The 15 Best Things About Quarantine

Posted on by Wes Wise.

Let’s face it. COVID-19 has sparked enough fear and negativity already. Why not look at the bright side of things? I recently posted the question on Facebook, “what has been your favorite part about quarantine so far?” and got some really good responses! Here’s the list:

1) No Car Traffic – This was one of the most popular replies. Not surprising! It’s so nice to go for a drive and not be stuck in a sea of twisted metal everywhere you go for a change. James commented that it’s nice “not having to drive rush hour 696 twice a day”. Jennifer added “I do not miss 2 hours of commuting back and forth each day!” Amen to that!

2) Every Night is Like Saturday Night – Many of us are laid off or unemployed. While that’s not the best situation to be in, it’s kinda fun! Every time we go outside, we find the rich smells of bonfires, grilling and other social distancing activity. With 26 million people filing unemployment currently, it seems like every night is a weekend night during this pandemic.

3) More Time with Family – I don’t know about anyone else, but my dogs are family, and having more time to spend at home with them and my wife has been amazing, and Facebook agrees. Kim commented, “more time cuddling with my puppy”, and Christine added “more naps with my dogs”.

Others are enjoying quality time with family members inside the home. Daniella commented “love having my big girls home more often”. Randell added, “being home with a beautiful wife isn’t too hard to do.”

Meet Walter and Cohen

4) Less Social Interaction – For many of us, COVID-19 was just the excuse we needed to finally get a break from those friends, family members, or co-workers we just can’t stand being around. Zach’s favorite part of quarantine is “free time, sleeping in, and lack of unwanted social interaction”. Mike D commented “not having to get close to strangers”. Adam added “the fact that I don’t have to deal with other people’s stupidity”. Well, there’s still plenty of stupid out there to go around, but I get your point!

Stupidity personified!

5) “Free” Government Money – Many people are actually making more on unemployment than they were at their normal job! Vince said the best part of quarantine is “the stimulus check that’s coming. We haven’t missed a beat at work so I’m building a new gaming computer”. I fear what the stimulus will do to the value of the dollar and our economy in the future, but for now, a little cold hard cash from Uncle Sam is nice!

6) Less Obligations – Millions are out of work and confined at home with way less responsibilities to deal with. Bob commented that during quarantine he’s “having time to handle more around the house”. Amanda says “not having to think about or worry about where we need to go or what we should be doing. It’s kind of freeing to just to be”.

7) Not Watching the Clock – Renee commented that she is enjoying “living the rhythm my body wants”. Jamie said she’s enjoying “not having to rush. Time is going by slowly”.

I don’t know about anyone else, but I haven’t set an alarm in over a month. Being able to live more in the moment is certainly one of my favorite aspects of quarantine.

8) Random Kindness – More people are smiling, waving, and being kind to one another. Loraine commented her favorite part of quarantine was “how people came together with love and support!”

9) More Time for Activities! – Lots of people are happy that they have more time to do things they’re excited about or have been putting off for a while. I have been selling stuff online like crazy, writing articles, and making videos for Wise-Eats.com. Jennifer mentioned her favorite part of quarantine is “having time to be creative and learn new things”. Lois said “being able to finish my to do projects!”

10) More Home-Cooked Meals – Ya’ll know I love this one! It’s time to get in the kitchen and make a wise decision! Erica commented “My husband making me breakfast and dinner while I work this bull**it midnight shift”. If you need some inspiration, head over to Wise-Eats.com/Recipes for some delicious, healthy, real food dishes.

11) Less Temptation for Drinking/Junk Food – Because restaurants and bars are closed, there is less temptation to eat junk food and drink alcohol, although I know many of us have still found a way! Some of us don’t mind the temptation, but for those of us trying to make wise choices, quarantine is the perfect excuse to stay away from the poisons of everyday life.

12) More Time to Exercise – The gyms are closed, which is a bummer, but most of us have plenty of time to get creative about our exercise routine. I’ve done a minimum 1-mile fasted walk just about every morning during quarantine. Thankfully, we also have a home gym, so I’ve been hitting the weights hard, but we can all be active regardless of our situation. Quarantine gives us plenty of time to YouTube some home workout routines and stay committed to our fitness.

The Wise Eats Home Gym. Quaint…but effective.

13) Wearing Sweat Pants Every Day – This one comes from Jerry. Can we get an amen on this one?! I’m gonna be honest. I’ve worn the same outfit at least 3 days in a row during lockdown, probably more. And I’m not mad about it. My wife does the laundry. She’s not mad either.

14) Getting Extra Sleep – Whitney says “getting like 10 hours of sleep each night is fantastic”. I couldn’t agree more! All of us could use some extra rest. It reduces stress, inflammation, and depression. It also stimulates memory, recovery, weight loss, and brain power (VeryWellHealth.com)!

