Staying healthy during COVID-19 and beyond.

Right now everyone is a little on edge with fears over coronavirus.

We want to over eat or drink or other ways to self-medicate and feel better.

This is a good time to stay on track, cook healthy food, and stay active however is best for you.

This is not an excuse to throw your routine our the window and just watch TV all day!

This is the perfect time to create a routine - to slow down, to be conscious of what we’re consuming, to check in with what we’re thinking and feeling. To make art and reconnect with our inner creative-selves. To make a plan for after all this is over.

The world could look very different after coronavirus, and the only way to stay sane in uncertain times is to take control of the things we can control.

That’s why I’m going to share my morning routine with you:

  1. Meditation.

    Once I wake up either from an alarm or naturally, I do 5 minutes of meditation. Insight Timer is my favorite app to use for meditation. But Calm is a great one too. Or just set your own timer.

  2. Green smoothie.

    At the beginning of this year, I got a Nutri-bullet, which has changed the way I eat breakfast. I make a small green smoothie every day. It’s a great way to get more healthy greens into your diet each day.

    This is what I put in mine:

    • 1 cup spinach (sometimes with some kale mixed in, but kale can be bitter so watch how much you add.)

    • A couple of pieces of frozen fruit (strawberries, mango, etc. I don’t put too much fruit in, just enough to sweeten it, but I don’t want to add too much sugar)

    • 1/2 banana

    • 1/4 cup almond milk (you could use regular milk, OJ or water)

    • 1/4 cup plain Fage yogurt (I like to add a little yogurt to thicken it a bit and add some protein. Tofu is a good choice too.)

  3. Vitamins.

    Just take a daily vitamin or other supplements like vitamin C or Elderberry for immune system health.

  4. Write.

    I write in the morning to figure out how I’m feeling. I’ll write an intention and reflect on the previous day to see what I want to focus on for the day. It’s a grounding routine that can help my brain focus rather than just turn on the TV and waste time.

  5. Water.

    They say the best time to hydrate is in the morning. When I’m trying to drink less coffee, I’ll just drink a cup of hot water in the morning too. There’s just something about a hot drink that I find comforting and grounding in the morning.

  6. Work out.

    This doesn’t have to be in the morning, but make sure you’re moving around during the day. My workouts change everyday. I could do an hour of guided yoga, a HIIT workout on youtube, a 45 min bike ride outside, or just walking for 20 min. It really depends on how my body is feeling and if I’m too tired or sore, I’ll just take it easy and walk.

Melissa Brumm