Self-care and immune support in times of stress

I’m seeing lots of advice, good and bad, about what to do in this time of worry about COVID-19. It seems to me that one of the best things we can do right now is to build up our immune systems, and that has a great deal to do with self-care. It’s a great time to think about what makes you happy and what is fun and cheerful in the often bleak days of late winter. Here are somethings that work for me:

1) First off, the obvious stuff: wash your hands for at least 20 seconds; disinfect contaminated surfaces, cover your cough or sneeze, stay home if you’re sick, talk to your provider if you think you’re coming down with something, pay attention to good, reliable advice.

2) Take a long walk. OK, yes, I live less than fifteen miles from two sections of Acadia National Park. The carriage trails and bike paths are wonderful in every season. Do you have a lovely place to walk nearby? Go by yourself, or bring a friend - 2-legged or 4-legged. Walk for at least half an hour. Breather deeply. Walk slowly. Notice your surroundings.

3) Go to a greenhouse. Look at the flowers and plants. Breathe in the moist air and fragrance. A few that I like in Maine are Sunset Greenhouse in Fairfield, Longfellow’s in Manchester, Skillins in Falmouth. A longer trip, but definitely something to do if you live nearby, is Logee’s in Danielson, CT. In Boston, enjoy the beauty of the courtyard garden at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. In Montreal, the greenhouses of the Botanical Garden are gorgeous.

4) Stay home when you need to. Create something. Make music, write a poem or a blog! Bake something familiar or new. Cook something comforting or from an unfamiliar cuisine. Make fiber art - knit, sew, quilt, embroider. Try a new craft. Mess around with painting and drawing. Try making croissants - your first few batches won’t be perfect but they’ll taste better than most any that you can buy around here! (Not, obviously, if “here” is Quebec!)

5) Watch a good movie, something uplifting. A rather random selection, but a few of my favorites.

6) Read an inspiring book. These do seem to have a theme - mindfulness. That’s probably one of the best things we can do right now. Think about how the small, the local, the immediate is in so many ways more precious than the bigger, the noisier, the fancier, the louder. Read inspiring biographies, books specific to a sense of place - “The Peninsula” by Louise Dickinson Rich is so rich in describing this quiet part of the coast of Maine.

7) Plan your garden. Vegetables, flowers, herbs, hardscape - garden daydreaming is delicious. One of my favorite gardens is the “wild garden” at the Dr Barraud house in Colonial Williamsburg. It’s a tiny piece of “wilderness” - but full of spring bulbs and groundcovers! - in the midst of the city.

8) Plan your fun. If you’re healthy, go for a long drive, a day trip, a little overnight scoot - or plan something more extensive. The planning is almost as much fun as the journey. On my short list right now - flyfishing trips, exploring Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, maybe Newfoundland, Vermont, Adirondacks. My long list is VERY long…

9) Things that I do for my immune system - more alternative-medicine kind of things, daily multivitamin, lots of ginger, disinfect with tea tree oil, Emergen-C seems to work well for me. Lots of rest. Good wholesome food. Be safe, be healthy, be happy!