COVID-19 RESPONSE

Our New Rapid Response System

In addition:

• Allow sufficient time to focus on relaxation before getting into bed, perhaps through gentle stretching exercises in a room that is dimly lit and either silent or with soft, relaxing music.
• Continue the practice of stretching with slow, deep breathing until sleepy.
• Absolute darkness during sleep is of the utmost importance. Unless the bedroom can easily be kept pitch black, a sleep mask is a valuable investment.
• Deep, slow breathing can assist in falling asleep as well as relaxing ourselves back to sleep if awakened during the night.
• In the morning, start the day with deep, slow breathing once again. Breathing is the most essential movement we ever make; it is truly a gift to ourselves to make a gentle transition from sleeping to active living by moving air in and out of the lungs in a deep, slow manner.

Partition the day.

Our breathing practice, as a way to settle the mind, is a source of power throughout the day. Life is often stressful, yet here we have a great opportunity through simple practice. At various intervals amidst the day of activity, find a quiet place, sit and take at least 10 minutes for deep, slow breathing. Perhaps before each meal? The important aspect is to do it on a regular schedule, to make it a ritual, and to use it as a show of our power to protect our composure from the frenzy of the world.

Move to mobilize energy.

Our relationship with gravity is essential to life; walking and stretching are valuable. To derive even more out of stretching and movement, we might attend classes of tai chi, Qi gong, yoga or Pilates. Any of these activities are best approached in a way that is gentle and enjoyable, not one that pushes us to our limits of exhaustion.

Empower your chemistry.

Energy is the bottom line with dietary considerations. Select foods that help rather than hinder the immune system, but also respect the energy level at the time of eating. Eating too large of a meal or eating when tired will overburden the digestion and weaken the system.

• It’s especially important to eat lightly later in the day to minimize disruptive digestive activity during sleep.
• It may be advisable to reduce intake of liquids later in the day so that sleep is less interrupted by bathroom trips.
• In the morning, we begin rehydrating with lots of healthy teas and water. Adding a pinch of unrefined salt to purified water will make it more similar to body fluids and more effective at hydration.
• A few examples of immune-empowering items would be garlic, ginger, colorful spices, fruits, and vegetables, and all the nutrient-rich seeds, such as chia, flax, sesame, sunflower and pumpkin.

Communicate respect.

Returning to our orientation to living, it is even more powerful to pair our attitude of honoring life with actually expressing it in words. So as we are joyfully doing things that demonstrate our love of life, we may also take full advantage of all our relationships. All the people we encounter, whether we find them supportive or challenging, are parts of our life. There is a difference between respect and approval. To support our immune system, we address all the players that make up our world with respect. It is the entirety of our world that we are respecting, even when we see parts of it ripe for change.