BY SANDRA GUY

Health experts say it’s normal to feel sad, anxious, lonely and even depressed while sheltering inside during the pandemic.

Those feelings escalate when someone must self-quarantine. And that’s happening, as many people are being asked to self-quarantine for 14 days after marching and kneeling, side-by-side, to protest police brutality after George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis.

“There’s so much uncertainty. It’s normal and adaptive to be anxious — there’s potential danger,” said Alyssa Rheingold, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, S.C.

Even people staying inside their homes in their own version of quarantine are starting to hit exhaustion, said Rheingold, who directs clinical operations for the university’s National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center.

“If we’re always anxious and keyed up, it can cause more exhaustion on our body,” she said. “That’s normal.”

More people living through the coronavirus pandemic say they feel emotionally drained, struggle to focus, or have lost interest in hobbies or other pursuits they once enjoyed, according to a survey of 1,099 employees conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management.

The survey found that 58 percent say they often worry about the consequences of COVID-19 for their family and friends; 25 percent say their sleep is inadequate to let them feel rested; 44 percent say they feel “used up” by the end of their workday, and 23 percent say they often feel like a failure who has let themselves or their family down.

“COVID-19 is taking a toll on our minds and emotions in a million little ways,” said Society President and CEO Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., in a press release. “Now, more than ever, employers should double down against stigmas and guarantee employees know of the resources, benefits and accommodations [those employers make] available.”

Simple steps — and simplifying our lives — can help, the experts say.

Try to find time to pause and take deep breaths — and not just between frantically checking email.

“Break things down on a smaller basis,” Rheingold said.

Set a daily schedule, if possible, to enhance the feeling of control.

Do things that align with your values, including researching how to help others or educating yourself about social justice initiatives.

“Do things that give you meaning and purpose,” Rheingold said.

Seek ways to keep in touch with friends and family.

But if you need to sit down for a good cry, that’s OK, she said.

“We need to grieve – to acknowledge what we’re feeling,” she said.

Then get back to a routine.

“It’s comforting,” Rheingold said. “You know what to expect. There is certainty in routine.”

A key way to stay resilient is to get plenty of sleep and exercise and eat healthy foods, Rheingold said.

“Focus on the basics,” she said.

BY SANDRA GUY

As people start to tiptoe outside wearing masks and gloves, fearful that anyone nearby could be an asymptomatic COVID-19 carrier, and, in the past several days, feel helpless amid news reports of infuriated protestors demanding racial justice in policing, it’s especially appropriate that June marks PTSD Awareness Month.

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder is real.

Symptoms vary, but the Fourth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders lists 17 major signs. These include panic attacks, eating disorders, feeling irritable or easily angered, having nightmares, flashbacks, trouble sleeping, emotional numbness, an exaggerated startled response, persistent self-blame and continuous fear, anger, guilt, horror or shame.

PTSD sufferers may also have difficulty trusting others and, at the same time, view themselves and the world in a negative light. In many cases, they’ve endured traumatic events such as violence, sexual assault, domestic violence or natural disasters.

Trauma from persistent racial bias and racist invective is similar to PTSD, in that it can make the victim feel either his or her life is endangered, or the lives of his or her loved ones, experts say.

That can include racial trauma such as the aftermath of the death of George Floyd. He died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee onto Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes, ignoring Floyd’s desperate pleas that he couldn’t breathe.

It’s normal to feel anxious, exhausted and irritable in such historically devastating crises, but you should be concerned if you experience intrusive thoughts that prevent you from getting your work done or that interfere with your partnership or relationships.

“PTSD can be debilitating,” says Alyssa Rheingold, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, S.C.

To heal from trauma, you need to feel safe — and that requires getting professional counseling.

One method is to directly talk about the things that cause anxiety, Rheingold said.

“We get used to [expressing] those feared memories and thoughts, and the anxieties tend to go down,” she said.

Another therapy — cognitive processing — involves the therapist challenging the PTSD sufferer’s beliefs, especially if they involve exaggerating outcomes and labeling every situation as black or white, rather than in shades of gray.

BY SANDRA GUY

The name says it all: Horny Goat Weed — an ancient Chinese herbal remedy that made headlines 12 years ago as a potential source for new drugs to treat erectile dysfunction.

Men with erectile dysfunction are unable to get or keep an erection firm enough for satisfactory sexual intercourse — a problem that can be short-term or long-term. Risk factors include age, diabetes, obesity, smoking, depression and heavy drinking.

Scientists who tested horny goat weed exposed the substance to an enzyme that controls blood flow to the penis. The herb inhibited the enzyme, meaning that it acted similarly to Viagra, a prescription drug, but with fewer potential side effects.

It’s now sold over the counter, and it’s been touted as also helping relieve fatigue.

Yet the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cautions that any supplement sold as a Viagra alternative may contain synthetic chemicals or other ingredients that can be risky.

People with heart disease, congestive heart failure, allergic sensitivities, hormone-sensitive cancer or other medical problems should talk to their doctor before taking any such alternative medications.

