Stressing about the Coronavirus Might Make Us More Susceptible to Getting It
Nov 5, 2020
Stressing about the Coronavirus Might Make Us More Susceptible to Getting It
The panic around coronavirus has many of us stressed about how to stay healthy. There’s a lot that feels out of our control, especially with so much uncertainty about how the disease is transmitted and spread; but when we feel out of control, stress loves to step in and take it!
In prolonged states of stress (which many of us face on a day-to-day basis already, even without the added threat of a pandemic arose), the pro-inflammatory signaling pathways inside our body turn “on,” making us insensitive to hormones like cortisol which regulates inflammation. Cortisol works hand-in-hand with our immune cells to keep us healthy, so if cortisol isn't working as well, we’re more susceptible to getting sick.
In short, it’s a vicious cycle: we stress about not wanting to get sick, which promotes inflammation in our body, which weakens immune cells, which then makes us more likely to get sick! Queue a major *sigh*.
Stress acts like a disgruntled teenager: demanding it to do something, only makes it want to do the exact opposite. In other words, telling ourselves not to stress simply won't work, so what do we do?
First, let’s start with what we can control: the foods we are eating, the sleep we are getting, and the thoughts we allow to enter our minds. After all, health starts inside our body with what we eat, but maintaining health continues with our mindset and daily lifestyle choices.
Food can either be the source of additional inflammation in our body, or it can help to reduce it. With each and every bite of food we choose to eat, we are either supporting ourselves in health or we are making it harder for our body to fight off viruses like COVID19.
What NOT to eat:
Here’s what a pro-inflammatory diet looks like:
A diet high in processed or refined carbohydrates (examples: bread, pizza, pastries, breakfast cereals, desserts, etc.)
High in trans fats (often found in frozen foods, fast foods as well as partially hydrogenated oils. Be sure to read your nutrition facts labels!)
High in alcohol
High in processed meats and other animal proteins
Low in vegetables and plant-based fiber
Low intake of water
What TO Eat:
If your diet is heavy in any of the above categories, you're more likely to get sick. So let's make some changes to keep you healthy!
1) Let’s start by increasing your intake from plant-based food sources. Vegetables, fruits, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds are not only high in plant-based fiber which help to feed the beneficial bacteria that live inside our gut, but they’re also rich in phytonutrients. Phytonutrients, which are often found in the color of our foods, are antioxidants that help to enhance immunity and repair DNA damage from exposure to toxins.
2) Choose a wide variety of colorful foods, especially when it comes to your vegetables. The more variety in your diet, the the more nutrients your body will receive, and the more ammo it'll have to fight illness!
3) Swap animal proteins like chicken or beef with a fish like salmon or tuna which are high in Omega-3 fatty acids, and known to reduce inflammation too.
4) Increase your water intake to help flush out toxic build-up and also to keep your cells hydrated. Shoot for 2-3L/day if you can! If you don't drink a lot of water already, add 8oz to your diet each week until you meet 2-3L/day.
Furthermore, in addition to a healthy food choices, one of the best things you can do to reduce stress and inflammation is getting more sleep! Sleep gives our bodies the opportunity to remove toxic build-up and clear out dead or malfunctioning cells. This type of dedicated internal clean-up doesn't happen as effectively when we’re awake, so if we don't get proper sleep, we make it much harder for our bodies to stave off sickness.
If you’re already feeling rundown, or if other people around you are getting sick, use this as a warning sign that you need to hit-the-sack. Do it preventively!
Finally, many studies show a direct link between our mental state and our physical health. Stress might be ignited by an external factor like the threat of coronavirus, but stress is prolonged in our brain by the thoughts we allow to dominate our mind. Of course it’s difficult not to focus on the potential threat that something like COVID19 could have within our country and communities, but we’ll be better prepared with a fortified body and a positive mind than we will if we propagate more stress and poor habits.
So please speak kindly and positively to yourself!
The more we practice positive thinking, the easier it becomes to make positivity our dominant thought. Try writing, speaking, or meditating on the following mantra to get you started:
I am worthy of being healthy.
I take daily actions to keep myself healthy and strong.
I am grateful for my good health.
In the chaos of our current news, know that it's absolutely OK to take a step back and give yourself permission to care for your body and mind. Fuel your body and brain well, and it'll take care of you in return.
In health 'n Mellness