15) Reading – During the quarantine, I’ve read 3 books and completed Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. Reading is one of the best things you can do for yourself because it actually makes your brain stronger! Lots of people out there making brain gains during this quarantine, so keep it up!

The coronavirus pandemic has given us all plenty of extra stuff to be thankful for, so let’s focus on that for now, and this whole thing will blow over soon enough (for those of us who want it to). Thanks to everyone who contributed to this article. Stay safe and healthy!

Did something you’re enjoying about quarantine not make the list? Let me know at WiseEatsPodcast@Gmail.com or @WesWiseFitness on Instagram. Thanks for reading and make wise choices!

10 Tips to Boost Your Physical & Mental Health During the COVID-19 Crisis

Posted on by Wes Wise.

In March of this year, I got sick for about 12 total days. I’m not sure if it was COVID-19, but I shared all of my symptoms and experience over at Wise-Eats.com/COVID19. Now that I’m 100% recovered, I’d like to share the methods I used to manage the sickness as effectively as possible. 12 days is a long time to be sick, but for the most part, my symptoms were very mild. I fully believe that had I not done these 10 things, the virus would’ve been far more severe.

1. Get Adequate Sleep – I got at least 8-10 hours whenever possible. Your body does all of its repairing during sleep. This is crucial for overall health and performance, not just when you’re sick. Here are some quick benefits of sleep:

  • Improves heart health
  • Prevents cancer
  • Reduces stress
  • Reduces inflammation
  • Increases energy
  • Improves memory
  • Promotes weight loss
  • Improves cognitive function and mood
  • Helps prevent depression
  • Helps the body rebuild and repair itself (VeryWellHealth.com)

I learned the importance of rest the hard way when I started lifting weights on day 4 of my sickness. After taking it easy for three days, I thought I was better and got right back to intense training, which broke my body down even further. A day later, I was full blown sick again. Finally, I learned to respect the virus and allowed my body to rest fully. Now, I’m 100% and crushing it again!

2. Exercise – Just because I needed to rest doesn’t mean I just sat on the couch watching Tiger King (we did some of that too though!). My wife and I went on frequent walks with our dogs and did a lot of stretching, foam rolling and working around the house. I didn’t do anything strenuous until I was fully healed, but movement is always key and can actually help you heal faster.

3. Drink Plenty of Water – I drank a ton of water, tea, and coffee. Hydration is your best friend 365 days a year, but especially when you’re sick. Here’s why:

  • Removes toxins
  • Reduces fatigue
  • Strengthens immune system
  • Increases energy
  • Enhances metabolism
  • Cushions joints
  • Fuels muscles
  • Clears skin
  • Boosts productivity
  • Promotes weight loss (Craftwater.co)

4. Use Hot Baths & Essential Oils – This was a recommendation from my wife, since I normally don’t do hot baths at home, and boy was it a game changer! She also added Epsom salt and lavender (a loving spouse is another excellent cure for crisis, by the way!). Here are some of the amazing benefits of hot baths:

  • Great way to relax
  • Improves blood flow and heart health
  • Reduces pain, swelling
  • Relieves aching muscles, joints
  • Lowers blood sugar
  • Helps you sleep
  • Helps relieve cold/flu symptoms
  • Reduces headaches (MyHeatWorks.com)

In addition to hot baths, my wife is also big into essential oils. Twice a day, she made me drink a cocktail of OnGuard and water. Then, at random points in the day, she would rub an immune builder behind my ears consisting of oregano, lemon, melaleuca, and OnGuard. Hard to say how much these helped, but they didn’t seem to hurt any! In general, these oils often work wonders depending on the ailment.

5. Eat a Healthy Diet – Of course, one of the best things you can do to fight this virus is to put only healthy things in your body. Stick with real foods in wide variety. There may not be any toilet paper on the shelves, but there’s plenty of kale! 95% of the time, I didn’t eat anything that wasn’t on the Wise Eats Approved Foods List.

Being healthy simply makes everything you do in life easier. No matter how tough things get, at least you have physical health on your side. When you’re unhealthy, it turns every small problem into a much larger one. Just like having an emergency fund is a financial cushion during times like this, good health is like added insurance against stress, depression, negativity, and uncertainty.

