On Any Normal Day…

On any normal day, I would be writing different material.

[Or… most likely too busy to write different material, let’s be honest.]

I wanted to take to the blog to offer some suggestions for things to BETTER your life and hopefully spark some ideas YOU might have (& that you could contribute) during this unprecedented period in our lives.

 

–> Stay Physically Active – Your muscles are metabolically active tissues that HELP with circulation and in such a way, many ways actually, assist your health. It doesn’t have to be at the gym…

 

• GO OUTSIDE.
  • We have an epidemic of pet obesity. Take your dog for a walk. Take your neighbor’s dog for a walk too.
  • Head to the ocean, if possible, and soak in the healthy, negative ions
  • Check out AllTrails.com for a search of hiking trails in your area.
  • I know we’ve had inclement weather of recent but the fact is, we do NOT get outside as much as we should.  It’s documented that you are less susceptible to disease and depression when you DO get out into nature even for short periods of time
• Online exercise. YouTube is golden right now. Check out my YouTube channel (search: TheFitChick) and tell me what you’d like to see more of.

 

—> Catch Up On Movies –

•  & TV Shows!
• I’m partial to “feel good” movies over horror or intense drama. Two good ones of recent are “The Peanut Butter Falcon” and “The Two Popes”. (I like one of the messages of the latter – reminding us to be mindful of the poor, which is very timely right now.)

 

—> Hydrate – Yes, I know – coming from ME, no less! It’s important. And yes, I’m having a hard time with it

 

—> Sleep – (yes, this too)

 

—> Eat Well. And Mindfully– Don’t use this time period as an excuse to treat it like a bear, whale or as other species do (i.e., eat as much as possible!!).

Remember, bears do this because they hibernate- not quarantine; they won’t be eating while they sleep for months! And whales are readying for their super long treks down to warmer climates where a lot of them are also sustaining & nourishing their pregnancies.

 

—> Sanitize – Though it’s not Purell, using essential oils and other household ingredients WILL work if you run low! Many people were barely sanitizing prior and as I always say “SOMETHING is better than nothing!”

 

• Vinegar stinks but you’re probably already using this to clean glassware, rinse veggies, or put in your clothes wash (No?? Well, you should). The smell will dissipate after a bit.
• Rubbing alcohol with aloe vera gel is the foundation for most products you’re seeking right now. Add some tea tree oil, lemon oil (the before mentioned also good for cleaning and anti-septic purposes) and or lavender oil
• There are a LOT of plants & herbs that you could not only use for cleaning but use (actually DIFFuse) in your drinking water as well (i.e., cinnamon, clove, rosemary…)
• In a pinch? Hydrogen peroxide! Remember that it oxidizes in sunlight (hence it is sold in dark brown bottles)
• Witch hazel! You can get this with or without alcohol and add aloe vera to it too (or one or more of the essential oils ^ I listed).

(Please do not use a diffuser right now. The hallmark of this virus is compromised lung functioning which is common this time of year anyway… or if your have allergies. It is also not a good idea if you have pets- see my other website for details.)

 

—> Tackle Your To-Do List – enough said

 

—> Clean! – Label things, Marie Kondo or whatever is your preferred method. (see “To-Do List” above bc I’m sure some aspect of cleaning and organizing is on it)

 

• Garage, storage, cleaning supplies, pantry, closet (!!)
• Kitchen? No better time than now to use some of the things you bought recently on your stocking up shopping trips. Make some homemade things! Even better if you can make big batches and freeze. Go online and post what you liked, didn’t like and share information. Or even share with others if you have extra. Sharing IS caring
• All those things you discovered during your closet overhaul? Besides what you have deemed to the “donate” pile, you can sell on eBay, Poshmark, FB Marketplace, etc
• Email – unsubscribe from 1 (or more) accounts per day! This is definitely a good cleaning and  #lifehack

 

—> Go Online – But in a different way than just Facebook and social media.

• Support your local businesses online. (i.e., before ordering food through Postmates, check out your local restaurant as many are waiving delivering fees or offering other incentives for gift cards)
• There are many ways you can continue to receive the services you need or want – business consulting, financial consulting, talk to a MFSW or psych counselor, web designing…etc. (Yes, I do consulting online for individual health and fitness programs- as well as through AnimalRehabilitation.com & am happy to help) (I also NEED web design consulting and am looking for someone to partner up with for on-going needs so if this is you, or even your teenager looking for added income and experience, LET ME KNOW.)

 

—> Get Creative –

• Are you crafty? (Good for you! I am not)
• Maybe learn a craft or something you’ve always wanted to try

 

—> Self-Care for REAL –

• Journal? Meditate? This is TRULY your downtime.
• Self care extends to the care we give to our bodies. Are there things you could be doing RIGHT NOW that will help you be healthier? Things that could help you move better, recover faster once we DO get back in the gyms and sports and help maintain if not improve the health of your joints? Techniques like: stretching, cold/ice, specialized exercises, heat application, foam rolling? Hit me up if you need ideas on this especially (or Laser, electrical stimulation, and other skilled interventions you can’t do on your own). Body work makes the body work. 

 

—> STOCK UP ON COMPASSION – And love. We need that more than TP right now.