As I’m writing this, it’s March 30, 2020. The weather was nice today, but it may snow tomorrow.
And the month of March 2020 has been the longest month I’ve ever lived through. Like everyone else, there’s been an incredible amount of stress in my life. Some days, there’s just this overwhelming feeling of “what next?”
I’ll tell you what’s next for me: self-care. It’s something I’ve been focusing on since things first started getting serious with COVID-19. I’m focusing on self-care because I can’t focus on running my business, helping people stay motivated in my Intentionally Bare Facebook group, or taking care of my family if I’m not feeling great. Here are some things I’ve prioritized for the last several weeks.
Sleep – I don’t sleep a lot. But I’ve made it a point to be in bed by a reasonable (for me) hour and to try to unplug so that I can take a short nap in the afternoon. Sleeping helps keep my immune system healthy.
Clean Eating – I can tell you, this one has been a bit hard to focus on with the shortages in grocery stores. Thankfully, we have a ton of salmon that my husband and son caught last summer in the freezer, so that’s less meat that I need to be buying. I’m making sure that my carb intake comes from fresh vegetables whenever possible. When that hasn’t been possible, everything has been organic and as unprocessed as possible; frozen veggies will be as close as you may be able to get right now. I absolutely believe that it’s important to stay keto during this time.
Sticking with My Schedule – Because I’ve always run my business from home, I’m not off work even though we’re isolated at home. So I’m making sure that I stick to my schedule. This is a scary time for a lot of reasons, and it would be easy to give into the anxiety and depression that I see a lot of people struggling with. Working the same work schedule I always have gives me less time to focus on the uncertainly I may be feeling. That also means that I’m continuing with things that I do on a regular basis in my personal life, like my monthly bone broth cleanse, and my daily fatty coffee made with my MCT powder (US | Canada). If your working from home, create a schedule and stick to it. If you’re not working, create a schedule and stick to it, even if your schedule is wake up, watch Netflix, work out, have lunch, etc.
Building My Immune System – During this time, it’s important that I focus on my immune system. Because COVID-19 has such a long incubation period (14 days), I could have been exposed to the virus before we were social distancing. Plus, we have had to go to the grocery store a few times, as has most everyone. It’s especially important to support your immune system if anyone in your home is an essential employee. Because they may be dealing with the public on a daily basis, they may be exposed on a daily basis. My supplements include vitamin C, apple cider vinegar, and herbs for liver support.
Indulge in “Guilty Pleasures” – We often get grief (or give ourselves grief) over doing silly, frivolous things for ourselves. That’s why we call them guilty pleasures. Binging Tiger King on Netflix, or reading the entire Harry Potter series, or dressing your dog in infant-sized pajamas that you ordered off Amazon are, well, exactly what you should be doing during this time. Well, maybe don’t dress your dog up, but it’s okay to take some time off to do exactly what you want to do, even if that’s absolutely nothing (or nothing constructive).
We may need to socially isolate well into May. In fact, some places in the US have already extended their “shelter in place orders” into early May. It’s really important that you take care of yourself during this time. If you find that you’re needing some extra support on your keto journey, make sure to stop by my Intentionally Bare Facebook group. You’ll meet 18,000+ members who are also trying to figure out a new normal!
You got this!
Leta
~ Intentionally Bare
❗️ DISCLAIMER: Health information given here is based on public research and is not meant to take the place of your doctor's advice. Always do your own research and discuss it with your health practitioner before trying a new diet, supplement or exercise plan.
❗️ DISCLOSURE: I manufacture a line of 100% natural keto products under the brand name, Intentionally Bare. These products will be mentioned from time to time because they are amazingly healthy and fantastic for those on a ketogenic diet or anyone looking to improve their health. I am also a participant in the Amazon services LLC Associates Program, designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.** I ONLY ever post a link to products I personally USE and LOVE!