Summer Self Care While Helping To Stop The Spread Of A Virus

The lazy days of summer are even lazier

I received samples from Childlife to facilitate this post.

    Summer for me is usually a time to slow down and this summer seems to be a way too slow for me. I usually like summer but I am not sure about my feelings for summer this year due to the C virus pandemic. I am sure that my kids are thinking the same thing about their summer experience too. 

Our second summer this year

My kids have been out of school for more than 2 months as the online school thing was not really a school for them. The online school time that my boys had was already like their summer break as the weather here in Albuquerque was already warm. My boys only had about an hour of school the past couple of months and it was way too easy for them. So school online was more like their fun computer time. So now that their school is officially over for the year, the boys are even more bored and want to go back to school but this ugly lung virus outbreak is making that impossible for a while. I am worried that my boys might catch the Covid Slide. It has been hard for me to do the things that I need to do to prevent the Covid Slide in my kids.

Stuck at home is boring

  Being stuck at home is boring for the whole family but we realize that we have to do our part to stop the spread of this lung virus. Our day starts with my youngest son and myself going running and then the boredom sets in for the boys. The boys can't do their typical summer activities like playing with their friends, playing at the park, or swimming at the pool. We did buy a hot tub for summer fun but it has not been delivered yet. 

We are running out of books

My boys were happy when the library opened back up last week as they had no more books to read. For now, the boys can only check out books as the library wants people to be quick with their visit. The library even took out the chairs so people would not linger. The library was the boy's first time having to wear a face mask but they did it for some books to read. I have never seen two boys so happy to have books to read! The boys have been reading all day and have not even asked for computer time. I think the boys are even bored with playing games on the computer. They want to go back to school. My kids never thought that they would be saying they want to go back to school.

Lunch is the highlight of the day

The highlight of my boy's day is lunchtime. The city and schools are providing free lunch for kids, 5 days a week. So every day we drive to the school or park to pick up a free lunch. The free lunch is not a new thing for my boys but having to take them to go is. My city, in the past, has had a free lunchtime at the park but in the past, you had to eat the free lunch at the park. With the new rules, the city does not want anyone to stay at the park so that means not being able to play with their friends. So the boys bring their lunch home and join me at the table with my vegan tuna.

Even mom is bored

I never thought that I would be saying that I was bored but I am. Just don't tell my kids. It might be the heat that is making me bored as I don't feel like doing anything. I really wish that I had a pool or hot tub to cool off in. Living in the desert makes me super jealous of people who have water to swim in. I even looked up on Airbnb a house to rent that has a pool but there was only one and it was $800 a night! I am missing my trips to hotels with pools. The pools and hotel pools are not scheduled to open yet and pool operators are getting anxious for answers as I hear my husband, one of the cities pool inspectors, repeating the same thing day after day. I think I have memorized my husband's answer that he gives to pool operators.

A bucket of water for self-care

So my summer self-care has been happening with a bucket of water. My bucket is really an empty flower pot as the stores are sold out of kiddie pools. So my flower pot bucket of water is how I cool myself off on a hot day and pamper my feet at the same time. I even toss some bath salts into my foot soaking bucket. That way my dry feet are getting some much-needed self-care.

The dry heat of the desert does wonders for my feet. In the summer my feet are always dried and cracked. So I soak my dry feet daily and then use my foot buffer or foot sander as my husband likes to call it, to sand off the dry skin off my feet. Yes, I am so bored that I am daily buffing my feet.

I am not going to show you a picture of the heels on my feet as they are pretty ugly. My boys used to be fascinated with my dry feet but even that does not entertain them during this boring summer. 

Self-care for the boys

  Even the boys are getting some self-care in with a delicious non-gummy gummie vitamin. ChildLife sent us samples of their newest ChildLife Essentials® Multi-Vitamin SoftMelts™ and Healthy Vision SoftMelts™. These delicious soft orange-flavored and berry flavored vitamins are naturally sweetened and are free from the sugar found in many gummy supplements. My boys love the taste of the SoftMelts and the gummies did not stick to their braces. 

 So the boys are getting some added nutrition to their diet which is always a good thing during a virus outbreak. This multi-vitamin is filling in the gaps in my boy's diet as so many of their favorite foods are still hard to find at the grocery store. First, it was eggs and now it is pasta and frozen mangos. Grocery shopping sure has been a challenge lately.

Are you tired of baking bread?

