Experts fear that low and middle-income countries like India will see a higher rate of anxiety and depression during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. While the immediate necessity is to address the respiratory infections due to COVID-19, the growing threat of stress, anxiety, depression both in the community and among health workers must not be ignored. Once the immediate crises is over, we would need systems in place to assess and treat individuals who need mental health care.

If the COVID-19 pandemic is making you anxious too, don’t ignore it. Instead, make efforts to manage your anxiety and feel better. The following few suggestions can help.

How to manage your stress and anxiety during COVID-19 pandemic

1. Acknowledge your feelings:

First of all, acknowledge and accept that you are feeling anxious, stressed, or depressed. Hiding your fears and keeping up a bold face might do more harm than good. Anxiety can increase your worries manifold. It can disturb your sleep patterns and make it difficult to concentrate on work. Stress and anxiety can also lower your immunity and worsen preexisting health problems. And they can cause an increased dependence on alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs.

It is, therefore, important to acknowledge your fears and anxiety. Don’t feel guilty about it. The world is facing an unprecedented problem, and getting worried about it is understandable. But you need to manage this worry and prevent it from turning into a mental health problem.

2. Limit your consumption of news:

At a time when people are locked within homes, consumption of news has increased manifold. You want to know the latest count of COVID-19 cases in your country. You want to know the rate of fatalities. And you want to know every step that the government is taking to curtail this pandemic.

But so much consumption of news can have its adverse effects. Some news sources might even sensationalize a news story, creating unnecessary panic among people. Avoid all such news sources. Do not believe the content on social media without checking its veracity.

The best strategy would be to choose one or two trusted news sources and resist the temptation of hunting for the pandemic stories wherever you can find them. Also, limit the times you access the news sources. Watching the news one or two times in a day is enough for you to stay informed while preventing unnecessary anxiety. Instead of consuming news all day long, watch something entertaining and fun.

3. Educate yourself:

If you fear you might have COVID-19, educate yourself about its symptoms. But don’t spend hours googling about it. Instead, check out the trusted sources like government or WHO websites. Watch your symptoms calmly. And contact your doctor only when necessary. The healthcare system is already overloaded in most countries. So disturbing your doctor every time you cough or sneeze is not a good idea.

4. Make healthy lifestyle choices:

When you stay inside your home all day and for so many days, it is easy to get languid and listless. But you must stay active and maintain a healthy lifestyle. This includes taking a nutritious diet, exercising regularly, maintaining good personal hygiene, and keeping your home clean and well ventilated. Avoid bad habits like smoking and too much alcohol consumption. Think positive thoughts and adopt healthy habits. Take sufficient sleep and try to relax. Yoga and meditation can help reduce your stress and anxiety.

5. Spend time with family:

Spending quality time with your family will help you relax. Our busy lifestyle often demands the sacrifice of family time. If your area is under lockdown, it is a perfect opportunity for you to enjoy time with your family. Turn off the TV, put your phones and iPads aside, and talk with your dear ones. Share jokes, reminisce good memories, and enjoy family time. Even if you are in self-isolation or home quarantine, you can still converse with your family members. Just follow the necessary precautions recommended by your doctor.

6. Stay at home, but be social:

Staying locked at home no longer means being cut off from the world. And social distancing does not mean cutting down your connections with your loved ones. Instead of spending hours reading worrying news stories on your phone, use it to talk to your colleagues, friends, and relatives. Social interactions are beneficial for reducing stress and anxiety. So talk to friends, renew old bonds, share some laughs and motivating messages, and keep the anxiety and depression away.

7. Do things you enjoy:

You will feel less worried if you engage yourself in something you enjoy. Activities like singing, dancing, gardening, handicrafts, etc. can keep you engaged and make you feel happy. If you don’t have a hobby, pick up one now.

You can also make the best use of Coronavirus lockdown time by gaining new knowledge or skill. You can start some online courses. Or even YouTube videos can teach you cool new skills like Do-It-Yourself crafts.

In short, do something fun, and let it help you forget your worries.

8. Talk to your children to ease their anxiety:

It’s not only the grownups that are feeling anxious about the COVID-19 pandemic. Even children and teenagers are experiencing anxiety. When parents get worried, children notice it and feel worried too. And if a family member is affected by the Coronavirus, children can feel scared and stressed out. Parents must understand this and talk to their children about the Coronavirus problem. Listen patiently to all the fears and questions of your children. Explain to them the details about the COVID-19 in age-appropriate language. Remove their worries. You want to keep your children safe from Coronavirus. Reduce their worries about it too.

Conclusion:

Anxiety and stress can affect your immunity and aggravate your preexisting health issues. While a dangerous virus is spreading over the world, it is vital that you stay physically and mentally strong. So, avoid the things that are increasing your worries. And engage yourself in activities that can make you healthier and happier.

We hope the tips mentioned above will help you manage stress and anxiety during COVID-19 pandemic. If you continue to feel troubled, consult a doctor. Also, look out for any disturbing symptoms in your family members. These might include the person alienating himself or herself from all others, showing increased anger or mood swings, loss of appetite or difficulty in sleeping. If you notice any marked change in someone’s behavior, don’t ignore it. If you and your family can’t help such a person towards better mental health, seek medical advice.

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Words like Social Distancing, Self-Isolation, Self-Quarantine, Lockdown are the buzzwords of these trying times. But what do they mean? What’s the difference between Social Distancing, Self-Isolation, Self-Quarantine, and Lockdown? Let us explain.

Difference between Social Distancing, Self-Isolation, Self-Quarantine, Lockdown

Social Distancing:

Social distancing means “remaining out of congregate settings, avoiding mass gatherings, and maintaining distance (approximately 6 feet or 2 meters) from others when possible.” Simply speaking, it means — reduce contact with other people.

• Stay away from the crowd. Stay away from crowded places like malls, movie theatres, markets, religious places, restaurants, gyms, swimming pools, etc. Avoid stepping out of your home unless it is unavoidable. Don’t organize or take part in any activities that involve mass gathering.
• Social distancing does not limit you from going out of your home to buy essential supplies or other important work. But when you go out, maintain a minimum 1-meter distance from others (2 meters is recommended, wherever possible).
• The elderly or immunocompromised people must be stricter in maintaining this social distancing. People who already have poor health and weak immunity can get more severely affected by Coronavirus.

