15 Sep Hurricane Harvey: How to Get Back Into a Healthy Routine After a Crisis
August 2017 saw one of the worst hurricanes in the history of the U.S. making landfall. While the incredible wind speeds caused some damage, it was the torrential rain and subsequent flooding that ravaged Texas.
Hurricane Harvey seemed apocalyptic to residents of the Gulf Coast. It left towns completely devastated. Individuals lost their homes, their possessions, and some even lost their loved ones.
In the face of all of this heartbreak, Texans came together. They worked together to save and protect their neighbors – whether they knew them or not. What people throughout the U.S. witnessed on their televisions were neighborly love, compassion, and hope.
Life goes on. People will move on with their lives. But many of the residents of Texas have an uphill battle to face as they try to rebuild their lives.
When people deal with such inconceivable hardships, the thought of focusing on healthy eating tends to go out the window. In fact, finding fresh, healthy food might not even be possible.
As the weeks and months progress, though, it’s important to try and get back into a healthy routine. Read on to find out how this can be possible after crises like this.
Better Living Post Harvey: How to Get Back Into a Healthy Routine
After going through a crisis like Hurricane Harvey, eating healthy can be difficult. Stress takes a toll and people turn to food for comfort. And after such a disaster, finding healthy food can be difficult because they often tend to be the most perishable.
While people may have to eat non-perishables for a while, they can slowly and surely make healthier choices.
1. Eat Plenty of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
Where they can find them, people should do their best to get some fresh fruits and vegetables into their diet. They may not be readily available at first, but when they are, they’re a wonderful investment for your health and wellbeing.
2. Get Enough Nutrients
If a person can’t get fresh fruits and vegetables, it is more likely that they could end up dealing with nutritional deficiencies. It is therefore very important to take daily multi-vitamin supplements.
3. Get Back Into an Exercise Routine
Exercise is so important. It helps reduce stress, strengthen the immune system, and prevent weight gain. Try to exercise at least four times a week for a minimum of 30 minutes.
4. Try Stress-Reducing Exercises
Whether a person is dealing with stress at work or at home, or they’re dealing with a crisis like Harvey, they need to start reducing the stress as soon as possible.
Stress can lead to lowered immune response, pain, and heart disease.
It’s best to try to take at least 20 minutes a day to do some form of stress-reducing exercises, like deep breathing, meditation, journaling, or visualization exercises. These exercises will help people restore their emotional balance.
5. Don’t Beat Yourself Up
Life happens. It’s hard to eat healthy 100% of the time. Whether a person is dealing with chronic stress, illness, or some external crisis like a natural disaster – it’s not always easy to eat healthy food. And that’s okay.
A person should not beat themselves up over something like this. Instead, recognize the situation for what it is, and then take steps the next day (or even in the next moment) to make healthier choices.
The Support Doesn’t Stop with Natural Disaster Relief Efforts
Right now, Texans are working hard to clean up the mess that Harvey left for them. They’ll continue their work to rebuild their homes and their lives in the months to come. And as is true of what’s been seen on the news, Texans and relief workers from around the U.S. will come together to help their neighbors.
But the support doesn’t have to stop there. When a person is rebuilding their life, they shouldn’t just focus on their home and possessions – they should focus on their health and wellbeing. It is these things, after all, that will give them the energy and resources to rebuild.
Anyone who has been through a crisis – whether a literal hurricane or a hurricane-like obstacle – should use this rebuilding period to find a support system. A support system could be their friends, family members, or an online or in-person support group. These people will serve as a stabilizing force in a person’s life, helping them rebuild their life and their health.
Are you interested in learning more about how to eat more healthfully? Please call us to schedule a consultation. We can discuss weight loss options – including surgical and nutritional steps you can take to live a healthier life.
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