Wellbeing In The Time Of Corona - One Bite At A Time

Let’s start with the positives. What we can control and what can we change?  Right now, there is so much we cannot control - the invisible virus, the financial markets and the curious behaviour of people around us.

But we can control a few things starting with what we eat, how that affects our sleep and the knock-on effect on our minds.  If the brain is well-nourished, our thoughts are clearer and calmer, and we push into a pro-active, positive mindset. 

Here are some important wellness habits to embrace for true wellbeing.  If you want to dive deeper please email me on michele@ahealthyview.com for info or short phone or video consults.

1. Keep it Clean

 Firstly, make sure anyone who has symptoms keeps out of the kitchen and even away from family dinners. This is a time where sitting down together at the table is not ideal.

Even without symptoms, everyone needs to practice good hygiene for food safety in the kitchen. That means frequent and thorough hand washing, not touching faces, proper cough etiquette

It’s also important to avoid sharing eating and drinking utensils. Assign everyone their own cup, plate, bowl, and cutlery, and make sure each set is washed with detergent and water, then put in the dishwasher. Use disposable paper towels to wipe down surfaces frequently with disinfectant cleaning products.

The advice for safe food during self-isolation is the same as we should be following all the time: wash hands frequently, especially between handling raw and cooked foods; use different chopping boards and knives for raw and cooked foods; cook food well; cover and chill leftovers quickly.

2. Social Eating

 Just because you and your family are isolated doesn’t mean you should eat tasteless, boring or low nutrient food.  And the food doesn’t need to be expensive either.  See below for hundreds of healthy, tasty, affordable recipes.

 Getting innovative in the kitchen can be a good distraction if you are cooped up. Share recipes with friends and cook for one another.  If they are your friends, you know they have the same hygiene values.  Batch cook and drop to friends’ doors and let them do the same for you on another day.  

3. Pantry Essentials  - that are affordable!

• Eggs are brain boost food. As well as containing a wide range of vitamins and minerals, eggs are among the richest sources of choline, a nutrient that makes acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter in the brain involved in nerve and brain functioning and memory. Many of the B vitamins found in eggs are important for mental wellbeing.  Egg yolks contain lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants that are critical for good vision. Vitamin D Eggs are among the few food sources of vitamin D, needed for bones, teeth, muscles and a strong immune system. Several studies have shown people feel fuller for longer when they eat eggs for breakfast. Two boiled eggs contribute the following to our daily needs: Vitamin A 15% Folate 16% Vitamin B5 21% Vitamin B3 24%.
• Milk is a versatile and budget-friendly way to pack a variety of nutrients into your diet, including B vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, and iodine. Great for healthy bones and teeth. Dairy products are especially important for bones – research shows higher intakes support healthy bone development and help maintain density and strength. Of course, that’s if you can tolerate dairy. If not try A2 Milk, almond, oat, or soy. 
• Canned tuna is a no-fuss, economical, clean protein that needs no preparation - simply open the can. There’s hardly any waste and, unlike fresh fish, it has a long shelf. Check it is from a sustainable source and look at salt values as some canned fish can be high in salt, especially if it’s smoked, canned in brine or in a sauce.  Salmon, anchovies, and sardines are high in heart and brain-friendly omega 3 fatty acids which are great for dealing with inflammation. They are also high in Vitamin D, which is important for immunity, as well as low levels being linked to depression in some studies. 
• Almonds and nuts generally are powerhouses. I know they do not appear to be economical, but they are when you consider the nutritional density. Nuts are heart-friendly and provide a wide range of vitamins and minerals. Almonds are rich in monounsaturated fats which helps explain why many studies link them to better heart health and lower LDL (bad) cholesterol.  There’s also evidence that, rather than encouraging weight gain, almonds may help us better regulate our weight and reduce belly fat, possibly because they help fill us up and replace other snacks in our diet that are higher in calories and lower in nutrients. Seven nuts and cup of herbal tea is the perfect snack, so we boost our brain and not our waistline.
• Canned and frozen veggies are antioxidants that come in packages. Fresh is best but not so accessible or affordable for many. Don’t think mushy peas, think all vegetables as canning and freezing have come a long way and still provide lots of antioxidants, fibre and vitamins. Pick up frozen broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, mushrooms, broad beans, green beans which have long freezer life. Most vegetables include the essential vitamins and minerals needed for good health, including fibre, B vitamins such as folate, and vitamins A and C. Tomatoes are packed with an antioxidant called lycopene, higher intakes of which have been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease and certain cancers, such as prostate cancer. Better still, the body can absorb the lycopene from processed canned tomatoes more easily than it can from fresh. Use canned tomatoes in pasta, curry or soups. Remember, most vegetables are rich in flavonoids, which have been linked to better heart health - enjoy five serves a day, especially green ones!
• Sweet potatoes/kumara are the “super taters”.  Better than white potatoes as they contain a wider range of nutrients and are especially rich in beta-carotene, which the body uses to make vitamin A, a nutrient that’s vital for our immune system, vision and healthy skin. Keeping the skin on all potatoes boosts their fibre content so scrub then mash or chop and dose with olive oil and spices to bake. 
• Whole grains- fibre and brain fuel.  Oats, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, quinoa, wholemeal bread and bulgur wheat are fantastic budget buys loaded with nutrients and will keep you pipes moving. … need I say more.  The soluble fibre also keeps your blood sugar balanced, lowers LDL and provides satiation so you don’t binge later. Walk past the white rice, white pasta or white bread - the outer bran layer and germ of the grain are stripped away, with the result that the grain loses much of its fibre and many of its nutrients. 
• Legumes are the power duo as they are both carb and protein. Canned or dried chickpeas, lentils, and beans such as kidney, haricot, butter, black, cannellini, borlotti, flageolet, adzuki, pinto and black-eyed are an inexpensive way to satisfy hunger with protein and fibre as well as add nutrients such as potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, manganese and B vitamins. Pulses and legumes are full of fibre, which is linked to reducing blood cholesterol and improving glycaemic control. Beans and pulses are a source of probiotics for friendly bacteria in the gut. We need a healthy gut for a strong immune system.  