Isolation or Self-Isolation:

While social distancing is for the people who don’t yet have COVID-19, Isolation is for those who have become infected. People who have COVID-19 are advised to isolate themselves to prevent the infection from spreading to others. It is a way of limiting the patients’ contact with those living around them.

Quarantine or Self-Quarantine:

Quarantine is to limit the movements of those people who have been exposed to COVID-19 but are not yet sick. Authorities send people into quarantine to monitor their health and see if they develop COVID-19. Some at-risk people are put in quarantine centers. Others may be advised to self-quarantine themselves at home.

Isolation and Quarantine follow almost similar procedures to distance the general public from people who have or might have COVID-19 infection. The purpose of both these procedures is the same — break the chain of the infection.

When should you isolate yourself?

As per NHS, If you have symptoms of COVID-19, you need to self-isolate yourself for 7 days. After 7 days, if you do not have a high temperature, you do not need to self-isolate. If you have a high temperature, stay isolated until your temperature returns to normal. No need to self-isolate if you only have a cough after 7 days.

If you live with someone who has COVID-19 symptoms, you need to isolate yourself for 14 days from the day their symptoms started. If more than one person in your family has the symptoms, isolate yourself for 14 days from the day the first person showed symptoms. And if you start showing symptoms too, self-isolate yourself for 7 more days from the day your symptoms appear.

Precautions in self-isolation:

People under self-isolation or self-quarantine must be very careful about their health and surrounding. If you are isolating yourself, observe the following precautions:

• Monitor your symptoms and communicate any change you notice in your health to your doctor.
• Eat a healthy diet. Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
• Do some light exercise every day if you feel well enough.
• People observing self-isolation or self-quarantine can go out to exercise. But stay at least 3 steps away from other people. Avoid public parks. Walk and exercise in your garden, patio, backyard, etc.
• Do not visit anybody and say no to visitors.
• Do not go out to buy food or medicine. Ask someone to get such things for you and leave them at your doorstep.
• Stay in one room and do not share your bed with anyone.
• Maintain a distance from all family members as much as possible.
• COVID-19 patients should wear masks when they are around other people.
• Ensure good personal hygiene and practice rigorous hand washing, or frequent use of hand sanitizer.
• Do not share your personal items with family members. Things like towels, bedsheets, etc. should be kept separate.
• The household surfaces like table tops, door handles should be cleaned thoroughly and regularly.
• If you have symptoms and someone in your family is of the vulnerable group (Elderly, pregnant, long-term health condition, immunocompromised)arrange for them to stay with family or friends for 14 days. If they must stay with you, try to keep away from each other as much as possible.
• Clean a shared bathroom every time you use it. Wipe clean the surfaces you have touched.
• Educate your children about the need to stay away from you in age-appropriate language.
• Take care of your physical and mental health while in isolation or quarantine. Stay in touch with family and friends over the phone. Stay positive.

Lockdown: 

In a lockdown, people of an entire region are ordered to stay at home. At such a time, you can go out for essential supplies and other emergencies. But you must not step out of home for non-essential tasks. Doing this may even be a punishable offense.

• When you do step out in a lockdown, make sure you can prove it is for an essential purpose.
• Maintain social distancing when you are outside your home.
• Lockdown can extend for many days. At such a time, you must keep yourself busy and engaged within your home for managing your physical and emotional health. Eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly within your home or garden, and stay positive.

Conclusion:

Social distancing, self-isolation, quarantine, lockdown are all measures important to contain the spread of Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Observe them carefully, taking all precautions to ensure that you and those around you stay safe from Coronavirus. When you must stay confined within your home, don’t panic or get anxious. Keep yourself engaged, eat a good diet, and stay connected with your family, friends, and doctor.

The post Social Distancing vs. Self-Isolation vs. Quarantine – What’s the difference? appeared first on WellnessHub Nourishing Your Mind, Body, and Soul.

Adults can understand all this and restrict their movements. But it is very hard for children to understand why they cannot step out of their home or why they need to stay away from the isolated family member. Parents need to be very careful to keep children safe from Coronavirus. They must also ensure kids are happy and relaxed and not getting terrified by the situation.

If you are a parent worried about your children, here are some important things you need to understand:

Are Coronavirus symptoms different in children?

It will be a relief for you to know that Coronavirus symptoms in children are usually milder than adults. Of course, in some cases, the children can become critically ill too from COVID-19. But the percentage of such cases is less compared to adults. Also, infants might have more severe symptoms than toddlers and older children. This is because infants’ immunity isn’t as developed as that of the older kids.

One study in China has revealed the following about children affected by COVID-19:

• Infants: 11% have severe symptoms.
• 1 to 5 years old: 7% have severe symptoms
• 6 to 10 year old: 4% have severe symptoms
• 11 to 15 year old: 4% have severe symptoms
• 16 years or older: 3% have severe symptoms.

Among the children studied in China, it was also revealed that about 4 percent of them were asymptomatic. That is, they had no symptoms of the illness. 51 percent of the affected children had mild illness. 39 percent of the affected children had moderate illness. And about 6 percent of children developed critical illness. This is much less when compared to 18.5 percent of adults. It must be noted that children with a pre-existing medical condition and special healthcare needs may be more at risk of developing severe symptoms.

As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), coronavirus symptoms in children and adults are similar. But children might also develop vomiting and diarrhea.

How to keep your children safe from Coronavirus?

While children are less likely to develop serious symptoms from COVID-19, you must still try to keep them safe from it. This is especially important if someone in your home has the infection.

• Don’t let your children go to crowded areas like public parks. Try to keep them engaged at home.
• If you develop symptoms of COVID-19, isolate yourself. Teach your children why you need to stay away from them.
• If you develop symptoms of COVID-19, wash the toys you might have touched recently before letting children play with them.
• Keep the high-traffic areas clean and sanitized. These include door handles and other surfaces children often touch.
• Designate a caregiver among friends, family, neighbors to take care of your children if you need to isolate yourself and have nobody else in the home to look after kids.

How to talk to your children about Coronavirus?

We may think children don’t know what is happening in the world. But if you are listening to the news all day and discussing the coronavirus pandemic at home, your kids have heard and seen enough to make them scared. They might not reveal their fears to you. So, it is up to you to talk to children and remove their anxiety. This is especially important if anyone at home is in self-isolation or quarantine.

