DR MAX THE MIND DOCTOR: Unleash your creativity and feel SMILES better during coronavirus locking
How was it for you? Closed for a month and with no delay in sight, it’s starting to be a life sentence, right?
One day collapses the next and I have forgotten how a weekend feels more.
This new way of life was not easy for our emotional well-being – not even for me.
In fact, when the lockdown was first implemented I got a shock. I had spent the day at the hospital where I work, frantically discharging patients and changing services so that we could accommodate the predicted influx of coronavirus patients.
Unleash your creativity and feel better smiling during the coronavirus lock, writes DR MAX THE MIND DOCTOR
On the way home I stopped at Tesco and suddenly felt completely overwhelmed. I wish it was all over and able to resume normal life. But then I looked around the supermarket and it occurred to me that everyone would feel the same.
And that gave me some comfort: the realization that we are all in this together.
Given the extraordinary circumstances we find ourselves in – nearly 20,000 deaths and counting from the Covid-19 virus – it is normal to be frustrated or angry, lonely, confused, scared or anxious. Or all of the above!
That’s why it’s important to be prepared for the inevitable wobble – like my Tesco moment – to avoid having a deeper impact on our mental health.
That’s why I’m proud to be the ambassador for the Public Health England Every Mind Matters campaign – supported by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge – who promoted simple steps this week to help people protect their mental health.
The campaign was originally launched last October, but we felt there was a need for updated tips and advice.
Here are some proven tips for dealing with continuous locking:
1. Physical and mental well-being are related, so exercise every day. There are online classes in everything from yoga to Tai chi and boxing, and tons of famous DVDs to inspire.
2. Prioritize sleep – go to bed early and get up early, etc.
3. Take a deep breath now and then. Slow, measured breathing relaxes your mind and turns you off from the outside world.
It is important to be prepared for the inevitable wobble to avoid having a deeper impact on our mental health
4. Stay positive! The way we think, feel and behave are all interrelated. Make positive thinking a habit and you are better prepared for setbacks.
5. Don’t be afraid to share your concerns and seek support. We all need help from time to time. (And make sure others feel the same way.)
6. Make the most of the extra time that working from home (WFH) gives you. Challenge your brain by learning a language, picking up puzzles, or tackling that classic novel you think you should read. It will distract you from things, while setting goals is a great way to feel a sense of accomplishment.
Create a routine. There is so much uncertainty at the moment, and regular routines give both children and adults an increased sense of safety and security. Make a plan for every day, including time for work, meals, relaxation and exercise. Speaking of food …
8. Stick to normal meals and bedtimes. At WFH there is also the temptation to stay in bed or to work longer.
9. Don’t forget to plan when you feel down. Call a friend, listen to music or take a candlelight bath – whatever works for you.
10. Unleash your creativity – paint, draw, write poems, take pictures or just color in! You discover a side of yourself that you never knew existed.
Soldiers can help the NHS win this battle
Military personnel have criticized the NHS for its “appalling” treatment of the distribution of personal protective equipment. They claimed that the NHS logistics were “knackered” and wondered why certain important items were not rationed.
A soldier takes a cotton swab from a key worker at a drive-through test station at Chessington World of Adventures in Surrey
The military has now been brought in to bring the equipment to the front line. Bring it on, I say!
A colleague working in a test center where the military has helped says he is surprised at how they ‘just did things’.
In such situations, you realize how much time is wasted in the NHS because of bureaucracy and red tape. It is reminiscent of the Nike slogan ‘Just do it’.
Perhaps the NHS could use some military know-how, discipline, efficiency and logistics expertise.
I am concerned about the impact of the pandemic on children’s education. It is estimated that two-thirds of students have failed to log in to online classes, while students in private schools are twice as likely to take daily online classes as they are in public schools.
I’m afraid the poorest of the poor will fall even further behind in their studies, making it almost impossible for them to catch up, leading to even more inequality in society. Sir Michael Wilshaw, former head of Ofsted, said students aged 10 and 12 may need to repeat school for a year to catch up.
I agree – and I hope this is rolled out even further. Yes, it will be expensive and complicated to organize. But students should be given the best opportunities and if that means staying an extra year at school, they should.
Why all lives should count
This lockdown is not without consequences. Just as it will save some lives, it will eventually cost others as well.
The NHS Urges Hospitals to Reconfigure Surgical Cancer Services to Create Covid-Free Hubs to Minimize Delays in Treatment of Cancer Patients
We have already seen spikes in non-corona deaths, possibly as a result of heart attack or stroke victims not receiving the treatment they needed in time from an excessively long NHS. We will see these numbers grow.
In the mail this week, Professor Karol Sikora warned that there could be up to 50,000 additional cancer deaths from diagnostic scans, delayed treatment and surgery due to the Covid-19 crisis and breast, cervical and colon cancer screening programs in the coming years .
Therefore, I am pleased that the NHS is urging hospitals to reconfigure surgical cancer services to create “Covid-free hubs” to minimize delays in treating cancer patients. The goal is to reassure people with non-corona conditions that they will receive hospital treatment if they need it.
Yes, the blockage helps prevent coronavirus deaths, but we need to continuously evaluate the consequences for other patients so that they do not become additional harm from this pandemic.
The speed at which scientists have responded to the Covid-19 crisis is awe-inspiring. Scientists at the University of Oxford began testing the first vaccine on Thursday and will test it on about 500 volunteers in mid-May.
If successful, they will give it to thousands more volunteers.
That’s amazingly fast, given how complex vaccine development is. And we didn’t even know the coronavirus existed six months ago.
We British are strict with ourselves and often dwell on failures. But it is important to remember that we have a rich history and many milestones in medicine and science – not least that our own Dr. Edward Jenner created the first vaccine with cowpox material in 1796 to vaccinate against smallpox. We’ve given vaccines to the world and now we’re leading the search for them. We don’t do too bad for a small island.
Dr. Max prescribes … Benefits of eating black garlic
Regular consumption of garlic is said to alleviate high blood pressure and excess cholesterol – and is said to even reduce the risk of contracting certain cancers.
So it should come as no surprise that I try to eat it every day. It is certainly good for social distance! But I recently came across black garlic, made by aging plain white garlic until the cloves turn black, soft and sticky.
It tastes surprisingly sweet and is odorless. Add it to any dish or eat the cloves alone. It’s the perfect solution for those who don’t like the taste of garlic, but still want the health benefits.
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