
How to support yourself during the Coronavirus
Updated: Sep 8, 2021
My opinion on all of this is that we are meant to shift into our hearts. Shift into a space of love, gratitude and connection with ourselves, the planet and one another.
Not only do we have to deal with what we are experiencing internally, we are also having to process what's going on outside of us as well. This can provoke anxiety, stress, overwhelm, fatigue, uncertainty, which can lead to a depressed immune system, sleep problems and increase the chances of getting sick.
So how do we stay out of stress, support our bodies and stay as healthy as we can right now?
We must activate our parasympathetic nervous system, which is the system that is present when we are in a relaxed state, when we are meditating, present, happy. Our bodies function to their greatest capacity when in this state. Our immune systems are strengthened with more resilience to the external bombardments of viruses. We also must provide proper nutrients for our physical bodies to have the proper tools to fight off illness.
I believe, most importantly, that we focus on staying in our hearts and radiating out love to the greatest capacity we can right now. It is a great time to go within, to meditate, to create a ritual, to pick up that hobby you've never had time for, to read those books. The more we can stay away from stress, the healthier your body will be and the higher the vibration of the planet will become.
Below I touch on how to best support our four bodies: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. All are important for optimal health and overall well-being.
Herbal support during these times:
Physical body:
Immunity boosters- these have an immediate effect on the immunity's ability to fight off the flu.
Astragalus
Cat’s claw
Echinacea
Elderberry
Reishi
Rose hips
Lemon balm
Licorice
Nervous system support
Rhodiola
Eleuthero
Cordyceps
Reishi
Holy basil
Schizandra
Ashwagandha
Astragalus
He shou wu
Shatavari
Chamomile
Milky oats
Hawthorn
Lemon balm
Skullcap
Gotu kola
St. john’s wort
Heart support
Linden
Motherwort
Passionflower
Kava
Cacao
Rose
Reishi
Lavender
Adaptogens for the immune system- These help boost immunity while also helping the body mitigate the stress that's going on internally.
American ginseng
Amla
Ashwagandha
Asian ginseng
Astragalus
Cordyceps
Dang shen
Eleuthero
Guduchi
He shou wu
Holy basil
Licorice
Lycium
Prince seng
Reishi
Rhodiola
Schisandra
Shatavari
shilajit
Food and supplements to support immunity:
Citrus fruits
Bone broths
Green leafy vegetables
Parsley
Probiotics
B vitamins
Comfort food- supports your heart
Ginger
Garlic
Apple cider vinegar
Raw honey
Thyme
Oregano
Shiitake
Turkey tail
Maitake
Horseradish
Cayenne pepper
Jalapeño peppers
Spiritual body:
Pray
Create a ritual
Connect to/spend time in nature
Herbs for psychospiritual support- These aid in meditation and deliver nutrients to the mind that are necessary for the experience of enlivened consciousness. Can be used as aids to elevate the mood and spirit and to calm the mind.
Gotu kola
Reishi
Asian ginseng
Holy basil
Licorice
Shatavari
Mental body:
Meditate
Calm the mind
Become present as often as possible
Switch negative thinking to positive thinking
Emotional body:
Bring your awareness into your heart and come into a space of gratitude
Take a salt bath
Benefits of getting into our heart and out of our heads
“Brain coherence begins when the location of consciousness is shifted from the brain to the heart, either through focus on the heart itself or on external sensory cues and how they feel.”- Stephen Buhner.
Increased heart coherence boosts the body’s production of immunoglobulin A, a naturally occurring compound that protects the body’s mucous membranes and helps prevent infections. Overall healing rates are enhanced when we increase our heart-brain coherence. There is also less anxiety, depression and overall stress.
“Heart entrainment leads to increased self-management of one's mental and emotional states that automatically manifests as more highly ordered physiological states that affect the functioning of the whole body, including the brain. The practitioners of these heart focus techniques report an increased intuitive awareness and more efficient decision-making capability that is beyond their normal capacity form the mind and brain alone.”- McCraty