• Talk to your children in age-appropriate language and educate them about the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Use the example of other viruses like influenza to explain Coronavirus effects.
• Explain how social distancing and staying inside the home will keep them safe.
• If a family member is under self-isolation or quarantine, explain to the children why they need to stay away from such people.
• Being confined within homes can be hard for children. Keep them engaged in interesting activities.
• Teach your children the importance of washing their hands with soap and water carefully and frequently.
• Assure your children this is a temporary problem and all will be well soon. Answer their questions patiently and try to alleviate their fears.

Conclusion:

Keeping children safe and happy is a top priority for all parents. Not an easy task even at the best of times. COVID-19 has made it even harder now. But with proper care and precautions, your children can stay safe from the Coronavirus as well as anxiety and boredom it might cause them.

The post How to keep children safe from Coronavirus? Here are 3 things you need to know. appeared first on WellnessHub Nourishing Your Mind, Body, and Soul.

Obeying the lockdown and maintaining social distancing is essential to stay safe from Coronavirus. But these measures may also give rise to anxiety, depression, and boredom. Staying locked within homes for days can be especially hard for children.

At such a time, you need to keep yourself and your family engaged in interesting activities. Sure, binge watching Netflix or playing games on your phone and computer can be fun. But this kind of fun is not good for your eyes and health. Instead, try spending the lockdown days in other interesting and productive activities.

Here are some ideas for you:

Things you can do in a lockdown

Exercise and yoga

This is a perfect time for you to lose weight and get in shape. You are at home. You are getting bored. Use those exercise equipment you bought and then forgot. Or find some good exercise videos on YouTube and start exercising. If you can’t do strenuous exercises, switch on some music and try walking around in your home. Set up your weight-loss goals and use the lockdown days to achieve it. Yoga, meditation, and breathing exercises help reduce stress and keep the blood circulation going. It’s always good to include some form of exercise in your life.

Innovative exercises during lockdown

Don’t have exercise equipment? Well, then create some! Innovate and use the things at your home to exercise. Share your exercising videos on social networks and motivate your friends to stay active too.

Plan your diet

You have postponed your diet plans long enough. Now is the perfect time to start eating healthy. Sit down and plan your diet. Decide what you need to stop or start eating. You may not get all food products during a lockdown. But your plan will help you eat better after the lockdown is over.

Read

If you are a bookworm, you will have no difficulty doing this. If you are not, give books a try. Choose the genre you think you enjoy. Mystery, fantasy, romance, historical, crime — there are plenty of choices. If you have books waiting in your To-Be-Read list, read them. If you don’t have any book at home, download some. There are plenty of free eBooks available for you to enjoy. Download the Kindle app or any other eBooks app on your phone, tab, iPad, and start reading.

Tell stories to your children

Telling stories to kids does not just help pass time. It is an excellent way to strengthen your bond with your kids. Stories help in firing up children’s imagination and can teach them valuable life-lessons too.

Listen to music

If you enjoy music, then this is the perfect time for you to run through your entire collection, dig up the old favorites, and discover new artists.

Dance

Why just listen to music? Dance to it. It will be fun. And dancing can be an interesting exercise, too.

Plan a family dance competition

Make dancing a family activity. You can organize a family dance show or competition. You can make your kids spend some days in practicing before the final dance performance. Children would love it, especially if you promise some reward to the winners.

Sing

If you enjoy singing, use the lockdown days to learn some new songs. And like dancing, you can organize family singing competitions too.

Learn musical instrument

Did you buy a musical instrument with great enthusiasm but then put it to a side and forgot? Pick it up again and start practicing. If you don’t have any book to guide you, use the internet. You’ll find plenty of music lessons online.

Learn to cook

Use lockdown time to improve your culinary skills. Make the best use of the food items you have at home. But be careful and don’t waste anything. Food is precious now.

Make a wishlist

Lockdown might have restricted your shopping fun. But that doesn’t mean you can’t browse the online retailers and line up your wishlist. Window browsing is fun too, isn’t it?

Clean your wardrobes

You don’t have the excuse of being too busy. So, clean your wardrobes now. After all, you need to make space in them for the celebratory shopping you’ve planned for post-lockdown days!

Clean your home

Why stop at just wardrobe cleaning? Your house can do with some sprucing, too. So, get down to it. Clean your kitchen, bathrooms and all your rooms. It will help you use idle hours. You will have a clean home. And it will give you good exercise as well.

Re-decorate

You can’t go out to shop for decorative items. But you can re-arrange the things in your rooms. So, do it. Try giving your home a new look by moving the furniture and other stuff to new positions.

Draw and paint with your kids

Your kids might get bored with drawing and painting alone. But if you join them and challenge them, it can keep them entertained for longer. It will be fun for you too.

Best out of waste activities

Challenge your kids at a best out of waste activity. Encourage them to use their imagination and make something interesting. You can help them, but let their ideas be in lead. Such activities can help you keep children away from phones.

Play funny games

Think up some funny games and play with your family to make everyone laugh. For example, hold a competition of making funny sentences using the given word, or giving an impromptu speech about a funny topic. Or just have a competition of making funny faces. Use your ingenuity to raise some laughter. It will make everyone feel better.

Board games

Have family tournaments of games your kids love. These can be board games, jigsaw puzzles, Lego toys, etc. Make these games more interesting by holding a tournament with various rounds and prizes to the winners.

Fun with neighbors

If you live in an area where houses are close together and balconies face each other, have balcony singing and dancing programs or competitions among the neighbors. All neighbors can participate from their balconies.

Have haircut fun

Give yourself a haircut. Or make it a couple’s activity and give each other a haircut. Enjoy the romance. But do it at your own risk! And be very careful while giving a haircut to your kids. If you mess it up, your children will never forgive you.

Make old clothes new

Dig out your old clothes and make something new out of them. You will find plenty of ideas on YouTube, Pinterest, etc. Check out some cool ideas from Lifehack.

Meditate

If the pandemic and resulting lockdown are making you anxious, try meditating. Sit in a quiet place. Close your eyes and try to focus your attention on your breath. Meditation can help you relax and feel more positive.

