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Natural Awakenings Atlanta

Thriving During the Pandemic: Get Grounded and Boost Your Immune System

Mar 26, 2020 12:04PM ● By Paul Chen

Screenshot of Gregg Braden's coronavirus video

Natural Awakeningsis not a news organization and keeping you up-to-date on late-breaking news is not usually part of our mission. 

But while our magazine’s distinct point of view is not mainstream, the coronavirus story is extremely fast-moving, and a monthly print-based publication like ours cannot hope to keep pace with it.

So, for the first time ever, we’re posting coronavirus-related stories to the web first—and maybe exclusively

We’ve collected, curated and organized several stories and links we find quite insightful about the pandemic—from how to fortify your immune system to how to weather the emotional storms of global fear and an imposed, home-based new reality.

Be sure to give us feedback and let us know what you’d like to see in future posts by emailing me at: [email protected]

 

Overview 

Truth and Fiction: Coronavirus—a 49-minute video by best-selling author, researcher and lecturer, Gregg Braden. Braden basically gives a biology lesson in coronavirus. His explanation of viruses vs. bacteria is particularly illuminating. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwiS37SYE6k&feature=youtu.be

 

Boosting the Immune System 

  • Martin Van Lear, FNP-C, is an integrative/functional medicine practitioner in Decatur. Van Lear e-mailed his patients about the coronavirus and presents recommendations for building one’s immune system about halfway through the post. “I have come up with three levels of immune support, from basic to advanced,” writes Van Lear. “Level One support is basic immune support is for those who have no health issues or who are under 60 years of age. Level Two support is for those who are under my care, or for those who might be dealing with a chronic health challenge. Level Three is advanced support for those who are seeking the utmost immune support at this time.” 
  • Sonali Sadequee of Sustainable Wellness in Atlanta is a certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, among other things. She shares a 2016 blog post on boosting the immune system. 
  • Gregg Braden’s video, listed above, addresses boosting the immune system at 29:30. 
  • Ayurveda consultant Gedalia Genin of Gedalia Healing Arts of Atlanta shares this: “The nature of immunity, according to Ayurvedic wisdom, is called ojas. It literally means ‘strength’ and it’s the by-product of energy after we digest our food. This life force energy supports the strength of your immune system. Foods that build ojas are: dates, avocado, zucchini, soaked almonds with peels removed, bananas, mung beans, sweet potatoes, alfalfa sprouts, leafy greens, basmati rice, whole grains.”

 

Emotional & Spiritual Support 

  • Angella Ochletree, an Atlanta-based hypnotherapist, published three free self-hypnosis audio recordings to help people with the “emotional rollercoaster” that is the coronavirus. “This first is two versions of Positive Emotional Management,” says Ochletree. “I am also giving you a Basic Relaxation for Life self-hypnosis/guided meditation MP3 for use during the day.” 
  • Atlanta energy healer Adele Wang encourages viewers of a Facebook Live broadcast to take this time of diminished activity to do inner work. “We need every person to be on board right now, to help the collective... We are interconnected beings... You’re going to need to flex your mojo muscles even more than before. That’s what the world needs the most right now.” 
  • Tammy Billups, another area energy healer, wrote in a blog post  “CREATE an underlying purpose and intention that your actions… are strongly rooted in a desire to serve others. It's amazing how the body, mind and soul respond to helping others, even if it’s simply bringing them a smile. Make a list each morning of three actions you will take to serve others. Doing this will benefit your immune system as well as those you reach out to.”
  • Another Atlanta energy healer, Lisa Watson  a Whitewinds alumnus, wrote about keeping fear at bay. “Fear is an emotion. That's all. It's not real; it's just a thought—often, a thought about something that hasn't even happened yet. It has no power over you because you can change your thoughts!” 
  • Shannon O’Flaherty is a spiritual coach and shaman in England. She has posted two short meditations/visualizations for these trying times. One is a grounding meditation and the other is a blessing for the entire planet.
  • Lastly, Atlanta pranic healer and Integrated Family Systems therapist Ursula Lentine continues to conduct her Twin Hearts meditation for global healing every Tuesday night, albeit now via Facebook Live. Here is the link for the next meditation on March 31. 

 

Essay

Yuval Noah Harari’s essay in TIME magazine isn’t the usual fare one might expect from Natural Awakenings, but we include it because it is 1) excellent, 2) contains eye-popping observations about the nature of pandemics, and 3) eloquently speaks to the need to embrace the principle of “all for one and one for all” in order to beat the coronavirus.  

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