   I think that I am even tired of baking bread. I am not tired of eating bread though. Maybe it is the 97-degree weather that is making me tired of baking 60-minute white bread. The boys are not even asking me to bake frog bread. I might be able to convince the boys to make focaccia flower bread.

  For now, we are only making sweets that don't require baking. So we have been making no-bake peanut butter granola bars and dairy-free salted caramels. Summer meals have been pressure cooker meals with beans and rice. The hot summer days call for endless pitchers of Fruit-Infused Cold Brew Ice Tea and tall glasses of cold brew coffee. Cold brew coffee is so easy to make so head here for an easy recipe for cold brew coffee.

How are you spending your summer?

Things I learned While In Self Isolation During the Respiratory Virus Outbreak

The past four weeks have been quite different with having to stay at home during the virus Pandemic

 I don't think anyone will forget the year 2020 as it will be a year that will leave many memories both good and bad. Who would have predicted that when we welcomed in the year 2020 that it was going to be a year that was to change so many people's lives. Who knew that a virus called the Corona would change the world in so many ways. I know I never thought in a million years that I would be writing this article while sitting on a bean bag chair in my master bathroom. My family is having to shelter in place and can't leave the house unless we have to work, get food or medical supplies. We can also leave the house to exercise outside but have to follow social distancing rules like we do if we go to the store. My town has set these guidelines to help stop the spread of the respiratory virus disease and we may have another month before we can leave the house again. At this time we don't really know about how long we have to practice the rule of staying 6 feet away from people and staying home. If it will help people from getting sick and dying, then I will do my part and stay home.


Staying home means I am safe

 I am thankful that my master bathroom is the size of a small bathroom and my master bathroom was remodeled 2 years ago so it is a pleasant place to work in for several hours. My bathroom has become my temporary office while other family members are in other rooms of the house doing online school or working from home. My husband is no longer leaving to go to work as he is working from home. My kid's schools, including the college kid, has shut down for the school year. All in the hopes that people staying home will stop the spread of this awful 2019 virus and flatten the curve. I am glad that my house is big enough so my husband can sit in the living room making phone calls all day in his new office and my college kid can sit in his bedroom to participate in online college classes. The middle school kids are in the dining room playing with Legos as their school has not provided any instruction at this time. I am not able to home school them as the stress to both of us is not a good thing at this time.

 Working from home has its challenges right now and my work has not slowed down but I am learning to take the job that I used to do while the kids were at school and spread it out throughout the day so I can also be a parent, wife, cook, cleaner, etc. That 8 hours that used to leave me with a quiet house is gone as everyone is home all the time now. Not being able to leave the house except for 1 hour of exercise in the morning has made life different. My new normal is very different. I am learning to be creative in the kitchen and thankful for the food that I stockpiled over the years in my two deep freezers. Who knew that I would get excited about a bag of frozen apple slices and overcooked pinto beans. I just wish that I could get the food my kids enjoy like eggs and bananas but I am staying away from stores that have little on their shelves, to avoid catching the awful virus. We did try getting groceries delivered but many of the things we wanted we not available and ended up paying $6 for a dozen eggs.

It is the little things that make me smile

 I am discovering that the little things can make me happy or annoy me. The little things that are making me happy right now are toilet paper, flour, and running. I normally buy 30 rolls of toilet paper as it is a better deal so when I went to put it away in the closet, I discovered 20 more rolls so now I can share with my adult children who are running low. Never would I have imagined that there would be a toilet paper shortage. Never would I imagine that people would hoard food like flour and eggs. The trucks and factories can't keep up with the demand for many things like medical supplies, food, and cleaning supplies. Never would I imagine that I could not buy garbanzo beans to make my vegan tuna salad recipe. I am thankful for the pinto beans that I had in my stockpile so I can make plenty of meatless meals.

 It is a nightly cup of tea with my boys that brings a smile to my face as I am glad that they are all safe and I am glad that we have plenty of Manuka Honey to sweeten our tea with and strengthen our immune system. I am glad that we are all healthy and no one needs any cold and flu tea to soothe a sore throat. I am thankful that I connect with family on the internet and search for a recipe for cookies that don't require eggs so we can celebrate my son's birthday. I am thankful for a friend who blessed me with several bags of flour so I can make homemade wheat bread for sandwiches.


