Unique Times

Hi Friends,

I would be remiss if I didn’t address some exercise guidelines for those of you who are suffering with Covid or have loved ones that are, or are working on staving it off. While our numbers in California are the lowest they’ve been since last April, I know many of you in India and other parts of the world are still suffering. It pains me to know this and my prayers and love are with you as you face each day. I do hope this is helpful in sharing the broad affect exercise has on your immune system.

Please remember when reading this study to listen to your doctor and exercise caution when starting back to exercise if you’ve been sick or have never done exercise before.

More Exercise Lowers Risk of Severe COVID-19: Study

Most of us have naturally become more sedentary during Covid due to lock down, working at home online and if you’ve gotten Covid you have had to rest and recover before engaging in activity again.  

After a full year of these restrictions it makes sense that in areas where restrictions have been lifted, we are all ready to get out and go as is seen by the crowded streets, beaches and outdoor dining and shopping malls.  With vaccines underway, people are having a false sense of security and I for one think it’s prudent to keep protocols in order and do everything we can to increase our immune system.  

The best way to do that is to get out and move and keep a healthy diet to keep your body in optimal shape.  I have heard from a lot of the younger population that exercise isn’t something they are much interested in doing and the older generation feels tired and doesn’t want to exert themselves that much because of their aching joints etc.  

But like it or not, if you want to stay healthy, you need to move your body and getting out in nature and breathing in fresh oxygen helps increase lung function,  increase immune function, raise serotonin levels, increase muscle mass to keep your joints and skeletal system up right. I realize it’s not prudent for some of you to be outside at the moment, so make the most of your indoor activities. Weight-loss is the side effect of exercise which benefits your body  so you don’t have so much extra weight on your joints which allows you to move freely.  Intramuscular fat also sits around your organs and the foods you eat or don’t eat have a direct impact on your health. 

Correlations and studies have been made that people who exercise can stave off Covid or at least recover from it quicker than those who don’t exercise.

One study was published online April 13 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine supporting exercise and comparing exercisers to non exercisers says; 

“We strongly believe the results of this study represent a clear and actionable guideline that can be used by populations around the world to reduce the risk for severe COVID-19 outcomes, including death,” study author Deborah Rohm Young, PhD, told Medscape.  See the full article here More Exercise Lowers Risk of Severe COVID-19: Study https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20210419/more-exercise-lowers-risk-of-severe-covid-19-study

There are still many unknown factors of the risk on the heart and Covid in general. Refer to your doctor of course to determine the best course of action. Listen to your body and rest when resuming activity with clearance. Refer to the chart below and refer website below for a plethora of information regarding exercise.

This is a great chart from American College of Cardiology regarding exercise in Athletics in the
Covid-19 Pandemic Era with exercise guidelines.

Please remember to start slow when starting up again.

Breath work is essential in getting your lung function improving:

There is many types of breathing and you can play with breathing in for a count of 4 and out for a count of 4 and then increasing it to a 6 count . You can also breath in and hold your breath for 4-6 counts and slowly breath out for the same amount. Getting a harmonica is also benificial for increasing lung capacity.

Gentle Movement such as Yoga, Qui Gong, Stretching:

Light movement and stretching stimulates your parasypathetic nervous system which helps relax you as well during this anxiety producing time as well as moves lymph so your body can reabsorb fluid that is stagnant. Make sure you do very modified stretches and listen to your body.

Cardiovascular Exercise:

Walk in place, dance, Tai Chi, Qui Gong can elevate your heart rate and help immune function by pumping blood and increasing lung capacity but again it must be done gently and safely. Please refer to the guidelines in the chart supplied by web med above and your doctor. You could also make yourself worse if you aren’t careful and mindful.

Strength Training:

Increase your muscle strength with body weight resistence of free weights to increase bone density and muscle mass after being sedetary. It helps keep our skeletal system in place, reducing falls and increasing balance. It is the key factor in fat loss because lean body mass burns fat.

Stay Hydrated:

Drink enough water, fluid with electrolytes, jello, foods high in water such as watermelon, cucumbers, celery are loaded with vitamins as well.

Affirmations and Prayer:

This cannot be over empahazied and easily forgotten when you don’t feel good. It is really important to ask for support, call on a higher power, God, you spirit guides, your earth angels that love you. Repeat your mantra over and over in your head.

You are in my prayers and thoughts as you battle through and see better days. Please feel free to share this with whoever you think would benefit by this article. Thanks so much for visiting and stay blessed.

Blessings of love always,

💖

Cindy

_{Copyright © Cindy Georgakas
All Rights Reserved} 

This has a short video on movement you might find useful https://uniquelyfitblog.com/2021/02/01/move-it-monday-%f0%9f%92%96-covid-tips/

If you’ve recovered and are ready to start back this video is a little more strenuous https://uniquelyfitblog.com/2021/01/11/move-it-monday-and-fitness-interview

You can also go to my YouTube station and see some videos I’ve done there as well at https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UClrvdCrPl_pTR_PLbxtwLUg/videos/upload?filter=%5B%5D&sort=%7B%22columnType%22%3A%22date%22%2C%22sortOrder%22%3A%22DESCENDING%22%7D

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