Weird sounds

Record the weirdest sounds you can create using stuff at home. Share with friends and family.

Start a blog

If you had been thinking of starting a blog, do it now. Just decide what you want to write about, set up your blog, and start blogging. It will keep you engaged for hours every day.

Write a book

Have you felt a book bubbling in your heart? Use the lockdown days to pour it out. You can use the quiet time to write a fiction or non-fiction book. It will keep you busy. And when you finish your book, the sense of achievement you’ll get will be an experience worth all the hard work.

Start a YouTube channel or a podcast

If writing is not for you, start a YouTube channel or podcast. Share your fun and knowledge with the world.

Drawing with kids

Did you enjoy drawing as a child? Maybe the busy life pulled you away from it. Well, it’s time to revive your hobby. Sit down with paper and pencil and start sketching.

Give yourself a beauty treatment

You can’t go out to a beauty parlor. But that doesn’t mean you can’t give yourself a beauty treatment. So, use the time to give yourself facial, manicure, pedicure, etc. Pamper yourself.

Give yourself a funny makeover

Not interested in beauty treatment? Have fun giving yourself a funny makeover. Use the stuff at home to give yourself a funny look. Then click photos or record videos and share them with family and friends. You can even have a family competition for it!

Quit a bad habit

With the pandemic spreading death around the world, you can see how precious life is. Take care of it. If you have been harming yourself with bad habits like smoking or alcoholism, quit it now.

Clean the junk out of your computer

You have cleaned your home, start some digital cleaning now. Remove the junk from your computer. Organize your files, photos, etc.

Clean the junk out of your phone

Like computers, smartphones also collect plenty of junk. Sit down and remove all those useless files. You might even reset your phone. But backup your valuable data first!

Clean your social media profiles

Take a look at your social media networks too. There might be some photos on it you find embarrassing or disturbing now. Remove them. There might be some connections that you no longer want or recognize. Remove them. Use the lockdown days to take control of your social networks.

Dig out the old family albums

How long has it been since you last looked at your family albums? Dig them out now and enjoy roaming through delicious memories.

Do an online course

This is the perfect opportunity to do an online course and improve your skills. Whether you want to learn a new language or gain some new technical skills, you have free time to do it now.

Build card castles

Of course, you can use the playing cards to play card games. But when you feel bored with playing, try to build a card castle. Click photos of your ‘architectural’ excellence and share them on social media.

Plan a treasure hunt for your kids

A treasure hunt at home can be entertaining for the whole family. Have fun setting it up. Then have more fun watching your family battling with your clues.

Start Gardening  

If you have a garden or potted plants, tend to them. Gardening will also help you relax and feel less anxious.

Capture the sky

With the humans trapped in homes, the air pollution has reduced and the sky can shine clearer now. Click some nice pictures of the sky from your home or garden. You can have even more fun by imaginatively editing them using smartphone apps.

Discover beauty in your home

Click interesting pictures of your plants or objects in your house. Try to discover surprising angles and make ordinary things look extraordinary.

Start Making Plan

Make plans you had been pushing away. You might be thinking of starting a new business. Or you want to renovate your home. Use the lockdown time to complete your plans.

Plan your next vacation

Here’s another plan you can complete while you are confined to your home. Gather all the information you need from the internet and plan out a perfect vacation for yourself and family.

Be social

Observing Social Distancing is important to be safe from the Coronavirus. But you can still stay in touch with your friends and family through your phone. Such social interactions can help you relax and improve your mood too.

Revive old friendships

Get back in touch with old friends you haven’t contacted in ages.

Bond with your family

Spend quality time with your family. When you sit together, be together. Talk, instead of staring at your phone. Enjoy family time.

Spread motivation

With the world under a pandemic attack, we all are feeling anxious and gloomy. At such a time, reading motivational and funny quotes can help in improving your mood. You can browse for them on Pinterest. And if you find something you love, share it with your friends and family. Everyone can benefit from motivation and smiles, especially in these trying times.

Enjoy the quiet time:

Life is a hectic race. Enjoy the quietness of these days. Just sit down comfortably and let your mind wander. But try to keep your thoughts happy and positive.

Do weird googling

Google using the weirdest phrases and see what you stumble upon.

Journal

Write a journal of the lockdown days. Pour out your thoughts and worries. Note down your experience of this extraordinary time. It will help you relax.

Sleep

We don’t realize how much sleep-debt we accumulate in our busy life. Sleep deprivation can lower your immunity and affect your physical and emotional health. So, use the lockdown days to rest yourself. Relax and sleep. Rejuvenate yourself to face the hectic days that will return once the lockdown is lifted. But don’t over-sleep either! Discipline yourself. It is very important to stay happy and healthy in the long lockdown days.

Conclusion:

With the COVID-19 pandemic spreading across the world, we are living through days that are almost too shocking to believe. At such a time, keeping your mood happy and morale high is important. You cannot step out of your home. But you can still have fun and stay busy in activities that are engaging, entertaining, and can help you stay healthy.

The post How to make best use of your lockdown time appeared first on WellnessHub Nourishing Your Mind, Body, and Soul.

Studies suggest that taking a healthy breakfast every day keeps you more physically active, compared to skipping breakfast and eating a heavier meal later. Breakfasting everyday helps in controlling obesity and Type 2 Diabetes and prevents large fluctuations in your blood glucose level.

However, it is important that you eat healthy breakfast. Breakfast items typically offered at restaurants or available in supermarkets may not always be healthy. Muffins, pancakes, waffles taste great. But eating them every day is not a healthy choice.

What is a healthy breakfast?

A breakfast that is a healthy mix of protein, vitamins, and other essential nutrients is a healthy breakfast. Try to make your breakfast nutritious by including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy proteins and fats. Keep harmful fats and sugars away. Remember that a well-balanced breakfast can boost your energy, make you more alert, and keep you from overeating during the rest of the day.

11 food items you should include in your healthy breakfast

1. Coffee:

Coffee is rich in caffeine and is a great drink to get rid of the morning drowsiness. It can make you feel more alert. It can also improve your mood and mental performance. Caffeine can increase your metabolic rate and fat burning. It is also rich in antioxidants. These antioxidants can help in reducing inflammation and protecting the cells lining your blood vessels. They can also help in decreasing diabetes and liver disease risk. Just be careful while adding sugar to it. Better still, skip the sugar.

