Many of you will have come up with your own strategies for addressing the changes brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. Below are some considerations that I have found to be helpful in keeping a positive outlook to date.
Embrace the small things (“the micros”)
In adapting to new regimes and environments during lockdown, we have been presented with a fresh new perspective on daily life. I am not necessarily talking about spiritual awakening, but more an opportunity to embrace the small things that would have usually gone unnoticed. Such things may be simply (re)connecting with friends and family, taking in nature or discovering new cuisines.
I have used the opportunity to spend more time with my family and reconnect with old friends I have fallen out of contact with. I have also taken a greater interest in fitness and healthy eating (see below).
Eat healthily
There is an increasing amount of evidence of the association between diet and mental health (interesting review article here). Although the importance of diet on brain structure and function may seem intuitive to some, diet has also been shown to affect parts of the body outside the brain, such as endogenous gut hormones, neuropeptides, neurotransmitters and gut microbiota, which all contribute to mental health. However, despite the association between diet and mental health being known, the underlying mechanisms behind this are generally unknown.
With this in mind, I have been focusing on healthy eating during lockdown with a view to improving mental health.
An example of a “micro”: a tale of hens and eggs
At the start of lockdown, lots of us will have experienced shortages of basic food items; for us, it was eggs. At one point, it was impossible to find eggs in any supermarket within a 5-mile radius, which was fairly ridiculous because it meant we were forced to (without prejudice to the section above) buy “just add water” cake kits.
Eggs are an example of a nutrient-rich food which may have beneficial effects on mental health. For example, they are a source of omega-3 which has been linked to improvement of psychiatric conditions, including depression.
Luckily, our egg shortage was remedied by a neighbour from across the road who started selling local eggs.
The highlight for me (aside from being able to start baking properly again) was that it was possible to match each egg with the hen that had laid it (see photo below). I was therefore able to establish that Rhoda’s were my favourite (superior yolk and overall size). The conversations we shared over dinner about this eggcellent new supply chain also provided a welcome break from the daily coronavirus updates.
This is Rhoda (isn’t she a beauty?):
A broader perspective (“the macros”)
By focusing on the micros, I discovered that the wider/longer term changes brought about by the coronavirus pandemic (which I refer to as “macros”) didn’t appear as daunting as initially thought.
In other words, get the micros in and the macros will follow.