Marlene Siegel, DVM
Who would have ever imagined a worldwide crisis that would bring the WORLD to a halt!
Not minimizing the gravity of health concerns, there were other “pan epidemics” going on even before this Corona Virus threat. Most people were overworked, stressed all the time, sleep-deprived, deeply in debt with no emergency fund reserves and distracted from focusing on the meaning of “life and happiness”. Too many people were tied to the hamster wheel they were running on, working in jobs that were not fulfilling but paid the bills. Few people had a spiritual understanding of “who they were” or “what their purpose and passion in life” was. Even fewer people were living the life of their dreams.
The worldwide response to this flu epidemic has destroyed the world as we knew it, but is that a totally bad thing? If we only focus on the negative, the fear, doubt, and uncertainty, we drown in the quicksand of low vibration and become stuck there. We can not find answers, problem solve and bring our greatest gifts to light when we are contracted and stuck in a dark place.
Technically, most people have their basic human needs met, adequate food, water, and shelter. “Essential” businesses are open, and many others are finding creative ways to continue operations using a virtual platform.
Meanwhile, millions of people find themselves with a ton of free time, quarantined in their homes. This can be a positive or negative experience depending on how we choose to perceive it (note the operative word here is choose).
There are only 2 emotions that stimulate behavior: Fear and Love
Fear triggers the sympathetic part of the nervous system and releases cortisol, the stress hormone. Also known as the fight/flight response, the purpose of the sympathetic nervous system is to enable survival during life-threatening situations. Interestingly, the body doesn’t know the difference between being chased by a sabertooth tiger and the fear state created by the coronavirus threat. The end result is the same, the parasympathetic system is turned off and all resources are diverted to the sympathetic nervous system to enable the body to survive the “threat”. In this fear state, people feel depressed, stuck, energetically contracted, unable to problem solve and create solutions. People feel like victims with no control over the circumstances.
Love stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system. It creates a high vibration, an expanded energetic state, leading to feeling empowered and creative, resulting in possibilities and solutions.
It is human nature to need motivation. Contrast (experiencing what is NOT wanted) and adversity stimulate the co-creative mind to find solutions to problems the world needs. Every one of us has unique skills and passion, enabling everyone to be a part of the “new world” that will emerge as we transform and grow from where we were to where we are going.
Change is good. We are leaving a world of competition and entering a world where cooperation will be the key to survival. Embrace it, go inwards to connect to your spiritual self, because it is there that our superpowers live. It is time to birth a new vision of the world and our role in it.
Step #1 Take back your power. No one and no circumstance can make you feel any way unless you allow it. Choose to find the blessings in every moment. Even if you can’t “see” the blessing, have trust and faith that what is happening is for the highest and best purpose, you just haven’t seen what that is yet…but you will!
Step #2 Let go…let go of the “stuff” you have been chained to. Now is the time to create the “more” that is REALLY wanted and desired. Letting go is the gift, giving birth to FREEDOM from the shackles. Anything is possible if you think it is!
Step #3 Have a plan and take action. Create action plans for yourself, your family, your business/job and your pets.
You And The Family
The oxygen mask needs to go on you first or you can’t be available to help others. Take care of your health, both mental and physical.
Eat the rainbow, nutritionally healthy organic foods (no processed sugar, processed foods, and toxic drinks). Grow some of your food! Herbs, greens, and vegetables are easy and now is the time to start. There are Grow Towers, Earth boxes and tubes, hydroponics, aquaponics, raised beds, microgreens, regenerative farming, permaculture, planting food-bearing trees in your yard and community gardening.
Water is the second most critical nutrient (air is the first). Today’s tap water has over 65,000 (yes, not a typo) toxic chemicals. Criteria for water should be: highly filtered, structured (small particle size) and contain molecular hydrogen. There are 2 systems I recommend, one does not use electricity (info.springaqua.com/msiegel ) great during power outages, hydrogen water is still produced), it uses a chemical reaction with magnesium (this is great because many people are magnesium deficient). The other system uses electrolysis and does require power. This system also produces hypochlorous acid water, which is 4X stronger than bleach with no side effects. Call me to see which system is best for you.