2. Green Tea:

The caffeine content in Green Tea is only half the amount found in coffee. It provides only 35–70 mg of caffeine per cup. But it is an excellent drink for a healthy start of your day. It too can make you alert and improve your mood. And it is great for raising your metabolic rate.

Green Tea can also help in reducing blood sugar and insulin level. This may be a helpful for people with diabetes. The EGCG antioxidant in green tea may help in keeping your brain, nervous system, and heart healthier.

3. Protein Shake or Smoothie:

If you don’t want a drink with caffeine, protein shakes and smoothies can be a good option for you.

For the protein shakes, you can use protein powder, including whey, egg, soy, and pea protein. Whey protein might be a great choice as it is absorbed most quickly by the body and helps in reducing appetite better than other proteins. Whey protein may also help in lowering blood sugar levels if included in a carb-containing meal.

Whatever protein powder you use, make it more nutritious with fruits, greens, seeds, etc. It will prove to be a filling and satisfying drink.

4. Eggs:

Eggs are a good option to include in your breakfast. Eating eggs at breakfast increases feeling of fullness. This may prevent you from overeating in your next meal. Eggs may also help in keeping the blood sugars and insulin levels steady.

Eggs are high in cholesterol, but they don’t raise cholesterol levels in most people. Whole eggs may even modify the shape of “bad” LDL cholesterol and increase “good” HDL cholesterol. This can help in reducing the risk of heart disease.

The lutein and zeaxanthin antioxidants in egg yolks can help in preventing eye disorders like cataracts and macular degeneration. Eggs add high-quality protein to your diet. And they are rich in choline which helps in brain and liver health.

Eggs are also quick to make. So, no matter how rushed your morning is, you can include eggs in your breakfast.

5. Cottage Cheese:

Cottage cheese is a rich source of calcium and may help in bone strength and prevention of osteoporosis. If you are a vegetarian and don’t eat eggs, include cottage cheese in your breakfast. It is rich in protein. Cottage Cheese also increases metabolism, decreases hunger hormone ghrelin, and gives you a feeling of fullness. Full-fat cottage cheese also has Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) which may help in weight loss. Cottage Cheese may help in regulating blood pressure and preventing certain cancers, such as prostate cancer.

6. Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt is made by straining whey and other liquids from milk curds. This makes the yogurt creamier and more concentrated in protein. It increases levels of hormones that promote fullness. So, like eggs and Cottage Cheese, the protein-rich Greek Yogurt also gives a feeling of fullness and can help prevent over-eating.

The full-fat yogurt contains Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA). This CLA may help in fat loss and decrease the risk of breast cancer. Some types of Greek Yogurt also have probiotics like Bifidobacteria that help in keeping your gut healthy.

Add berries and chopped fruits to the Greek Yogurt for vitamins, minerals, and fiber content. It makes for a delicious and healthy breakfast.

7. Oatmeal:

If you like to eat cereals in your breakfast, Oatmeal is a great choice for you.

Oats contain a fiber called beta-glucan which has many health benefits. The biggest of these is that it helps in reducing cholesterol. Beta-glucan is viscous fiber. It promotes feelings of fullness and may prevent over-eating in the next meal. Oats are also rich in antioxidants and may help in heart health and blood pressure.

Oats are not a rich source of protein. So pair oatmeal with eggs or cheese to get sufficient protein in your breakfast. Also, if you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, buy only gluten-free certified oatmeal.

8. Seeds:

Including seeds in your breakfast is a good idea. They add a delicious and healthy crunch to your meal. They are a good source of fiber and different seeds are rich in different nutrients. Seeds have various antioxidants that help in fighting ailments and maintaining better health.

Flaxseeds, Chia Seeds, Hemp Seeds, Sesame Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Seeds can be great for your health. Flax Seeds and Chia Seeds are a good source of omega-3 fats. Hemp Seeds are rich in protein and have a good proportion of omega-6 to omega-3 fats. Sesame Seeds are rich in lignans and several nutrients. Pumpkin Seeds are rich in phosphorus, monounsaturated fats and omega-6 fats and Sunflower seeds are rich in protein, monounsaturated fats, and vitamin E.

In short, seeds can give you many health benefits. They are easy to include in your diet and taste great. Just add them to salads, yogurt, oatmeal, smoothies, etc. and enjoy.

9. Berries:

Don’t underestimate the health benefits of berries. They taste great and are packed with antioxidants. They are high in fiber and low in calories. Their sugar content is less than fruits, yet they taste as good. Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries can help in maintaining good health. They can also reduce markers of inflammation and prevent oxidizing of blood cholesterol.

So include berries in your breakfast. They will make your meal delicious and healthier.

10. Nuts:

Along with seeds and berries, nuts can be a great addition to the taste and nutrition value of your breakfast. They are high in calories, yet may be helpful in weight loss because they give a feeling of fullness and may prevent overeating. Nuts may improve heart health, decrease inflammation, and reduce insulin resistance. Nuts are also rich in nutrients like magnesium, potassium and heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. Nuts may also help people with diabetes. One study suggests that replacing a portion of carbs with nuts may help reduce blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

Include two tablespoons of chopped nuts in your breakfast to make your meal healthier and crunchier.

11. Fruits:

Fruits are packed with nutrients. They can satisfy your cravings for something sweet in a healthier way. Fruits contain vitamins, potassium, and fiber. And they are low in calories. One cup of chopped fruits provides 80–130 calories. Fruits can help build your immunity and give you better overall health. With high fiber content, they are also very filling and can help in weight loss.

So you see, healthy breakfast can be delicious too. It can give you the energy to face a hectic day and help in maintaining good health. Just try it!

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Well, you need to make that time. Because if you just keep on running, trying to manage more responsibilities than you can, it will lead to frustration and burnout. And that will not be good for you, your family, and your career.

5 ways every woman needs to take care of herself.

1. Exercise:

Regular exercise doesn’t just help manage weight, it is essential for overall health and wellbeing. Exercise helps you reduce obesity. Obesity can lower immunity and lead to a lot of health and emotional issues. Regular exercise also strengthens the heart and improves blood circulation. Exercising reduces the risk of heart diseases, helps manage cholesterol level, and also lowers blood pressure and triglyceride levels. A moderate level of regular exercise also helps in managing blood sugar and insulin levels. It may also reduce your risk of some cancers, including breast cancer.

