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Suffering under the weight of COVID concerns and restrictions, many of us have become weary, saddened, or overwhelmed over the past year. By necessity and regulation, we may also have forgone routine health care including annual physicals, dental exams, non-COVID-related vaccinations, and cancer screenings. Some of us no longer fit well into our clothing from summers past. Many of us were unable to participate in our favorite outdoor pastimes or visit loved ones. The unintended physical and mental health consequences of necessary compliance with COVID safety restrictions have become glaringly apparent.
As we reemerge this summer from our prior restricted lifestyles, the so-called “COVID cocoon,” we have an unanticipated opportunity to live better than before and, with thoughtful planning, turn one big lemon into lemonade! With that in mind, here is your checklist of practical tips to help reemerge from our pandemic cocoon-like state and prioritize our well-being:
- Schedule an appointment for an annual physical examination. If there’s one thing that can kickstart your reemergence into normalcy, it’s getting a baseline read on where you’re starting from. Review with your physician any significant changes in health status since your last physical. Those may include an evaluation of your blood chemistries, weight, fitness level, vaccination schedule, and changes in your emotional or mental status. Also, consider the other specialists for routine care including (but not limited to) your dentist, ophthalmologist, gynecologist, and dermatologist.
- Visit friends and family. If fully vaccinated against COVID, it is now safer to visit your loved ones. Travel restrictions are in the process of being lifted, and transportation is becoming more readily available. What we formerly took for granted, such as meeting a friend in a café for lunch or stopping by to look in on an elderly family member, now feels celebratory! (Note that visitation restrictions continue to exist in long term care facilities, so call ahead to check with their social services department on the latest requirements.)
- Schedule on-site events and activities. Miss camping, sports participation, lounging at the pool club, seeing an opera, or visiting the local art museum? Now is the time to begin poring over the available events and activities that may have been closed or restricted over the past year. The adrenaline of re-engaging with your athletic or creative passions will be positively intoxicating! Reservations continue to be required for most activities, so start planning early and enjoy the breadth of what nature, fitness, and cultural institutions have to offer. In some cases, full COVID vaccination status may be required for attendance or participation.
- Be mindful of your dietary and nutritional support needs: Most of us gave ourselves wide latitude during the lockdown, sometimes treating ourselves to an abundant supply of high calorie, high fat, and/or high concentrated sweets foods delivered (without contact) to our doors. Your reemergence can still be filled with a wide selection of fun foods, but with a mind towards making them of enhanced nutritional quality. Similarly, as we get back into a more active lifestyle, our bodies may require nutritional supplements to help compensate in part for any nutrient deficits we may have inadvertently incurred over the past year. Remember to speak with your physician or registered dietitian about your individual dietary needs. Today, commonly used nutritional support products may include (but are not limited to) a quality, broad-range daily multivitamin/mineral supplement, a naturally sourced fish oil for omega-3 fatty acids, and additional Vitamin D3 supplementation (especially for those who had spent significant amounts of time indoors). Plus, add a daily dose of NTFactor, a phospholipid complex to work with cellular mitochondria to help promote more efficienct energy metabolism, and a probiotic to help improve digestion and restore normal intestinal flora.
- Prioritize your “resolution” activities. Schedule events and activities based on your current lifestyle and needs. For many of us, it may be medical appointments first. Or, enjoying an outdoor concert or playing a game of tennis will be the tonic of choice. A note of caution: Trying to do too much, too soon may leave you stressed and drained after months of reduced activity. Take it slowly, plan carefully, and build up to a summer season that exceeds your expectations!
For additional reference:
Recommended Adult Immunization Schedule
Clinical Preventive Services
National Alliance on Mental Illness
List of Museums in the United States
Find a Park
Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health
