By Justine Friedman
As we head towards the culmination of this crazy year 2020 with a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel with the advent of the vaccine for Covid-19, I would like to reflect on the physical and emotional experience that has so consumed our lives. In my own country of Israel, we have just entered our third lockdown.
In many countries across the world the second and in some a third wave of this unseen virus is gaining momentum. Just yesterday, friends of mine in South Africa left on their long-awaited holiday destinations as the president of the country announced the closure of many holiday related activities. I heard frustrated and desperate cries of a people so utterly disappointed and angry at the impact that Corona has had and continues to have on our daily lives.
How is this invisible threat impacting us? Besides the financial, emotional, and social impact, how is the physical pressure taking its toll? I would like to compare two scenarios. That of the age old “Caveman” and todays “Covid-man”.
In ancient times when man lived as hunter-gatherers and life was simple on many levels, the day-to-day experience was one of taking care of basic needs which were, warmth, food and water and shelter. When threats entered their space i.e., a wild animal or another human who threatened to take away what was theirs, they experienced a “fight and flight” response which caused a surge of adrenaline in their bodies enabling them to receive blood flow to all their major muscles and organs which would assist them in running away from or fighting against the threat. Once they had succeeded, the effects of this rush of adrenaline subsided and they continued as normal.
How is this different to “Covid-man”? In our current world we face an invisible enemy, and perhaps some of us face visible ones too. Our bodies in this situation continue to do what they were programmed to do, which is release surges of adrenaline to enable us to “run away from” that which threatens us. The difference from prehistoric times to today’s world is that we get to infrequently feel that we do succeed and overcome existential threats. We do however still share the same anxieties with caveman of having to provide food and shelter, although for Modern Day Covid-man, these concerns are synonymous with ‘earning a living’.
Body and Soul
The world we live in is now less certain than it was a year ago and the threat is never ending. This causes our bodies to be constantly assailed by a rush of adrenaline to achieve the impossible and the result is an eventual fatigue or burnout with the consequent rise of cortisol in our bodies. When circulating cortisol is constantly elevated it results in many diseases and one that I see daily in my work, weight gain and exhaustion that leads to an increase in appetite particularly for foods that will provide quick bursts of energy.
Is it possible to reverse this process? What can we do to live with this uncertainty and regain some small measures of control back in our daily lives?
Here are some tips to dealing with elevated cortisol and adrenal burnout/ fatigue (as each person may differ these guidelines are general and if you are concerned you are experiencing this condition please seek the guidance of a qualified medical practitioner and dietician):
- Endeavour to get to sleep no later than 10-11pm at night
- Aim for 7-9 hours’ sleep
- Caffeine increases cortisol levels so switch to decaff or avoid drinking caffeinated beverages between 7.00-9.00 am and after 2.00pm. Limit total number of cups of caffeinated beverages (tea/ coffee/ green tea/ energy drinks)
- Light aerobic exercise is very beneficial for lowering cortisol and for stress management, aim to perform 30 minutes daily and if possible, do many of these sessions in the sunlight to increase exposure to the benefits of increased vitamin D production which is shown to increase immunity
- Drink 6-8 glasses of clean water daily
- Balance meals and snacks and eat 5-6 small meals frequently throughout the day to keep blood sugar levels stable.
- Try and include 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily
Each of us has a unique set of circumstances and way of experiencing and dealing with this strange new world. One thing we can be certain of is that we are living in interesting and challenging times and in a world where making decisions and controlling what we once were able to do, no longer exists.
We are each responsible for our own immediate environment and despite the uncertainty, there are some things that we can implement. We have the power to choose our responses; we have the power to be kind; we have the power to help another, and we have the power to be sociably responsible.
As we begin 2021, I wish you all health and the strength to face all that is in your path.
About the writer:
Justine Friedman (née Aginsky), Clinical Dietician (RDSA) and Mind-Body coach, made aliyah from Johannesburg, South Africa in November 2019 with her husband and their two children. In Johannesburg, she was a successful clinical dietician, coach and speaker who ran her own private practice for 17 years. Justine is passionate about helping people, and women, in particular, achieve greater degrees of health in their mind, body and soul. She is based in Modi’in and loves the challenges and successes that living in Israel has to offer.
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