Exercise helps in strengthening bones and muscles and also improves balance, reducing the risk of injury from falls. When you exercise, your body releases chemicals that can make you feel happier and more relaxed, and help in keeping your cognitive skills sharp as you age. And exercise improves your sleep too.

In short, exercise can make you healthier and happier. So, no matter how busy you are, make time for exercising. If you can’t exercise for 30 minutes at a stretch, exercise for 5 minutes several times a day. But do it. A moderate-intensity exercise like walking can be great for your health and happiness.

2. Relax:

Some amount of stress is helpful. It makes you feel more energetic and alert and keeps you motivated to get things done. But too much and long-term stress can lead to many medical and psychological problems. Stress can give you headaches and general body aches. It can upset your digestion.

Stress can even lead to obesity! When you are stressed, it increases the amount of cortisol hormone in your body. This can lead to overeating and make your body store fat. Stress can also cause problems in getting pregnant, reduce sex drive, and disturb menstrual cycle. Excess stress can raise blood pressure and heart rate and increase your risk of heart diseases and stroke. Chronic stress may also lead to psychological disorders like post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, panic disorder, or obsessive-compulsive disorder.

So you must make time to relax. Life is a hectic race. But constant stress can break you. So for at least a few minutes every day, sit back, take deep breaths, and relax. You will see that taking relaxing breaks makes you more efficient.

3. Socialize:

Socializing is not just a way to pass time. It also benefits your physical and mental health. But by socializing, we do not mean sitting alone and interacting on Facebook. You need to meet people and have friendly interactions with them.

Healthy social interactions can work wonders for your mental and emotional health. Social interactions help in improving confidence and self-esteem. And believe it or not, it can boost your immunity and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, some cancers, osteoporosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Socializing can also keep the brain healthy as you age.

Staying at home and reading a book or watching television may be more comfortable. But stepping out of home and interacting with friends and family is healthier. So, make time for social interactions. It is important for your emotional and physical health.

4. Pamper Yourself:

A bit of pampering does nobody any harm. You may find yourself too busy finishing the chores, but do take out a few minutes for making yourself happy. Make a compulsive purchase. Give yourself a beauty treatment. Or just allow yourself that extra dollop of ice cream. In short, make yourself happy. Happiness is very important for good health. When you are happy, you are likely to make better lifestyle choices. Happiness also appears to boost the immune system. By reducing blood pressure, happiness may also reduce your risk of heart disease. So make yourself happy. Pamper yourself every once in a while.

5. Have a Hobby:

A hobby will take up more of your time, making you busier. But when you do something you enjoy, you feel happier. And we have already told you happiness boosts health. Some hobbies can help you have an active lifestyle. Some will boost your creativity, self-confidence, and self-esteem. A hobby can also improve your concentration and mental alertness. A hobby can give you many physical and emotional benefits. So pick up a hobby, anything you like.

You may think you have no time for all these. But the five things above need not be separate. A hobby can give you regular exercise, exercising with a partner or team can help you socialize, socializing with friends can help you relax. Your health and happiness are important for the health and happiness of your family too. So, do these five things now. You owe it to yourself.

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Serious cases of COVID-19 are showing adverse effects on kidneys. So, people who already have impaired kidney functions and need regular haemodialysis are particularly vulnerable. In SARS and MERS-CoV infections, acute kidney injury occurred in 5 to15 percent cases and carried a 60 to 90 percent mortality rate. Early reports of COVID-19 suggested 3 to 9 percent incidence of Acute Kidney Injury. But recent reports show a more alarming picture. A study of 59 COVID-19 patients found that about two-thirds of patients developed a massive protein leak in urine during their hospital stay.

“Unlike other at-risk individuals, these patients do not have the ability to stay at home and not interact with others. Despite being high risk since they must travel to dialysis centers 2-3 times every week. This significantly increases the risk of transmission of infection, to patients themselves, family members, medical staff and facility workers, and all others,” says Prof Vivekanand Jha, Executive Director, George Institute for Global Health India and President of the International Society of Nephrology.

According to a paper entitled “The Novel Coronavirus 2019 epidemic and the Kidneys”, patients dependent on dialysis, and their family members need to strictly follow the precautions to stay safe from COVID-19. For patients on dialysis suspected to have been in contact with COVID-19, treatment should be carried out according to strict protocols. All efforts need to be made to minimize risk to other patients and healthcare personnel.

The directions mentioned in the paper include strategies of managing COVID-19 in patients on dialysis, recommended facility and staff management practices, proper management strategies for such patients, and recommendations for their family members and caregivers. All these recommendations, precautions, and protocols may help in the prevention of COVID-19 in patients with kidney disease, and better management if they catch the infection.

Check out The Novel Coronavirus 2019 epidemic and the Kidneys to know the best preventive measures and management protocol for COVID-19 in people with Kidney disease.

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Healthy habits may add a decade to your life. Here’s how.

If you want to live healthier and longer, take care of the five crucial health factors. These are:

1. Healthy Diet: 

A healthy diet is a key factor in maintaining better health. It can protect you against many chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, even some cancers. Proper diet is also important for better immunity.

A good quality diet is rich in vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, antioxidants, and low in salt, sugars, saturated & trans-fats. A healthy diet includes staples like cereals, fruits, vegetables, starchy tubers or roots, and animal products like meat, fish, eggs, and milk. Try to eat fruits and vegetables of all colors. And reduce your intake of salt, sugars, and unhealthy fats. It is also important to observe proper meal times. Erratic eating habits and long gaps between meals can also adversely affect health.

2. Regular Exercise:

Only proper diet isn’t enough to maintain good health. You need regular exercise too. An active lifestyle can save you from many diseases like Type 2 Diabetes, Cardiovascular problems, etc. Regular moderate exercise like walking for at least 30 minutes, five days a week can help you feel healthier and happier.

Exercise helps in managing healthy body weight, lowers blood cholesterol, and reduces the risk of a heart attack. It can also reduce the risk of Type 2 Diabetes and may even save you from some cancers. Regular exercise also helps in managing blood pressure. It reduces the risk of Osteoporosis and is essential for maintaining strong bones, muscles, and joints.

