Top Nine Tips to Deal With Viral Infections

When I had Covid-19 the first time in 2020 I was one of the first cases in Switzerland and advice was hard to come by. I created a guideline for myself and others: Top Nine Tips to Deal With Viral Infections.

it’s four years later, and many times I felt I had COVID again, but I did not test positive anymore. Maybe the first time was such a huge dose that I am now WonderWoman (a secret escape fantasy I had after I recovered as WW was always my childhood superhero role model, and the movie “WW 1984” was supposed to be out at the same time, so I listened to the music during recovery).

What I have noticed though is that these nine rules are essential in any kind of transition and to reduce PTSD, depression and anxiety as well so I wanted to share them again with you. Let me know what has helped you the most.

1 – Drink a lot of Water

Supporting immune health through good nutrition, proper rest and hydration is important for fighting off infections. Dehydration can thicken your blood, which can be a cause for heart disease as well. Thus, it’s essential to have plenty of water so our liver and kidneys can remove waste through body fluids.

I drink at least two liters of water and tea. Linden Blossom and Ginger teas are two types of tea that you can incorporate into your routine to strengthen your immune system.

2 – Boost Your Immunity

Our immune system is a complex model of cells and systems, each with their own role in combating illnesses. The overall condition of your immunity determines how vulnerable you are to catch an infection or fight it off. Our physical, mental and emotional state contributes towards a healthy immune system.

We can manage our stress as well as include supplements to boost our immunity, especially when we aren’t being able to eat a well balanced diet (I love avocados, spinach and all sorts of green food to help me strengthen my system).

These are all homeopathic options and helps your immune system:

• Arsenicum Metallicum Globuli,
• Vitamin C and D,
• Zinc and Selenium.

3 – Exercise Regularly

Regular exercise of moderate intensity can be beneficial for lungs, immune system and mood. Exercise boosts the production of an antioxidant known as “extracellular superoxide dismutase,” or EcSOD, which in turn, protects against acute lung disease and other diseases.

Here are a few suggestions which I personally recommend:

• Simple yoga breathing exercise in which you cover one nostril and exhale quickly
• Feldenkrais breathing session done While Lying Down. “Breathing In All Directions” [deeply relaxing].
• Progressive Muscle Relaxation, according to Jacobson. It  is a method that helps relieve that tension. In progressive muscle relaxation, you tense a group of muscles as you breathe in, and you relax them as you breathe out. You work on your muscle groups in a certain order. When your body is physically relaxed, you cannot feel anxious.
• Movement meditation (when dizziness stops in SloMo) showing a basic introduction to active meditation.

4 – Calm Your Mind

When dealing with health issues, family tragedies, international job transitions, change in your organization, you can and should focus on your own well-being first. Any kind of creative work or mindful action can help you be in the present and be calm and secure. Watch birds, water your plants, listen to classical music or watch animal films. I also painted to reduce the feeling of isolation and increase self awareness.

5 – Will to Fight

Don’t let this disease consume you. You can fight it. Once I saw it, I decided to be more active even in the hospital. Remember, it’s okay to let fresh air in. Both sunshine and fresh air are essential. You can take it at your window or balcony. Try to let fresh air in at least three times a day. If you can walk outside for 25 minutes, it’s even better.

6 – Turn off those notifications

It is easy to get depressed when watching bad news coming in from various parts of the world. When you watch TV, it seems like there’s an endless world crisis and the images you see, work on your subconscious as well.

Give yourself a break from all media! It was easy for me to turn off my notifications and apps, especially when I was in hospital. I was happy to pass my time watching comedy. I loved “The Big Bang Theory”. When I recovered I decided to have a 24 hour – offline time on the weekend where I try to go through life in an analogue way.

7 – Reduce Video Calls

Due to the virus, it’s not easy to be able to do a lot of calls in a day. The virus can particularly strain your voice so make sure that you are only talking with your closed loved ones. Avoid those who are deniers as explaining them will add unnecessary stress, which you should rather avoid. I also found video calls to be exhausting, especially when someone was talking in the background or the person wobbled with the mobile in hand. Tell your friends and family what you need from them in this phase.

8 – Get a Good Night’s Sleep

Anxiety related to loss of control or uncertainty can mess up with your sleep routine. I would highly recommend you to sleep whenever you feel tired as sleep can help boost your immune system. On the other hand, sleep deprivation weakens the body and makes people more vulnerable to contracting a virus. Create a sleep schedule and put your upper body a little higher. Buy cozy and fresh bed linen and wear comfortable clothing. Aim to limit screen time at night.

9 – Write A Diary

Try to structure your daytime schedule by writing a diary. You can keep a check on your mood as well as track daily activities. I would often ask myself the following things:

• How am I feeling today?
• What am I thankful for today?
• Which three topics or tasks do I want to tackle today?
• What do I wish for?

Join the Global Rockstars

Are you suffering from digital fatigue or are you currently in a transition and feel a strong need to “clear your head”, “make a plan”, take a time out?

Talk to Angie Weinberger about participating in the Global Rockstars program. https://calendly.com/angieweinberger