What comes to mind when asking yourself “What does Wellness mean to me?” How would you rate your health & wellness level? How are your wellness goals coming along? What barrier(s) still linger toward achieving your wellness goals? Your answer to these questions opens up a whole world of wellness dilemmas and possibilities with our nation’s evolving 21st century healthcare world. Add these two impactful questions:
“How has COVID-19 personally impacted your life in the past year and beyond?”
“How has your chronic health conditions only complicated your COVID-19 and other healthcare challenges?”
It is my hope your family has embraced a new determination to reach for a higher level of wellness than at any time in your life. Keep in mind, many who recovered from COVID infection continue with long-term side effects or lingering debilitating symptoms. They often don’t make the connection either. As mentioned in part 1 of this article, healthcare providers have defined their patients with these long-term side effects as “Long Haulers.” Yet, according to Dr. Aaron Hartman, MD, and many other physicians, this term is simply a novel way to define an old concept. Dr. Hartman clarifies that “. . . After the virus is gone, their innate immune system now activated stays in alert phase, so inflammation continues.”
Integrative/functional medical providers have known over many decades various combinations of post-viral syndromes have been routinely seen in patients with other viruses as well. What is important to understand here is any of us with a chronic health condition can become more susceptible to not just any viral infection but also “long hauler” syndromes. These physicians are dedicated to wholistically support patients willing to go the distance to achieve a higher potential of prevention and wellness. For those with lingering post-COVID symptoms and syndromes, have you connected yet with a Post-Covid clinic yet? If you are having difficulty finding a clinic, I suggest you contact Dr. Hartman for a possible clinic. Hopefully, there will be one near you. Physicians like Dr. Hartman also have protocol pre-post support for potential vaccine side effects.
One of the many important lessons learned with COVID19 is the importance of maintaining high level of immunity and wellness for the future. Physicians like Dr. Hartman are working to have their patients continue with some of the most basic healthcare practices right at home learned from COVID. One of them is with simple hygiene routines.
What have you learned and adopted as a daily routine from your COVID experience? Here are a few I have continued to do routinely:
- I still wash my hands, home surfaces, and certain foods as recommended on a regular basis.
- I do not drink from someone else’s glass or eating utensils.
- I am more aware of the level of hygiene at restaurants and will leave if hygiene is not up to standard.
- I continue to drink plenty of water, eat high-nutrient dense whole foods, and take recommended nutraceuticals.
- I maintain a more dedicated attitude toward exercise.
- I do not neglect optimum sleep for the energy and higher immunity needed to start and get through the day.
- I maintain connections with those healthcare providers who I trust and have taught me much about caring for myself and my family.
- I am more aware of my need to trust God providing practical direction and provision for my needs.
- I am now committed on a more frequent basis to call a family member or friend to see how they are doing.
Let us all remember wellness is a choice, a way of life, a process, a balanced channeling of energy, and integration of the body, mind, and spirit . . . the appreciation that everything you do, think, feel, and believe has an impact on your state of health. Wellness is also the loving acceptance of yourself, along with the relationships you have.
Let us then help each other maintain these five basic applications of wellness:
- Commit to personal accountability for the responses to life’s challenges and opportunities.
- Take care of your body–hygiene, quality nutrition, movement/exercise (age and condition appropriate), and stress management
- Quiet time–rest and repose
- Wholesome fun and laughter with family and friends
- A vibrant spiritual-faith life
Choice or commitment is an excellent beginning as long as there is follow-through to walk out daily. Balance then becomes beautiful. These basic tenets foster balance, safety, and go a long way to reduce all kinds of stress in life. These tenets say to us we are accepted, secure, and significant.
What action will you take this week to set your wellness choice and application in place for you and your family?