I learned that fitness with the family is awesome

 I dreaded the closer of the gym near my house as that meant that I would not be able to lift weights but I also discovered that my family is helping me stay fit and strong. My younger son started joining me on my morning runs so I have been enjoying his companionship and have become each other's fitness trainers. On the days that my son bikes he motivates me to run faster and on the days that my son chooses to run, I am coaching him how to run with asthma. So my son is also able to manage his asthma naturally without an inhaler. My older son has been inspiring me with his creative at-home weight lifting routine that uses no weights and has been showing me how to keep my muscles strong with fitness bands.

 My son showed me different strength exercised to do so I could tone my arms and abs better. I think my at-home weight lifting routine is harder than what I was doing at the gym. I am glad that I discovered a CBD maximum relief balm for my sore muscles from the extra exercise that I have been doing with my kids.

I learned that pulling weeds in the spring is easier

Now that I had more time on my hands since we had to practice self-isolation at home, I was determined to get the yard work done so I could enjoy it once the weather was warmer. So I decided to pull the weeds as I could not spay them with my All Natural Homemade Weed Killer Spray That Works In A Day as stores had no vinegar since people were hoarding that too thinking that it would kill the germs from the virus outbreak. So while the boys played outside I pulled weeds. I discovered that spring weeds are easier to pull as their roots were not as long as they were when I waited to pull them in the summer. I also like the cooler temperatures when I pulled weeds so I could wear long sleeves and pants to prevent my body from breaking out in hives from the weeds. So maybe next year I will find the time in the spring to pull my weeds.

I learned that I don't like my family home all the time

 The little things that annoy me are the never-ending piles of dirty dishes and dirty clothes. It seems that these kids are eating all day and the dishwasher is always full. You would think that staying at home would require fewer clothes but with the increase of handwashing and a college kid who exercises twice a day has the washing machine working overtime. So I am glad that I have plenty of environmentally-friendly detergent on hand to keep my family in clean clothes.

 I really like the way that Dropps is so eco-friendly. These small packets of dish soap and detergent cut down on my plastic waste as I just toss the whole Dropps into the washing machine. My clothes come out clean and smell so fresh. I even like the way these small but powerful Dropps are shipped.

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 My boys can also get on each other's nerves and fight with each other. These same boys can also be loud when they are having fun. Then there is the never-ending snacking that seems to go on all day. I am just glad that we have plenty of food in the house. My boys also like to make body noises that at times has me either laughing or saying to myself, "why me!" The other day the youngest let out a belch that was very loud and his brother said: "that was cool!" There is never a dull moment here with my three boys.

I have learned how to bake bread with whole wheat flour

 Certain food items have been hard to find online and in grocery stores so it has been a challenge to bake bread. While I am one of the lucky ones who have plenty of yeast for bread making, I don't have any white flour. I was thankful for a friend who gave me plenty of whole wheat flour but I have been discovering that bread made with wheat flour does not rise that well. So I discovered 6 ingredients to help bread rise higher and it has been helping with my bread baking. I also discovered how to bake bread without yeast so I am prepared when my yeast runs out.

I have been spending more time in prayer

 I have been learning that I need to pray more and expand who I pray for. I am learning to take my fears and concerns to God more. My prayer time has been more frequent and I have started to pray while I run in the morning. My night time prayers have been longer as I am praying for more people that are outside of my friends and family. I am finding that prayer helps when I am afraid of this ugly virus. Prayer is calming me when my husband has to visit places that he may be exposed to the virus. I am still being cautious and doing smart things like washing my hands and choosing to stay at home instead of going to the grocery store but for things out of my control, like my son having to work, I am giving it to God. Soon this time of self-isolation will be over and we can reconnect with friends again.

What have you learned while in self-isolation?

How To Best Practice Social Distancing And Self Quarantine

The rules of social distancing are hard for people to understand

 This respiratory virus is real and people are becoming sick There are way too many unnecessary deaths happening that may have been prevented if people would choose to practice social distancing and sheltering at home. If we want to stop the spread of this terrible virus, we need to flatten the curve and everyone needs to do their part of listening to medical experts like the CDC. We may not like the CDC guidelines on the virus and they may be tough to follow but this is a time that we need to stop thinking of only ourselves but to think of others. We need to follow the advice of Jesus and Love Thy Neighbor. Our neighbor right now is not only those we have contact with but also people we don't know. We need to extend our love to people who are suffering from the lung virus and also to those who are essential workers during this virus outbreak. For those who are not essential workers, like doctors, nurses, truck drivers, grocery store workers, and many other behind the scene employees, our job is easy compared to what the essential workers are doing. The essential workers are happy that they have a job but at the same time worried if they will become sick with the deadly illness. 

