I write today with sadness in my heart for the very challenging time we are faced with. Coronavirus news is everywhere and many people are feeling anxious and panicked. I feel an extra duty of care to my clients and the wider public during this time
In this post I will be stressing the importance of prioritising health. Aside from the government hygiene advice and social distancing, there are other measures we can implement whilst at home to ensure we stay healthy and well and minimise the burden on the NHS and on others.
People often turn to supplements to boost their immunity and many shop shelves have been cleared of Vitamin C and other supplements claiming to protect us. Unfortunately, the quality of these supplements are often questionable. The idea of boosting immunity is enticing but our ability to do so has proved elusive. The immune system is precisely that, a system, not a single entity. To function well it requires balance and harmony.
Now more than ever we must take steps to ensure the balance and harmony of our minds and our bodies. I continue to provide support to my clients by video call, phone calls, emails and text messages. I am on hand to help you through this difficult and quickly changing situation, when taking care of ourselves may feel harder.
Today I had a video call with a client. We planned two weeks worth of meals for her family with the food she had brought back from the supermarket. We created a meal planner, prioritising use of the freshest ingredients first and looking at what could be frozen and used in the second week. We created a list of all the high protein items she had, a list of complex carbs that would balance those and looked at the variety of vegetables and fruits that we could use to boost the vitamin and mineral content of her meals.
She shared her concerns and deeper fears and we worked through them together. I advised her to put her weight loss goal on hold for now and her husband to put his lean mass building goal also on hold. Now is a time to focus on maintaining our health, boosting our nutrient intake and minimising stress. My goal was to listen and help her plan everything carefully, organise her shopping and let go of the worry around food. Then she could focus on play time with her children, and time to focus on work now that she had to work remotely.
We would ordinarily train in a gym but now that’s no longer an option for the time being, we trained together whilst on the video call. It was handy that she had a couple of dumbbells and a yoga mat but it wasn’t essential, we were still able to do our normal workout routine which includes a combination of body weight exercises and some with basic equipment. Wide open spaces for exercise may be the best option at a future date and many of the personal training sessions I do are already in parks around Brighton and Hove and London. As cabin fever sets in, I anticipate more requests for training sessions in the park and thankfully this comes at a time when the sun is starting to shine a little brighter. Most importantly for now, we are following government advice and staying home for the greater good of our people.
I’ve spoken to quite a few of my clients today to see how they’re feeling and the main concerns were around losing motivation to work on their goals but also feeling worried about the reduction in activity and what that would mean for their mental health and wellbeing. I understand and I also felt fearful at the prospect of this initially but as I write this, I feel energised. Energised to be sharing the many ways we can take care of ourselves, and especially during difficult times. Helping people to experience vitality is my mission in life and I feel very much connected to my purpose as I share these words. I’ve realised over the years why I’ve spent so much time reading book after book on healthy living, studying hard and really trying to live it as best I could. I was on a mission to come to a place of inner harmony myself so I could spread light in the world and manifest balance and harmony in others too.
Our first line of defense is to choose a healthy lifestyle. Following healthy living guidelines is the single best step we can take towards naturally keeping our immune system strong and healthy. Here are my top 10, many of which are backed by government recommendations:
- Stay hydrated
- Eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables
- Exercise regularly
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Get adequate sleep
- Try to minimise stress
- Drink in moderation or not at all
- Don’t smoke
- Take steps to avoid infection such as washing hands frequently
- Make time to connect with others
I am here to help with all of the above. I understand that ticking off every item on that list can feel daunting and sometimes impossible. I’m not just a nutritionist and personal trainer, I’m a wellbeing coach. I interact with my clients, sometimes daily, to provide a tailored service to their needs which often change from one day to the next. Finding balance and harmony within ourselves is challenging and I’ve certainly learned the hard way, but now I feel grateful for my experiences as it’s brought me to this place of service to others.
Please do get in touch if you need help and support. My coaching service online is, and has always been at a reduced rate compared to my in-person service.
