This blog post was originally written in March, however with Covid numbers spiking in many parts of the US and around the world, I thought it is a good time to revisit this subject and throw some positive energy into your day, to help you cope better with this difficult time….
With all of the challenges facing the world right now, during this time of global crisis, I’ve been thinking a lot about the motto of Eating Enchanted, “The Magic is in the Mindset”. Until recently, this meant approaching healthy eating as a gift you give yourself everyday and embracing a positive mindset around eating healthy, but lately, this motto has taken on new meaning, and seems perhaps even more relevant now. There is new meaning in “The Magic is in the Mindset” and my Eating Enchanted Vocabulary
It is easy, with everything happening now to become overwhelmed and to focus on all the negative news and statistics. I’ve been struggling with this myself, but I’m doing a few important things each day to cope and work through all the emotions. I thought I would share them with you to hopefully add a little positivity and light to this uncertain time, and the new normal of staying home to help ourselves and others stay safe and well:
- Give yourself permission to stop and feel the emotions that arise. Let them come, pause and take time to breathe. Give yourself a chance to process, and know your emotional bandwidth may be limited for a while.
- Move your body every day. With gyms, pools and even tennis courts closed, and in some cases being
move your body
subject to lock down can make options for getting a good workout at home feel limited. Here are some suggestions for getting movement in your life right now…YouTube has a ton of workout content for free from various professional instructors in various disciplines from yoga, plyometrics, weightlifting, dance and so much more. Get out your computer or turn on your internet enabled tv and get moving. Turn on music and start dancing, jump rope, do stair intervals, go for a walk outside (if you are permitted by your local authorities), subscribe to an online streaming workout service (my personal favorite being Tracy Anderson Method) you can try it free for two weeks. Download an app: there are many highly rated app driven workout programs now including, Daily Burn, CorePower, and Glo. Please consult your physician first if you are new to working out.
- Be kind to yourself. Take a deep breath and take a moment for yourself when you need it. Give yourself time to adjust to this new landscape.
- Connect with others, even with social distancing or “care cocooning” (as Dr. Habib Sadeghi is calling it) there are still many ways to connect with others. Phone a friend! Almost everyone is home. Call someone new each day that you haven’t spoken to in a while. Get into the kitchen with your kids, roommates, or family members. Check in with with parents and grandparents who do not live with you. I’ve been on FaceTime with my mom each day to make sure she’s got a friendly face to connect with. I recently did a zoom cooking happy hour with my college friends. We all cooked something different from my new Cookbook, “The Eating Enchanted Cookbook: Delectable Food to Fuel a Sustainable Healthy Life.” Find out more about the book. It was a super fun way to connect, catch up and share a meal together.
- Give yourself the gift of healthy eating everyday. Giving yourself permission to eat what comforts you as a coping mechanism during this stressful time is ok for a while, but prolonged indulgence may
Halibut in Tomato Water
have lasting negative effects on your health. One of which can be a lowered immune system. Right now, your best defense against this virus, besides staying home, washing your hands often, and wearing a mask in public, is to nourish your body. Embrace healthy eating as a gift you give yourself each day and balance your indulgences with kindness by giving yourself permission to enjoy them without guilt. Now is a time for focusing on being kind to ourselves by safeguarding our health and that of our family, by staying home and nourishing ourselves with healthy meals. You can find many tasty, creative, and nourishing options right here in our recipe section. There are vegetarian, pescatarian, healthy comfort food, gluten-free and dairy-free recipes because I believe there are many paths to healthy.
No one knows exactly when life as we knew it before will resume, but if we can take time to process, be kind, connect, learn, move, and adopt healthy ways of nourishing our bodies we may come out of this stronger and more balanced than ever before. Choosing your reactions to this global situation and adopting a positive mindset may help you cope with the challenges of the current reality. In the meantime, I’d like to acknowledge and send my gratitude to all those who are working each day to help those suffering from Covid-19. My heart goes out to all who are ill with this virus and to the families of those who have lost loved ones during this time. Be well and stay safe.
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