DR MAX PEMBERTON: Phone off, put on pajamas and eat what you like when you recover

The news that the prime minister had been transferred to intensive care on Monday evening came as a shock to all of us.

Prove, if we needed it, that everyone is vulnerable to the destruction of Covid-19.

Fortunately, Boris Johnson is now out of the ICU at St. Thomas’ Hospital and would walk. But if we learn one lesson from his traumatic experience, we should all be learning our limits.

Mr. Johnson’s work ethic during the crisis that so suddenly engulfed us was admirable.

But I’m sure the fact that he continued to work after his initial diagnosis was a factor in his inability to fight the virus, as colleagues such as health secretary Matt Hancock and Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty have managed to do.

That said, I’m sure we’ve all been guilty of this. How many of us have started working with a cough or cold when we should have been at home and in bed?

We continue to believe that we will abandon others if we do not pull. In our ignorance – and dare I say arrogance – we refuse to give our bodies the chance it needs to heal and recover.

Before the advent of antibiotics and other powerful drugs and before the great advancements in medical technology, it was better seen as an important part of illness. But in our fast-paced world, we have lost the art of recovery. So now is a good time to rediscover it.

If you’re at home with symptoms of a coronavirus infection and self-isolation – or if you don’t feel at home with another disease – here’s my guide to a good recovery.

Do not check emails

Don’t even think about it, let alone answer them. Yes, it’s tempting to stay tuned, but this will quickly escalate when colleagues realize you’re available. Turn on the automatic answer and say you’re out of the office.

Limit your messages

Don’t make long text messages with colleagues or even family or friends – you can do it without the mental stimulation. Tell them you’re okay, but rest.

Watch movies, not TV

It is much more relaxing than watching live TV because there are no memories of the time, such as news breaks. Get lost in a movie and sleep if you feel like it.

Allow yourself treats

Forget the diet. Eat whatever you want. And if you have a craving, give in – it could be for the exact nutrients your body needs to fight the infection.

Listen to your body

Sleep when you want, eat when you want and let your body take charge.

Don’t dress

It’s just too tempting to tinker around the house. Keep your pajamas on and keep warm. Be sure to take a shower, but then put on clean pajamas instead of regular clothes.

You know yourself best

Trust your intuition about how you feel and what you need.

Accept help

Let others make you meals or cups of tea. If people offer to help, include them.

Drink plenty of water

It is the most important thing you can do for your body as it helps flush out toxins.

Rest on every occasion

If there are household chores you can’t avoid, sit down to do them whenever possible.

Pace yourself

Divide tasks into steps that can be done with breaks and try to do them when you have the most energy, usually in the morning or after a nap.

MY PERSONAL TIPS FOR BORIS

Please, take it easy. This is a marathon, not a sprint.

We want you to get back to work when you fight fit and not a day earlier.

The PM also has the perfect place for a period of recovery. The withdrawal of the Land of Checkers was left in 1917 by the First Lord of the Admiralty, Sir Arthur Lee, and his American heiress, wife Ruth, as “a place of rest and recreation for … prime ministers.”

There has never been a better time to take advantage of their wish.

Support is such an essential driver

This pandemic shows us how important friends are and how even small gestures can make a big impact.

As regular readers of this column will know, last week I was free from work with the suspected coronavirus and had to isolate myself for seven days.

I was so moved by the get well messages I received from readers, as well as many of my patients.

I’m much better now, thank you. And a special thanks to my fellow columnist Jan Moir, who sent the most amazing food package, packed with goodies, including delicious home-cooked meals.

It really gave me a boost. If you hear someone isolate themselves, get in touch to see if they need anything. It can make a world of difference.

When confronted with something as contagious and insidious as the coronavirus, you easily feel powerless, which in turn can cause fear and anxiety.

But the good news is that if the worst happens, we can do at least two things to maximize our chances of survival.

A recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that 25 percent of people who need to go to ICU smoke. And several studies have shown that overweight people are at an increased risk of complications.

A leading French epidemiologist, Professor Jean-François Delfraissy, has raised this particular concern this week and has warned that America – where nearly a third of its citizens are classified as obese – is facing a major problem.

Yes, there are factors, such as age, that we can’t do anything about, but the lockdown is an opportunity for smokers to think about quitting and being overweight to take steps to reduce their calories.

Tell us when the end comes

When people go through a painful ordeal, the most comfort gives them the assurance that the end is in sight. And so it is with the current lockdown.

Study after study has shown that individuals can withstand a remarkable amount of adversity if they only know it will not last forever.

One of those clinical experiments examined how people managed to control mild pain. If they were told how long their discomfort would last, the majority could hold out until the appointed time. But those who were not given an endpoint stopped the experiment much earlier. I learned in medical school how midwives use this technique to help women in childbirth. They remind them that a contraction only hurts for 60 seconds and then passes.

This has been shown to reduce not only the amount of analgesics an expectant mother demands, but also the likelihood of birth complications, since the woman is calmer and more relaxed. That is why the government must give us a clear timetable regarding the lock. Even if it needs to be revised later, it will give us hope to hold on to it. From a psychological perspective, it also keeps us motivated and committed to the rules.

We keep our side of the deal. It is important that ministers keep theirs.

I was horrified to learn that municipalities were closing parks because people are not following the social distance rules.

This is one reason to increase the rangers’ patrols, not to punish everyone for a minority who ignore the rules.

Such prohibitions disproportionately affect the poor, as they tend to live in smaller buildings without a garden. It is pitifully shortsighted from a mental health perspective.

People should get out and enjoy a different environment. Young children should run around.

Entry to parks is not a luxury that can be remembered if someone is naughty. It is an essential form of recreation that helps us all through this crisis in one piece.

Dr Max prescribes … Free taxis for NHS workers

Hats off to the Fishmongers Company’s Charitable Trust for a fantastic initiative in partnership with Minicabit, the largest taxi comparison service. The £ 150,000 scheme pays for minicabs to bring NHS employees to and from work during the pandemic.

This will be useful for workers coming out of late shifts and for workers in rural communities who often go on long journeys. It will also enable frontline personnel to avoid public transport, reducing their risk of infection.

Rides are free as long as money runs out and cover trips up to £ 50. If you know NHS staff, tell them. You can help keep it going by donating online at gofundme.com/f/free-cabs-for-nhs.