Experts also warn that horny goat weed may be risky for people who take blood thinners and medications that treat heart disease, thyroid disease, high blood pressure or irregular heartbeat.

BY SANDRA GUY

As new studies show climate change increases the odds of major hurricanes and, eventually, will cause un-livable temperatures worldwide, it’s more important than ever to recognize the importance of weather awareness.

Do you read or listen to the weather forecast each morning?

Why not start on Heat Safety Awareness Day — May 29 — to keep up with the latest and predicted temperatures, heat index forecasts and warnings about staying cool and hydrated?

On days of extreme heat, remember:

• Stay cool. Avoid direct sunlight and, if possible, stay in an air-conditioned room.
• If you must go outdoors, watch for signs of heat-related illness, including dizziness, nausea and muscle cramps.
• Drink plenty of water, even if you’re not thirsty.
• Wear sunscreen and protect your eyes and your skin from the sun, and wear loose clothes that breathe rather than trap heat.
• If you continue to feel ill, seek medical attention.

Remember the most vulnerable, including pets and children (never leave them in a car), the elderly, and people with heart disease or high blood pressure.

Experts say the temperature inside a car — on cloudy and sunny days — can rise far higher than the temperature outside. A child’s body heats up three to five times faster than an adult’s, meaning that a child can die of heat stroke on a 72-degree day.

Set up a habit so that you always check the car’s back seat before you leave the car parked, especially when you go shopping or to run errands.

And while staying home, beware getting overheated while cooking up your latest concoction to show on Instagram or powering up the drill to finish that DIY bathroom renovation.

BY SANDRA GUY

Sheltering-in-place during the coronavirus pandemic may keep you away from potential COVID-19 carriers outdoors, but is the air you’re breathing indoors safe?

While we’re hunkering down at home, we’re also hunkered over the stove; hugging our pets – and their pet dander; washing clothes and ladling out laundry detergent a couple times a day, and assiduously spraying aerosols and all-purpose cleaners.

We may even be sniffing ammonia while we’re on our hands and knees scooping up dust mites, or inhaling wood finisher now that we can finally start those home-improvement projects.

In many cases, we’re assuring ourselves that our indoor air is just fine, even while, in many cases, we’re sharing a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system with neighbors in the same building.

Since the American Lung Association has designated May “Clean Air Month,” it’s time to think about the potential hazards indoors.

How can we make sure we’re staying healthy?

Experts say:

• Get your heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system checked yearly.
• Clean ceiling fans, air vents, and clothes dryer vents and exhaust ducts.
• Test for radon and carbon monoxide levels.
• When you run the air conditioner, take it up a notch with a disposable high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. A HEPA filter can trap pollens, dust mites, pet dander and mold spores.
• Check for water leaks from the roof, in the attic, in the basement or from showers and bathtubs to ensure no mold is growing inside walls or in the floors.
• Buy cleaning products that are fragrance free or that say “low VOC” (volatile organic compounds) or “no VOC.”
• Regularly wash bedding and vacuum rugs and upholstered furniture. You can get a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter, too. Remove carpet from bedrooms, especially if family members suffer from allergies or asthma.
• Use a digital humidity reader, called a hygrometer, to ensure the home humidity level is between 35 and 45 percent. Then decide whether to use a humidifier or a dehumidifier.

Could this translate to making us more sensitive to energy efficiency, too? It’s a possibility, now that people are paying more attention to their use of venting, heating, air conditioning, window insulation and electricity use.

Twelve percent of respondents — and 20 percent of people ages 30-44 — said they are more interested in installing solar panels at their homes than prior to the coronavirus epidemic, according to an April 29 survey by the Electric Power Research Institute.

BY SANDRA GUY

Perhaps it’s no coincidence that National Women’s Health Week starts on Mother’s Day amid a pandemic — when everyone sorely needs a healing touch.

Yet it is ironic that a prickly plant like the thistle — the blessed thistle, not to be confused with milk thistle — might just be a tonic for stressed-out moms in this thistly time.

Blessed thistle, as a tea or a liquid, has been used to help new mothers increase the flow of breast milk (though it should never be used during pregnancy) and to ease digestion and calm an upset stomach.

The plant is thought to stimulate blood flow to the mammary glands and increase prolactin, a hormone that boosts a new mother’s milk supply.

Sara Chana Silverstein, author of “Moodtopia: Tame Your Moods, De-stress and Find Balance Using Herbal Remedies, Aromatherapy and More,” said she tells new moms to first try Fenugeeek and Goats Rue to help with breastfeeding. She also mixes all three herbs, including Blessed thistle, depending on the situation.

Take care if you have allergies and ask a doctor if you’re taking medications that might cause a reaction.

BY SANDRA GUY

It’s tempting to make our stay-at-home status an always-connected one. But the “Borg” (Star Trek’s collective hive-mind nemesis) mentality can take you down a rabbit hole of nervous email checking and obsessive social-media postings that could also put your privacy in jeopardy.

Now’s the time to build social-media healthy habits. So here are the experts’ top tips:

• Don’t start and end your day scrolling through your feed.