Why I am choosing to self-quarantine myself at home

This is not a time to ignore the health warnings

 If you are not an essential worker, your job is easy right now. All you have to do is stay at home! Sure that may be hard but when you consider what others who have to work are dealing with, it does not seem that bad. Sure you might have to change the way you do things or might have to make sacrifices like cooking at home or eating beans for dinner instead of fresh salad. You might have to get your groceries delivered or be creative with how you clean your tushie. You might have to drink water from the faucet instead of a bottle but you will not become sick from this. These minor inconveniences are temporary and so small when compared to the health care workers who are not only risking their lives but are exhausted. So if your city has recommended to stay at home and not go anywhere unless it is an emergency. Please do that and help flatten the curve of the illness. Staying home may also prevent you and your family from catching the virus. The longer it takes for people to listen the longer it will take to get back to a normal life.

How I am preparing for the virus outbreak

What social distancing means

While it may be tough to have to stay away from others, it is the best thing to do right now. Social distancing may help stop or slow down the spread of the disease that affects the lungs by allowing the health care system to more readily care for patients over time. This means if you have to leave the house for exercise or for an emergency like sickness or much-needed food, then stay at least 6 feet or more away from people. This is to protect yourself or others from getting the illness. The CDC says that the virus is thought to spread mainly from person to person through respiratory droplets. These droplets can travel up to 6 feet when a person coughs or sneezes. The below is from the CDC website

The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus.

+ The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person.

+ Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).

+ Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

+ These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.

 So when you choose to go inside a crowded grocery store, you may get infected with the virus that affects the respiratory system or infects someone else. The reality is people are contagious many days before they experience Coronavirus symptoms. So stay out of the grocery stores and don't complain that others are not practicing social distancing. If you are choosing to go inside a store or restaurant, you are not doing your job of reducing the numbers inside that store. The fact is it is hard for places to enforce the 6-foot social distancing suggestion. The law officers who are dealing with the social distancing rules can not be at all the stores. So you have to choose to follow the 6-foot social distancing rule or better yet schedule a pick-up for your groceries or get the food delivered. Don't complain that it takes 7 days to get a time-slot to pick up your groceries. Just eat the food you have at home and think ahead about what you need to buy.

Other ways you can practice social distancing

If you are one of the lucky ones who can work from home, then do just that. Choose to not visit friends or schedule playdates. Don't let your kids play with friends, not even at the park. I know that is tough to not let your kids see friends but it is necessary, I know I had to do this to my kids. When I texted their friend's mom and told her that my kids would not be hanging out at the park, my friend seemed relieved that I decided that as I think she was having a tough time telling her kids that they could not go to the park. 

+ Working from home instead of at the office

+ Closing schools or switching to online classes

+ Visiting loved ones by electronic devices instead of in-person

+ Canceling or postponing conferences and large meetings- do online meetings

What you can do while social distancing

 While choosing to shelter at home, there are things that you can do. You can go outside daily to exercise. Just make sure to stay 6 feet away from other people. Exercise is very important when you are at risk of catching a virus. At this time, no one is safe from this virus. So make sure to keep your body healthy with exercise. The fresh air and sunshine will make you feel good too and keep you from getting depressed about the situation. You can also workout inside. Check out these best exercises to stay in shape.

Some other things to do while stuck inside

Now is the time to do things that you have put off because you were too busy. So here are things that I am enjoying while self-distancing myself and family.

+ Bake some bread or cookies- Check out this pretzel bread recipe

+ Binge watch your favorite tv show

+ Call someone on the phone

+ Have an online visit with someone, your mom will love this one

+ Try a new recipe- check out these 22 meatless recipe ideas

+ Start a home project

+ Take an online class

+ Play with your kids-think boardgames

+Take a long relaxing bath

+ Start a garden

+Clean the house

+ Sew some face masks for health care workers- go here to get free materials

The best supplements to take during the outbreak

What is self-quarantine?

If you think that you have been exposed to the new virus or are have risk factors for coming down with this illness, like a compromised immune system, then it is best to practice self-quarantine. Health experts recommend that self-quarantine lasts 14 days. Two weeks provides enough time for them to know whether or not they will become ill and be contagious to other people. 

