Posted on by Beckworth & Co.

How To Stay Healthy and Active in the Midst of a Viral Outbreak

COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) is not your typical flu where you can easily combat it, it’s way worse than that especially if you’re at higher risk. Coronavirus has been categorized as pandemic (disease spreading to other continents or worldwide), and it continues to infect many and kill more. With the increasing of COVID-19-infected individuals here in the U.S. right now, going out sure is not a really good idea.

Those at a higher risk are older people, immunocompromised, and those with a serious underlying medical condition (cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses, diabetes, cancer, stroke, and high blood pressure). Signs and symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, shortness of breath, dry cough, tiredness, body aches, sore throat, and may include nausea and diarrhea.

For outdoor and sports enthusiasts like us who are on the go and want to take the zest of the adventures, this may be a bad time for us to do that. But that doesn’t mean we can’t be healthy and active.

 

Follow Preventive Measures

You may be thinking of what if you go on an RV road trip to somewhere isolated surrounded by nature. You can do that but there may be lockdowns or community quarantine implemented within your city or the area and state, if not the whole country, you want to visit. Besides, it’s much safer and more responsible to stay where you are and not roam anywhere until they lift the outbreak.  

preventive measures

If you’re living in a crowded city, then staying indoors is a must. If you’re in a quieter, spacious town, and own a huge part of the land, then you’re fortunate enough since social distancing won’t be an issue. You have the whole place to yourself without any worries.

The most effective preventive measures you can do to not get infected and not spread the infection are:

  • Handwashing with soap and water for about 20 seconds (a Happy Birthday song sang twice).
  • Social Distancing by putting 2 meters or more distance away from others when in public.
  • Staying at Home especially if you don’t need to buy essential supplies or go to the hospital.

Maintaining good hygiene can even help limit the spread of the virus. Wearing a face mask is also advisable when going out to buy your food and medicinal supplies, or when you’re sick so you can’t risk infecting others.

Canceling your travel this week, the next, and the week after the next, and staying at home will be your biggest contribution in preventing the further spread of Coronavirus. Staying at home doesn’t mean you have to stay still, though. You can stay healthy and active even in the comforts of your living space.

You can cook, do artwork, play with your kids, and do some household chores. Yes, you can sweep, wipe, and squeaky clean the whole house, including the floor, bathroom, sinks, kitchen counters, switches, doorknobs, and more using water, bleach, soap, and disinfectant sprays. Aside from making it a good exercise since you move around, you are able to disinfect your home and limit the spread of infection, since Coronavirus may linger on to the surfaces.

Keep your household prepared for the outbreak whether it’s from Coronavirus or any other viruses.

 

Eat to Boost Your Immunity and Energy

Essentially, all vitamins and minerals from food sources play important roles in keeping your body healthy and strong. The top nutrients that you to help boost your immune system are vitamins C, D, iron, and zinc.

citrus fruits

  • Vitamin C-rich foods include oranges, grapefruit, guava, kiwi, papaya, broccoli, bell peppers, kale, and brussels sprouts
  • Vitamin D-rich foods include milk, orange juice, cereals, tuna, salmon, sardines, and mackerel.
  • Iron-rich foods include chicken, turkey, seafood, broccoli, kale, and beans.
  • Zinc-rich foods include fortified cereals, almonds, cashews, chickpeas, poultry, oysters, and other shellfish.

You also need energy-boosting foods to fight weakness and make you active.

  • Energy-boosting foods include eggs, oats, dark leafy vegetables, fatty fish, bananas, dark berries, and sweet potatoes.

Don’t forget to take your multivitamins as well. You can increase your nutrient intake and boost your immunity with vitamin C, D, iron, and zinc.

 

Do Home Workouts

Most, if not all, gyms and fitness centers are closed right now to avoid the crowd, follow social distancing, and keep the infection from spreading through person to person contact or fomites (objects which may carry the infection). Even fitness enthusiasts can contract the virus if not careful.

If you think sitting on your couch, watching Netflix, and chilling all day for 2 weeks or so is what you should do, then you must be mistaken. There’s nothing like being active and working on your different muscle groups and range of motion every day.

You should spend at least 30 minutes of physical activity per day, according to WHO, to help combat infections. You can do home workouts (good thing if you have your own workout equipment). If not, you can perform body exercise instead. Watching and following home workout videos is also a good family bonding.

man and woman doing pushups

Get your heart pumping, build your strength, and keep your immune system in top shape with these most active exercises you can do at home. It’s up to you how many sets and reps (repetition) you intend to do on each exercise.

  • Push-Ups - Get all your extremities down, with hands slightly wider than shoulders, and lower your body with chest touching the floor, then push yourself up.
  • Jumping Jacks - You know how this goes. Perform this exercise for about 2 minutes per set.
  • Lunges - Standing with back and shoulder straight, take a step forward, bend both knees, then stand back up. Do this for as much set of reps as you can handle.
  • Jumping Squats - Do a normal squat position with head and chest forward-facing and sitting back on an imaginary chair. Put a twist this time, instead of just standing right up after bending, you jump, then back to squat position.
  • Triceps Dip on Chair - With your arms on the side and palms down gripping the chair, your feet flat on the ground, move your torso forward off the chair, and dip your buttocks facing the ground while knees are slightly bent, and push up with arms extended.
  • High Knees Running - Running in place bringing your knees as high up as possible for about 2 minutes for each set is the way to keep that blood running.
  • Plank - Work on your midsection by facing your head and body down, doing a pushup position with your forearms on the ground, supported by your elbows, feet, and toes. Do this for 30 to 60 seconds per rep.
  • Burpees - A challenging workout that will surely burn those calories by squatting down, launching feet back, doing a pushup, and jumping up, and repeating this cycle for a number of reps and sets.
  • Mountain Climbers - Press your hands on the ground and bring your left knee to your chest, then back, afterward bring your right knee to your chest, then back, and repeat this cycle.

News about the COVID-19 outbreak may leave you stressed and anxious, but keep yourself composed, informed, and healthy even if the situation outside is not. Meditation and yoga can make your mind and body relax.

 

Remember that following quarantine guideline, maintaining good personal and household hygiene, keeping social distance, staying at home, getting enough sleep, eating nutritious food, and performing daily exercises can all help boost your immunity in the midst of a viral outbreak.