The coronavirus outbreak is on many of our minds here in the United States and while I’m leery of believing the hype the media so loves to dish out, I am preparing for a possible outbreak and thought I would share some of my thoughts and my strategies. In this post, I’m not going to take the time to research exactly what the virus entails. I just wanted to share some of my thoughts and what I’m doing to protect my family.
My To-Do List:
- Vitamin C
- Zinc
- Vitamin D-GET OUTSIDE!
- Probiotics-Double Up!
- Wash Hands in Public & Don’t Touch Face
- Stock Up at the Store
- Essential Oils
- Open Windows
- Make Sleep A Priority
- Amp up Veggies & Fruits
- Limit Alcohol & Sugar
Let’s break all that down!
First off, if this post is not helpful but you learn one thing let it be that the coronavirus can and should be treated with Vitamin C. Of course this is a new virus but there is already a lot of research and experimenting done with how vitamin C is extremely helpful when it comes to lessening symptoms and even reducing the death rate of this virus. You can read more HERE and HERE. I have personally started to buy vitamin C. I’m suggesting THIS brand because it is highly absorobable in the body. However, the ever so available Emergen-C is better then nothing. There are a lot of naysayers saying this is bogus but the thing is, you have nothing to lose by taking a vitamin C supplement. I like to take it during the summer months any way-you can find out why HERE.
Another supplement to start taking is zinc. Zinc is cheap and highly effective when fighting illness. Find it HERE. You can go HERE to learn more about the benefits of taking a zinc supplement.
Vitamin D is also extremely important. Of course you can take a supplement but since we’re on the verge of spring, GET OUTSIDE. Expose as much skin as you can for as long as you can, without sunscreen. Of course-be smart about it-I’m assuming it’s not warm enough yet to spend too much time to burn. 20 minutes a day can do wonders! Soak up that vitamin D because it does wonders for the immune system. Why do you think there is no flu season in the summer?
Probiotics are an absolute must. They go a long way with strengthening the immune system. Getting your gut bacteria in balance is crucial for all functions in the body. I take THIS probiotic and SWEAR by it. My daughters take it too. Go HERE to learn how incredible this probiotic has been for me personally.
As with any illness, washing your hands and NEVER touching your face in public goes a long way. I harp on my girls constantly about how important and effective it is to wash your hands.
I’m also stocking up on non perishable foods such as beans, rice and soups. I’m getting extra toiletries and pet food as well. If we have an outbreak, I’d like to avoid going to the store for as long as possible.
Essential oils are also very important when dealing with a virus. I’m stocked up so that I can diffuse and apply topically. Remember, essential oils are antiviral, anti microbial and antibacterial.
Open your windows on mild/warm days. Fresh air can help air quality in our homes greatly! Air out stale air!
The best thing you can do is build your body’s immunity. I am not skipping even one day of my green smoothie and have added THIS powder to it which I swear by. I’m shoving the girls outside every chance I get to get exercise and soak up the D. It’s the simple habits that can make a difference.
Also, slow down on the sugar and alcohol and make sleep a priority!
The saving grace of all this pandemonium is that spring is right around the corner. This will make it hard for the virus to take down too many.
Helpful Posts:
- DIY Thieves
- Hydrogen Peroxide to Kill A Virus
- A Living Probiotic
- Boost Your Immune System With Bone Broth
- Fevers 101
- 1 Scoop=A Boat Load of Benefits
- DIY Pedialyte
- Medicine Cabinet Makeover
- Benefits of A.M. Lemon Water
- 7 Tips on Avoiding A Virus
- Germ Fighting 101
Do I think we should panic? No. Is the coronavirus scarier than the typical flu? Yes, I think so. I think we should be prepared but not scared. Start today to build up your immune system and prepare to stay home if it becomes rampant.
I hope this has helped. Once again-I did not spend a ton of time researching the coronavirus. This post is meant to help you think of ways you can stay safe and be prepared.
xx, Jenni
hi Jenni
What are the essentials oils to use for preparing for the corona viru?
Bethia-Really any essential oil will be helpful-I believe they are all anti viral. I am making Thieves blend-I’ve linked the recipe in the post. You can also by it from Young Living or from Spark Naturals (Shield).
Really good points to keep yourself healthy and possible. Especially the tip about not touching your face. People( myself included) have the tendency to touch the face. This is a habit we should break.
Another tip would be to use Elderberry Syrup. It helps strengthen the immune system and there is literally no downside to it. Millions of people swear by it and I have heard that it’s so popular now that stores are running out of if.
Cindy-I have never jumped on the Elderberry wagon but I need to. Wonder if Amazon has a good brand? Thanks for commenting!
Hi Jenni, I think this is a great post. We must be our own advocates when it
comes to our health.
I don’t know if you mentioned this but I would avoid crowds whenever
possible for awhile too.
The only thing I question is the efficacy of zinc. Whenever I take it
for a cold I feel better for a little while and then the cold comes full
force! But it’s only an opinion and I’m not even sure if it’s a coincidence
or not. My husband swears by it.
I’ve been a nurse forever and believe me when I say how important thorough
handwashing is!
Sue-Absolutely-No one cares about our children’s health or our own health like we do.
I should’ve mentioned that about crowds. From the news it seems like big events are canceling.
I’ve taken zinc as a supplement and not right before getting sick so I can’t speak on that.
Hand washing is so important-I just sent my kids off to school preaching it-they’re so sick of me nagging-lol!
Thanks for commenting!
Thanks for your thoughtful take on this Jenni. I am taking the same approach…building my immunity (which I have been doing for years) and taking the appropriate precautions. But I’m not doing this with fear…just trying to do my part. Currently in PA all non-essential businesses are closed, which means bars and restaurants. So I am not working for at least two weeks and looking at this as an opportunity to freshen my home, get more sleep and turn inward a little more than usual. Sending love!
Add 3% hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle to your list. We all have to go get fruits and veggies from the store… but as they can be handled by numerous people, good to spray with the 3% solution of food grade peroxide, and then rinse well. See this article for research: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/203115
You could also simply lather up and clean some fruits and veggies (not delicate ones like berries or mushroom) with plain old soap, as long as you do it for 20 seconds per fruit/veggie. See this article on Dr Mercola’s site that covers the science of how soap destroys viruses (made me feel much better about the effectiveness of washing my hands!) https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2020/03/23/best-hand-soap-for-frequent-hand-washing.aspx