Thanks to the COVID 19 epidemic more Americans are concerned with what are the ways to stay healthy when getting health care is harder than ever. America is known for many positive things but providing health care opportunities to its citizens is not one of those things.

Luckily we are a resilient bunch and have figured out what are the ways to stay healthy not only during the pandemic but year round. Prevention is the key to staying healthy. Of course, with the pandemic people have had to get even more creative.

What are the Ways to Stay Healthy When Your Stress Level is Through the Roof?

Financial stressors can wreak havoc on your health, and just about everyone has some financial concerns about now and the future. While most states have put a stop to eviction, foreclosure, tax collection, and other activities, we all know that will end soon.

Worrying about bills, and other potential fall outs from this crisis, can make you physically sick. Getting your stress under control can help you to keep your body healthy. There are a few things that you can do to keep your stress in check:

• Make a list. What is worrying you? Writing it all down and coming up with a list of options to manage the current problems you are facing can help you to find solutions. For example, if you are behind on your rent and you are worried about eviction, call your landlord or your property manager, come up with a realistic payment plan that you can offer to get caught up. Sometimes addressing the problems head on is the best way to deal with the problems.
• Take a deep breath. Breathing exercises can help to reduce stress. Google breathing exercises and then follow the directions. Taking a minute breathing deeply and regrouping will help to keep things in perspective.
• Exercise more. Making yourself physically tired can help you to sleep better and put worry to the side. Feel good endorphins are released when you exercise and can help you to relax.

Stress is the number one enemy of good health. It can cause a wide range of health complications including reducing the effectiveness of your immune system. Getting stress under control is vital to staying healthy.

Worrying about what are the ways to stay healthy can in and of itself cause you stress. Stop worrying and start your action plan.

What Are the Ways to Stay Healthy When Your Dentist is Not Available?

The American Dental Association has recommended that dentists only see patients for emergency procedures. That means treatments like in-office whitening, cleanings, and other non-emergency services will not be available.

Of course, if you are in pain from a cavity or break a tooth, you will likely be able to see your dentist with a whole set of precautions that have to take place. In the meantime what can you do to keep your oral health up to par?

One of the biggest enemies of your teeth is your diet. Sugary sweets, acidic foods, even fruit juices can cause damage to your teeth. During this time, being hyper aware of your diet to protect your teeth is strongly recommended.

Continue brushing and flossing three times a day, and use a fluoride rinse to protect your teeth. A little extra attention paid to your oral health will ensure that your oral health stays in good condition. If you find that you are in pain from a diseased tooth, call your regular dentist even if they are not open, they likely will have an emergency procedure set in place.

What Are the Ways to Stay Healthy When the Gyms Are Closed?

There is no denying the correlation between exercise and good health. No matter what age you start exercising studies have indicated that you will gain health benefits. Doing 30 to 60 minutes of exercise daily can help to keep the doctor away.

Of course, the gyms are closed which means for many people, their main source of exercise is no longer available to them. What do you do when your gym closes? You find other ways to get exercise.

Here are some of the things you can try to stay in good health while the world is shut down:

• Walk more. If you are used to going to the gym and really going hard, walking may seem like you are settling, but it is not. If you must you can carry some hand weights with you and move at a vigorous pace.
• YouTube is rife with workout videos. Whether you are a Yoga fan or a fan of heavy lifting, YouTube channels have something for you. Following an at home exercise plan via YouTube can help you stay healthy while your gym is shut down.
• Make it a family affair. Get outside and play with the kids in the backyard. Run bases, play catch, shoot some hoops, get out there and play.

What Are the Ways to Stay Healthy for The At-Risk Population?

According to recent statistics the elderly and people with underlying health conditions have been hit the hardest by COVID 19. What are the ways to stay healthy for these populations? If you need elderly care and you get that care from a home health aide, it is important that you and your aid follow the CDC recommendations to a Tee.

While you may not be leaving your home to go shop, it is likely that your home health aide is. You aide is likely highly trained in the precautions that need to be taken to keep everyone safe, but you may want to take it one step further.

You can request that your aide takes an at home COVID 19 test kit. You can purchase a COVID 19 test kit that can be used at home than sent to the lab. Does it seem like an extreme measure? Not really. It seems like a measure that will ensure at risk populations are better protected.

With the Corona Virus, some people are asymptomatic. That means that they never know they have the virus. They can spread the virus and never know. Testing is one of the best defenses against the spread of the virus. With an at home covid-19 test kit, the process is simple, and no one has to go out into the world to take the test.

