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By Melissa Brewer

There isn’t an individual in the U.S. that hasn’t been affected by the coronavirus in some way or another. Hundreds of thousands of people have lost their lives, tens of millions of people have lost their jobs. And literally every single person in the country has been dealing with unprecedented levels of anxiety and fear.

Things are scary. That might be the understatement of 2020 — but they can and will get better. It’s just on us to do everything we can to better ourselves, our communities, and our world.

In Rochester and abroad, it starts with maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

During quarantine, it’s easy to slip into a funk and waste away your day eating junk food, watching 8 hours of Netflix, and including in some other unhealthy habits. Donuts and Netflix every once in a while is not a bad thing — in fact, it’s downright necessary. But you can’t do that too often because your health will be in serious jeopardy. You have to do everything you can to stay healthy so you can fight off any viruses and so you’re in a good mental state to get back to work and start building your future.

Here are some great tips for staying healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic and in the days, weeks, and months following…

Quit smoking

You might be as stressed as ever right now, and that’s okay, but there is no better time to quit smoking than right now. There is a global virus that attacks the respiratory system, so quitting smoking can save your life not just years from now, but at this very moment. Plus, quitting smoking has dozens, if not hundreds of other positive results. For example, roughly 90% of people who suffer from periodontitis have been known to smoke. Don’t even pick up another for your last cigarette. It’s time to stop right now — you got this!

Talk to medical professionals

You might not have been able to visit your doctor in person over the last few months, but you can still communicate with them via the Internet. Plus, things are beginning to open up a bit more, so it’s important to stay in contact with them often. Most doctors understand the value of a second opinion, too, and they are not offended when a patient wants one — so don’t worry about speaking with multiple medical professionals. It’s important to note that major surgical and medical products (syringes, stethoscopes, and other appliances) represent about 40% of industry revenue).

Take care of your mental health

Taking care of your physical health is important, but it’s imperative to focus on your mental health, as well. Everyone is stressed, fearful, and worried right now — but you can’t just sit with those negative thoughts, or ignore them. You have to fight to stay positive and stay mentally strong. Make sure you’re eating right, sleeping at least 8 hours a day, exercising often, and find time to relax and clear your mind. Developing a mental health plan can be a great way to identify what is causing you stress at the moment and what you can do to prevent those issues from getting worse.

Things are scary right now for everybody. But we can get through this and move on with your lives as stronger, healthier individuals. Please talk to a professional if you need help regarding your physical or mental state. Good luck!

This entry was posted on Friday, June 5th, 2020 at 11:22 am and is filed under Other, Rochester News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.