Air quality is extra important now that people are in their homes more. Check for mold (home kits are available to test) and be aware of toxins (products impregnated with formaldehyde or fire retardants, petroleum-based candles, chemical air fresheners, and non-green household cleaners. I recommend 2 companies that both do a great job cleaning the air. www.ewg.org has free consumer information and product ratings. Rule of thumb, if you can’t pronounce the ingredients, don’t use it. Call me to discuss companies and their products. Air Doctor offers a $300 discount when you use this link. myvollara.com/drmsiegel has air and water systems.
Gut support is critical to maintaining a healthy immune system. At least 70% of the immune system lives in the gut. Foods like bone broth (easily make at home), kefir or other fermented foods should be consumed daily.
Preserve food. Consider investing in a dehydrator, freeze dryer, vacuum sealing or canning. This allows you to buy food on sale and in bulk and minimize waste. Make sauerkraut, it is inexpensive, easy and a superfood, helping to restore good gut bacteria. A healthy immune system begins in the gut with the right bacteria! Make a goal of having 2 months’ worth of food preserved which is a good idea due to natural disasters too.
Pet and Livestock Needs.
I believe they are fur angels. They model unconditional love and help lighten the heavy burden of this physical dimension. Now is a great time to learn how to keep your fur child healthy and happy. Broke care is when we wait for a health challenge and chase the symptom with a pill for an ill or a diet for disease. Health care is understanding the body’s biology, how the body works and maintaining the body for optimum health. This starts with a species-appropriate diet. Visit my websites for information www.pascovet.com blogs, articles, and videos.
Evoloveraw.com for education on species-appropriate diets and essential nutrients. Have a month’s supply of feed, hay, and medications. Find online resources that can deliver. My site offers grass-fed/grass-fed out raw pet food and essential supplements along with an online grass-fed meat source for humans, all delivered to your door. (evoloveraw.com) Share your bone broth and kefir or other fermented foods with the fur fam, they need to support their microbiome too!
Telemedicine. On line health care may be an option for some pet and human emergencies. Call ahead and see who is offering that service. pascovet.com offers basic over the phone health coaching sessions. Understand that nothing is better than a hands-on physical exam and accurate diagnosing utilizing proper testing.
Sleep. 6-8 hours a night. There are many online resources to educate and aid in how to get healthy sleep. One of my favorite products is music which has special frequencies to calm and relax the body. Contact me for details.
Exercise. At a minimum, be active for an hour a day. Mix in strength training with aerobic and high intensity plus yoga, qi gong and pilates. Youtube has loads of follow-along video training for free and Planet Fitness is offering free online classes too!
Detoxification. We (and our pets) have 6 organs of elimination. The kidney, colon, lungs, liver, skin, and lymphatics. All are important but the liver and lymphatics do a LOT of work! Herbs, homeopathic, breathing exercises, salt therapy, infrared sauna, dry brushing, rebounding exercises, coffee enemas and more (much of which can be done at home). For specific questions or resources, contact me at pvmc4u@pascovet.com.
Stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system at minimum twice daily, when waking up and before sleeping. The parasympathetic nervous system controls rest, digest, repair and detoxification. Deep breathing exercises and meditation are easy and readily available. There are many foods and teas to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system. Magnesium and the amino acid Glycine are wonderful for helping the body relax. Google resources and try a variety of methods.
EMF and other household toxins. I have blogs on how to reduce toxic exposures at www.pascovet.com. Make your own supplies (house cleaners and sanitizers). Great family projects that are fun, empowering and inexpensive.
Clean and organize. Remove the clutter to make room for the new. Go through closets, pantries, the “junk drawer”. Box up the things you have not used in a year and donate them to shelters, ministries or online community platforms. Things of value can be used for trade and barter.
Learning. All the things on the “bucket list” that there was no time to do, now you have the time to do! Books, video programs, youtube, the resources are endless!
