Covid_19 - What can athletes be doing?
Runners and athletes appear to have an edge on the general public when it comes to the Corona Virus. Many who have been infected have been able to dodge the most serious effects . The virus has dis- proportionally affected the elderly and those with compromised immune systems. However, this is not a time for complacency. More than ever, it is important to take stock of your habits. You have to eat right most of the time, get sleep, hone the mental game and keep tabs on yourself. So what else should you be doing? Here are some general thoughts….
1. Now more than ever is a good time to take a look at your diet.
For me, A diet is what you can reasonably eat with consistency over a period of time. There are also times when you may consider changing your “diet” for a specific amount of time to achieve a short-term goal or to try to reduce a symptom you are having. For example, going Keto may be beneficial for a term to get your body more accustomed to burning fat for energy and make you less reliant on carbs.
Take a look at what you eat. Chart it out for a few days. Keep notes of how you feel after you eat certain foods. You could be eating foods you think are healthy, but they are not good for you. For example, you have been told for years Salmon is good for you…but what if it isn’t good for “You” specifically. In her book, The Plan, Lyn Genet maps out a strategy for testing certain foods for reactivity over time. This might be a time to venture into that area yourself without having to pay for expensive food allergy testing.
2. Improve your gut health and microbiome by eating a whole foods, nutrient dense diet.
Take a look at Weston A. Price Foundation. You may be surprised at what you find. Weston A Price was a dentist who studied world cultures. He concluded there were certain common characteristics of healthy cultures throughout the world.
3. Open yourself up to new ideas and bio hacks
I recommend podcasts by Ben Greenfield and Dave Asprey, to name a few. Spend some time listening to these podcasts. They cover a wide range of topics relating to your overall health. Ben Greenfield is more geared towards athletes but certainly not limited to that category
4. Explore holistic methods & strategies
Take a look around. When did Acupuncture and Chiropractic care become so accepted that most insurance plans now cover them? Yes, the same insurance companies you often spend hours on the phone with arguing about coverage. There might be something to these treatments!
5. Consider meditation, gratitude and mindfulness
You will be surprised on how simple these can be. You don’t have to spend hours per day sitting with the Dalai Lama. Start small it can make a big difference.
The Covid crisis should be a wake-up call to all of us to bolster our immune system and attempt to live “better.” Personally, I don’t know if we are going to conquer this virus by staying in our houses. Without a comprehensive phase 2 plan in place, when to return to “normal” has turned into a guess, state by state, county by county. I am not confident enough that scientists will develop a vaccine quickly or that it will be effective. On the other hand, I am not arrogant enough to believe that I will not get the virus and I am taking precautions. I will not be protesting at my state capital against wearing a mask. My thought is simply, how can I prepare my body for the virus so that it can best handle the effects?
This crisis has been horrible, but it should be the impetus for humans to realize that perhaps the modern lifestyle and diet is not conducive to healthy living. It appears that the more you put yourself at risk by developing underlying conditions, the more susceptible you are to possible complications if you contract the virus. I have heard little about how improving our health should be a priority from mainstream news outlets. The world’s reliance on pharmaceuticals to solve all problems seems to make one think, “it is ok if I shove this Whopper in my pie-hole day after day, I will just take some hydroxychloroquine and be fine!”, or there is nothing I can do unless there is a vaccine.
The road to boosting your immune system is about lifestyle choices. This is a step by step process. Let’s start today and continue down the road to health and wellness!
Peace and Health!
References
“Ben Greenfield Fitness - Diet, Fat Loss and Performance Advice.” Ben Greenfield Fitness - Diet, Fat Loss and Performance Advice, http://bengreenfieldfitness.com. Accessed 24 May 2020.
“Bulletproof Radio with Dave Asprey - #1 Biohacking Podcast.” Dave Asprey Blog, https://blog.daveasprey.com/category/podcasts/. Accessed 24 May 2020.
Greenfield, Ben. Boundless. Victory Belt Publishing, 2020.
“Home - The Weston A. Price Foundation.” The Weston A. Price Foundation, https://www.westonaprice.org/. Accessed 24 May 2020.
Recitas, Lyn-Genet. The Plan. Grand Central Life & Style, 2013.
Disclaimer:This Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