“Give yourself phone-free mornings if possible, and in the evenings, try to be screen-free for at least an hour before going to sleep,” says Lenka Silhanova, https://www.instagram.com/smforactors a social media mentor for actors and creative professionals.

“Don’t log in just to check what’s new because you’ll spend so much time just mindlessly scrolling,” she said.

• During the day, limit your exposure to social media and log in with purpose — to response to friends’ messages, to post something meaningful or to update your portfolio.
• Establish a strong reputation for providing valuable information. Remember, once you post something, it never really goes away.
• Beware privacy settings and giving away sensitive information. Keep your passwords strong, and avoid posting your birthdate, address or other sensitive data.
• Organize video calls if you’re craving human connection.
• Do a social-media cleanup. Unfollow or unfriend people who post abusive comments or who bring negativity into your life.
• Set-up automatic Nightshift mode at sunset, so that your eyes are not exposed to blue light.

BY SANDRA GUY

A Facebook post showing a dog standing on top of the kitchen cabinets, refusing to be walked for a seventh time in one day, reveals a less-visible side to the coronavirus stay-at-home mandate.

What if your pet rebels against your constant presence, rather than luxuriating in it? After all, don’t dogs and cats want to cuddle in your lap 24/7, don’t they?

Not for some.

A Chicago-based public relations expert who asked to remain anonymous said her cat started peeing outside his litter box after she and her husband hunkered down in the house.

She researched the problem and decided the brown tabby – a PAWS rescue — might be anxious. The cat had shown anxiety issues before by overeating.

The owner took the cat to the vet, and, as many people with sick or injured pets are now finding, she was forced to wait three hours outside the vets’ office, sitting in the car with the cat, because of veterarians’ social-distancing and office-hour restrictions.

A prescription has helped ease the cat’s anxiety – and he’s on a diet.

Others with newly anxiety-ridden pets are turning to vets who specialize in alternative therapies, including herbs, massage, acupuncture and dietary supplements. A directory is at https://www.ahvma.org/find-a-holistic-veterinarian/.

Vets who provide holistic services may prescribe herbal remedies for pets. These include Melatonin; Chamomile in powder or capsule form; Bach flower extract remedies, or CBD, an active marijuana ingredient that can have a calming effect.

A West Hollywood, Calif., vet who does conventional and complementary treatments says it’s important to be cognizant of your behavior as a pet parent.

“Maybe mommy and daddy are home-schooling their children and are openly stressed out about their careers and being unemployed,” said Patrick Mahaney, owner of California Pet Acupuncture and Wellness. “When you are more stressed, that could project onto your pet.”

Watch for signs such as your pet losing appetite or sleeping more or less than usual, Mahaney said.

Take care, too, about taking the dog on those frequent walks.

“There’s a higher potential for injuries,” he said, “and since it’s springtime, the play area may have just gotten a new spreading of mulch or pesticide or herbicide.”

BY SANDRA GUY

Now that we’ve tip-toed back into the kitchen to try to cook – gasp! – it’s a perfect time to eat foods packed with nutrition.

Experts point out that part of our responsibility to stay healthy amid the coronovirus pandemic is to eat right: Eat fresh foods. Avoid junk food that comes in jars, boxes and packages filled with refined corn, sugar and starches. Stay away from heavy carbohydrate and processed foods that can lead to high inflammation, cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar — problems that suppress your immune system.

One perfect ingredient to make sure you get started on a healthier lifestyle is zinc – a mineral that our bodies are unable to store, but one that’s important to boost the immune system and to maintain your sense of taste and smell.

How do you make sure you’re getting enough each day, especially when the coronavirus pandemic has heightened our immunity-boosting awareness?

Nutritionists say it’s simple enough to turn into a kitchen family affair.

But they caution that people who follow a meatless diet that relies solelyon plant-based foods means you’ll have to pay closer attention to get enough zinc, since plant sources of zinc contain certain compounds that inhibit zinc absorption.

The best defense is a good offense – and that can start with stocking your pantry with sources of zinc such as cans of lentils and chickpeas, as well as garlic, flaxseed, whole grains and baked beans.

Other foods high in zinc include chicken, crab, oysters and red meat.

“It doesn’t have to be super complicated,” said Doug Cook, a registered dietitian nutritionist based in Toronto. “Just be consistent and you can get servings throughout the day.”

Let’s start with breakfast.

“Tea and a muffin won’t do it,” Cook said.

Instead, opt for a cheese omelet or a poached egg on toast (search online videos on how to poach an egg or make an omelet), or eat granola with fruit or beans in a tortilla.

For lunch, make a tuna-salad sandwich, tofu stir-fry or eat some left-over chicken or vegetables.

Dinner could be a great time to get out the crock pot and make soup, chili or stew. Or shred a couple ounces of shredded cheese over a salad.

And you could wash it down with real cow’s milk.

If you’re looking for more, there’s no shame in taking a zinc supplement, Cook said.

“No one is suggesting that supplements make up for a poor diet,” he said.

Just make sure to get a daily supplement that provides at least 8 mg of zinc.