The Coronavirus shows little sign of slowing. Hand sanitiser, face masks, and copious amounts of Dettol are flying off the shelves. But here at GITNB, we have a few other tricks up our sleeve to boost immunity and keep sickness at bay.
COVID-19 still dominates global headlines as the tally of those infected continues to rise. It’s even hit financial markets which are experiencing increased volatility. Shoppers are choosing to stay at home, economies are suffering, and tourism, particularly in Asia, is grinding to a halt. Bloomberg Green even reports that Coronavirus has cut China’s carbon emissions by 100 million metric tonnes (which we’d be happy about were it not for the circumstances). While global leaders grapple with how to control this potentially fatal virus, life must go on. We can’t just stop the world and get off. So aside from staying cooped up indoors to ride out the storm, what else can we do to stay fighting fit?
While following official guidance about how to stay healthy and Corona-free goes without saying, we’re also taking matters into our own hands to improve our immune systems. Now, we’re not saying these tips will prevent you from catching Coronavirus, but they might provide a welcome boost and leave you feeling brand new. Here’s how the GITNB team stay on their A-game, all year round.
Harsha | Visual Storyteller and Editor
My top tips for keeping well are plenty of exercise and following a plant-based diet. I’m vegan and find that eating natural, plant-based foods does wonders for healing my body by keeping things alkaline. When cooking, I try to incorporate superfoods like garlic, turmeric, ginger, miso, berries, and lemon, among other things, into meals. I’m also a huge fan of LVL for its plant-based immunity boosting drinks, and MyMaha for its range of superfoods. Finally, I turn to exercise to stay strong; sweating it out regularly does the trick for me!
Stacy | Events Manager
Getting enough sleep and spending time outdoors are two things I swear by. I’ve stopped checking my phone at least 20 minutes before I go to bed and set it to aeroplane mode until my alarm goes off. Getting a good night’s rest is so important to me, and I always feel better overall if I can get a solid 8-hours of snoozing. And spending time outdoors walking or running helps me feel closer to nature. I swear a daily dose of fresh air keeps me fighting fit. I’m also a massive fan of superfoods, and I love making smoothie bowls at home with moringa, acai, and cacao. And if I’m feeling a bit lazy, I down a bottle of kombucha. It’s high in antioxidants and probiotics which gives me a much-needed boost when I’m feeling sluggish. Bushwick Biotech create the best flavour combinations.
Steph | Founder
Whenever I feel a cold or flu coming on, I head straight to the kitchen and dig out garlic, ginger, and honey. I boil the ginger and garlic together, mix it with honey and drink it. And I also swallow one garlic whole. It’s a recipe I created drawing on health tips from a few friends. Luckily, I love garlic! On a day to day basis I’m obsessed with making a superfood vegan bulletproof drink for breakfast. I throw in things like ashwagandha and maca into dandelion tea which I find keeps my immunity strong. I also do a lot of Kundalini yoga and other wellness sessions, like those run by Stage6 (which include things like ecstatic dance and breathwork). The mental strength I gain from these is so powerful. Finally, I am also a huge believer in the importance of a good nights sleep. Which is unfortunate given I am a terrible sleeper! But I have found that since getting a Heveya® by European Bedding organic latex mattress and pillow that I’m getting better quality rest. Mainly because there are two compartments in my bed, which means my fiance and I no longer disturb each other in the middle of the night.
Tammy | Writer and IG guru
I am all about eating good food to keep me feeling awesome. Tofu scramble with extra turmeric and nutritional yeast is my favourite pick me up. And as I follow a plant-based diet, I pack in as many veggies as possible and lots of citrus fruits.
Sally | Editor
Growing up in the UK with Scottish parents, every time I ever started to feel under the weather, a ‘hot toddy’ was always the go-to remedy. So it’s just ingrained in my psyche that warming lemon and honey gives me a boost when I start to feel rundown. Over the years, my hot toddy has evolved into a gingery, lemony concoction. I make it by grating a generous nub of ginger into water, boil it, then let it stand for around half an hour, before adding the juice of as many lemons as you dare (I normally use three), and then a dollop of honey. It’s best to make it in big batches that can be kept in the fridge, and then I heat up a mugful in the morning or whenever I fancy. I also have a stash of Zinc supplements on hand for when I start feeling a bit bleurgh and need a boost. Finally, I am a firm believer in ‘you are what you eat’. I find eating fresh produce and steering well clear of over-processed junk is the best immunity booster of all. I’m a huge fan of zero-waste stores like Unpackt and Scoop where I can stock up on pulses, grains, nuts, spices, and myriad other things that are super fresh and cheaper than buying from a regular store.
Diane | Community Manager
I pack my diet with fresh vegetables (which admittedly can be tricky to find in Singapore!). Thankfully there are lots of great initiatives which are also sustainable, like ShiokFarm. It’s a community-based programme that delivers fresh, organic fruit and veggies weekly; so I have no excuse not to eat well. I’m also addicted to drinking infusions of ginger, lemon, and cinnamon. I’m also a firm believer in the power of a positive attitude and retaining a sense of humour. I’ve found a lot of the Coronavirus memes and videos flying around to be a welcome tonic.
Talking of funnies, if you need a light-hearted distraction, this video is brilliant: