Tips to boost your mental and physical health

We are all experiencing a mixture of feelings: frustration, loneliness, isolation, uncertainty and even fear. And while the move to Level 3 has allowed some of us to go back to work, the onset of cold, dry weather will provide just the conditions COVID-19 is said to prefer. And the annual flu season is upon us. 

No surprise, then, that experts are recommending that we redouble our efforts to stay mentally and physically healthy. 

Nola Dippenaar, Professor Emeritus at the University of Pretoria’s Medical School and owner of Health Insight, believes that our choices directly determine our present and future health. 

She believes that most COVID-19-positive people experience mild or no symptoms because they have a healthy immune system. By contrast, high morbidity is associated with weakened immune systems due to pre-existing conditions, particularly when combined with old age. 

Building up one’s immune system starts with a balanced diet, at least 30 minutes of exercise daily, getting lots of sleep and managing one’s stress levels. But one thing that’s often forgotten is the impact of gut health on the body’s ability to resist infection.

The gut is the main pathway or point of entry into the body, so it’s important to maintain a healthy and impermeable gut wall, with all its underlying lymphoid tissue, that together is responsible for 80% of the body’s Immune surveillance!  A vital component of this immune system is the 2 kg of bacteria that reside inside the gut, known as the microbiota. A rich diversity of beneficial bacteria is essential for the optimal functioning of this immune system, besides aiding in the digestion of various nutrients, and for the synthesis of various vitamins and beneficial short-chain fatty acids.

  

As there is a rapid turnover of the mucosa and attached bacteria attached to the gut wall, it is important to replenish this ecosystem with beneficial bacteria by taking a daily probiotic.  Our food choices also play a significant role in the composition and diversity of microbiota bacteria but they typically do not provide the body with sufficient diversity.

A plastic tongue scraper should be used morning and evening to remove competing and harmful bacteria from one’s tongue, preventing harmful bacteria from entering the gut. 

Chronic stress, unchecked, also plays a role in lowering your immune defence and making you more susceptible to disease.  Mucus production in the gut is reduced and makes digestive tract surface inhospitable to friendly bacteria.

Aside from probiotics, Professor Dippenaar says other supplements that have been scientifically proven to benefit the immune system include:

·      Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that helps protect against cellular damage and enhances the ability of immune cells to fight infection. It also clears out old cells and replaces with new ones.

·      Vitamin D helps to build strong bones but also strengthens the body’s ability to fight infection. Some evidence suggests that Vitamin D may help to protect against respiratory tract infections. Our bodies manufacture Vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, but even so, most of us have a shortage of it: one needs 1000 to 5000 international units daily depending on the existing Vitamin D level. 

·      Zinc helps to develop immune cells and assist the efficient functioning of the immune system. Some studies also suggest Zinc helps to reduce the duration of the common cold by 33%.

·      Magnesium is a micronutrient that plays a key role in immune response. It also helps promote sleep—put Epsom salts in your bath and absorb it through your skin. 

·      Melatonin improves sleep quality and is known to be anti-inflammatory and an anti-oxidant. 

Now for mens sana

As far as protecting one’s mental health is concerned, Professor Garth Stevens, President of the Psychological Society of South African and Dean of Humanities at the Wits, says feelings of sadness, isolation, anger and depression are a perfectly normal reaction to an abnormal situation. 

Professor Stevens says these feelings can be compared to the stages experienced after a loss or during the grief process. They include feelings of shock and disbelief, followed by attributing blame and trying to find a scapegoat. The third stage is anger at what seems unjust, followed by a deep sense of sadness and the perception that there is no end to the loss, and then constant anxiety about the future. The final stage is reached when one comes to terms with the new reality and begins to see that a brighter future is possible. 

To deal with these feelings, he recommends setting up a new routine rather than attempting to recreate the old routine. Another good tip is to limit news consumption: avoid getting trapped in an endless news cycle that feeds anxiety and blocks out other information and experiences. 

Lockdown has caused many to feel isolated and powerless, particularly because it was not a personal choice. To regain a sense of agency, those who feel lonely should take every opportunity possible under the new conditions to connect socially, whether it involves facetime with friends or exercising daily.

Social contact is valuable because it allows one to redirect one’s energy into other places—but it needs to be managed carefully because it may also highlight any feelings of isolation. 

As with most things, how one thinks about a situation can change how it is experienced. It’s helpful to frame the lockdown as not just an infringement on one’s liberty but an opportunity to discover new opportunities, or rediscover things about oneself. 

Practising mindfulness can also help one live in the present moment rather than getting caught up in spiralling negativity about the future. If you feel that the psychological stress of the lockdown is affecting your relationships or ability to work or connect socially, this might be the time to get professional help.