5 Tips to Maintain Healthy Habits While Social Distancing: Elizabeth Finch
While much has changed in our world and in our lives over the past 6 weeks, one thing that hasn’t changed is how important our health is. In fact, for many of us, health is more important to us than ever before. This is why it’s so essential that we focus on maintaining healthy habits right now, even while spending most of our time at home as we practice social distancing.
As a certified health coach and yoga teacher, I teach my community that health and wellness is holistic. It’s about taking care of your body but also your mental and emotional well-being and making healthy daily choices that will contribute to a strong immune system. But, I also realize that being in quarantine and social distancing ourselves from our regular daily lives makes this a bit more challenging. We all are having to find new routines and new ways of doing things, which isn’t always the easiest thing to do. Here are the ways I’ve focused on maintaining healthy habits while social distancing:
1. DRINK PLENTY OF WATER
This one sounds so simple, but I always say the easiest thing to do is the easiest thing not to do. Drinking water helps to keep your body in a hydrated state and carries oxygen to the cells in the body, and that allows every system in your body to function properly. Water helps to maintain the balance of body fluids (your body is composed of about 60% water), and it helps to remove toxins from the body which benefits the immune system. Drinking water also helps to maintain body temperature and it boosts energy.
I suggest drinking at least 64 ounces of water every day. If you don’t love the taste of water, try adding the juice of half a fresh lemon or lime to your water. If you don’t like drinking cold water, try it at room temperature and without ice, or even warm.
2. MANAGE STRESS BY IMPLEMENTING SOME SORT OF DAILY MINDFULNESS OR BREATHING PRACTICE
We are living in a time when our stress levels are higher than they’ve ever been. From distancing ourselves from friends and family to worrying over our own health or the health of our loved ones, to financial concerns in an essentially shut down economy, and more, the pressure feels intense for everyone. It’s important to check in on yourself daily. Take a few minutes each day to help alleviate some of the stress that you’re feeling and to help bring down stress hormones in your body. It’s not healthy for the body to stay in a fight or flight state (which is basically what we’re all in right now) all the time.
Deep breathing is the easiest thing you can do at any given moment to help decrease the stress hormones in your body. I recommend finding a quiet place (use your earbuds and a meditation soundtrack on Spotify or YouTube, if you need to) where you can sit comfortably, close your eyes or look out the window at nature and just take 5-10 rounds of deep breaths.
Try this: Inhale deeply through the nose on a slow 4 count, hold the breath for just a moment at the top of the inhale, then exhale through the nose on a slow 4 count, holding at the bottom of the exhale before repeating the process 5-10 more times. Deep breaths are the way for you to tell your body that you are safe in this moment, that there’s no danger, and that your body can move from a state of fight or flight into what we call rest and digest, which is when the nervous system is calm. A daily deep breathing practice, even just 5-10 breaths, can do wonders for your health and bring your body back into a calmer, more peaceful state.
3. MOVE DAILY IN A WAY THAT FEELS GOOD
Exercise feels good physically, mentally and emotionally. Movement is a way for you to work any anxiety and stress through and out of your body, it lifts your mood and it helps you to feel more grounded. It doesn’t matter what kind of exercise you do, the most important thing is just to move. Walks Outside are nice right now as the weather is turning warmer and it also gives you a chance to connect with nature. Movement truly is medicine and will help to support your health across the board — cardiovascular health, digestive health, bone health, immune function, healthy mind, better mood, better sleep and more.
4. PRIORITIZE A GOOD SLEEP ROUTINE
For many of us, sleep has taken a back seat since our normal schedules are no longer in place. But let me lovingly remind you that getting good nightly sleep is an important way to help keep your immune system strong and robust. Sleep is by no means a way to cure or prevent disease, but it is necessary for a healthy immune system. I suggest getting at least 7.5 to 8 hours of sleep each night.
I’m a big advocate of following your body’s circadian rhythm, which is your body’s internal clock. It regulates your body’s sleep and wake cycles, and understanding your body’s circadian rhythm is the most important thing you can do for more restful, more restorative sleep. When you follow your body’s natural cues and rhythms regarding when to go to sleep and when to wake up, your circadian rhythm will stay more in balance. But a change in your schedule can disrupt your body’s internal clock.
Consider keeping your normal sleep and wake cycle as much as possible, keeping the same bedtime and wake time as you usually do to help regulate your circadian rhythm. Many sleep experts say it’s okay to vary your usual bedtime and wake time by 30 or 45 minutes, but no more than an hour. (This holds true on weekends as well.)
5. IMPLEMENT THE 80/20 RULE WITH FOOD
The 80/20 rule means that 80% of the time you focus on choosing healthy, whole foods that provide nutrition and nourishment for your body (fruits and vegetables, lean proteins like chicken and fish, healthy fats like olives and olive oil, nuts, seeds and whole grains), and 20% of the time, you allow for treats or indulgences of some kind, choosing and savoring indulgences that you truly love. Keep in mind that it’s still important to practice mindful eating and to avoid overeating even while eating healthy and clean 80% of the time.
If you’re in a hurry to put together a healthy meal for your family or you’re taking a night off from cooking, remember to utilize healthier takeout options from your favorite restaurants. I’m a big proponent of a Mediterranean-style diet, which is why Taziki’s is one of our go-to’s when ordering a healthy meal to pick up and eat at home.
I love that Taziki’s menu is focused on fresh, vibrantly colored vegetables, lean proteins and healthy fats, with lots of Mediterranean flavor. We love the hummus and like to keep it on-hand in the fridge as a healthy snack option with veggies or pitas, and my go-to lunch or dinner item is either the Grilled Chicken or Grilled Shrimp Quinoa Bowl, the Mediterranean Salad with Grilled Salmon or a cup of the Homemade Greek Lemon Chicken Soup. And occasionally, we’ll order a few pieces of the traditional Greek Baklava to share, just to make sure we’re finding balance with that 80/20 rule!
There are so many healthy options at Taziki’s to choose from, and they make it easy and convenient to place your order online for delivery or curbside pickup.