You might be asked to practice self-quarantine if you have recently returned from traveling to a part of the country or the world where virus is spreading rapidly, or if you have knowingly been exposed to an infected person.

Self-quarantine involves

+ Washing hands frequently, everyone should already be doing this

+ Not sharing things like towels and utensils

+ Staying at home-not leaving the house to even exercise

+ Not having visitors

+ Staying at least 6 feet away from other people in your household

What is isolation?

 For people who are confirmed to have this lung illness, isolation is appropriate. Isolation is a health care term that means keeping people who are infected with a contagious illness away from those who are not infected. Isolation can take place at home or at a hospital or care facility. Special personal protective equipment will be used to care for these patients in health care settings.

What if I think that I may have the illness?

 If you are feeling sick, then stay home. If your symptoms are mild and you are not having trouble breathing, again stay home. Staying home prevents the spread of the disease. Many states have hotlines, websites, and video doctors that you can call to get your questions answered and it is best to use these resources before heading to a doctor or ER to get tested. When you choose to go to the ER to get tested for the C virus and your symptoms don't need hospitalization, you are taking up the time and space from someone who needs medical attention. If you are having trouble breathing then go to an emergency room. The CDC website has the best information for what to do if you feel sick, so please read this before heading to the emergency room.

 The state of New Mexico is urging anyone who feels like they might have signs of lung illness contact the virus hotline before they visit their healthcare provider. 

That number is 855-600-3453 or call 833-551-0518 for general questions

Call 911 if you have a medical emergency: If you have a medical emergency and need to call 911, notify the operator that you have or think you might have this illness. If possible, put on a facemask before medical help arrives.

Why I chose to write this article

  I chose to write this article as I have many friends who are risking their lives daily to help stop the spread of the virus. These fiends are the essential workers who are needed during the C epidemic. They are providing much-needed services beyond health care. I have friends who work in grocery stores and in daycare centers. I have friends who are truck drivers and friends who are handing out meals to seniors. I am sure that you can think of friends that you have like the police and others. My husband and son are essential workers and I worry about their safety from this virus. My son is working hard to repair trucks so truck drivers can get medical supplies and food to places. So that means he may have contact with an infected delivery person. My husband works for the health department and is working hard enforcing to enforce social distancing rules in stores and restaurants. Yesterday, he had to visit over 25 grocery stores to see if people are practicing social distancing, the sad fact is most stores were crowded. So that put my husband at risk for catching the bad virus. So the best way to protect yourself and others from this awful virus that makes people sick is to do your part of social distancing and not expect others to comply when you are not following the rules. My husband had complaints from people that complained that the food stores were crowded. These very people are adding to the number who are in the store. 

Some other things I am practicing to stay safe

 I am choosing to protect the delivery service people and not opening the door when I get packages or food deliveries. I wait until they are 6 feet away from my door, that way they don't have to worry about catching the virus and they can continue their job. I am washing my hands after opening mail and packages. Right now the medical experts are not sure if the deadly virus spreads through skin contact but it is better to be safe. I have sensitive skin so my hands are reacting to all the hand sanitizer that the delivery people are using. When we got groceries delivered, my husband wiped down the packages with a sanitizing solution. Here is a good article that will help you deal with accepting packages during the outbreak. I am also having my family wash their hands often. Especially after we have been outside or in the car to pick up lunches from the school. Handwashing is always your best defense from germs. Check out these best handwashing practices. There may be other illnesses in your community and those germs may make you sick from something else. Any sickness will weaken your immune system and make it hard for your body to recover from the co vid virus if you come in contact with it. So keep washing those hands. Also, also make sure to use plenty of lotion so your hands do not dry out from all the handwashing. Dry hands that have open cracks on them are a good way for germs to get into your body.

 I am praying more and learning to trust in the Lord more. My prayer times have increased and the people that I am praying for have increased. I am learning more to not let fear consume me and learning more about thinking of others. 

