How to stay active and healthy in the home

As a therapist, I have spent most of my career telling people to stay active in the community, and now, like many medical professionals, I tell people to stay home.

This has been a year of change for all of us. We are all faced with fears, uncertainty and an overwhelming amount of stress. With all these major life changes, how do we still take care of ourselves?

Eating healthy continues to be important. It is easy during these times to indulge more with our eating habits. Try to eat balanced meals and avoid excessive snacking. Also ensure you get plenty of vitamins. Drinking water can help to keep you hydrated and also prevent you from over eating.

Remaining active is another challenge when you are not able to leave your home. Practice healthy breathing techniques (breathe in through your nose like smelling a rose, and blow out through your mouth like blowing out a candle). Move your joints multiple times a day (start at the top of your body and work your way down).

Try getting up every hour to walk around your home. Take walks outside, but avoid close contact with others (6 feet or more). Standing up and sitting down in your chair multiple times can strengthen your legs and arms.

Keep your mind active by doing puzzles, word searches, trivia, reading, crosswords, card/board games, and avoid over-watching TV. It is important to stay connected with the news and media for updates, but watching nonstop can increase stress and anxiety. You can check for updates, but find other ways to keep yourself busy.

It can be very hard to stay connected with family and friends during this time. Use of the phone, video chatting and mail service is the best way to do this. It continues to be very important to limit your exposure to others and remain at home unless absolutely necessary.

Some things to consider to decrease your risk of exposure are shopping for groceries online, having a family member get your groceries for you, trying to get your prescriptions filled for three months (if insurance and your provider approve), utilizing doctor visits virtually or over the phone and watching church services online or reading your Bible and devotionals at home.

Try to remain calm and positive while making healthy and smart choices. Staying home and practicing healthy habits, will help you stay healthy right now.

Always consult your doctor before starting any new treatment, exercise program or diet. A health care professional will be able to help you properly decide what kind of treatment will be most beneficial for your individual needs.