CLICK HERE for full pantry list excerpt from my book Eat, Drink and Still Shrink. The list aligns with all the free recipes I will be posting across social media: whole real foods that are easy, affordable and tasty!

4. Freezing Foods

Cool your food before freezing it. If it’s still hot it will heat up your freezer and could cause other foods to defrost. Never refreeze anything that has been defrosted. Ensure you seal or wrap your food thoroughly and remove all air as you are wrapping. Label foods and make sure you include the date. When you’re ready to eat, take out of the freezer and let thaw in the refrigerator. 

5. Meditation, Yoga and Mindfulness

• Chelsea Pottenger Monday Mindfulness
• Oprah & Deepak Free 28 Day App
• Calm App
• Smiling Minds App
• Yogaholics
• Yogaglo
• Aroha facebook recorded classes

6. Media and Entertainment

Limit your media consumption to once or twice per day. The news is not pretty at the moment. You do not need to fill your brain with anxiety right now… conserve your cortisol.

This is the time to catch up on movies and podcasts. Find movies which make you smile. A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood is my all-time favourite movie. Kindness!

There are so many wonderful podcasts around. Here are a few of my recommendations:

• Chris Kressler
• Chelsea Pottenger
• Jay Shetty
• SuperSouls Oprah

7. Supplements

My clients know I prefer food over supplements.  I dislike waste. However, there is a time and a place for quality, reputable supplements. Metagenics are my preferred brand and they will deliver to your door. If you are purchasing them you will be required to give them A Healthy View practitioner code -63758x as Metagenics is practitioner-only. Phone Metagenics to place your order 1800 777 648

Here are the Metagenics products I recommend.  All dosage is on the label.  If they are out of stock, ask for what is a suitable swap that has no contraindications with medicines.  

• Zinc: 10-30mg per day. Selenium: not more than 200mcg per day. (Metagenics Selenium Drink has zinc & selenium) 
• Vit-C:  up to 1000mg Vit C  You will know if you take too much because you will get diarreaha   (Metagenics- Methoxyflavone 90 tablets)
• Sunshine or Vit-D: D3 or cholecalciferol. 500-1000 IU/day (ideally based on your blood pathology- do not take if you do not know your levels) 
• Sleep:  7-9 hours a day is ideal for mental wellbeing, hormone balancing, weight, and energy.  Metagenics Neurocalm Sleep for sleep or mild anxiety.   Metagenics Calmx is also excellent.
• CoVid 19 Anti Viral- Specialized pro-resolving mediators: endogenous regulators of infection and inflammation. Because SPMs engage endogenous resolution pathways, these mediators have the potential to both decrease pathogen-mediated inflammation and enhance host defence. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5242505/  Do not take if you are on blood thinners.

8.  Personalised Nutrition & Wellbeing for you and your family 

Would you like a plan that suits you and/or family on simple creative micro-changes?  Email me for your skype/phone consult from anywhere in the world.michele@ahealthyview.com.  $80.00 for a 40-minute consult that will change your energy, immunity, and wellbeing for a lifetime.  A change in your diet can affect your mood and energy within 24 hours and we want this to last with you and your family forever.

9. If you really are hunkering down and picking up informational books than grab a copy of Eat, Drink and Still Shrink… 

A joyful guide for living. 28 days of recipes your whole family will love and includes a nutritional nod on wine and coffee ;-). /eat-drink-and-still-shrink/

10. All of our speaking engagements for corporates and schools are being held on Zoom and our Low Sugar Lifestyle 28-day online program will begin on April 20th…. after Easter. 

“Simplest, easiest program I ever used to change my brain power and my kid's moods.  Thank you, Michele, for this 28 day, no-nonsense program”  - Dr. Janet Pililo.  /low-sugar-lifestyle/