that the body needs for balanced healthy functioning. Many times, people get sick when the bad bacteria overruns the good bacteria, thus creating imbalance.

Taking food with prebiotics and probiotics help to maintain good health. Fermented foods are good for such nutrients such as kombucha, yoghurt and kimchi.

Here are my favorite good bacteria strains:

• Lactobacillus casei
• Lactobacillus casei
• Eastern European Wild Kefir Culture (containing Lactobacillus helveticus)
• Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens
• Lactobacillus kefirgranum
• Lactococcus lactis
• Lactococcus cremoris
• Streptococcus thermophilus
• Lactobacillus kefir
• Lactobacillus parakefir
• Lactobacillus brevis
• Lactococcus lactis biovar diacetylactis
• Leuconostoc lactis
• Leuconostoc mesenteroides
• Leuconostoc cremoris
• Leuconostoc dextranicum
• Kluyveromyces marxianus
• Brettanomyces anomalus
• Debaryomyces hansenii
• Saccharomyces unisporus
• Saccharomyces turicensis
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae
• Saccharomyces exiguus
• Torulaspora delbrueckii

Garden of Life Raw line of probiotics is the only supplement I’ve found with all these strains. They are the best. 

4. Regularly Check What You Consume

By now we’ve all heard the saying, “you are what you eat!” Your body needs good food to get the nutrients needed to maintain or improve health. Try as much as possible to avoid processed foods such as sausages and bacon. Instead, go for healthy, nutrient dense options high in proteins, good fats, minerals and vitamins.

Regulate carbohydrate intake since these contribute to your overall sugar levels. If you are addicted to carbs, like myself, focus on whole food sources, such as oatmeal, brown rice, fruits and veggies. Ensure your diet is always balanced and do away with fast foods. Use healthy snacks instead, such as tree-nuts and dried fruits.

Try any or all 70+ delicious meals found in my Superhuman Cookbook. 

5. Regulate Your Visits to the Doctor

It is very easy to neglect regular check-ups during a pandemic since people fear being around the hospital might expose them to the infection going around. However, you still need to make sure that your health is taken care of, so neglecting the entire idea of seeing a doctor, especially if you have underlying conditions, isn’t the best way to handle the situation.

You might need to reduce the number of times you see your physician but try to regulate the visits. Book your appointments early to secure a reasonable time as doctors are often quite busy in a crisis. Keep in mind, I come from a family of health professionals, and medical facilities are cleaned often when there is no pandemic, but even more so during one. 

If you’re still not keen on visiting the doctor, consider Why You’re Unhealthy & What To Do About It.

6. Manage Pre-existing Health Conditions

Just because there is a pandemic doesn’t mean you now neglect other diseases, complications or even pregnancy, especially for someone with chronic illnesses such as diabetes or heart issues. In fact, the majority of people affected by pandemics often have underlying health conditions like obesity, diabetes and heart disease. 

Always remain under the medication you ought to be taking and try to avoid contaminated areas. People with underlying diseases are sometimes at risk of having reduced immune system function. It is therefore advised they take even better care of themselves during a pandemic which should go without saying, but I said it anyway.

Consider giving yourself a head to toe health assessment. 

7. Assess Your Mental Health

Mental health is an important factor when it comes to general health and wellbeing. Many people who have poor mental health tend to have other opportunistic ailments often arising from high-stress levels and poor stress management. Sadly, not many people realize the importance of good mental health until someone in their circle is affected immensely, or have a traumatic experience themselves.

During a pandemic, it is very easy to worry about how life will be during and after the pandemic. Sometimes sources of income are affected, and that can all add up a lot of additional stress. You can stay ahead of the risk by checking what you think about and actively managing your thoughts.

Yoga and full body exercises are also good for proper mental health, thanks to the dopamine and norepinephrine released. One more thing, avoid the news and only go through necessary updates. It will help you reduce panic and overstimulation.

If you or somebody you know is struggling, consider this mental health assessment & resource guide.

8. Practice Self-care

Actually, everything about taking care of your health is part of self-care. However, there are specifically calm practices, such as taking a walk and daily meditation. Good self-care practices help keep your physical body in tune with your mental health. Together, the two build a healthy lifestyle, giving you amazing results such as general good health.

Try to incorporate these 7 ways to be healthier in 7 days into your regular routine. 

9. Moderate or Completely Avoid Drinking Alcohol

It is okay to have a good time by drinking in moderation. However, when someone goes overboard by regularly getting drunk, this becomes a big risk to your health and more so during a pandemic.

Heavy drinking first messes up with your liver, and if you’re under any medication, it can cause immense side effects. Secondly, a drunkard often has poor judgement, so some of the practices needed to protect people from an infection will not come naturally. This consequently exposes the person to greater risks of infection.

If you must drink during a pandemic, ensure it happens at home where the environment is safe or better yet, avoid it altogether.

10. Get Enough Sleep

Sleep is one of the best cures for stress and can even help someone get back the life balance they seemed to have lost due to a busy schedules.

Lack of sleep can be the reason why you have constant headaches. It could also be the reason why you feel tired often.

With proper sleep, you are able to restore your body and boost your immunity. A good sleep should be between seven to nine hours, but you can even get 10 hours, especially during days when you have pushed your body more than normal.

11. Get Professional Help

Sometimes you need another party to help you work on your health.

For example, a therapist can help you work on your mental health while a dietician helps you keep tabs of what you are eating. Other times you only need to be around people who care about you so you can feel better. People who are constantly around their family and friends tend to have better moods.

A simple hug can change the trajectory of one’s day. It helps the body relax, and it’s scientifically proven to boost one’s immune.

Wrapping it all up…

It is better to practice to mind your health even before a pandemic hits the country. However, in times of health crisis, you might need to do more such as boosting your hygiene practices. 

Also, make sure you have the crisis hotline at the back of your mind or within quick reach. Finally, stay safe and observe guidelines provided by the ministry of health.

Health by choice, not by chance.

-David