Tips From Pediatric Neurologist: How To Stay Fit And Healthy In A Lockdown Situation?

A complete lockdown was announced on 24th March, 2020 to fight against the pandemic of COVID-19. According to experts, lockdown is the only method to prevent the human spread of this highly contagious virus. Most of us in their lifetime have not experienced or imagined such a thing. But as we are in this unprecedented situation we have to fight it with hope and positivity. There is a lot of anxiety and negativity about the lockdown. Panic is spreading much faster than the virus itself. Dr Puja Kapoor, Pediatric neurologist & Co-Founder of Continua Kids shared a few tips as to how to stay healthy and fit in this exceptional situation.

Stay away from false forwarded messages and other social media news

Most of them are spreading false news with limited authenticity. This is leading to apprehension, uneasiness and stress. Use technology to bridge the gap of social distancing. Talk to your friends, relatives about the good time you have spent together and the reunion plans after this situation gets over. Only a healthy mind can have a healthy body. Our immune system depends on our thought process. This is the science behind the placebo effect of the medicine, which despite having inactive substance produce a benefit to the person administered.

Exercise is the key to boost immunity

Do at least 30 minutes of age and body appropriate exercise, daily in the confines of your house. Google the type of exercise which could increase your stamina and strength. Exercise immunology research documents the augmented immunosurveillance against pathogens and cancer cells. Don’t waste a lot of time in front of the television but rather be mobile and boost your body immunity.

Life Schedule

Lockdown is not a vacation/holiday. It is not time for disorderly living. Follow a regular schedule of getting up, eating, and sleeping, as it was before the lockdown. Distribute the household chores into the family members and make sure they are done efficiently. This will help to increase your productivity, act as a diversion from anxiety and enhance family bonding.

Also Read: Tips To Maintain Sleep Hygiene for Clean Sleeping

Diet management

Eat healthy, nutritious, and fresh food. Don’t do binge eating. Avoid packaged, processed food, carbonated drinks, excessive fatty food and sugars. Take a balanced diet rich in proteins, minerals and vitamins to enhance the immunity. Drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated.

Avoid alcohol

It was advocated in many social media platforms that alcohol could kill the virus. It was a false unscientific theory which got disseminated through these platforms. Alcohol present in the sanitizers cripples the protein of the coronavirus and cause denaturation and killing of the virus. Although the same principle cannot be applied in vivo in our stomach.

Develop a hobby

This is the ideal time for all of us to develop a new hobby or restart the old one. Again, this will help us to utilise the time in a fruitful way and increase your happy hormones called endorphins, and indirectly boost your immunity. As it is said that nothing is permanent in this world, so “this too shall pass”. Follow the principle of social distancing strictly and we will win the battle against coronavirus successfully.