When you stay active, you have better immunity. This can help in quicker recovery from injuries and diseases. Exercise also ensures better sleep and improves mood, making you feel happier and more relaxed.

3. Maintain a Healthy Body Mass Index:

Obesity is not just uncomfortable, it can lead to many serious health issues. Obesity increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, some forms of cancer, anemia, infertility, etc. Your weight can also put too much strain on your back and joints, reduce immunity, and increase the risk of osteoporosis. So, maintaining a healthy body weight is essential for good health. Better Body Mass Index helps in managing non-insulin-dependent diabetes, increases energy levels, improves your self-esteem and makes you feel better.

So, try to maintain a healthy BMI. A balanced diet and regular exercise can help you achieve it.

Tip: How to calculate your BMI?

Use this simple formula: BMI = kg/m2 where kg is a person’s weight in kilograms and m2 is their height in meters squared.

Healthy BMI range for adults (18-65 years) is 18.5 to 24.9.

4. Proper Sleep:

Good sleep is essential for better health. Sleep deprivation or sleep deficiency can impact your health, mood, and performance. Sleep helps in maintaining healthy brain functions and better overall physical health. It also supports growth and development in children and teenagers.

Lack of sleep makes you more vulnerable to heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke. It also increases the risk of accidents, putting you and others around you at risk. If you don’t take enough sleep, it will also affect your mood.

So, no matter how busy you are, take enough sleep. 7 to 8 hours of sleep every day is enough for most adults. Children need more sleep than adults. Make sure your sleep time is tuned to your body clock. A regular sleep schedule and quiet time before sleeping helps in better sleep. Avoid heavy meals or heavy exercise before sleeping. Try to keep your bedroom quiet and clutter-free. Don’t stare at your smartphone or computer for long duration before sleeping. Remember, sleep is not only essential for rest, it is important for better health too.

5. Positive Outlook:

People are often told to be positive. A positive outlook is essential for a happy life. Now it has been proved that positivity and optimism can also help you live a healthier life. Our thoughts and feelings can impact our bodily functions. Thinking negatively all the time can affect your sleep and give you stress and hypertension. It may even lower your immunity. Positive emotions strengthen your immune system, prevent depression, and make you feel happier and healthier. Positivity can save you from hypertension and heart disease and help you achieve better weight control and healthier blood sugar levels. Even when facing serious illness like cancer, positive outlook can help in speedier recovery.

So, maintain a positive outlook, think positive thoughts, and try to focus on the good things in life. It will make you feel happy. It will also help you have a better health.

Healthy lifestyle habits can give you longer and healthier life. Better life choices can give you better health. Avoid things that can hurt your health like smoking or excessive drinking. Maintain an active lifestyle and good weight. Remember that a healthy lifestyle with regular physical exercise, a well-balanced diet, proper hydration, and sufficient sleep can do wonders for your physical and mental health. Just a little care and you can easily add a decade to your life.

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While it is impossible to predict and prevent every accident, there are many things you can do to reduce the most common dangers. Given below are some of the most important precautions you need to take to keep your children safe.

How to keep your children safe at home?

1. Little things:

Babies and toddlers may not like eating food, but they all enjoy putting random things in their mouth. They will pick up things from the floor and swallow them. This puts them in danger of infections. Worse, it puts them in danger of choking. Things like buttons, coin batteries, small magnets, beads, etc can be a serious health hazard for little kids. Ingesting of magnets and batteries can prove fatal if the child swallows them. When a coin battery is broken down by the acids in the stomach, it can cause alkaline poisoning. And if the child ingests several magnets, they can stick together in the stomach and cause perforation.

• Keep your floor clean of litter.
• Keep anything that can be swallowed out of the reach of children.
• If any toy uses coin battery, seal it off with thick tape.
• Remove all magnets from your child’s room and toys.
• Don’t put fridge magnets where your child can reach them. Do the same with other tiny things that your child might swallow.

2. Toys:

Be very careful while buying toys for your children. Toys with many little parts can be a hazard. Children can pull those parts out and swallow. Some toys might have sharp edges that might cause cuts. Some might have magnets and coin batteries. An older child’s toy can prove harmful to the younger sibling. Even soft toys can prove dangerous.

• Examine a toy carefully before buying it for your children.
• Tell your older kids to keep their toys away from the younger siblings.
• Make sure your older kids are not using their toys in a dangerous way. For example, flinging a heavy toy high and trying to catch it can cause serious injury.
• When you put a toy in your baby’s crib, make sure there’s no danger of the baby suffocating on it.
• Children can use their toys in many dangerous ways. So be very careful of the toy you give them, and how they play with it.
• Children can also make toys for themselves. A cardboard box, a wrapping paper, a kitchen bowl — kids can use anything to play. Make sure nothing dangerous comes within their reach.

3. Water:

Drowning is one of the biggest risks for children. A child can drown even in a bucket of water. So, you need to be very careful about keeping your children safe from drowning.

• Never leave your children unattended near water.
• If you have a swimming pool, make sure your children can’t enter it unattended.
• Don’t let pool toys remain scattered near or in the pool when you are not nearby. Attracted by these toys, your child can fall into the pool.
• Keep your bathroom door closed.
• If you have a toddler or a baby old enough to crawl, never keep a bucket full of water anywhere in your home.
• Keep your toilet seat covers down.
• Never leave a child unattended in a bathtub. Never put the child in a bathtub without first testing the water temperature.
• Remember that your bathroom can be the most dangerous place for your young children. You need to be very careful.

4. Windows:

Windows attract little children a lot. And this can be very dangerous. Unsafe window blinds with dangling cords can prove hazardous. Children love playing with ropes. But it’s best to keep these out of their reach.

• Try to install safer window treatments like cordless or motorized window blinds.
• Children can also climb on the windowsill to look out. These can prove fatal. Try to secure your windows with safety grates. Make sure there’s no climbable furniture near the window.

5. Chemical substances in the house:

You may not realize it, but your home is full of chemicals. Medicines, cosmetics, cleaners can be commonly found in homes. Insecticides, pesticides, paints, and polishes are often present too. A young child can ingest any of them out of curiosity. And the results can be grievous.