Additionally at risk populations should:

• Stay home. Consider no contact deliveries for essential items. Home is the safest place to be.
• If you go out wear face coverings and rubber gloves. Stay 6 feet away from everyone. Throw your gloves out before you get in the car or walk in the door. Practice good hand washing.
• If you suspect you have been exposed and do not feel well, get medical help immediately.

The best way to stay healthy for at risk populations is to just stay away from everyone else until a vaccine is developed.

What Are the Ways to Stay Healthy if You Are Pregnant?

If you are pregnant your obgyn will likely have new procedures in place when you need to come into the office, but you should avoid doctor’s offices as much as possible. Many obgyn doctors are offering virtual services where you can get any concerns addressed online or by phone.

You should consider yourself as part of the at-risk population and avoid social contact with anyone outside your immediate family. No one actually knows what effect COVID 19 will have on a pregnancy, and you certainly do not want to catch it and find out.

Good nutrition, plenty of rest mixed with moderate exercise will help to keep you healthy while you are pregnant. If you have any concerns your obgyn is the specialist that can help. These professionals understand how stressful it can be to be pregnant at this time.

What Are The Ways to Stay Healthy for Kids?

Kids have really been the silent majority during this pandemic. They don’t have school, sports have been canceled most summer camp opportunities have been taken off the table. How do you keep your kids healthy during the pandemic.

Keeping kids healthy is a two-fold job. You have to keep them physically healthy, and of course, you want to keep them mentally healthy. How do you do both? First let’s address the physical health. Kids are locked down in the house and are at risk of grazing the day away on junk food.

Keeping them off the junk food train is within your control. Keep sweet treats out of the house, opt for fresh fruits and vegetable options instead for snacking. Keep meal times the same, and keep from falling into the fast-food trap “because we don’t have anything else to do”.

Don’t wait till summer to get them outdoors. Encourage activities like bike riding up and down your block, skateboarding, jump roping and other outdoor activities that are fun for kids and great exercise. Getting outside the house for a couple of hours a day should be mandatory.

Many kids are missing out on a lot of milestones this year because of COVID 19. Missing out on milestones can be very disappointing for children. When you couple what they are missing out with and the non-stop media coverage, many children are dealing with anxiety issues they never had before.

Even the littlest of humans can sense that something is amiss. Imagine what your two year old sees when they see all these grown-ups walking around with masks covering their faces. It must be very scary for them.

What can you do to help ease their fears? First of all you want to be frank but frank on their level of understanding. For example, if you have a high school senior that is bummed about not being able to have a graduation ceremony or going to prom, you can share statistics and help them to understand why right now is not the right time.

If you have a toddler that is afraid of people with masks, you can have a conversation about how the masks help to keep people from getting a cold. Make the conversation relative to the toddler by using a couple of stuffed animals to explain it.

School aged children may be old enough to be concerned about their future. Honesty is always the best policy. It is okay to share your fears with your child and acknowledge that you understand why they are afraid, but you always want to end the conversation on a positive note about the future.

What Are the Ways to Stay Healthy Naturally?

There has been a lot of talk about natural remedies and cures for COVID 19. While the virus is far too new to determine whether natural remedies will work or not, there are things that you can do to boost your immune system to be able to fight it off better.

A natural approach to staying healthy is an approach that is focused on prevention. For example, taking supplements that are known to boost the immune system like elderberry, zinc, vitamin C, foods containing antioxidants, and more.

Shoring up your immune system will not keep you from catching the virus but it may help you fight it off if you do get sick. Here are some foods you should incorporate into your diet to boost your immunity:

• Berries. Blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and elderberries all contain antioxidants that fight off free radicals.
• Colorful vegetables. Red cabbage, beets, carrots, sweet potatoes, and dark green leafy vegetables can all help to boost your immune system. Important nutrients are densely proportioned in certain vegetables.
• Proteins. Tuna, salmon, chicken, turkey, pork and lean red meat all contain high doses of protein that can enhance immunity.

Eating right is one of the key tenets of any natural health plan. Eat the right foods in the right proportions and avoid foods that are high in empty calories and carbohydrates to fuel your body with the energy it needs to stay healthy.

Eating well has a wide range of benefits that can also be helpful. Not being able to get to the hair salon for styling has taken a toll on a lot of people’s appearance, but if you take care of yourself, your hair may get a little shaggy but at least it will look healthy.