Respond to stress by eating healthy and exercising.
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – The adaptation process in living a new life order due to the Covid-19 pandemic can make many individuals feel anxious. Most of the activities undergo changes. The whole family is at home all day, work and school schedules are changing.
This condition is alleged to increase anxiety which in turn can increase stress. Stress can also make a person stay away from healthy eating habits and ultimately have a negative impact on the body.
Herbalife Senior Director Nutrition Education and Training Susan Bowerman says the body’s natural response to stress makes a person more active and alert. “However, if the response to stress is activated continuously, it will overload the immune system, making it more difficult for the body to ward off disease,” he said.
A good immune system relies on a diet rich in nutrients, so it is necessary to ensure that the body’s nutrition is fulfilled as one of the best defenses against disease, especially in facing times of uncertainty like today. Susan admitted that it was easier said than done.
“Because stress can also cause fatigue and depression. If so an easy escape is to eat,” he said.
He explained that if the change occurs by consuming caffeine to ward off fatigue, then it could also backfire, disrupting sleep.
Meanwhile, if the food consumed is high in calories, it can stimulate the release of certain chemicals in the brain that make a person feel better.
“At least it happens in the short term and makes us want to eat continuously. Keep in mind that overeating can cause weight gain which can lead to psychological stress and end up eating more,” he said.
In order to respond to stress on the body, a number of efforts are required. First, eat a balanced diet. Second, eat regularly and don’t skip meals.
“When stressed, it’s easy to delay eating or even skip it. As a result, energy levels will drop, and you may stop eating when you finally eat a snack,” he said.
Therefore, try to eat small amounts of food more frequently throughout the day. Third, avoid eating as a stress reliever. It can be done with a brisk walk or a cup of herbal tea can help reduce stress.
Fourth, reduce caffeine because people often feel less energy when they are stressed so they switch to consuming caffeine to restore mood, but it can interfere with sleep at night. Finally, try to separate meal times from work times or other sources of stress.
“If you eat at the table at work, or at dinner and think of other responsibilities, then try to take extra time to slow down and relax while eating. That way, you will tend to eat less and enjoy mealtime,” he said.
Heart attack
A cardiologist from Siloam Kebon Jeruk Hospital, Dr. Antono Sutandar SpJP-K, said stress can cause a person to suffer a heart attack. There are nine factors that cause heart attack risk, namely smoking, hypertension, cholesterol, obesity, diabetes, stress, alcohol, lack of exercise, eating less vegetables and fruits.
“In the past, cigarettes, high blood pressure and alcohol were mostly caused, but stress is also the main cause of heart attacks,” said Antono.
Antono explained that this year, many tend to experience stress due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Apart from the life-threatening danger of Covid-19, life pressure is also getting heavier because many workers have been laid off. The stress condition is exacerbated by an unhealthy lifestyle.
Antono advised the public to get it managing stress during a pandemic, exercise regularly and stop smoking.
The difference in tightness
Antono explained that there were differences hard to breathe among Covid-19 patients and heart problems. If shortness of breath is due to Covid-19, then high fever, complaints in the upper respiratory tract, such as coughs, colds, and others are preceded.
“The symptoms experienced by Covid-19 patients do not limit functional activities, so they can still carry out various activities as well as when they have the flu,” he said. Meanwhile, shortness of breath results heart problems usually occurs in the lower tract, especially the lungs.
This is because when the heart is disturbed, fluid will collect in the lungs. “If you do activities, the tightness will increase,” he said.
For those who have a history of heart disease, Antono recommends being diligent in exercising control at the hospital. Currently, the hospital applies strict health protocol standards requiring rapid testing. Meanwhile, patients who will be operated on must take a swab test.
Meanwhile, another cardiologist from Siloam Kebon Jeruk Hospital, Dr. Maizul Anwar SpBTKV, said pandemic Covid-19 makes many sufferers of heart problems afraid to go to the hospital. Though the disease is very risky.
Maizul asked people with heart problems not to delay getting medical services. If the patient is required to receive surgical services, he must take a swab and quarantine test. If infected with Covid-19, then the operation is postponed until the person concerned is cured.
source: Between
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