• Keep all such chemicals away from the children. Better to lock them in secure cabinets.
• Keep the child safety caps on medicines engaged.
• Never leave pills within the reach of the child, even if you are stepping away for just a minute.
• Keep your cosmetics, perfumes, deodorants out of a young child’s sight too.

6. Falls:

All children fall now and then. It is a normal part of growing up for kids. But some falls can be life-threatening. And it is upon you to look out for them and prevent them from happening. The danger is not just in children falling from a height. Many serious accidents occur when things fall over them. For example, a child trying to open a tall cabinet can make it topple over him or her.

While it is impossible to foresee all such accidents, there are many precautions you can take.

• Secure the stairs by installing safety gates at their top and bottom.
• Secure the windows with safety grates.
• Keep the floor free of litter to reduce the risk of tripping.
• Don’t let children climb on the furniture.
• Keep the height of cribs set to lowest.
• Make sure all heavy furniture like dressers, bookcases, tall stools, television sets, etc. are wall-mounted or secured to stop them from toppling.

7. Electricity:

Look around and notice how many electrical appliances you have in your home. How many electrical outlets and cords. Each of them can put your child in danger. You can’t remove these from your home. But with a little precaution, you can minimize their danger.

• Never leave a child unattended near an electric appliance.
• Switch off and unplug the electric appliance when it is not in use.
• Secure all electric outlets with well-fitting safety caps.
• As much as possible, keep electric wires and cords out of the reach of children below ten years of age. If that is not possible, check them regularly to make sure they are not frayed or have any other fault. Replace the wire immediately if you notice any such thing.

8. Weapons:

Even a sharp pencil can be dangerous for a little child. Can you imagine how hazardous an unattended weapon can be? If you have a gun or any such weapon at home, your child might get curious about it and pick it up for play.

Every year, many children get injured from the weapons kept at home. You might be able to keep these away from little kids. But if a ten-year-old decides to play with your gun, he or she will devise a way to reach it. It is up to you to make sure your weapon does not harm your child.

• Keep your weapons under lock.
• Teach your kids how dangerous the weapons can be and why they should never touch them.
• Never handle or show off your weapons in a way that tempts your children to play with them too.

9. Sharp objects, and other such dangerous things.

• You also need to be careful about things like a kitchen knife, screwdrivers, electric drills, nails, etc. Keep all such hazardous things away from children. These can cause serious injuries and even death.

Conclusion:

For a little child, anything can prove dangerous. You, as a parent, need to be watchful and alert. As much as possible, remove all hazardous things or lock them up. Try never to leave your young children unattended. With care and precautions, you can make your home safer for your children.

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 How to build your immunity

1. Take proper diet to build your immunity:

A healthy diet is essential for a healthy body. When your diet is deficient in vital nutrients, it can weaken your immune system. A diet high in saturated fat can lead to unhealthy weight. Obesity reduces the number and function of White Blood Cells, leading to weak immunity.

Make sure your diet is high in vital nutrients like protein, vitamins, minerals, and low in saturated fat, salt, and sugar. Include immunity-boosting fruits and vegetables in your meals. Many fruits and vegetables have vital nutrients that help in strengthening the immune system. You need a healthy combination of all of these to have strong immunity.

Some immunity-boosting food items are:

• Vitamin C: Citrus Fruits, Spinach, Kale, Bell Peppers, Brussel Sprouts, Papaya, Blueberries.
• Vitamin E: Peanuts, Almonds, Hazelnuts, Spinach, Broccoli
• Vitamin B6: Lean Chicken Breast, Cold-Water Like Tuna, Baked Potatoes, Bananas, Chickpeas.
• Vitamin A: Pumpkin, Cantaloupe, Squash, Carrots, Sweet Potatoes
• Vitamin D: Fatty fish like Mackerel, Salmon, Tuna, Sardines). Fortified Milk, Orange Juice, Cereals.
• Iron: Chicken, Turkey, seafood. Beans, Broccoli, Kale.
• Folic Acid/Folate: Beans, Peas, Green Leafy Vegetables
• Selenium: Garlic, Broccoli, Brazil Nuts, Barley, Sardines, Tuna
• Zinc: Oysters, Crab, Lean Meats, Poultry. Baked Beans, Yogurt, Chickpeas.

2. Dietary supplements:

As much as possible, try to take a healthy and balanced diet. However, if you are still deficient in some vital nutrients, you can take dietary supplements. Taking fortified food like fortified milk, cereals, health drinks, etc. can help you. However, before you start any food supplement, you must consult a doctor. Don’t take any food supplements without first taking proper medical advice.

3. Take sufficient sleep:

Proper sleep is important for strong immunity. When you sleep, your immune system releases proteins called cytokines to help promote sleep. They also help in managing infection, inflammation, and stress. Constant sleep deprivation can reduce the production of these protective cytokines. Lack of sleep can also decrease the production of infection-fighting antibodies.

In short, lack of sleep can make you vulnerable to infections and delay your recovery. Long-term sleep deprivation can also increase the risk of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases.

So, take proper sleep. Adults need 7 to 8 hours of sleep every day whereas children and teenagers need up to ten hours of sleep per day.

4. Exercise & maintain a healthy weight:

Regular exercise doesn’t just help you lose weight. It is also important for a strong immune system. A sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of obesity and heart diseases. It can also weaken the immune system. So, regular exercise is important to stay fit and have strong immunity.

However, excessive exercise is also not recommended. It puts a strain on the body and may weaken your immune system. A moderate and regular exercise like walking, cycling, swimming, yoga for 30 minutes might work better to boost immunity.

5. Avoid bad habits like smoking, alcoholism:

Smoking and excessive intake of alcohol also have adverse effects on the immune system. So free yourself of these bad habits and choose better health.

6. Control your stress and stay happy:

Chronic stress and negative feelings like loneliness, anxiety, grief, etc can also affect your immune system.

When you are stressed, your body increases the production of a hormone called cortisol. This helps the body deal with the stress, temporarily limiting the bodily functions that aren’t needed in fight-or-flight situations. While short-term stress is not harmful, long-term chronic stress can reduce the immune system response. This means, you are left more vulnerable to viruses and infections.

Conclusion:

Having a strong immunity is vital for a healthy body. With a little care, you can strengthen your immune system. Just make good choices. Eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, take proper sleep, and try to be happy and relaxed. Can you do that for yourself?

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