Look after yourself and your family during the silly season

Words DR CARLOS SANCHEZ

It’s that time of year again, when people are meant to reunite for these special festivities. This year it’s an unprecedented occasion, as not everyone will be able to join their families because of the restrictions of this very odd pandemic. It has been exhausting for those who have been under lockdowns, taking a big toll mentally and physically. For this reason, it is even more important to try to look after ourselves more seriously. The bombardment of bad news in the media has not helped. On the contrary, I have seen a lot of my patients in fear, creating chronic stress that is making them sick. As always, I try to promote healthy lifestyle changes that make us more resilient to infections and chronic disease.

This year I won’t be able to be physically present with my mother in Spain. It is very important to take advantage of technology to keep in touch and talk to our loved ones, particularly when we are meant to be together. Humans need close contact to be sane. I believe, from my clinical observation, that more and more people are suffering with extreme anxiety and depression as a consequence of the current restrictions. Being in the frontline of health, we GPs are busier than ever.

Hopefully, this odd dream of reality will finish soon. The real question is, how long can we endure this? We cannot remain in an eternal bubble of asepsis. The immune system requires constant interaction with the external world to keep efficient at protecting us. It was in the 19th century that a great rivalry between Louis Pasteur and Antoine Bechamp occurred – germ theory versus terrain theory. It is essential to create a hostile environment to those germs like viruses to remain healthy. Unfortunately, the great majority of the population is sick, creating the right terrain for infections to succeed in taking over the host.

It is during these times that we should be aware of not overindulging, making us weaker and prone to disease. It would be really encouraging to see the media promoting healthier lifestyle changes to prevent people from getting sick. This is rarely seen.

So if this Christmas season you can not reunite with your love ones, I encourage you to be mindful and care about your own health. Getting out in nature, eating well and exercising will help you to cope better under the current pandemic.

Take care, and have safe and happy festivities.

www.ibukihealth.com