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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b>From:</b> Joyce Taylor <dr.joycetaylor56@gmail.com> <br><b>Sent:</b> Saturday, March 21, 2020 12:55 AM<br><b>To:</b> 'Nfbfl-faith@groups.io' <Nfbfl-faith@groups.io><br><b>Subject:</b> Weekend Devotions: (Saturday, March 21, 2020)Tips to Boost our Immune System and Reduce Stress<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Hello Everyone! For such a time as this, let us lift up our eyes to the hills from which cometh our help; our help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth (Psalms 121). Yes, right in the midst of it all, God is yet in control! He reigns on the throne forever more. And now that He has our full attention, let us obey 2 Chronicles 7:14 where He is speaking to His people and instructing us as to what we should be doing. It reads as thus, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land”. If we humble, pray, seek and turn, then God will forgive and heal the land. So let’s humble ourselves and exalt God; and pray for one another; also seek His face and turn from our wicked ways, then watch God show up and show out because His Word cannot return unto Him void, it (the Word) is forever settled in heaven. God cannot lie – so whatever He says has to come to fruition. These things have to take place because they are written in the Bible; therefore, we should not be surprised because God knows all about it. Nothing catches Him by surprise because He is all knowing. So put your trust in Him and lean not to your own understanding; you will never figure it all out; but in all our ways acknowledge Him and He will direct our path. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>So while we are going through this pandemic, don’t be distracted, stay focused and trust in God! <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Listed below are a few tips I found to be very helpful to me (along with my scriptures of course). It is a little lengthy; however, since God called a shut in, this might be a good time to meditate and grow naturally and spiritually.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Be encouraged.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>God bless,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Dr. Joyce Taylor, VP, MSCC<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Communities of Faith Committee Member<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:15.0pt;line-height:41.25pt'><b><span style='font-size:37.5pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:#333333'>Boost Your Immune System to Fight Viruses and Reduce Stress/Anxiety<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:15.0pt;line-height:41.25pt'><b><span style='font-size:37.5pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:#333333'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.25pt'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:#666666'>Science-backed tips for strengthening your immune response quickly and effectively<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:22.5pt'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#62727B'>by Hallie Levine, <a href="https://www.aarp.org/"><b><span style='color:#333333'>AARP</span></b></a>, March 11, 2020 | Comments: 44 <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'><img border=0 width=624 height=359 style='width:6.5in;height:3.7395in' id="Picture_x0020_5" src="cid:image011.jpg@01D5FF1B.57003950" alt="a group of older people meditating outdoors on a sunny day"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:7.5pt;line-height:12.75pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#62727B;text-transform:uppercase'>Getty Images<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.25pt'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'><a href="https://www.aarp.org/espanol/salud/vida-saludable/info-2020/aumentar-las-defensas-del-sistema-inmunologico.html?intcmp=AE-HLTH-TOSPA-TOGL-ES"><span style='color:#2F7899'>En espaņol</span></a> | When it comes to fighting coronavirus, you already know that handwashing and avoiding those who may be sick are key precautions. But experts say that boosting your immune system may also give you an edge in fending off viruses and staying healthy this season. Here are some smart steps to add to your to-do list now.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:16.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.25pt;margin-left:0in'><b><span style='font-size:21.0pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:#333333'>Stay active<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.25pt'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'>You may be tempted to avoid the gym because it's germy. But the reality is, <a href="https://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/info-2019/get-moving.html"><span style='color:#2F7899'>working out</span></a> is a powerful way to boost your immune system, says Mark Moyad, M.D., M.P.H., Jenkins/Pokempner director of preventive and alternative medicine at the University of Michigan Medical Center. Exercise causes your body's antibodies and white blood cells to circulate more rapidly, which means they may be able to detect and zero in on bugs more quickly. Being active this way also lowers stress hormones, which reduces your chances of getting sick, Moyad adds.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.25pt'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.25pt'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'>Research suggests that exercise's effects may be directly relevant to virus fighting, too. According to a <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/45/12/987.abstract?sid=e6594508-3aaa-4c61-99ba-4ea138580947"><span style='color:#2F7899'>recent study</span></a> published in the <i>British</i> <i>Journal of Sports Medicine, </i>of 1,002 people surveyed, those who exercised at least five days a week had almost half the risk of coming down with a cold as those who were more sedentary. If they did get one, they reported less severe symptoms. There also may be a protective benefit from the sweat in your sweat session: Research has shown that simply raising your body temperature may help kill germs in their tracks.