The World Health Organization is supposed to coordinate the global response to epidemics. But the U.N. agency cannot force countries to play by international rules. Health https://ift.tt/33ea8LZ
Worrying about all the news on the new coronavirus and the illness it causes? Well, that makes good sense. If you’re wondering how to cope with anxious feelings that are surfacing, this blog post can guide you through steps that may be helpful to many people.
If you often struggle with anxiety, worries about your health, or obsessive thoughts and actions, you might need additional assistance, as I’ll explain in a later post.
Steady yourself around worries about the new coronavirus
Knowing how to manage your own anxiety always takes a little thought. Ask and answer these questions:
- What typically happens to your body when worries mount?
- How worried are you?
- What do you fear the most?
- What usually helps you handle worries?
When anxiety rises because we’re facing a distressing threat like the new coronavirus, we need to focus on what tends to work for us to ease anxiety — that, plus doing a little bit more of some actions and a little bit less of others.
Keep these thoughts in mind. You’re fully prepared to help yourself. You can take steps to calm and steady yourself. Remember what works for you — because as fellow humans we’re not so dissimilar, but we do tend to have our own preferences and best practices.
Try doing these things more
- Connect with friends and loved ones through video chats, phone calls, texting, and email. It really helps to feel the strength of your connections to your friends and loved ones, even though you may not be with them in person.
- Stick with sources of credible medical information, so you can avoid misinformation about the virus and the illness it causes.
Try doing these things less
Please don’t overdose on hype or worry or misinformation. I get some regular updates from credible sources in the morning and check again briefly toward the end of the day. There’s no need to stay tuned in 24/7 — it can actually make your anxiety much, much worse.
Take practical steps to lessen risk of catching the new coronavirus
Three healthy, sensible steps we can all take:
- Avoid unnecessary travel and crowds.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water (or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer) for 20 seconds (see video).
- Keep your hands away from your face, especially your eyes, mouth, and nose.
Many people infected by the coronavirus develop symptoms like a fever and dry cough during the incubation period. However, some people may not seem symptomatic. The virus can spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Viral droplets that travel several feet through the air may be breathed in or — much more likely — may land on surfaces that other people touch, such as a door handle or elevator button.
We do have to be careful and cautious. But once we adopt key precautionary measures, we can take a deep breath and do our best to calm ourselves. It’s not necessary or helpful to be on high alert all the time. This will wear you down emotionally and physically. So try to adjust your level of alertness to your immediate surroundings. Then once you come home, wash your hands really well and find ways to relax and feel safe. Safety is a basic need for all of us.
How can you relax despite coronavirus worries?
Here are some tried and true ways to relax:
- Yoga. Not a yoga person? No need to start now unless you’d like to try it. Sometimes trying new things and discovering new activities you can benefit from and enjoy can be a welcome, healthy distraction. Yoga Studio and Pocket Yoga are good apps to consider.
- Meditation. Regular meditation is very calming. Many apps teach simple forms of meditation, such as Headspace or Calm.
- Controlled breathing. One simple technique is called square breathing. Visualize your breath traveling along a square. As you follow the instructions to inhale, hold your breath, or exhale, count slowly to three on each side. Try it now. Inhale up the first side of the square. Slowly count one, two, three. Hold your breath across the top. One, two, three. Exhale down the other side of the square. One, two, three. Then hold your breath across the bottom. One, two, three. After a few minutes of this you should be feeling calmer and more centered.
Tap into other ways you like to relax, too. Maybe you like reading a good book or watching a good comedy. Eat the familiar foods that you always enjoy. Stay in contact with your friends and loved ones. Reaching out can help you and help them.
We’re all on this journey together. News about the virus will likely grow worse, then grow better. Listen to public health experts who can help us navigate the path ahead. Take sensible steps that can help us all: get your bearings, practice good hygiene, use calming strategies that work for you — and maybe try something new. Making healthy, reasonable choices about what to do and what not to do will make a big difference in being able to stay as safe and as well as possible.
For more information about the new coronavirus, please see Harvard Health Publishing’s Coronavirus Resource Center.
Follow me on Twitter @JohnSharpMD.
The post Coping with coronavirus anxiety appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.
