Go Back to Basics
MEDICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH UPDATE
Yesterday Mayor Bowser announced that DC’s phased reopening starts TOMORROW. To me, it’s a mixed bag of good news and bad. The good news is that my hairdresser is back in business. The bad news is it’s still quite risky to get my roots dyed.
How risky?
It depends on the SUM of the risk that I bring to the salon PLUS the risk that the salon brings to me.
In other words, if I’ve been following the rules (MOSH PIT style) for at least two weeks, my risk to the staff and other customers is low. And if the salon is able to 1) distance customers from one another, 2) practice vigilant hygiene, 3) ventilate the space, 4) wash, color, and blowdry my hair from a reasonable distance (???) AND we all wear masks AND all of the other customers have been diligently following the rules, too, we’re better off than if none of these things happened. Yikes.
Can we eliminate risk? No. Can we mitigate risk? Absolutely. Can one person in the salon be carrying the virus and unwittingly infect others? Yes. Might that person be a super spreader? Absolutely. Might your hair be a top priority? Yes! And will I judge you when I see your glamorous groomed self on an outdoor patio sipping a cocktail from a distance? NO!
My advice? Learn to love your gray—or try L’Oreal Root Dye Kit, available at CVS for $7. If you accidentally go a little too dark like I did, on day one you’ll look a bit like late-stage Elvis Presley, but after a few washes you’ll be just fine.
Does this mean I won’t EVER set foot in a salon again? Not at all. What I mean is: weigh your risks of getting infected (and infecting others) against the benefits of the activity.
My other advice on facing the future? You got it: join the MOSH PIT to mitigate risk.
Let’s also get BACK TO THE BASICS of your general health. When your day-to-day body is healthier, your chances of getting sick from COVID-19 are significantly reduced.
To remind: my other handy-dandy mnemonic device is STEM.
S = sleep
It’s essential for our health and wellbeing. It helps our immune system, mood, stress levels, and cognition (to name a few). If you’re anything like me, sleep can be as elusive as your car keys. So just do the best you can. There’s very little downside to low-dose Melatonin (1-3 mg), and ZERO downside to breathing, stretching, meditating, reading a book, and/or listening to calm music at bedtime. Give those a whirl.
T = talk about stress, mood, and how you feel
Talk to your partner, best friend, dog, or whomever will listen. It’s essential to catalogue, sort, and address our thoughts and feelings. Otherwise they zoom around in your head with nowhere to land. Reach out to a therapist. This is the perfect moment to ask for help with your mental health—not because you’re crazy but because you are HUMAN. You need it, deserve it, and it’s good for your health to talk it out.
E = eating
This is NOT the time to diet, fast, “cleanse” or experiment with extreme eating. What your body needs in crisis is three decent meals a day—not Pinterest-perfect but ideally with protein, veggies, healthy fats, and whole grains. Food is fuel, and good nutrition is an essential part of our health. But forgive yourself if you ate cookies for breakfast, and then do your best at lunch. (Pictured here is me doing just that.) When we skip meals, diet, and restrict certain foods when not medically necessary, we only fire up our stress hormones and make things worse. BE NICE TO YOURSELF. We’re in a global pandemic. It’s not the time to be a runway model (is it ever??)
M = movement
It doesn’t have to be fancy, sexy, or even pretty, but try to move your body every day. Whether it’s 10 minutes of stretching or a Florence Griffith Joyner-style sprint, just GET AFTER IT. Movement calms our adrenaline, helps us sleep, and keeps our bodies and minds healthy.
I’ll be back tomorrow with more updates to get you through the weekend. Until then, be well.
P.S. Join me TOMORROW at 2 pm on Instagram LIVE with NYC pediatrician and parenting expert Kelly Fradin, MD. We’ll answer your burning questions about the pandemic.
P.P.S. Here’s a link to a wonderful digital Teen Magazine For Parents. It was fun to be interviewed by their editor, Sue Borison (see page 52). Check out the whole issue for great tips for teens!