Wave upon wave, the Covid-19 pandemic continues. After the Delta variant, there comes Lambda. Does this virus want to complete the Greek alphabet? The government is exerting its best efforts to cope with the pandemic through the vaccination program. How’s your family today? While under ECQ, let’s keep the family’s general health in tip top shape. Here are some pointers.

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How’s Your Family’s General Health During ECQ?

Our family dynamics are different. And now that we are into the second year of the pandemic, so many things have changed. Nobody can say that he or she has remained the same. This is indeed the new normal.

One thing that we have probably taken seriously because of Covid-19 is our health. We want to maintain optimum health in order to be strong so that we won’t get sick easily. We take food supplements in order to boost immunity. Moreover, a survey said that more Filipinos are trying to eat healthy, too.

But general health doesn’t just mean having a healthy body because we eat three times a day. General health is a holistic state of being where the mind is at peace, the heart is not burdened, and the body is working efficiently.

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Here are some things to ponder as we aim to keep our family’s general health at its optimum level.

Follow Government Protocols

The basic safety protocols are simple: wear a face mask when going out or when talking to other people. In other cities, face shields are also required. Depending on the situation and the need, each locality has its own regulations, like curfew, not allowing kids in the mall, etc. Travel is also limited. There is really no point in arguing these things because they are there for our safety.

Most establishments have set up lavatories and disinfecting stations: let’s take advantage of them and wash our hands frequently when we are outside.

It would be best for us to follow the basic safety protocols. They were set up not only for ourselves but also for the families we go home to and the people around us.

Furthermore, let’s take advantage of the free vaccination against Covid-19 that the government is offering. Vaccines are safe and will help our bodies develop antibodies so that the infection will not become severe or even fatal for the patient.

Maintain Your Physical Health

The food that we eat everyday is not enough to cover our body’s nutritional requirements. So we need to take food supplements daily in order to augment whatever is lacking in our diets. Two of the nutrients that we need to have everyday are Vitamin C and zinc in order to boost our immunity. Hubby, our eldest daughter, and I take the Bewell-C Zinc Protect daily.

Meanwhile, for the children, zinc also encourages growth so we give Bewell-C Kids to our little Shane. She’s growing up so fast!

Moreover, it is not just about eating to fill us up but keeping a mindful diet that will nourish our bodies. While indulging feels nice, it should not be done always, as many lifestyle diseases arise from binge eating.

Fitness also includes your regular movements every day. Even if we are just staying at home, we should maintain some physical activity that will utilize our major muscles. We stand up and stretch our limbs several times throughout your waking hours. This should be done mindfully, especially if you have a work-from-home setup and would be tempted to just sit down all day.

Emotional and Mental Health

The emotional and mental aspects are very tricky to navigate because they are not quantifiable. But we cannot deny that all of us have been affected in one way or another by this pandemic. Physical loss like jobs, businesses, and even human lives have changed us from within. Sickness in varying degrees have haunted many families.

Even our children’s mental health have been adversely affected because physical classes have been halted. They can no longer see their friends or even go out of the house to play on the streets.

And since we have different backgrounds and personalities, the coping mechanisms that may work for one may not work for the other.

Some people have discovered gardening as a good source of exercise as well as good therapy. Others are into taking online classes and workshops, virtually chatting up with friends, decluttering, taking care of pets, or even home cooking. There are also those whose faith have been strengthened in the midst of the crisis.

Meanwhile, there are those who have taken the bold step of seeking out professional help. That is also good because there are certain mental conditions that can be helped by therapy and medication. This might be the push that you need in order to seek help.

• Related: Radical Adaptability: The Mindset We Should Cultivate in Life

Leisure Time

In the past, we could all just got out at will. We go to the supermarket for a bottle of soy sauce or drive halfway around the province just to eat oysters. Sometimes, we board the ferry and embark on an inter-island travel within the day. If you are stressed at work or at home, you can easily slip away and take a break in a cafe somewhere.

We no longer have that liberty today. It seems preposterous to take the public commute and brave the pandemic just to get a refreshing cup of milktea. Totally unnecessary and risky.

So we have to be more creative regarding our leisure, indulging our interests, and finding ways to relax or be entertained. We did have a staycation recently at the Park Inn by Radisson Bacolod for our daughter’s 8th birthday. We planned it out thoroughly so that we could have a safe as well as enjoyable stay. But on other days, we do different things–including cooking together, playing, talking, watching TV, dancing, and pretty much everything else, just to be active and happy.

Whatever it is that gives you a sense of stability, joy, and connection, pursue that. We all need that as we continue to living through this pandemic.