Practical and mindful advice to cope with COVID-19
Well, we certainly are living in strange times. And for many of us, there is a lot of concern and fear around the current situation with COVID-19, also referred to as Coronavirus.
Health and wellness are at the core of Lucyoga. So I wanted to reach out to all of you with some practical and mindful information about how Lucyoga is approaching COVID-19.
For those who currently attend Lucyoga classes
Please read below about hygiene and action I am requesting all who attend my classes to take. This is really important and I appreciate everyone’s community-minded cooperation.
Coping with Coronavirus fear
We all react differently to threats. Some of us are able to take them in our stride, but many of us feel fear and panic rising. Anxiety can easily spin out of control as we worry about what will happen, how it will impact us and those we love. And this is certainly being fed by news outlets and social media conversations right now.
Below I am going to share some yoga practices that are excellent for helping to process feelings of fear and panic so that you can stay mindful.
Stress is a huge strain on the immune system so it is a great gift to have your yoga practice to keep you centred and present to help deal with Coronovirus.
Staying healthy
All the information about COVID-19 tells us that the best way we can tackle this is to be healthy and have good hygiene.
Yoga supports your health through gentle physical exercise which reduces the stress response and balances the immune system. Along with a good diet and cardiovascular exercise, it is an invaluable tool in your health kit!
Natural sanitisers
I am providing home-made hand sanitising spray at classes, in addition to the request that all clients wash their hands before entering the class. You are welcome to use the spray or bring your own, but I also share some recipes below for making hand and surface sanitisers.
Please note that everything I am passing on in this blog is in the spirit of community sharing and nothing in this blog should be considered to be medical advice or a substitute for seeking full and proper medical advice when needed.
Please consult the NHS.UK website for the most up-to-date information and medical advice on COVID-19: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
Guidelines for current Lucyoga Class attendees relating to COVID-19
All classes are going ahead as normal. However, I ask that you follow these sensible actions and hygiene guidelines. This will mean we can all work together as a community to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
- Please wash your hands before you enter the class. Washing hands properly is much better than hand sanitiser, but that will also be available for you to use in class.
- Bring your own equipment. I will still supply yoga mats and blocks for those that need them, and ask that these are cleaned thoroughly with the provided cleaner at the end of class.
- Eye pillows and blankets won’t be loaned out for now. I have equipment ready to purchase if you are in need of anything, including eye pillows and yoga mats.
- Follow the general guidelines given by the NHS. If you have returned from any of the high-risk areas, or are showing any symptoms, please do not attend classes.
- If you are diagnosed with COVID-19 and have attended a class recently, please let me know.
- And as always bring your own water bottle or cup.
I will also be ensuring my own hygiene routine is thorough and won’t be doing any hands-on adjustments for the time being. I am keeping a close eye on developments and have read all the government guidelines for businesses at this time.
Please feel free to email me if you have any questions.
YouTube Playlist: Yoga for Fear, Panic and Anxiety
I have created this playlist to help calm feelings of fear, anxiety and panic. I’ve created this playlist of yoga videos specifically for dealing with the fear around the outbreak of COVID-19 (Coronavirus).
This Lucyoga playlist is focused on helping to bring body and mind back into a state of equilibrium. This will help calm the stress response and encourage a healthy immune system.
Yoga Mat Cleaner
I have made a simple yoga mat cleaner (which also works nicely as a hand sanitiser) and this is available in class for you to use. If you borrow any equipment then you must clean the mats and blocks with this before returning them.
- 1 teaspoon of Tea Tree Oil
- 10 drops of Lavender oil
- 1.5 cup of Distilled White Vinegar
- 1 cup of cooled boiled water
I have increased the amount of White Vinegar because of its antimicrobial properties, but it is more pungent. The smell disappears after a minute or so.
Thieves Oil
Thieves oil is made from a combination of Clove, Cinnamon, Eucalyptus, Rosemary and Lemon essential oils. Dating back to the time of the plague, this oil was apparently used by thieves to keep themselves safe from infection when robbing the dead (!!).
Make Thieves Oil by combining the oils in a small bottle – if you are using it on your skin or as a cleaning spray you will need to dilute it.
The basic recipe is:
- 35 drops of clove essential oil
- 30 drops of lemon essential oil
- 15 drops of cinnamon essential oil
- 13 drops of eucalyptus essential oil
- 7 drops rosemary essential oil
You can then use it neat in a diffuser at home or dilute with (boiled and cooled) water for a spray. If you want to rub it on your skin then add it to a carrier oil like sweet almond or coconut oil*.
*NOTE: the oils used are quite strong and if you have any skin sensitivities it’s best to test them before using liberally.
I am not an aromatherapist – the information here has been pulled together for you from online research. Most of the articles online suggest ingesting the oil which is NOT recommended by most qualified aromatherapists.
You can read more in one of the articles I consulted about Thieves Oil and its uses here: https://blog.paleohacks.com/thieves-oil
In kindness, compassion and health
Lucy x