Destress During Stressful Times

Medically reviewed by Dr. Rev. Wanona Wellspring
Medically reviewed by Dr. Rev. Wanona Wellspring on May 16, 2020
DN, Spring Creek Holistic and Organic Farm, Doctor of Naprapathy, Certified Raw Chef II
Updated on May 19th, 2020
how to destress

During the past several weeks, our lives have taken a new turn that was totally unexpected. Never before has the world come together to fight a worldwide pandemic. We are living in a new paradigm, one where we must respect each other and take care of one another.

The stress that everyone is experiencing is something completely different than what we may have experienced in the past. However, the way to handle stress is not new. Many world leaders have embraced the Four Pillars of Health and recommendations for daily meditation, getting exercise and fresh air, maintaining healthy relationships, along with a healthy balanced diet and nutrition will keep us safe while we are sheltered at home. Keeping our environments clean will help others, as well.

In the coming months, we will see more people wearing masks, and more measures will be put into place to wipe down surfaces and disinfect areas where we feel the need to keep our community safe. So

How Do We Keep Ourselves Safe While We Are Home Alone Together?

I have always been a proponent of preventative medicine measures. The Four Pillars of Health are certainly necessary at this time. However, we should also look at supporting our immune health while also helping with our personal stress levels.

Stress causes an increase in inflammatory markers, which can weaken our immune system. By employing measures taught by the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) principles, many countries have been successful in treating the virus that has no known cure or vaccine. It has been impressive and something that may lead to a better appreciation of TCM in the future, another paradigm shift.

There are many common factors in TCM and the Living Food Lifestyle that support our immune system when we feel stress in our lives. Here are the 9 Principles of or Pillars of Health that were outlined by Ann Wigmore when she was exploring a healthy raw diet at the Hippocrates Institute:

1. Oxygen

get fresh air outside when possible. This is the prime mover of all chemical reactions in our bodies. Practicing Mindfulness meditation and Deep Breathing exercises will protect our lungs and increase lung capacity. The more oxygen exchange we can create, the less we will be affected by the virus should it get into our lungs.

2. Sunlight

Sunlight and Women

Image:ShutterStockWe absorb Vitamin D from sunlight, and we only need 15 minutes a day to achieve this. Getting some gentle exercise outside will help achieve three goals; sunlight exposure in small doses, fresh oxygen as we breathe deeper when exercising, and creating closer family bonds. If you visit friends and practice safe social distancing, you can safely do so outside. Sunlight kills the virus, so placing your mask outside will help kill any germs on the mask quickly.

3. Fermented Food

Our bodies need probiotics, and nature supplies them in fermented food. Probiotics support a healthy gut flora where neurotransmitters that keep us calm and protect us are formed. Most vegetables can be fermented, and drinks like kombucha tea contain not billions, but trillions of tiny probiotic microorganisms and the variety is huge.

I recommend taking a probiotic supplement every morning on an empty stomach if you do not have access to fermented foods. My favorite fermented food is sauerkraut made from red cabbage. This is a staple in the Living Food Lifestyle as it detoxifies the cells, add nourishing microorganisms and several vitamins.

4. Wheat Grass

Green plants contain chlorophyll that aids in detoxification of the liver and assist in healing tissues. Wheatgrass juice, in particular, binds with heavy metals and supports a healthy immune system, all markers in stress reduction.

5. Exercise

Keeping a body moving improves lymphatic flow. If you move your arms and limbs, you are essentially pumping the lymph through the lymphatic system. Lymph is our immune response to unnatural invaders such as the coronavirus. There is a huge concentration of lymphatic nodes in our armpits, groins, and in the abdominal cavity.

Movement causes us to breathe quicker, which in turn massages the abdominal organs and activates more detoxification as the body absorbs toxins through the lymphatic vessels and into the colon where they can be eliminated.

Ann Wigmore recommends the mini-trampoline when you cannot get outside to gently bounce up and down in what she calls Lymphasizing. The bouncing causes vibrations that gently move the lymph, and improves our immune health. When we detoxify our bodies, it helps reduce stress by increasing our overall health, and also the production of neurotransmitters known to calm our nerves.

6. Sprouts

Living in the United States, most people eat a lot of meat as protein. However, sprouts contain enzymes and the building blocks of proteins to help our bodies repair and stay healthy. If I were stuck in a storm cellar for several weeks, I know I would survive if I have seeds to sprout and some freshwater.

If you find that the meat products are difficult to obtain, get some sprouting seeds such as alfalfa, clover or broccoli and sprout your own muscle building greens. Most green foods contain enzymes that are destroyed when cooking. Eat fresh raw sprouts every day to increase the enzyme levels in the body, which help with thousands of processes in the body every day.

7. Antioxidants

Free radicals are present from our environment but also internally. The more antioxidants we consume, the less chance we have of developing major illnesses such as cancer. Breathing fresh oxygen also binds with the oxygen radical molecule. Think red or purple when you imagine an antioxidant food or drink.

8. Alkaline food and drinks

alkaline water benefitsBegin each day with an alkaline drink such as lemon in water, mild saltwater, or a little apple cider vinegar in water. This will begin the day in an alkaline state where germs cannot live.

9. Rest

Allow plenty of rest to allow the body to repair. Mindfulness meditation is an excellent way to gain a quick rest during the day. Then end each day, focusing on the breath and practicing deep breathing.

If you would like more information on how to destress during these trying times, please feel free to reach out. I am available for telehealth sessions by phone, Skype, Zoom or Messenger.

Be safe, Be well, Much love.


About the Author:

Dr. Rev. Wanona Wellspring Ceisel

DN, Spring Creek Holistic and Organic Farm, Doctor of Naprapathy, Certified Raw Chef II

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