Coronavirus: A Look At The Positive Stories

There is a lot of negative news out there but I wanted to post the positive side of the news. It's not easy to find. Put on the TV and all you hear about are the number of deaths there are from this, how long we'll have to do social distancing, what will happen with our economy, etc. It's tough to have a positive outlook with all the negativity.

The problem is that negativity can cause stress, and stress can make us sick. You want to keep your immune system strong during times like this. That's why you need to focus on some positive news too. So here's some positive news for you to ponder.

First, Wuhan, China, where the pandemic started, is now open for business again. Yes, I'm sure there's still cases there, but it's so much better now. It shows that with time, things will get better, as long as people do what they are told.

New York is flat in the number of cases for three days in a row. This is significant as it means the social distancing is working. As long as we keep going with the social distancing until authorities say it's safe, I think we'll come out of this sooner rather than later. But remember, don't let your guard down!

Connecticut reported that hospitalizations are flattening. This will give the healthcare workers more time to prepare for other hospitalizations and to expand on necessary supplies. I think the state is doing all the right things in terms of social distancing and only having essential businesses open. Metro North travel is down 95 percent! That is huge. That means that people aren't going back and forth to New York like they used to. New York is the epicenter and the longer we stay away from traveling to the city (until the outbreak is over), the better we'll be. Can you imagine how bad the cases would have been had there been no restrictions in place? All the people commuting via train would have risked their health and everyone else in their communities.

Another news item that gets overlooked everyday... most people recover from COVID-19. Only 20 percent will need hospitalization and 1 percent will die. You never hear about the recoveries but they are out there. Search for them on YouTube and stop looking for stories about who's dying from it.The death stories will always be headlines but you need to find the success stories too.

The pandemic has brought out the best in the people in our communities. There's been demand for masks and face shields. People like my colleagues at Housatonic Community College, who have stepped up and are making face shields for hospitals in Connecticut and New York. Check out the video here. Locally, many of my friends and neighbors are supporting local businesses by ordering food from restaurants and having them delivered. Restaurants are bringing free food to hospital workers. Neighbors are buying food for those that can't get out. There really are a lot of good stories out there.

Another positive: I also think that people will be rethinking their food choices because of this pandemic. This is positive for our environment and for the animals that live in horrible conditions waiting to be slaughtered. The virus most likely started from an infected animal. We could possibly avoid future outbreaks if more people would give up or greatly reduce their animal products. During this time when people can't find meat in stores, instead of complaining, they should be embracing the plant based diet. Hopefully, people are discovering how good and nutritious plant foods really are! They will find they are not protein deprived and hopefully they are improving their health in the process.

Keeping your immune system strong is critical! How can it be strong with inflammation promoting animal products in your system? The more veggies and fruit you can eat, the more your inflammation will go down. If you keep a strong immune system, and do happen to come down with the virus, you have a better set of tools to fight the virus.

I think things will get better as it gets warmer. The virus will still be with us, but it will be much better. It's harder for viruses to transmit when it's hot and humid out. I also think we'll have a better handle on this in the fall. The states will not let this get out of hand again, so I really do think we're coming to the end of this pandemic. Hang in there everyone. Think of the positives... spending time with family, having time to exercise, having time to do side projects and getting more sleep. As long as we keep up with the social distancing, we'll be fine!