If you turn on the television or radio, or open a newspaper (app), the headlines are screaming about the Coronavirus epidemic. We are being inundated with news of spreading cases of the virus, economic catastrophe and – gasp – the possibility of not being able to buy toilet paper because people are hoarding it!!!
Is your blood pressure up yet?
I don’t mean to make light of the rapid spread of the virus. This is a serious public health issue. But, honestly, I’m more concerned about the stress-based disease that is being caused by the anxiety over the virus than the actuality of the epidemic itself.
“The information in this article is in no way to be interpreted as medical advice. It’s purpose is to alleviate stress through providing information. If you think you have been exposed to Covid-19, or any other infectious disease, seek medical attention immediately.”
BACK TO THE BASICS
A Coronavirus is a virus that causes an upper respiratory condition that can include coughing and shortness of breath. Covid-19, the virus that is currently affecting the world, is a new form of Coronavirus. Thus, the newness makes it scary.
New viruses scare people because, well, they’re new and unknown. People are particularly scared because it’s spreading rapidly. And, they are scared because governments and the news media are telling them to be scared. Words like “epidemic” and “pandemic” are frightening!
But, let’s go back to the basics. We can calm our fears by looking at what this really is. It’s a virus that has cold and flu-like symptoms. It is something that can be prevented easily, just as we would prevent colds and flus.
And while the symptoms are not comfortable if we do contract it, for most people they are not serious or life-threatening.
PRECAUTIONS ARE IMPORTANT
The U.S. Center for Disease Control recommends the same precautions as they do for colds and flus in general:
- Wash Your Hands: Spend at least 20 seconds washing your hands multiple times throughout the day.
- Use Hand Sanitizer: Hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol can kill a virus.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. But, if you do, wash your hands.
- Cough into the crook of your elbow.
- If there are symptoms in your home, use alcohol-based cleansers to sterilize surfaces.
- Practice social distancing. Instead of shaking hands, try bowing like Japanese people do. Let your kids play outdoors, but not on play equipment where they are touching the surfaces.
- If you feel any symptoms of cold or flu – including the Coronavirus symptoms (which are the same as general cold and flu symptoms) – stay home.
- If you are ill in any way, and you need to go out, wear a mask. But, you don’t need to wear a mask to prevent contracting the virus.
- If you are in an at-risk group – people who are immunocompromised, elderly, babies – shelter in place in order to avoid exposure.
That’s it folks!
These are the same things we need to be doing throughout cold and flu season anyway!
These are the precautionary steps we can all take to prevent any viral or bacterial health epidemic.
If you have more questions or concerns about the Coronavirus itself, or the current epidemic, the CDC has an informative FAQ page.
STRESS VS. CORONAVIRUS
Stress-based disease IS an actual worldwide epidemic. The World Health Organization has actually deemed stress, “The health epidemic of the 21st Century.”
Stressing over the Coronavirus causes inflammation in your body, thus lowering your immune strength.
Heart Disease, which is the number one cause of death worldwide, is caused by stress and stress-related lifestyle habits.
The second leading cause of death worldwide is stroke – another stress-based phenomenon.
Lower Respiratory Infections (LRIs), which Covid-19 can lead to, are the third leading cause of death worldwide. But, let’s break down the risk factors associated with this:
- LRIs include pneumonia, tuberculosis, influenza, bronchitis and bronchiolitis. Covid-19 can lead to these in at-risk people. HOWEVER, the vast majority of people who are contracting the Covid-19 virus are having mild to moderate flu-like symptoms.
- At-risk people include those who are immunocompromised, have chronic stress-based disease such as heart-disease, the elderly and children under 5.
- HERE’S THE IMPORTANT PART: 99% OF THE LRI-RELATED DEATHS OF CHILDREN UNDER 5 OCCUR IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.
- Both indoor and outdoor air pollution cause more cases of LRIs than non-coronavirus and coronavirus infections combined.
- The elderly, while at a higher risk than younger people, are actually not the most common group to die from LRIs. Again, this group is unfortunately children under the age of 5 living in the world’s poorest countries.
While Lower Respiratory Infections are a leading cause of death worldwide, the sad reality is that they are hurting children in poor countries, not the larger population (even of children) in the developed world.
And while Covid-19 has affected a growing number of people in Europe and North America, the vast majority of those people will have mild to moderate symptoms and recover from them in about a week.
KEEP CALM, CARRY ON & WASH YOUR HANDS
The long-and-the-short of it is that if we use the same precautions we use for the colds and flus we are exposed to every cold and flu season, we will be fine.
Along with the simple precautionary steps noted above, decreasing your stress through lowering your anxiety overall, will lower your risk of escalating symptoms if you do contract ANY virus or bacterial infection.
Anxiety and stress reduction are some of the most important things you can do to strengthen your immune system.
I also think one of the most important things to note is that inaccurate health information, including information about the current Coronavirus epidemic, is causing extreme amounts of undue stress.
“We need to have a frank discussion with tech and e-commerce leaders about taking down health and science misinformation.”
Peter J. Hotez, M.D. Ph.D, professor of pediatric medicine and dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor University,
Here’s my advice in a nutshell:
- Keep calm. Try mindfulness practices like a home-based yoga retreat! to keep stress at a reasonable level.
- Wash your hands – a lot!
- Practice the easy preventative measures we all need to practice for every cold and flu season.
RELATED: 4 Tips for Staying Healthy During Cold and Flu Season
- Beware of misinformation found on the internet. Stick to reliable sources such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (or their country-specific counterparts) and the World Health Organization.
And for goodness-gracious sake stop hoarding toilet paper!!! The rest of us need it too! 😉
Let us know how you’re doing amidst the stress of this epidemic.
Do you have any additional advice to give to help people keep calm and carry on?
From my heart to yours,
Jen
JEN ROBINSON
Jen Robinson is the creative force behind the wellness brand Peaceful Living Wellness which is dedicated to providing a wide-variety of high-quality wellness information. Jen is also the creator of the Peaceful Living Wellness life coaching division, and offers workshops, individual and group coaching as well as retreats where she guides women in using Mindfulness and Mindset to build their inner strength on a foundation of inner peace. Jen also is the co-creator of the business coaching brand CEO Mindset that guides entrepreneurs in building their businesses without burning out.
The latest addition to her repertoire is that she recently signed-on as the Wellness Director for the business development company Wealthy Women Entrepreneurs . She is very excited to be leading this group of dynamic women entrepreneurs into success in their businesses and lives!
The most important part of Jen’s life are her two very active teenagers, AJ & Layna!
Jen’s Mindfulness and Mindset techniques inform her business, her parenting and her life!
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