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With little clarity on the rules of the 30-day suspension set to take effect on Friday, many are feeling stranded and confused. Health https://ift.tt/2wTwUwd
The 2019 WEGO Health Awards turned out to be our biggest celebration yet! With over 6k nominations and 130k endorsements, we were able to celebrate more Patient Leaders than ever before.
The program celebrates the top 5 finalists in each of the 15 WEGO Health Awards categories, but with so many nominations, it’s nearly impossible to shine a bright light on all these deserving nominees! In hopes of recognizing even more nominees, we’ve compiled the Top 10 Patient Leaders in each category based on community endorsements.
WEGO Health Awards Best in Show: Instagram Award
These Top 10 Instagram Patient Leaders are leveraging the media sharing platform to raise awareness for their condition area. Through pictures, videos, and stories, these leaders are cultivating a community of support, transparency, and encouragement. For anyone looking to bring their advocacy to Instagram, these are the ones to watch for strategy, inspiration & engagement tactics!
@health_anxiety (Taylor Marae) | Mental Health Patient Leader
2019 Best in Show: Instagram Winner
Taylor Marae, registered dietitian in integrative and functional medicine, owner of the instagram account @health_anxiety and creator of @anxietytoolkit / anxietytoolkit.org. After going to extreme panic disorder, health anxiety, depression and agoraphobia, Taylor found her way to recovery and made it her life goal to help others struggling with mental health issues feel less alone. During her worst anxiety days she felt so alone like no one understood, she made it her goal to never let someone else feel that way. Today, she freely speaks about her advocacy for mental health and has shaped her career around mental health. Now, gaining over 84,000 followers she is helping so many people feel less alone. Since, she has opened up Anxiety Toolkit which provides people with boxes full of anxiety fighting products to help find peace during your peak of panic.
Get to know the WEGO Health Awards winner and follow her on social.
@CarissaBarzee (Carissa Barzee) | Infertility Patient Leader
2019 Best in Show: Instagram Finalist
“My husband and I have been going through infertility for almost 5 years and we have shared it on social media for over 2 years. We have done multiple fertility treatments (meds & ti, IUI, and IVF). We have also experienced the heartbreak of child loss twice. Our biggest goal is to help others feel less alone, educate in the best way we can, while also sharing that you can still find joy in the journey. We are sooo grateful to have a platform and to be a voice for others.”
Want to get to know Carissa? Click here.
@TheCancerPatient | Cancer Patient Leader
2019 Best in Show: Instagram Finalist
This account offers a satirical look at life as a cancer patient. It’s relatable and funny memes bring much needed laughter to the challenges of a cancer patient journey.
Add @TheCancerPatient to your feeds.
Dr. Christina Iglesia | Mental Health Patient Leader
2019 Best in Show: Instagram Finalist
On October 10th, 2018 (World Mental Health Day), Dr. Christina Iglesia launched the #therapyiscool mental health action campaign. Dr. Iglesia launched this initiative after several patients disclosed how they don’t disclose the fact that they participate in therapy, even to the closest people in their lives. Statements shared, like “My parents don’t believe in therapy” or “People would think I am crazy or something” continued to make their way into the therapy room. The theme of these conversations kept coming back to stigma, this implicit agreement that mental health issues are not to be talked about. It became clear to Dr. Iglesia that people will continue to suffer in silence until we make it socially acceptable to partake in mental health treatment, such as therapy. It is with this in mind that Dr. Iglesia created the #therapyiscool mental health action campaign, with the intent to encourage authentic and open conversations about mental health.
Find out more about Dr. Iglesia’s mission and add her to your feed.
@cinnamillie_ | Eating Disorder Patient Leader
2019 Best in Show: Instagram Finalist
After being diagnosed with the most deadly psychiatric condition (Anorexia Nervosa) at the age of 15, Millie went against all odds to become the inspiring young woman she is today. Born and raised in a little South Yorkshire town in England, Millie personifies the “she may be but little, but she is fierce” quote by Shakespeare. Since creating her Instagram account to go in-depth about her mental health struggles, Millie has amassed over 11.5K followers, as well as finding love through her account too. Millie explains the ins-and-outs of having anorexia, whilst also going into the nitty-gritty areas which are too “taboo” in society, such as the physical effects of eating disorders, the hardships that arise from weight restoration and the suicidal ideation; but, Millie manages to twist this into a positive, encouraging her followers to fight against the cruelty of eating disorders, revealing what her life is like with the illness (mostly) not in her life anymore.
