Perhaps you’ve said this in the last few days. I
imagine quite a few people have said this
recently. With schools closed, and no play time
with friends, and little connection with others in
general, many people of all ages are bored!! I
know when I was a kid and I told my Mom I was
bored, she would hand me a broom and tell me
that the kitchen floor needed to be swept. So be
careful what you ask for.
The coronavirus, which causes a disease called
COVID-19, has surely changed our worlds
dramatically, certainly our day to day activities
but also how we think and how we feel. Some
may be angry about not being able to do what
they want. Others may be scared about getting
the infection and/or about giving it to someone
else. Others may just not care at all. None of
these options are the best option so let’s take a
minute and talk about it so we can act smart and
be our best.
First, there’s no reason to be afraid of germs and
viruses. Germs are everywhere, they always
have been, and they always will be. You have at
least as many germs in your body right this
minute as you do cells. As for viruses, there are
lots of different viruses and some of them can
make you feel pretty lousy like when you get a
bad stomach ache or have a bad cold. Maybe
you’ve already had something like that. What
you should remember, no matter how sick you
were, is that your body has the innate ability to
adapt and to heal. Isn’t that amazing! You may
feel lousy for a time, but that’s your body
working to adapt, and then you heal and are well
again.
The thing about coronavirus is that it’s new, so
our bodies have never encountered it before. If
we look at the most common symptoms with
this virus though, they are not unlike other types
of flu. People get fevers, sore throats, and
coughs and all of these are signs that our bodies
are fighting to adapt to the virus. A fever makes
your body an unfavorable place for the virus to
live, and a cough is a means to eliminate the
virus from your body. Most people who have
been infected by the coronavirus have had only
a mild case. There aren’t a lot of cases at all in
kids, and those that have been reported tend to
be very mild.
Still, you should use common sense. Wash your
hands regularly and definitely after any
bathroom use, before eating anything, and after
going to public places. And don’t just splash a
little water around. Use soap and rub those
hands together for 20 seconds. Also, you
shouldn’t just cover you cough or sneeze, you
should cover it with your elbow instead of your
hand. This not only keeps germs from spraying
into the air, but it keeps you from spreading
them from your hands to others. Also, try NOT
to touch your face especially your eyes, nose,
and mouth. (You shouldn’t have your finger in
your nose anyhow!! Yuk!!)
Remember your amazing body is constantly
adapting to help you live in the midst of all kinds
of germs and viruses. It has done that
successfully since the moment of your birth and
it won’t stop now. Your body is smart and your
body is strong and it’s always better able to
adapt when your nerve system is functioning at
its best. Your chiropractor can help you with that.
Stay well, wash your hands, and by all means,
don’t tell your parents that you’re bored!!
—By Judy Nutz Campanale, DC, ACP
