Taking responsibility for one’s health during the pandemic
This article was inspired by Thierry Cassasnovas’ radio show of March 25. We can see the CO-VID (or collective void), as some people used to say, as an opportunity to review everything in our lives. Does our way of life make us happy? Are we happy where we live? Are we happy with the person who shares our intimacy? The pandemic is forcing us all to question ourselves, be it on a personal, loving, family, social or professional level.
We have to face the reality of our lives, especially when we are confined, whether voluntarily or compulsorily. For those of us in couples, masks that have been kept for a long time are now too heavy to wear in confinement and the truth is out in the open! Take the opportunity to deepen your love…or get out of a toxic relationship. There are several resources including Imago with my friend Claude Parisot.
It’s time to be honest with ourselves, with our loves and our working relationships and to roll up our sleeves to build a world that is more like us. I am convinced that our health comes through Peace of Mind and Love of self and others. So, are we making the wrong enemy? Isn’t the virus a sign of a profound imbalance of what is essential in our lives? This imbalance in our lives is also revealed by a weakened immune system with our disturbed lifestyles.
Immune system under observation:
Understanding why some people do not develop the disease…
Our health depends on our wonderful immune capacity. We must not forget that we are equipped to fight this type of infection. Healthy carriers of the virus are a prime example of an excellent ability to remain symptom-free. This was discovered by a team of Australian scientists on March 17 of this year. This discovery of the mechanisms of the immune system against COVID-19 was published in the journal Nature Medicine(1).
So what is our real enemy? The COVID-19 virus or the ignorance of our incredible immune capacity and the impact of our emotions?
Toxic lifestyle and low immunity
Changing our way of life is more essential than ever to effectively fight pathogens, including viruses. Supplements can be beneficial, but will have a mixed effect by continuing to eat devitalized and processed foods, too many carbohydrates (bread, pasta and potatoes), desserts and sweets. Also, all foods that promote chronic and sneaky inflammation, such as gluten, dairy products, sugars and toasted protein/BBQ, decrease the immune response.
Welcoming our emotions as an alarm signal
It is also essential to welcome fear and anxiety with kindness. They are not our enemies, but a warning signal that something is wrong. That something can come from a desire to control a situation that is beyond our control. It can be exacerbated by the fear that is conveyed and amplified by the media. Finally, the alarm signal may arise from a fear related to our weak immunity or our age (70 years and over).
Meditating during a pandemic
Either way, mindfulness meditation or any other type of meditation or yoga, or tai chi/ Qi-gong, could promote calm and peace of mind. Let’s not forget that our calmness is contagious. It is very important to distinguish vigilance and precautionary measures in the face of real danger from fear and anxiety. The latter two can paralyze us or make us put our health in the hands of others, even the best specialists. As for prevention, make no mistake, because I also advocate safety and vigilance through isolation and two-metre distance measures as well as disinfection.
In conclusion, we have the capacity to fight this virus naturally like any other. Let’s transform our lives towards “something that tastes good” (2) personally and socially. Let’s transform our immunity by changing our lifestyle habits and promote health through meditation and other meditative approaches.
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(1) Irani Thevarajan, Thi H.O. Nguyen, Marios Koutsakos, Julian Druce, Leon Caly, Carolien E. van de Sandt, Xiaoxiao Jia, Suellen Nicholson, Mike Catton, Benjamin Cowie, Steven Y. C. Tong, Sharon R. Lewin, Katherine Kedzierska. Breadth of concomitant immune responses prior to patient recovery: a case report of non-severe COVID-19. Nature Medicine, 2020; DOI: 10.1038/s41591-020-0819-2
(2) Thanks to the Love of my life, Christine Girard
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