Spiritual awakening. This is the deeper inner work that many did not dare to explore. Now is the time to seek the answers to “who am I”, “why am I here in this particular time and place”, “what is my purpose(s)”. Serve. What does the world need that you can provide through your unique gifts and talents? Now is the time to “just do it”
Barter. “Money” is simply a value trade for things you have that others want or what you want to have. Be creative on things you can use as barter, including your skillset. This could be physical services, emotional intelligence or intellectual property.
Conserve. Undoubtedly we as a society have been wasteful of our resources. Time to conserve and repurpose. Limit showers to conserve water. Raise (or lower) the thermostat a few degrees to conserve electricity.
Practice intermittent fasting (it is super healthy for the body) by limiting eating to a 4-6 hour window and missing a meal. Create a compost pile outside (google or YouTube if needed) to feed your garden (the one you started in step one).
Emergency kit. Thermometers, bandages, natural remedies (for colds, cough and headaches). Consider ozone for home use (ozone is the strongest sterilizer in the world) and laser therapies. Contact me for specific recommendations at pvmc4u@pascovet.com
Financial emergency kit. Cut out unnecessary spending and get some liquid assets (things easily converted to cash with direct access to it). Have 2 months of emergency money set aside for paying utilities, gas and other unexpected items. Consider re financing home or business and taking out cash equity.
Homeschooling children
It is the children who will take the baton and run with it. There is a Devine blessing here. They will not be doomed to the “rat race” and ties to “things” that are not really important. Connect to your kids and explore all the above steps together. The best learning is the skills that enable optimum survival.
Children take on the beliefs and behaviors their caregivers express. Be mindful of your mindset and behavior.
Limit TV and computer time and dedicate time to hands-on exploring and creating. Arts, crafts, scrapbooking, cooking, gardening, exercising and talking about meaningful things.
Create space and alone time, this is just as important as creating quality together time.
Here is my favorite GEM (genuine encounter moment) that I do whenever possible with family and friends. This can be done before a meal, before a discussion or meeting, or as a bedtime ritual.
Each person starts with one of the phrases below: "What I love (like, appreciate, am grateful for) about you (or the situation or experience) is...'They say 1 or 2 things about each person (using the above starter sentence) AND end with themselves.
Example:
“What I love about you is… (naming character traits about that person) how creative, generous, kind…. “What I love about myself is…(naming your character traits)”
Business / Professional Life
For many people, this is going to be brand new. What was may no longer be. Allow yourself the time to feel the emotions, detach from the identity of what was and then create a plan to deal with it and future possibilities. Again, this may not be a bad thing if it makes room for something better.
1. Find your purpose. This is the perfect opportunity to get off the hamster wheel and follow your passion. What do you want? Create from a place where anything is possible. Identify your end goal, then be creative and flexible on how you get there.
2. Identify limiting beliefs and resistance that has been holding you back, then release it!
3. What does the world need that you can provide? Make a plan. Utilize the internet for resources and training. These are interesting times, ones that test the foundations of our morals, beliefs and integrity.
Summary
Without a doubt, we as a collective world, have strayed far from our sustainable roots. We have allowed fast, cheap and convenient to lure us into a false state of pleasure and security. We have been massively distracted by social media and mindless entertainment. We have become dangerously disconnected from the present by electronics and social media and we have become dependent on “the market place” for our basic survival needs. In truth, most people have been disconnected and isolated for years, not really knowing their “purpose”.
It is human nature to need motivation. Contrast (experiencing what is NOT wanted) and adversity stimulate the co-creative mind to find solutions to problems the world needs. Every one of us has unique skills and passion, enabling everyone to be a part of the “new world” that will emerge as we transform and grow from where we were to where we are going.
This worldwide crisis is an opportunity for positive change. Choose to be a part of the solution, embracing the fact that it will be far different than the “life” we have come to know. Connect deeply within, to the spiritual truths and core values, to create a world of kindness and compassion while awakening the core values of life itself, honoring mankind and mother earth.
We have 2 feet to move our bodies, but animals have 4 feet to move our soul…
For specific questions and resources, contact me at pvmc4u@pascovet.com
Marlene Siegal, DVM. BRMI Veterinary Advisor