Corona virus or covid-19 is making people irrational. People are bulk buying toilet paper and store cupboard food. Supermarket shelves are empty.
With all the hype going on, about the effects of Covid-19, or the corona virus, one must step back and do some rational thinking.
This morning, my other half go to the supermarket to get the Sunday roast and some other food items we need.
When he returns, he mentions that some shelves in the supermarket were empty! There was a customer who asked the staff about the toilet paper. She was told that it vanished just 7 minutes into the opening of the store! What panic buying! And yes, there is a long queue at the check out.
This Toilet paper thing….
This Covid-19 thing is making us mad. I do not understand why people are panic buying loo rolls. It is in the news and mentioned time and again that people are panic buying them, and how ridiculous the situations are. Yet, you see people doing it. It is not something that one can die from if one does not have it.
I think some people are so ‘advanced’ that they have never used water for the task. Where I come from, in the olden days, more than half a century ago, there was no toilet paper. We just use water. And news paper, too!. Don’t laugh! That is the truth. Even if you go to some parts of Asia, it is still common.
Some people in the 1st world cannot fathom how to exist without toilet paper. HELLOO… there is the shower. Those with bidets are saved!
Food
It is understandable that people panic buy and hoard food. I do not think that we should start buying more than we need. After all, we can only eat so much. When we buy more than we need, and supermarkets and shops are empty, there are actually less food available to the old and the vulnerable.
My suggestion is to buy enough for your need and avoid hoarding. We need to be kind and compassionate to one another and by not hoarding food is one way to show compassion for the needy and less able.
If say, there is actually a lock down, what would you do? Since you have enough food ( I am not sure for how long) we need to keep ourselves and the kids, especially, busy or entertained.
Activities like cooking, is useful as it teaches kids living skills and involves planning and budgeting. Just be aware to give them activities that are safe and age appropriate. This thing about buying toilet rolls just show that some people do not have ‘adequate’ coping skills. I.e., one is not able to adapt to a small change in a their circumstance. This just shows that basic living skills are so important. Your mobile cannot help you in this.
Other activities like helping in house-hold choirs, gardening and crafts, etc. are great too. It builds family bond. It is even better if there are grand parents around. What a lovely way to spend time with your family.
Washing the car is another activity with the kids will love. But this requires fine weather.
If there is a lock down…
This is what I intend to do should there be a lock down. I will try to consume less food! I will go on a fast. In fact I used to fast when I was younger.
Just a word of caution. I am no medical doctor nor trained in nutrition. Please seek medical help or see your doctor before embarking on any diet or exercise programme.
This was something that I tried many times before.
The fast takes about 5 days to a week and it is not completely without food.
If you are a normal person start day 1 as a normal day.
Day 1: your normal eating habit, eat as usual.
Day 2: eliminate all meat from your meals. You can still have carbohydrate.
Day 3: eliminate all carbo from your diet, but you can have fresh or cooked vegetables and fruits. Fresh fruit juice or fresh vegetable juice is fine too, provided you do not add sugar. Drink plenty of water
In fact, you must drink plenty of water at all times, through out the fast, to help eliminate the toxins from your body.
Day 4: omit all food but you can drink black tea and coffee, no milk. Herbal teas are ok. Drink plenty of water.
You can do this for 1 or 2 days. But 1 day is enough.
Day 5: you reverse the diet. That is, you add fruit and vegetables
Day 6: you can have carbo but is must be lightly cooked or steamed. Vegetable soup is ok.
Day 7: introduce some meat.
and you are done with your fast!
It is not difficult and I have yet to hear of someone dying from it. You will come out felling light and breezy.
I plan to do this, too.
Of course, I will use this lock down time to catch up with my online learning which I have been really slow at. It is also a good time to catch up with friends over the phone or meet using zoom. Our Buddhist group has been doing this, and as of today, all meetings are cancelled, even one-to-one meetings.
It is also a good time to do the accounts! Financial year end is coming.
What have you been up to in this unprecedented time? How does it affect you? Do share your thought.
In the mean time, please share this so that people think twice before they start unnecessary hoarding.
Please like and share.
Peace, yo!
Penang Lassie.