6. Take Supplements – My doctor advised me to take Tylenol if needed, but I did not. I have heard mixed reports on how Tylenol and Aspirin interact with COVID-19, so be very careful! Here are the supplements I DID take:

  • Whole foods. Real food and lots of green smoothies, as always. Spirulina, kale, whey protein isolate, frozen fruit, avocado, spinach, moringa, psyllium Husk, cinnamon, and stevia for sweetener are some of my favorite ingredients.
  • Vitamin D. Sun is at a premium in Michigan, so I supplement with vitamin D. The only problem with adding vitamins is that if you haven’t been tested to know what your body needs, taking vitamins is a bit of a crap shoot. But I personally take Vitamin D to just to be on the safe side. Proceed with caution and consult your doctor!
  • Creatine. Powerful benefits for both athletic performance and health. Supports muscle energy and growth, reduces fatigue, improves brain function and exercise performance (Healthline.com). Because once we get better, it’s time to BRING IT in the gym!
  • Fish oil. So many benefits, including reduced inflammation, lowered disease risk, increased gut health, and lowered depression (Dr. Axe).
  • Magnesium. Good for bone health, cardiovascular health, headaches, anxiety. Magnesium plays a role in over 300 enzyme reactions in the human body! Improves muscle and nerve function, regulates blood pressure, and supports the immune system (MedicalNewsToday.com)

7. Avoid Alcohol – Alcohol and me used to be best friends. I mean, we were REAL tight. Letting go of this relationship has been a lifelong struggle, but recently, I got the wakeup call I needed. In late 2019, I read Allen Carr’s How to Stop Drinking Without Willpower and it has completely changed my attitude towards drinking. I now view alcohol as nothing more than a poison that offers no physical benefit and only serves to limit my progress, both physically and mentally. I know, BORING WES!

The truth is, I had been looking for a good excuse to quit drinking for a long time. After reading this book, I decided to quit on January 11th, 2020, and haven’t had a sip since. I don’t know if I’ll ever have another drink of alcohol in my life at this point. Sure, I’ve missed my craft beer here and there, but I also love the empowering feeling of knowing that alcohol doesn’t have any sort of control over me anymore. And I’m sure it helped me get through my “illness” less painfully.

Books are a uniquely portable magic. — Stephen King

Alcohol can work against you in so many ways:

  • Increases depression
  • Increases fatigue
  • Creates feelings of worthlessness
  • Increases sluggishness
  • Depletes your body of vital nutrients
  • Increases dehydration
  • Compromises your immune system
  • Seriously reacts with medications (Bustle.com)

It would be really easy under the COVID-19 circumstances to succumb to stress and uncertainty and just drink the pain away. And if that’s your medicine, I get it, because I’ve been there, MANY TIMES. Rest, relaxation, and cocktails, baby! But today, I just think different about it. Why would I compound the current situation by poisoning myself? Sure, it might be fun for a few hours, but I refuse to let my guard down, especially in a time of crisis. I need to be prepared for whatever this pandemic is going to throw at me, because it’s coming, and I will be READY for it.

8. Continue to Learn – Stimulate your mind wherever possible. Meditate. Learn a new skill. Listen to podcasts. Watch YouTube videos about subjects you’re interested in. Maybe read an interesting article you found online (hint hint!). Here are some of the things I’m doing:

  • Reading and listening to books! I just finished the Magic of Thinking Big by David Schwartz and the Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey. Both amazing.
  • Taking an online class. Of course, my wife and I watch some Netflix to relax, but we also just completed a free trial of Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University, which was a big step in our relationship and brought us closer together. Binge watch something productive for a change!
  • Studying. I’m reading Certified Personal Trainer material online because it’s my side passion. Our class is obviously suspended due to COVID-19, but certification is coming soon!

Invest in yourself during this downtime. Instead of feeding your brain all of the negativity and constant headlines in the media, increase your knowledge and skills!

9. Start Each Day with Gratitude – I have not stopped my daily habit of journaling and listing things I’m grateful for. Every single day, I’m writing and tracking goals I want to accomplish and reminding myself of all the great things I have in my life. There’s no room for negativity and fear when you start from a place of gratitude, so I highly recommend journaling if it’s not something you’re currently doing.

10. Stay Positive – Positivity is some of the best medicine you can take. Don’t get caught up in the COVID-19 hysteria. Be realistic about the situation and stay prepared, but don’t panic. I’m not emptying my 401K, doomsday prepping, or raiding the grocery stores. I’m staying calm, hopeful, and optimistic.

Part of the reason everyone is so panicked right now is because they’re too busy listening to their social media feed. Stop listening to your sister-in-law’s baby cousin Tracy (movie reference, anyone?) on Instagram and arm yourself with FACTS. Listen to positive people who are experts in their field. I’m following people like Dave Ramsey and Ken Coleman (Rachel Hollis for my wife) and other highly encouraging experts in their fields. Surround yourself with optimistic individuals because hope and positivity are what will get us through this thing.

All about the power of positivity!

So, those are my 10 tips to help you get through this crisis and any future crisis you may encounter. This is a unique threat we face, but we have overcome far worse in the past. World wars, terrorism, economic collapse. We’re fighting a war against invisible enemies – not just this disease itself but also misinformation, fear, and uncertainty. But we will overcome it because THAT’S WHAT WE DO. We’re all in this together. We must continue to have hope and do our part in this battle. So, treat your body well, stay positive, be good to others, and come out of this stronger than ever before. Thanks for reading and make wise choices!

To listen to the podcast I recorded regarding this article, check out Wise-Eats.com/Episode21

Did I Have COVID-19? You Be the Judge

Posted on by Wes Wise.

Back in October 2019, I got really sick. I mean REALLY sick. It started a few hours before bed. My wife and I were relaxing and I just started feeling off. It came on pretty suddenly, but I didn’t think much of it. A few hours later, I woke up in a puddle of my own sweat and felt so freezing cold that it was near impossible to fall back asleep. I was up every hour on the hour with freezing cold sweats, severe nausea, and completely miserable.

I called into work that day for the first time in over six years. And then I was sick for the next 9 days.

Luckily, the symptoms got much better in days 2-9, but it was easily one of the worst illnesses I’ve ever been through in my life.

Fast forward to today, 6 months later. COVID-19 has exploded. People are sick, people are dying, and millions are out of work. It was deemed a pandemic on March 11, but rumors are flying that this virus was around long before officials would have us believe.

So, it makes me wonder, what exactly did I have back in October?

As much as I would love to know, I probably never will. But guess what? In March of this year, I got sick AGAIN.

Was it Coronavirus? I think it may have been, but can’t say for sure. So, why don’t you be the judge? Here is the breakdown of my symptoms:

Day 1 – Wednesday, March 18th: Woke up with an elevated pulse, nausea, fever of 101, cough, headache, and generally sore and achy everywhere. It got progressively worse throughout the day. By nighttime, I was fully drained and in pretty rough shape.

Day 2 – Thursday, March 19th: Symptoms were much better, but I still had a fever. At that point I called my doctor to be safe. He advised that they were not testing in mild cases (I’m 36 years old and healthy) and told me to stay on 14-day isolation. He said as long as my symptoms did not get worse, the virus would pass. He said to take Tylenol, if needed, and watch out for any increase in symptoms, including shortness of breath.

Day 3 – Friday, March 20th: Felt really good and no more fever. Stayed physically active with walking, foam rolling.

Day 4 – Saturday, March 21th: Still feeling good, about 85%.Felt so good, in fact, that I got back to weight lifting after taking a few days off. Big mistake.

Day 5 – Sunday, March 22nd: Still feeling good, but I could tell that my body was just off. I was feeling better but by no means 100%. Weight lifted again today too because I just couldn’t help myself.

Day 6 – Monday, March 23rd: Suffered a major regression. Back to being fully sick. Had fever chills but no fever, but had a brand-new symptom: no sense of smell or taste. And that lasted for about 4 days, which was a total bummer. Intense headache also.

Day 7 – Tuesday, March 24th: Feeling better but still headache, body aching, sense of smell/taste still gone.

Day 8 – Wednesday, March 25th: Symptoms at this point were very mild, but after a full week of being sick, I wasn’t taking any chances. Resting my body fully, not lifting weights, but staying active with walking, stretching, etc.

Day 9-12 – March 26th-29th: From Day 9 on, symptoms were extremely mild, aside from the lost sense of taste, which FINALLY came back on Day 11, March 28th. At that point, I ate pretty much EVERYTHING in the house (see my EPIC diet journal entry below).

Day 13 – Monday, March 30th: Finally feeling 100%! And been perfectly fine ever since.

Once I got my taste back, I ate like CRAZY! Sometimes, eating bad food is just good for the soul. But you better believe I got back to work the next day!

Overall, the sickness was pretty rough, but nothing worse than a bad cold or mild flu. I only had a fever for the first two days. I was never out of it to the point where I couldn’t live my normal life or work from home. The full body aching, headaches and lost sense of taste were the worst symptoms. If what I had was COVID-19, I can say anecdotally that it sucks, but it’s really nothing to worry about.

That said, my heart goes out to all of the people who are suffering more severely from this crisis. I hope that sharing my experience can in some way benefit anyone out there who is nervous that they may get sick or have some idea of what to expect if they do. Regardless if we are sick or not, we should ALL do our part to stop the spread of this virus and hopefully this will all be over very soon.

COVID-19 has affected us all – whether it’s our health, jobs, businesses, or personal relationships, but I know 100% that WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS. So, hang in there everybody, this storm will pass. HOPE can spread faster than FEAR as long as we all keep supporting one another. So, be good to yourself and be good to others. Thanks for reading and make wise choices!!

To listen to the podcast I recorded regarding this article, check out Wise-Eats.com/Episode21