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.25pt'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'>The key to exercise, however, is to do it in moderation. “Like many other things, there's a sweet spot — doing too much can also put so much stress on your body, it depresses your immune system,” explains Moyad. He recommends 30 to 60 minutes of exercise (either vigorous or moderate) most days of the week. If you're a germophobe, you don't even need to hit the fitness center, as walking outdoors will do the trick.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'><img border=0 width=624 height=359 style='width:6.5in;height:3.7395in' id="Picture_x0020_4" src="cid:image012.jpg@01D5FF1B.57003950" alt=" a woman tosses a fresh healthy looking salad with lemon dressing at home in her kitchen"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:7.5pt;line-height:12.75pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#62727B;text-transform:uppercase'>GETTY IMAGES <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:16.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.25pt;margin-left:0in'><b><span style='font-size:21.0pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:#333333'>Watch your diet<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.25pt'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'>"Eighty percent of your immune system is in the gut, so when it's healthy, we tend to be able to fight off infections faster and better,” says Yufang Lin, M.D., of the Center for Integrative Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. “When it's not, our immune system is weaker and more susceptible to fighting off infection.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.25pt'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'>In general, Lin recommends that people focus on a Mediterranean style of eating, which means a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats, found in foods such as fatty fish, nuts and olive oil. “This eating pattern is high in nutrients such as vitamin C, zinc and other antioxidants shown to help reduce inflammation and fight infection,” she explains. Adults between the ages of 65 and 79 who followed a Mediterranean type of diet, along with taking a daily 400 IU vitamin D supplement for a year, showed small increases in disease-fighting cells such as T cells, according to a <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2018.00997/full"><span style='color:#2F7899'>2018 study</span></a> published in the journal <i>Frontiers in Physiology.</i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.25pt'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'>It's also important to limit meat, especially processed and fried foods, all of which are more inflammatory, Lin adds. “Generally, I recommend a whole food diet,” she says. What's more, it's smart to include fermented foods, such as yogurt, sauerkraut, miso and kefir, in your daily diet. These help build up the good bacteria in your gut, which, in turn, supports a healthy gut and immune system, Lin explains.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.25pt;background:#EEF0F1'><b><span style='font-size:21.0pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:#333333'>More on Coronavirus<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:#EEF0F1'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'><img border=0 width=625 height=359 style='width:6.5104in;height:3.7395in' id="Picture_x0020_3" src="cid:image013.jpg@01D5FF1B.57003950" alt="Woman washing her soapy hands in a bathroom "><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:7.5pt;line-height:12.75pt;background:#EEF0F1'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#62727B;text-transform:uppercase'>Jodi Jacobson/Getty Images<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:60.75pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2;background:#EEF0F1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#333333'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'><a href="https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2020/coronavirus-facts.html"><span style='color:#2F7899'>The latest news</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:60.75pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2;background:#EEF0F1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#333333'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'><a href="https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2020/covid19-symptoms.html"><span style='color:#2F7899'>Symptoms and treatment</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:60.75pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2;background:#EEF0F1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#333333'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'><a href="https://www.aarp.org/travel/travel-tips/safety/info-2020/coronavirus-and-travel.html"><span style='color:#2F7899'>Travel: what you should know</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:16.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.25pt;margin-left:0in'><b><span style='font-size:21.0pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:#333333'>Stay on top of stress<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.25pt'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'>There's a strong link between your immune health and your mental health. “When you're under chronic stress or anxiety, your body produces stress hormones that suppress your immune system,” Moyad says. Research done at Carnegie Mellon University has found that people who are stressed are more susceptible to developing the common cold. In <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/109/16/5995"><span style='color:#2F7899'>one study,</span></a> published in <i>Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, </i>276 healthy adults were exposed to the cold virus, then monitored in quarantine for five days. Those who were stressed were more likely to produce cytokines, molecules that trigger inflammation, and were about twice as likely to get sick. In addition, people who are stressed are less likely to pay attention to other healthy habits, like eating right and getting enough sleep, which can affect immunity, Lin adds.