Staying Afloat in Times of COVID19

Choosing to pursue peace when the world is in chaos.

Until today I had no interest in posting about COVID. But today is a gorgeous, blue-sky day here in my hood--the kind that lightens the load of onlookers simply by way of its beauty, begging all to slow down, take a breath, and spend just a moment in appreciation.

If I could, I would embody the kind of peace blue-sky days like this bring me. I would saturate the lives of others with this peace, too. Even if just for a moment. Especially now.

There is so much worry, fear, angst, and even hatred spilling out through these interwebs these days, and spilling into the real world, too--people trying to control people, people fearing being controlled. If I’m being honest, I definitely have control issues. But here is something freeing that I have learned:

I can’t control you. You can’t control me. No matter what sphere of influence or power we possess, ultimately, we can only control ourselves. We can choose love and kindness over being right or having the last word. We can choose listening over being heard. Sometimes those are the hardest but most powerful choices we can make.

We can’t individually control the Coronavirus, but we can make choices that make a positive collective impact, and we can be selective in the things we do and put into our bodies to boost our wellness and give our immune systems every possible advantage.

Now I am not a doctor, nurse, herbalist, or really any sort of authority on viruses and the like, and I definitely cannot give you any magic sure-fire ways to corona-proof your life or cure a case of COVID. I will, however, happily share the things my family is doing to keep our heads above water:

Trying to stick to a paleo diet as much as possible. We’re not going full-on Whole30 here (not that that would be a bad idea), but we are trying to flood our bodies with as much micronutrient-rich, real food as we can and minimize inflammatory foods. A body that’s already inflamed is going to have a harder time fighting off novel threats.

Staying hydrated. According to USGS.gov, your body is up to 60% water; so for all of its amazingly detailed systems to function properly, it can’t be dried out! If you’re not sure how much is enough, divide your weight in half, and aim for that number in ounces. So if you weigh 160 lbs, your goal is 80 ounces of water a day. If you feel especially dehydrated, add electrolytes. Too much water can actually flush out these critical minerals and effectively make you more dehydrated--found this out in the ER. Liquid I.V. hydration pouches are my personal go-to for intense hydration needs, but for a gentle daily boost, the monsters can’t get enough Young Living Vitality Drops (available in Lemon Lavender and our family favorite, Grapefruit Bergamot).

Selective daily supplementation. Everyday the monsters take a children's DHA, a whole-food-based multivitamin, a probiotic, and a little Ningxia Red from Young Living. I take a whole-food-based prenatal, DHA with EPA, the same probiotic as the kiddos, and Ningxia as well. Monster Daddy takes the same DHA and a men's multi. Optimally our diet would provide all the nutrients we need--and chances are it does--but right now, I’m not taking any chances.

Additional supplementation as needed. If I feel I need to kick things up a notch, I’ll up my dose of Ningxia and reach for these zinc capsules and YL Super C chewables. Other go-tos for my family are YL Inner Defense and Thieves lozenges. Before bed, I love to sip a big mug of hot water with lemon juice, sometimes with a drop of Thieves oil.

Non-toxic cleaning. I’ve spoken to a lot of people who are totally freaked out that Lysol and Clorox disinfectants have been out of stock. A lot of these traditional disinfectants use ingredients such as sodium hypochlorite, which, according to the Think Dirty app, is a known respiratory irritant--something I want to avoid, especially in the midst of a respiratory threat like COVID19. Instead of lamenting the shortage, consider it the perfect time to try the Thieves cleaning line. We clean with Thieves Household Cleaner and washable microfiber towels (my favorites are from Norwex, but we use these cheaper ones on the regular), and we give questionable surfaces some extra oomph with Thieves Spray, or a similar homemade concoction of rubbing alcohol and Thieves oil. I try to have Thieves Hand Purifier in every bag I leave the house with and never send Monster Daddy on an errand without some in his pocket.

Most importantly, faith. The virus will either affect us physically or it won’t. We can do everything on this list and more, but ultimately, we can only influence the outcome, not control it. The pandemic may affect us financially, and we might not be able to control that either. How it affects us spiritually, mentally, and emotionally, however, is a little more up to us. In Less Fret, More Faith, Max Lucado says, “The presence of anxiety is unavoidable, but the prison of anxiety is optional.” There will still be things we can’t control, but we can look for help when we need it. We can choose to stay off Facebook when it gets too negative and turn off the news when it triggers anxiety. We can choose to be intentional about positivity and kindness even when it feels unnatural and nearly impossible. We can choose gratitude and appreciation for whatever goodness 2020 does bring--even if it’s just a beautiful, blue-sky day. There are lots of things that we could look to as life rafts right now, but many are sinking ships. Look to the things that are truly buoyant. For me, that’s making quiet time in prayer and Bible study a non-negotiable part of my day--even if it’s just a few minutes seized among homeschooling, diaper changing, and toddler wrangling. And I find that positive music is a must for staying grounded and taking all my thoughts captive. Here are a few of my favorite songs right now (all free to watch on YouTube, no cut to me, haha):

• Look up Child by Lauren Daigle

• There was Jesus by Zach Williams and Dolly Parton

• Into the Sea (It's Gonna be OK) by Tasha Layton

• Give me Your Eyes by Brandon Heath

• Trust in You by Lauren Daigle

• Bleed the Same by Mandisa, Toby Mac, and Kirk Franklin

• Even if You Don't by MercyMe

• Even Louder by Steven Malcolm and Natalie Grant

• Love God and Love People by Danny Gokey

• The Blessing by Kari Jobe and Cody Carnes

I hope this post brings a little pep to your step today. Wishing you the best, navigating these times of COVID and beyond.

If you are interested in any of the Young Living products I mentioned above, click here to purchase a starter kit for access to wholesale prices. A variety of starter kits are available, from the traditional premium kit with a little of everything, to newer kits focusing on specific product lines like Thieves, Ningxia, or even CBD. From the welcome screen, click "Other Premium Kits," "Specialty Kits," or "Basic Kits" to explore all the options.

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