Here are some other articles that I wrote about what I am doing to protect myself from the virus.

https://www.momknowsbest.net/2020/03/why-i-am-choosing-to-quarantine-myself.html

https://www.momknowsbest.net/2020/03/the-best-supplements-to-take-during.html

https://www.momknowsbest.net/2020/03/how-i-am-preparing-for-avirus.html

Help Prevent the spread of the virus
 Poster created by the City of Albuquerque Department of Environmental health

The Best Supplements To Take During a Virus Outbreak

A healthy body is always good during tough times

This page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases 

 The year 2020 will be one that we will remember. We will look back at this time and have plenty of stories to tell. This will be a crisis that most will survive and look back and say it really was not that bad. I look back at history and can think of many other times in history that were worse than the respiratory virus outbreak. Can you imagine how people felt during World War 2 or during the Great Depression? There was far more of the unknown during these events and way more lack of communication. There was no internet during World War 2 and more people were dying back then. I would rather be told to stay home for 2 weeks than send a loved one off to war. There were curfews during the war and there were also shortages of food. The world recovered after these events and we will be fine after having to be self-quarantine from the respiratory virus or practicing social distancing.

Information about respiratory virus disease of 2019 

 There is so much information about the lung virus on the internet and some of it may be false. People are so worried and confused about the state of emergency and they may not have their facts straight. The CDC has a website where you can learn about the virus. This link has answers to many common questions about the lung virus. So check it out. I want to add, I am not a doctor or medical person but these are things and supplements that have helped me in the past and are helping me.


Panicking is not good for our health 

 Right now we should be focusing on keeping our bodies healthy. The 2019 virus has so many unknowns right now. The health experts are still trying to figure out how the virus is transmitted and we can all be at risk in catching this virus that may be fatal for some or have lasting health effects for those who survive the deadly virus. Many of the survivors have lasting lung problems. I do know that a healthy body can fight germs better than a body that is worn down and sick. Stress will weaken your immune system so the first step to health is to stop the worry and panic. Then take this opportunity of being told to stay home to work on your health.

Now is not the time for junk food

 Our bodies need healthy food to keep the immune system healthy. So now is not the time to stock up on chips and cookies. Now is not the time for a poor me pity party that involves consuming massive amounts of sugar. Now is a perfect time to start working on healthy habits. If you are stuck at home, you may have some extra time on your hands to cook some healthy meals. If you are at home having to telecommute with work, then make that final trip to the grocery store and stock up on healthy foods that include fruits and veggies. While you are stocking up on food consider stocking up on some supplements that will help your immune system through a stressful time.

Healthy body supplements

 A diet of healthy food is always the best way to keep your body well. Taking supplements for your wellness won't do you any good if you are not eating healthy food. I like to look at health supplements like vitamins as the extras for your body's well-being. The world of wellness and supplements can be overwhelming and confusing. So knowing which natural supplements to take for a healthy body and a healthy immune system is always a good thing. So I want to share with you my list of supplements that I take on a regular basis to keep my body healthy and how they are helping me during the epidemic.


A healthy gut equals a healthy body

 One product that needs to be on your shopping list for the virus survival time is my favorite probiotic supplement. It is a fiber supplement that has probiotics in it. Probiotics keep the gut healthy with healthy bacteria. They do say that your gut health can affect your whole body. So if your gut is not happy then chances are other parts of the body are suffering. What I like most about Regular Girl is that it prevents constipation. This daily supplement that is great for the whole family, not just girls, allows your body to have regular bowel movements so you don't have to deal with constipation.

 A change in routine and stress may affect your daily pooping routine which can lead to stomach problems like gas and constipation. So this natural fiber supplement is good in so many ways especially if your body is lacking fiber from not being able to get fresh produce. Even if you eat plenty of foods that have fiber, stress can mess with your body making it hard to do number two. This tasteless powder mixes easily into liquids and soft foods. You can even add it to recipes like No-Bake High Fiber Breakfast Granola Bars. Regular Girl keeps your body happy.

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 Cocoa Flavanols for heart health

 Right now it is a good time to keep your heart healthy. Even those who are trying not to be worried about the virus pandemic are having some type of stress in their life whether it is from having the kids home all day or the uncertainty of income, the stress is real right now for most. Stress can affect the health of your heart.  So I am taking a supplement that is loaded with cocoa flavanols. 

 Cocoa flavanols are what makes dark chocolate good for us. The problem is you would have to eat an insane amount of dark chocolate to get the heart health benefits of the cocoa flavanols. So taking a supplement like CocoaVia makes it easy to get cocoa flavanols for a healthy heart. Studies have shown that cocoa flavanols promote healthy blood flow, which helps deliver oxygen and nutrients to your heart to keep it healthy.  Unlike dark chocolate, CocoaVia guarantees 450mg of cocoa flavanols in every serving – minus the calories, fat, and carbs that you get in dark chocolate. This heart-healthy supplement is a supplement that I use daily.  Here is an article about CocoaVia for more information.