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.25pt'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'>Although you can't avoid stress in your life, you can adopt strategies to help you manage it better. A <a href="http://www.annfammed.org/content/10/4/337.long"><span style='color:#2F7899'>2012 study</span></a>, published in <i>Annals of Internal Medicine,</i> looked at adults 50 and older and found that those who either did a daily exercise routine or performed mindfulness meditation were less likely to get sick with a respiratory infection than subjects in a control group, and if they did get sick, they missed fewer days of work. While you might be skittish right now about going out to meet a friend for dinner or attending a book club, instead of canceling, consider catching up in a less crowded space. <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/417085"><span style='color:#2F7899'>Research</span></a> shows that the more social ties you have, the less susceptible you are to the common cold, possibly because friendships serve as a buffer against stress.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:16.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.25pt;margin-left:0in'><b><span style='font-size:21.0pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:#333333'>Get enough sleep<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.25pt'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'>Z's are another natural immune system booster. “Your immune system is like your computer — it needs moments of rest so it doesn't become overheated,” Moyad explains. “Sleep reboots the system.” When you're sleep-deprived, he adds, your body churns out stress hormones like cortisol to keep you awake and alert, which can suppress your immune system. People who got a <a href="https://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/info-2019/latest-sleep-research.html"><span style='color:#2F7899'>full eight hours</span></a> of shut-eye had higher levels of T cells than those who slept less, according to a 2019 study. Try to get at least seven hours of slumber a night, as a 2015 <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26118561"><span style='color:#2F7899'>study</span></a>, published in the journal <i>Sleep,</i> found that people who did so were four times less likely to come down with a cold than those who clocked less than six.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:16.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.25pt;margin-left:0in'><b><span style='font-size:21.0pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:#333333'>Be strategic about supplements<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.25pt'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'>There's no magic herb or vitamin you can pop to automatically prevent a cold, flu or other virus. But a 2017 <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/356/bmj.i6583"><span style='color:#2F7899'>review</span></a> of 25 studies, published in the <i>British Medical Journal,</i> found that a moderate daily dose of vitamin D may offer protection if you're already low in the sunshine vitamin, points out Tod Cooperman, M.D., president and editor in chief of ConsumerLab.com. The best way to find out if you're lacking in vitamin D is to get your blood levels tested; you should be between 20-39 ng/mL (nanograms per milliliter). If you're within that range, a daily supplement of about 600 to 800 IU is fine. If you're low, talk with your doctor about additional supplementation — up to 2,000 IU a day. Cooperman advises taking it with meals that contain fats or oils, to increase absorption.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'><img border=0 width=624 height=351 style='width:6.5in;height:3.6562in' id="Picture_x0020_2" src="cid:image014.jpg@01D5FF1B.57003950" alt="woman chopping ginger on a cutting board with garlic and other ingredients around it"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:7.5pt;line-height:12.75pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#62727B;text-transform:uppercase'>GETTY IMAGES <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.25pt'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'>Other supplements, like zinc, have been going viral over the internet as a way to prevent coronavirus. But while the mineral has been shown to reduce the severity and duration of colds, there's no research to suggest it can be protective against coronavirus, Moyad says. Plus, many older adults already get plenty of zinc because they take supplements such as Ocuvite to treat conditions such as age-related macular degeneration. “If you start piling more zinc on top of that, you run a real risk of developing zinc-related toxicity,” Moyad warns. There's also no good evidence that other popular supplements, like vitamin C and elderberry, can help.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.25pt'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'>Instead, Lin recommends cooking with herbs such as garlic, ginger, rosemary, oregano and turmeric. All have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties, she explains, and some, like <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25386977"><span style='color:#2F7899'>garlic</span></a>, have even been shown to be protective against colds. “When my patients ask me about taking supplements to enhance their immune system, I always go back to food, food, food,” she says. “Food is medicine."