How solidarity can help the immune system

The human body is a perfect system, commanded by the brain, the main organ and center of the nervous system in all animals. Fascinating and mysterious, it even concentrates our emotions in what is called the limbic system, where the hypothalamus, hippocampus and amygdala. The hypothalamus, for example, regulates hormones and maintains the balance of the body, so it is not difficult to understand how delicate the structure is of, simply put, being well emotionally to maintain health.

Current challenges put this delicate equation in check because insecurity, isolation and forced new routine can work contribute to stress. In the game of emotional dominoes, increasing stress can topple the immunity. That is, more than ever is the time to keep emotions in check. And it’s not easy.

“The routine of most people was abruptly changed and, to deal with so many changes, a good dose of discipline is needed. Having a routine is essential to maintain emotional balance, stop anxiety and stay productive”, explains Douglas Maluf, life trainer and creator of the MD Method. “We are facing a scenario that awakens fragility, vulnerability and a feeling of impotence. Therefore, being able to access one’s own internal resources to deal with all these challenges is extremely valuable”, he points out.

Douglas suggests 3 strategies to deal with the situation, starting in the morning, with “small daily rituals” where automating tasks helps with the feeling of efficiency. “Repetition is powerful, it works as a trigger to include healthier habits in your routine, whether it be exercising, meditating or taking an online course, for example”, he suggests. The second part is not to ignore the fears and anxieties that have arisen with the pandemic. Acknowledging feelings is paramount, but it is the third strategy that is most important: make choices. “It’s our little daily choices that influence our routine. We cannot control external factors, however, we have complete control over how we choose to react to them”, she says.

The essential thing is to be able to map our emotions to identify where our limiting beliefs or harmful patterns are. ANDAvoiding emotional instability is important in order not to generate/contribute to physical dysfunctions in the body, the so-called psychosomatic illnesses. This is because if the brain detects a higher level of stress and anxiety, it generates an alert to the body itself that something is wrong. That is, mood swings influence neurotransmitter hormones. “UA person who lives stressed, rushed and anxious, ends up producing a lot of cortisol. Over time, this can end up causing problems in the digestive system, heart disease and even Alzheimer’s”, he cites the example. The counterpart of good humor can also be felt in the body. 🇧🇷Oxytocin, which is the hormone associated with love, affection, and empathy, is thought to be antagonistic to cortisol. Because of this, it is responsible for protecting us from certain diseases”, he gives the tip.

And how to do it when it seems impossible to control the triggers around us? According to Douglas, routine helps a lot at this time. If you are working from home, remember to include breaks throughout the day to depressurize. If you are without an activity with certain hours, staying productive somehow, exercising and maintaining a balanced diet. But the most important thing is to learn to filter information by looking for reliable sources. 🇧🇷Doing a news detox is a way of not being swallowed by fear, which generates even more stress and anxiety. Staying all the time on social media or keeping an eye on the news is not healthy. Of course, staying well informed is key to understanding the bigger picture, but pick specific times of the day to do this,” he suggests.

And do you know the main tip for maintaining emotional balance? Solidarity. That’s right, helping people helps keep us well. “When we help someone, our body releases a hormone called oxytocin. This substance, in addition to contributing to softening toxic emotions, is responsible for activating reward centers in the brain and generating a sense of well-being. It improves mood, increases sense of purpose, reduces stress and lowers anxiety levels,” he says.

And that’s what some people have felt. To occupy her mind and heart, the actress and producer Mary Gal felt motivated to give more help at that time. “THEI fit embracing many social causes. Support for “Gerando Falcões”, “Women in Combat”, “SP against the coronavirus”, “Listas Fortes” and “Uneafro Brasil”’, she says. “THEI believe that at this moment we need to exercise our generosity, citizenship and empathy with people on a daily basis”, he says.

The actress’s routine has changed a lot in recent weeks, with ups and downs of anxiety. “Now I’m in a phase where things and feelings are more balanced, mainly. I started to exercise a lot and created a schedule of lives on subjects that can help other people right now, such as English classes – I went back to studying this language that I really like -, physical exercises and debate on current topics, such as racism, for example. Always with the help of professionals and inspiring people, such as Djamila Ribeirowho will talk to me on May 5”, he comments.

This moment is to help! And I ended up embracing many social causes, in addition to “Gerando Falcões”, I am also supporting “Mulheres no Combate”, “SP contra o coronavirus”, “Listas Fortes” and “Uneafro Brasil”, for example, and I have mobilized my public, who have been amazing and helping more and more people.

The Digital Marketing Manager, Taina Martins has also been betting on solidarity as an ally in this period of quarantine. In the first week of isolation, she made food for 50 people by herself. The warm ones were donated in downtown Rio de Janeiro. “THEWatching the local newspaper report on homeless people who were hungry amid the Coronavirus pandemic, I was devastated. How could I help?” she comments. 🇧🇷It’s not much, I know, but it’s what I managed to do. I took a little affection and energy to those who needed it, to those who felt hungry. While delivering, I thought that less and less I wanted to waste food, that it would give me strength to keep doing it and ease the pain of those who have nothing”, she says.

It’s the alternative to doing good to stay well. A kind of ‘positive selfishness’, which helps everyone, especially yourself.

In times of isolation, it is not so much effort to be productive: