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Rates of COVID-19 cases continue to decline, restrictions are lifted and tourists are returning in droves. About $ 4 trillion in bailout funds have been pumped into the economy and as much on the table for the American Jobs Plan and the American Families Plan. Faced with the challenges of the new normal, how to optimize health at personal, social, environmental and economic levels?
The challenges are endless. Hawaii has always been particularly vulnerable to supply chain failures. Inflation, including fuel costs, affects not only the local price of electricity and gasoline, but also goods arriving by container ships. We are seeing that the cost of living is already rising as the prices of food, gasoline, consumer goods and real estate rise. We can still prosper.
Tips for thriving in a post-pandemic world
>> Start a garden: It is interesting to note the wisdom of the number of fruit trees in the old quarters. It reminds me of the old Chinese saying: “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now. If you have the space to plant, fruit trees also end up enjoying the shade, beauty, and playground potential. Raised beds can be built into any size garden, and boxes or pots on a veranda can produce herbs and many easy-to-grow foods. Community gardens are a great source of fresh food and outdoor work, and are rich in opportunities to meet new like-minded friends.
>> Increase physical activity: After vaccinations, patients now return to clinics for face-to-face care. Many complain of having gained weight and engage in new regimens of physical activity. At Grandmaster Cho’s Tae Kwon Do Studio in Hawaii Kai, we saw an influx of new students drawn to the opportunity to cultivate discipline, focus and improved flexibility and cardio. It’s a short and compact workout. In Hawaii, we are also fortunate to have so many opportunities to exercise outdoors at no cost. For those who have gained significant weight and crossed the threshold of obesity, Manakai offers a comprehensive weight loss program that includes diet and sports advice, counseling and, if necessary, a referral for bariatric surgery. .
>> Wean the screen, grow the community: As we move into the less restrictive Level 4, it’s time to start weaning yourself off the screen. We can reconnect with others and enjoy face-to-face meetings with greater confidence when we are vaccinated. We can feel rusty in social interactions and perhaps shy or anxious. If so, take baby steps and slowly expand the circle.
>> Disaster preparedness: The hurricane season has just started and runs until November. The focus on the pandemic and its economic fallout, and now the relief we feel as we emerge, could distract us from other environmental risks. Check your hurricane supplies and evacuation plan. We tend to jostle each other when hurricanes hit and stay alert after… for a while, then it subsides. Be ready.
>> Cultivate resilience: We are emerging from the pandemic into a new world, a world that is faster and less predictable than before. As the economic engine warms up, there will be old jobs and businesses that won’t return and new opportunities that could not have been predicted in a changing landscape. Stay flexible, keep learning, explore options, think about education, and incorporate a backup plan.
>> Civic engagement: On the other side of the pandemic, there appear to be more voices rising up as agents of change on social and climate issues. We can be inspired by the six children who together drag 33 great governments to one of the most powerful courts in the world, the European Court of Human Rights. If they win, all of these countries could be legally compelled to reduce their carbon emissions.
Ira Zunin is a practicing physician. He is medical director of the Manakai o Malama Integrative Healthcare Group and Rehabilitation Center (mana kaiomalama.com). Please submit your questions to [email protected]