Use code MKB30 to save 30% on CocoaVia.

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Boost your immune system with the power of purple

 By now most people have heard of elderberry syrup. This wonderful purple supplement is known to have immune-boosting benefits. Elderberries naturally contain A, B, and C and stimulate the immune system. These dried berries are naturally high in immune-boosting compounds that are specifically shown to help beat the cold and flu more quickly. Just like toilet paper, I have heard that people are buying plenty of elderberry syrup so it might be hard to find this supplement at stores. My favorite company that makes black elderberry syrup is working hard to keep up with the demand. Since I used up my stash of elderberry syrup when my family had the flu, I am now making my own homemade black elderberry syrup. This DIY black elderberry syrup is easy to make and you can buy dried elderberries online.

 Elderberry syrup is great for a daily immune booster! The standard dose is ½ tsp to 1 tsp for kids and ½ Tbsp to 1 Tbsp for adults. If an illness does strike, take the normal dose every 2-3 hours instead of once a day until symptoms disappear. Once you get your dried elderberries, check out my recipe for immune boosting black elderberry syrup.



Coffee for immune health

 Yes, that daily cup of coffee is good for your immune system. Coffee is loaded with antioxidants so go ahead and enjoy a cup or two of coffee every day. If you are unable to visit your favorite coffee shop due to social distancing or self-quarantine, then these cold-brew coffee shots are the perfect supplement for you.

 These coffee wellness shots can be added to a glass of milk for a delicious cafe latte drink or added to your regular cup of coffee. These are premium functional cold brew shots that contain vitamins and antioxidants that help improve immune system function, energy, and overall health. Each cold-brew coffee shot is made with premium organic coffee and other wellness ingredients like pure cinnamon, green tea, and ginseng. My favorite Humblemaker Coffee Co. coffee shot is the La Fonda as is a Mexican Coffee cold brew shot with cinnamon and cacao flavors that harness all the immune-boosting power of green tea: active polyphenols, Vitamin C and selenium. The Black Sea coffee shot is a Turkish coffee flavor and the Boomtowne is an ultra-smooth, triple strength, black cold brew shot.

Green tea leaf powder for immune health

 Green tea is loaded with antioxidants which are great for the immune health. The problem is you have to drink at least 10 cups of tea to get the maximum benefits of green tea. If you are like me don't want to be drinking several cups of green tea then you need to try matcha green tea powder. One serving of green tea powder is equal to 10 cups of green tea. Matcha is basically ground up green tea leaves and can be used to make a delicious cold green tea latte that is awesome for immune health. You can buy matcha green tea powder online.

Get the recipe here for a cold green tea latte

The best lung supplement

 The 2019 outbreak has been affecting my asthma. One of my many asthma triggers is chemical fragrances. Since places have been doing more cleaning and people are using an insane amount of hand sanitizer, I had an asthma flair-up just from a regular grocery shopping trip. It took my body three days to recover but I was glad that I did not need to take a trip to the emergency room thanks to an amazing herbal lung supplement that I take for my asthma. This natural supplement keeps my airways open so I can breathe after I am exposed to something that triggers my body to produce mucus that then causes an asthmatic cough. This powerful, one-of-a-kind Chinese herbal formula helps sustain a normal, healthy respiratory system by combining the traditionally-known properties of 13 perfectly-balanced herbs. Head over here to learn more about how this supplement helps me to manage my asthma symptoms naturally.

A healthy diet along with health supplements will boost our immune system

 These are the supplements that I am using to boost my immune system so I can stay healthy during this time of a virus outbreak. I am also making sure to keep up my regular exercise routine. For now, since I am staying home, I am enjoying the great outdoors and running. I find that daily exercise is so good for the body and mind. Exercise is also a great way to handle stress. Today when I went out running it was good to see many of my neighbors, who are working from home, out walking. This period of time when we are stuck at home may be tough but it too shall pass. Take this opportunity to take charge of your health. Now is also a good time to get your yard ready for summer enjoyment. I am using the time to pull weeds. If you prefer to use a natural weed killer that works in a day, check out this recipe for a DIY homemade weed killer.

How are you coping with the outbreak?