The coronavirus pandemic has necessitated the government and health organizations to recommend members of the public stay indoors to avoid the spread of the deadly virus. People need to adhere to the health rules and guidelines to be safe.
To be safe during the lockdown, hydration and proper nutrition are vital. Individuals who take well-balanced meals tend to be healthy and have better immune systems. Hence, they are unlikely to contract the deadly coronavirus.
Besides, staying indoors and keeping safe is also vital. This piece will enlighten you on how to be safe during the lockdown.
Eat Unprocessed and Fresh Foods Daily
To be healthy and safe during the lockdown, you should eat vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, whole grains, wheat, millet, starchy tubers, and foods from animal sources, including milk, eggs, white meat, and fish.
Ideally, instead of eating processed snacks rich in fat, salt, and sugar, you could opt for fresh fruits and raw vegetables. You should also avoid overcooking fruit and vegetables as this could lead to loss of essential vitamins.
If you opt for dried and canned fruits and vegetables, go for the varieties without added sugar or salt. Eating healthy will boost your immunity and lower your chances of contracting the virus.
Avoid Alcoholic Beverages
Although many people tend to use alcoholic beverages for entertainment purposes, it’s not good for your health as it lowers your body immunity, thus exposing you to diseases, including COVID-19. Additionally, the virus can severely affect those who drink and may end up with complications.
You could have fun without drinking; ideally, you could opt to take non-alcoholic drinks and have fun at home with your family.
On the other hand, if you are struggling with alcohol addiction, you can seek help from a reputable website to help you with coping tools and treatment options.
Drink Adequate Water With Lemon and Ginger Daily
Water is a basic necessity for life. It transports compounds and nutrients in the blood, eliminates waste, controls your body temperature, and lubricates joints.
You should ensure that you drink enough water mixed with ginger and lemon daily to lower the chances of the virus surviving in your throat.
Drink between 8 to 10 cups of water daily in order to keep your body healthy and hydrated. Ideally, you could consume other natural drinks, vegetables, and fruits rich in water, including lemon, watermelon, and orange, among others.
You could also drink coffee or tea. However, it would be best to avoid fruit juice concentrates, sweetened fruit juices, syrups, and fizzy drinks as they contain processed and unhealthy sugars.
Consume Moderate Levels of Fat and Oil
To be safe and healthy during this pandemic period, you should consume unsaturated fats, including those found in fish, olive oil, nuts, avocado, soy, sunflower, canola, and corn oils. It would be best to avoid saturated fats found in butter, fatty meat, cream, coconut oil, cheese, ghee, and lard.
Preferably, you could go for white meat, including fish and poultry, as they are usually low in fat compared to red meat. When possible, consume reduced-fat or low-fat varieties of milk and dairy products. You should also avoid industrially manufactured trans fats commonly found in fast food, processed food, frozen pizza, fried food, cookies, spreads, and margarine.
Stay Active
Staying active can be as easy as gardening, taking a walk around your compound, cooking, knitting, or cleaning your home environment. Keep your body flexible and fit by doing yoga or stretching first thing in the morning. Maintaining a daily routine is essential for staying active, healthy, and strong.
For instance, you can stay active by joining a virtual choir or learning to sing. There are a vast array of health benefits of singing to your physical, emotional, and mental health. You could also keep active by playing games with your kids while you stay safe indoors.
Avoid Eating Out
Eating with your family indoors reduces your chances of getting in contact with other individuals, protecting you from coronavirus. As recommended, please maintain a social distance of at least 1 meter between you and any sneezing or coughing individual.
Maintaining social distance is usually very challenging, especially in crowded social settings, including cafes and restaurants. Droplets from an infected individual may land on surfaces and other individuals’ hands and spread the virus. If you must go outdoors, ensure that you always wear a mask and wear it appropriately. You should also wash your hands with soap regularly.
Consume Minimal Sugar and Salt
When preparing and cooking food, ensure that you limit the amount of high-sodium condiments, including fish sauce, soy sauce, and salt. You should also avoid the consumption of snacks and food that are high in salt and sugar.
To be safe and healthy, you should avoid soft drinks and other high sugar beverages, including yogurt and flavored milk. Consider moderate consumption of sweet snacks, including cakes, cookies, and chocolate.
Psychosocial and Counselling Support
Apart from maintaining hydration and proper nutrition to improve your immunity and health, you should take care of your mental health by avoiding anything that makes you frustrated or stressed. If you live with chronic diseases, it will be safer to take many precautions not to contract the deadly coronavirus as it will worsen your health condition.
Consult a qualified psychiatrist if you find the challenges brought about by the coronavirus pandemic stressful. Also, if you have mental issues, you should seek professional medical support to protect your wellbeing. Guidance and counseling will help relieve stress, among other mental concerns.
Work From Home
Working from home is an ideal safety precaution during the lockdown as it helps you avoid contact with people, lowering your chances of exposure to the virus. More importantly, you will be able to earn an income while staying safe in the comfort of your home.
Conclusion
To avoid contracting the deadly coronavirus and its spread during this lockdown period, you should stay at home, keep safe, and strictly adhere to the health safety rules and guidelines.
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