Question: I have been sheltering in place at my home since March 1st and even though I am not at risk of getting Covid other than my age (66 years old), watching news reports and new cases in Florida has me scared. So much of the information being given to us contradicts itself and everyone has an opinion about it…and now I don’t know who or what to believe. Do you have any advice on who we should be listening to? Karen X., Carefree Village
Answer: Karen that is the million dollar question, isn’t it? What do we do with a virus we have never seen before with “experts” (many of which are self-proclaimed) telling us to do this one day and that the next. Who’s right and who’s wrong? I am in the same boat as everyone else with the difference being I might know a little bit more about the human body but I have no insider info on how to proceed with Covid.
One of my patients was talking to me about how inflammatory the news coverage is on all things but most specifically the Covid coverage. She referred to it as “panic porn” and it made me chuckle because although crude, it was definitely applicable. Initially the scientists and health organizations were cautioning against wearing masks unless you fell into very specific categories. Over the course of the pandemic many of those opinions flip-flopped over into “we must wear masks everywhere even homemade cloth masks” despite the efficacy of these makeshift masks being questioned. It can all be contradicting and confusing. Taking all of that into account, here are my OFFICIAL recommendations.
First, turn off the television. I cannot emphasize that enough. Watching Covid coverage on the news stations (and most especially on social media) can cause stress, anxiety, increased blood pressure, depression, and borderline agoraphobia (means fear of going outside your home). Turn it off and tune it out! Why take health advice from celebrities or newscasters with zero medical training… or even the most basic understanding of infectious diseases and how the body actually works?
Second, trust what we absolutely know… back to the basics. For sure we need to step up our hygiene habits and “washey washey” our hands frequently (throwing in a cruising reference because man I miss cruising!) using soap and water preferably, but hand sanitizer will do in a pinch. Leave the gloves in the box when it comes to dealing with Covid. They are a false sense of security that actually worsens the problem (allowing the germs to hang onto the glove undetected and ready to be passed to the next surface) when used continuously and incorrectly. Also, social distancing when possible is the best protection against transferring the virus from person to person. It more effective than any mask available!
Third, continue your self care. Mental health has severely been impacted for a lot of people worldwide since the start of this pandemic. There are so many resources available to use online… find a meditation app or learn a new hobby you never thought you would have time to try. Clean up your diet and give your body the best fuel possible so it can fight whatever enemy that gets thrown at it! And of course… don’t overlook your chiropractic adjustment because removing any nervous interference in the spine allows the body (and immune system) to work optimally.
The bottom line is nobody has all the answers (not even the experts) so do not believe all the hype. Remember, health comes from the inside out, NOT the outside in. The body has a built in defense system ready to do battle as long as we keep it battle ready! Use common sense when dealing with Covid and do the best with what we KNOW TO BE TRUE until we get through to the other side of this mess.
Dr. Misty Green is a local Chiropractor serving the Cape Coral/North Fort Myers, Florida area for over 20 years. She can be reached at (239) 772-5777 to schedule an appointment. Check out our website at AskDrMisty.com for short and sweet video health tips.
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