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:8.25pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.25pt;margin-left:0in'><b><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:#333333'>More on Immune System Health<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:24.75pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo4'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#333333'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'><a href="https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2019/lowering-inflammation-to-improve-health.html"><span style='color:#2F7899'>Inflammation's role in chronic disease</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:24.75pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo4'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#333333'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'><a href="https://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/info-2020/superfood-recipes-for-winter.html"><span style='color:#2F7899'>Superfoods that can boost your immune response</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:24.75pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo4'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#333333'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'><a href="https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2019/cdc-drug-resistant-superbug-threat.html"><span style='color:#2F7899'>How you can reduce your risk of catching a ‘superbug'</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><h1 style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:41.25pt'><span style='font-size:37.5pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:#333333'>Several Ways to Cope With Anxiety During the Coronavirus Outbreak<o:p></o:p></span></h1><h2 style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.25pt;margin-left:0in;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-family:"inherit",serif;color:#666666;font-weight:normal'>Uncertainty and fear are major triggers. Here's how to cope<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p class=byline style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:22.5pt;margin-left:0in;box-sizing: border-box'><span class=byline1><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#62727B'>by Christina Ianzito, <a href="https://www.aarp.org/"><b><span style='color:#333333'>AARP</span></b></a>, March 16, 2020</span></span><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#62727B'> <span class=divider>|</span> <span class=livefyre-commentcount>Comments: 9</span> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><img border=0 width=624 height=359 style='width:6.5in;height:3.7395in' id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image015.jpg@01D5FF1B.57003950" alt="Portrait of mature businessman with closed eyes"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=credit style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:12.75pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#62727B;text-transform:uppercase'>Westend61 / Getty Images<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.25pt;margin-left:0in;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'><a href="https://www.aarp.org/espanol/salud/vida-saludable/info-2020/ansiedad-durante-el-brote-de-coronavirus.html?intcmp=AE-HLTH-TOSPA-TOGL-ES"><span style='color:#2F7899'>En espaņol</span></a> | You head to your local grocery store and the shelves are empty of canned and frozen foods. Your usual social activities have been canceled, and the news is a constant stream of alarming stories about how the spreading <a href="https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2020/coronavirus-facts.html"><span style='color:#2F7899'>coronavirus</span></a> is upending life as we know it. Add to that the fact that older adults are particularly vulnerable to <a href="https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2020/onset-of-covid-19-symptoms.html"><span style='color:#2F7899'>complications from COVID-19</span></a>, the disease caused by the coronavirus, and you have a perfect storm for anxiety.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.25pt;margin-left:0in;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'>"This has been a big anxiety trigger for a lot of people,” says Stewart Shankman, chief psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Northwestern University, of the coronavirus outbreak. But he and other mental health experts note that it's important to learn how to handle anxious thoughts, and get help if necessary — in part because anxiety can impede the body's ability to fight infection.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.25pt;margin-left:0in;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'>"Anxiety suppresses the <a href="https://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/info-2020/boosting-immune-response.html"><span style='color:#2F7899'>immune system</span></a>,” says Jane Timmons-Mitchell, associate clinical professor of psychiatry at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland. “So anything we can do to not be anxious is helpful."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.25pt;margin-left:0in;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'>These ideas from the experts may help keep your anxiety under control.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 style='mso-margin-top-alt:16.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.25pt;margin-left:0in;box-sizing: border-box;color:inherit'><span style='font-size:21.0pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:#333333'>Limit news consumption<o:p></o:p></span></h3><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.25pt;margin-left:0in;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'>It's important to know the facts and what you can do to protect yourself and to take all precautions — but it's not going to help stress levels to obsessively watch the news, says Shankman.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.25pt;margin-left:0in;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'>"The biggest source of anxiety is uncertainty,” he says, “not knowing what's going to happen, when it's going to happen, how long this is going to last. And we don't know. So, trying to know, trying to resolve that uncertainty, is counterproductive. It's going to make you more anxious.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.25pt;margin-left:0in;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'>Shankman says that he's not suggesting denial. Rather, it's “sort of accepting this is the current situation and not letting it interfere with your life."<o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 style='mso-margin-top-alt:16.