
Wellness
How to stay healthy at home
Caribbean L 28 ife, Sept. 4-10, 2020
BY BETH DEDMAN
With many gyms
closed and grocery lines
a mile long, it can be diffi
cult to sustain healthy
living within the confi nes
of quarantine, but it is
still possible to promote
health and well-being
from home.
The U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services
advises that half
of every meal should be
made up of vegetables in a
variety of colors. This increases
the chances of intaking
all of the essential
vitamins and minerals to
maintain a healthy diet.
Vegetables and fruits
can be stored in the
freezer for months at a
time. While shelf-stable
options are good to have
in stock, the HHS recommends
cutting down on
refi ned sugars by eating
whole grains and looking
for ingredients such
as brown rice, quinoa and
oatmeal.
Low-fat milks and lean
proteins, such as chicken,
fi sh and eggs are a good
way to keep energy levels
up without packing on
quarantine weight. Seafood
is particularly full
of protein, minerals and
fatty acids, which keep
your body from storing
weight.
Diets composed of refi
ned foods and sugars
can increase the risk of
depression by 25-35%
compared to diets that are
high in vegetables, fruits,
unprocessed grains and
seafood, according to
Harvard Medical School.
About 95% of serotonin,
a neurotransmitter that
regulates sleep, appetite,
moods and reduces pain,
is produced in the gastrointestinal
tract.
Exercising for at least
30 minutes a day, fi ve
days a week can help produce
serotonin, maintain
weight, reduce health
risks and improve mental
function, according to
the CDC
Running and bicycling
outside are great
ways to increase cardioactivity,
as long as there
is a six-foot buffer between
people. YouTube
and other digital platforms
have hundreds of
at-home workout guides
that can be done even in
a tiny apartment in New
York City.
The CDC recommends
limiting alcohol and drug
use as they can disrupt
natural neurotransmitter
production, which can
lead to more symptoms of
anxiety and depression.
Reducing the intake of
notifi cations, social media
posts and news stories
about the pandemic can
help reduce stress and
anxiety, says the CDC.
Meditation and physical
relaxation can also
combat those anxieties
and stabilize the body’s
rhythm and fl ow. Evidence
from multiple studies
shows that meditation
may reduce blood pressure,
symptoms of irritable
bowel syndrome,
fl are-ups in people who
have had ulcerative colitis,
symptoms of anxiety
and depression and it may
help people with insomnia,
according to the National
Center for Complementary
and Integrative
Health.
Taking time to unwind
and reaching out to
loved ones digitally can
also improve mood, cognitive
function and mental
health. Physical selfisolation
is necessary for
reducing the spread of
COVID-19, but emotional
self-isolation can lead to a
negative mental state.
“Coping with stress
will make you, the people
you care about, and your
community stronger,”
says the CDC website.
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