With many of us practicing physical distancing, working from home, and self-isolating, we wanted to focus on the positives and what we can do to protect our mental and physical well-being. During times of uncertainty, many emotions can come up, and it is especially important to take care of ourselves. Although all this extra time might seem a little daunting at first, below are some tips and resources to make staying in as enjoyable as possible. All of these can be done from the comfort of your home and we encourage you to try and incorporate at least one of these suggestions in your daily regime.
1. Cook up a Storm!
If there’s one thing we love here at Growing Chefs!, it’s FOOD! It may seem like an episode of Master Chef trying to figure out what you can do with only so many ingredients available, and we encourage you to get creative in the kitchen. There are so many great resources out there for recipes, and a quick internet search will help guide you on your way. For those with dietary limitations, new in the kitchen or have picky eaters to tend to, there are tons of community groups you can join on social media where people post all sorts of recipes. Not into cooking? Many local restaurants and meal prep businesses are still offering services to get food to you. The Vancouver Farmers Market is soon to go online as well! Vancouver Coastal Health also posted this great resource on connecting around food. Keep an eye on our social media as we will be posting resources and recipes to keep you satiated.
2. Grow A Plant, Or Two...Or Three...Or Four...
There’s nothing more satisfying than watching something you’ve started to grow flourish. As our Chef Educator Selma explains, all you need is a window, seeds, soil, a container and water. Garden centers like GardenWorks are currently considered an essential service and a great place to get started when looking for supplies. West Coast Seeds is a great place to get seeds from. For those who might need some convincing, there are many reasons to start your own garden, including learning new skills, improving mental and physical health, taking ownership over growing your own food, helping the environment and building a sense of community. New to gardening? We got you covered! Stay tuned for lessons on how to start your own garden at home, regardless of how little space you may think you have.
3. Meditation
Not just a buzzword, meditation has many benefits to it! Research shows that meditation can aid with everything from stress and anxiety reduction to improving memory and concentration. Even just 5 minutes daily can be helpful. Find one that works for you; there are so many styles including guided, instrumental and affirmation based. If you find sitting in meditation challenging, feel free to lie down. Yoga nidra is a style of guided meditation where you lie in savasana, set an intention, practice breath work, visualization and go through a body scan. It’s said 20 minutes of yoga nidra is the equivalent to 2 hours of deep sleep! If none of this appeals to you, try a meditative activity - whether it’s cooking, journal writing; anything that allows you to focus on the present moment. Free resources include: Insight Timer, Yoga Nidra Network, Headspace, Balance, Prana Breath, Calm.com, Healthy Minds and MindShift CBT. Many Vancouver organizations and studios are offering free meditations through Instagram, Facebook and Zoom and Youtube has great resources as well.
4. Movement
We have all been lectured on the importance of movement, but it is definitely something we encourage during this time. Check out Program Coordinator Amanda doing our famous vegetable stretch to get you and the family moving! Many Vancouver yoga studios including Karma Teachers, One Yoga for the People, YYoga, Unity Yoga and Modo Yoga are offering free classes through Instagram, Facebook and their individual websites. Individual teachers are also hosting classes, and you can find your favourite teacher through social media. There are also many gyms offering classes, and a handful of free at-home workout apps like Downdog that allow you to workout from the comfort of your own home.
5. Take a Deep Breath
When we “belly breathe” we are actually breathing through our diaphragm, which is connected to our nervous system via the vagus nerve. More specifically, it allows us to bring our nervous system into the “parasympathetic” mode, where we are relaxed, resting and digesting. For a lot of us, we spend most of our day rushing around, potentially contributing to chronic cortisol release. Although this response is healthy in small doses, when we are in it all the time, it can really take a toll on our body. There are many breathing exercises including: Awareness of Breath, Astronaut Breath, Double Length Exhale Breath, Three Part Breath and Alternate Nostril Breathing. Practice these throughout the day to help calm the nervous system. Check out “this resource” on tutorials for different breathing techniques.
6. Plan a Quaran-Tea Time with your Loved Ones
Physical distancing doesn’t mean social distancing. Just because we are staying at home, doesn’t mean we have to cut communication from friends and family. Take this time to reach out to those far and wide, and plan some happy hour tea times where you can connect. There are many platforms out there including Zoom, Facetime, Facebook Messenger, Skype and Google Hangouts, that make connecting with people so much easier! Check out “this” great Time Zone Converter that allows you to easily view and compare the time zones of different cities. I recently chatted with a friend in the Philippines and South Africa at the same time!
7. Declutter & Donate
What a great time to take a step back and reflect on “What do I really need”? If you haven’t used or worn something in 6-months, time to donate. Have three sets of dinnerware? Time to donate. There are many thrift stores, including the BC SPCA and different shelters that are accepting donations, whilst following health and safety guidelines. If you have extra food to spare, services like the Greater Vancouver Food Bank are looking for donations. Not the hoarding type? Many local and small businesses are offering virtual services and gift cards in attempts to stay afloat. If donating money isn’t available, check out GoVolunteer and Purposely for information on organizations that are looking for volunteers (virtually and in-person). We also recommend checking in with your local neighbourhood house, food bank and community centres to see what they need. Keep an eye on our social media and emails for different ways to assist.
8. Connect with your Inner Child - Learn Something New!
Who said colouring is for kids only? If you already binged watched all your favourite shows, why not paint, colour or do a puzzle. Always wanted to learn a language? Visit a museum or a national park? What about that book that you keep postponing to read? The guitar shoved behind the couch? Take a moment to write down anything you have always wanted to do but never got a chance to. There are so many ways to learn virtually including Podcasts and TedTalks. Edx offers free online courses from different universities, and Harvard is even offering a free 2-week course on “The Science of Well-Being”. You can also take a virtual tour of cities, museums, and archaeological sites on websites like “here” and “here”. You can learn a language through apps like Duoligo. The DC Environmental Film Festival and the Banff Film Festival are also offering free documentaries. Two permaculture films, “Living Soil” and “Inhabit” are offering their movies for free.
9. Bask in Self-Love
Spring is traditionally the time for cleansing, and why not pamper yourself during? Have a candle-light magnesium bath, make a DIY face mask, drink your favourite cuppa tea or mocktail at home. Create an “I’m awesome” list, and write in it what you love about yourself. What comforts you? What makes you feel good? Eat a nourishing meal, take a break - do what brings you joy! Treat yourself as if you would treat a friend or a loved one. Self-love is so important for stress reduction and we challenge you to tune in and be kind to yourself. There are some great “self-care bingo cards” out there if you’re looking for more ideas.
10. Show Gratitude
It is especially important during this time to show gratitude for what we do have.Throughout the day, perhaps before each meal, take a moment to recognize all the positive things you have in your life. The people, experiences, items, knowledge - there is no limit. What fills you with joy and love when you think about them? Write it down. Also take this moment to show gratitude to all the doctors, nurses, healthcare practitioners, cashiers, delivery workers and all those on the frontlines who are working tirelessly to help with this situation. Every night at 7:00 pm join hundreds of other Vancouverites in cheering on all of these people.