Add Millie’s motivational voice to your feed.
Natalie Kelley – @plentyandwellwithnat | Ulcerative Colitis Patient Leader
“There were moments in that hospital bed I thought I would never be where I am at today – running my own business, helping other women with IBD and connecting with the most AMAZING IBD community on Instagram. But most importantly, I’ve learned that an autoimmune disease doesn’t make it harder to reach my dreams, it adds TO my dreams because without ulcerative colitis I wouldn’t have found my passions, I wouldn’t be a holistic health coach, I wouldn’t have the amazing community that I now have and I wouldn’t be able to change other IBD patients’ lives, and that is truly priceless.”
Want to learn more about Natalie? Click here to follow her.
Arafa Salim Said | Sickle Cell Disease Patient Leader
Arafa’s biggest advocacy aim is to move toward a sickle cell-free Africa in future generations. In the meantime, she promotes healthier, stronger, and more supported living with sickle cell disease. Specific objectives include country-wide pre-marital sickle cell testing, promoting literacy for young people with sickle cell, and increasing the standards of sickle cell care. Through instagram, twitter, facebook, youtube, and other social media platforms, she is able to build a large digital community that can work together toward these aims. Her digital media advocacy also offers inspiration, education, and advice for Tanzanians living with sickle cell disease. Her hope is that her efforts will lead to a brighter future for the next generation of Tanzanians.
Check out Arafa’s important advocacy work.
Megan King @thetravelinghaloofhope | Ehlers Danlos Syndrome Patient Leader
“Becoming an advocate for EDS happened by chance. My journey began in Sept. 05′ at 16. I can’t believe 1 decision changed the trajectory of my life forever. I’ve endured 35 surgeries due to EDS with the next 1 scheduled for Sept. 19′. Due to limited resources I wrote about my journey in the hopes to connect with others. I want to be a small part of the solution for EDS treatments. It’s classified as rare but it really isn’t. No two cases of EDS are the same. This can make diagnosis difficult because there’s no “face” to EDS. We are all unique individuals with our own unique presentation of symptoms. As I wrote, to my surprise, people responded to what I was sharing.”
Follow Megan and see the important work she’s doing.
Rachel Straining – @thenoglutengirl | Crohn’s Disease Patient Leader
“When I was first diagnosed, even though I knew it wasn’t true, I just felt like the only person in the world who had this disease. I didn’t realize that there were other people out there who were fighting battles so similar to one that was waging war within my own life. One day, I made the random decision to make an Instagram account to find some gluten-free food inspiration. That day, I also found myself searching the hashtag “Crohn’s Disease.” That day, I realized that, all along, I had never really been alone.”
Add Rachel to your feed and stay updated about her advocacy.
Lucy Johnbosco | Diabetes Patient Leader
“I have been using my Diabetes experience as a Type One diabetes patient to motivate and inspire others who have lost hope.”
Inspired by Lucy’s mission? Add her to your feed.
Don’t forget to follow these Top 10 advocacy accounts on Instagram for more inspiration!
The post Top 10 | Best in Show: Instagram appeared first on WEGO Health.
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Caleb Jennings is a former extreme sports athlete with an incredible background. After sustaining an injury that ended his career, he set out on the path of holistic biohacking, trying anything and everything to get better. Today, he’s a world-renowned health coach and expert in health at the micro-cellular level. There’s so much we could …
Continue reading 321: Detoxification, Mitochondrial Health, Biophysics, and Figuring Out Your Optimal With Caleb Jennings...
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Adam Bolt’s new documentary focuses on Crispr technology, which can edit genes, thus giving people the ability to change human, animal and plant life. Health https://ift.tt/3aSf7oe
I’ve written about my extensive natural “medicine cabinet” before, but I’m always asked what my favorites are, and which remedies are really worth the money if you have a limited budget. When I thought about it, it wasn’t hard at all! These are the go-to staples I always have on hand no matter what. These …
Continue reading My Top 5 Practical & Easy Natural Remedies (I Couldn’t Live Without)...
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