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.25pt;margin-left:0in;box-sizing: border-box;color:inherit'><span style='font-size:21.0pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:#333333'>Practice calming techniques<o:p></o:p></span></h3><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.25pt;margin-left:0in;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'>Different people relax in different ways, but if you feel particularly anxious you might try deep breathing, taking a warm bath, or sitting with your pet, says Neda Gould, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins Medical School. “Alternatively, try mindfulness: bringing attention to the experience and kind of allowing it to be there, and not judging it and knowing that it will pass.” If you need mindful or meditative guidance, try free apps such as Calm; Breethe; UCLA Mindful, an app developed by the University of California, Los Angeles, Mindful Awareness Research Center; and Mindfulness Coach, from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h4 style='mso-margin-top-alt:8.25pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.25pt;margin-left:0in;background:#EEF0F1;box-sizing: border-box;color:inherit'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:#333333'>Need help?<o:p></o:p></span></h4><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.25pt;margin-left:0in;background:#EEF0F1;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'>Contact the 24-hour <a href="https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/"><span style='color:#2F7899'>National Suicide Prevention Lifeline</span></a>, at 800-273-8255<o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 style='mso-margin-top-alt:16.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.25pt;margin-left:0in;box-sizing: border-box;color:inherit'><span style='font-size:21.0pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:#333333'>Move your body<o:p></o:p></span></h3><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.25pt;margin-left:0in;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'>"If people are able to just do a little bit of exercise, just walk around or stretch — just to sort of calm the tension in your body,” it will help, says Shankman. “If you calm the tension in your body, you calm the tension in your mind.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 style='mso-margin-top-alt:16.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.25pt;margin-left:0in;box-sizing: border-box;color:inherit'><span style='font-size:21.0pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:#333333'>Connect with loved ones<o:p></o:p></span></h3><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.25pt;margin-left:0in;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'>Call, email or videochat with family members, especially if you are feeling isolated or you know that they are. You may find that they have more time to talk than they usually do because so many people are home from school and work, Timmons-Mitchell points out. “There might be some grandchildren that you don't get to communicate with a lot, but now maybe they could because those people aren't as busy."<o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 style='mso-margin-top-alt:16.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.25pt;margin-left:0in;box-sizing: border-box;color:inherit'><span style='font-size:21.0pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:#333333'>Listen to music, find activities that bring joy<o:p></o:p></span></h3><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.25pt;margin-left:0in;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'>With symphonies, opera houses, ballets and theaters shutting down or losing their audiences to quarantine measures, many are bringing their offerings online: The Berlin Philharmonic, for instance, gave a free livestreamed concert on March 12, while playing to an empty concert hall; it's offering free access to its archived concerts through March 31. The Philadelphia Orchestra is offering its recent live performance of “BeethovenNOW: Symphonies 5 & 6” online, as well. “Watching a concert like that is going to help somebody feel better, and probably less anxious,” says Timmons-Mitchell.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 style='mso-margin-top-alt:16.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.25pt;margin-left:0in;box-sizing: border-box;color:inherit'><span style='font-size:21.0pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:#333333'>Get stuff done<o:p></o:p></span></h3><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.25pt;margin-left:0in;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'>Tackle a hobby you've wanted to explore, or a project you never seem to have time for. Maybe you have some watercolor painting supplies in a closet, or a big box of old photos that you've been meaning to transform into a keepsake album. Accomplishing tasks such as cleaning clothes closets or garages can be rewarding, while diverting your attention from anxious thoughts.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 style='mso-margin-top-alt:16.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.25pt;margin-left:0in;box-sizing: border-box;color:inherit'><span style='font-size:21.0pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:#333333'>Find ways to laugh<o:p></o:p></span></h3><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.25pt;margin-left:0in;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'>Humor is a wonderful coping mechanism in times of crisis. Turn to sources you find funny, whether they're movies or TV shows, or certain friends whom you know will brighten your mood.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.25pt;margin-left:0in;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'>If you feel like your anxiety is getting extreme, interfering with your daily functioning, for example, ask for help. Reach out to your doctor, and a trusted confidant.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.25pt;margin-left:0in;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333'>If you're starting to have thoughts about self-harm get help immediately, says Timmons-Mitchell, who suggests calling the 24-hour National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, at 800-273-8255. “They have a lot of tools at their disposal, and they're trained to provide really good services,” she says. “People shouldn't feel hesitant to call them because they want to hear from you."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>