update: I wrote this at the start of the covid-19 pandemic, but I think it’s just as relevant now than it was then, considering the world seems to be watching a livestream of the most televised man-made tragedy we’ve ever witnessed in our lives….please pray for the people of Gaza and of Palestine. And for humanity.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve had some serious bouts of anxiety listening to all the bad news about the covid-19 pandemic our world is facing. I’m missing my family and I worry about them being in the States right now with the world’s largest outbreak in terms of numbers, as well as the completely bizarre and unorganized way the pandemic has been handled there. It’s unnerving, to say the least, and now we have to brace ourselves for impact here in Turkey.
That said, t’s time to take the bull by the horns and feel a little more empowered by doing something about it. At a time when it seems we have so little control over the outcome of this extremely contagious virus, there are things we can do to calm the nerves and actually arm ourselves with the best fighting chance to not get infected, or at the very least to not get so affected by all the bad news that we literally stress ourselves out to the point that we do lower our immune systems and make ourselves more vulnerable to disease and illness, even those unrelated to covid-19.
Here’s what I’m doing to take control over my own life and I do hope that these tips might help or inspire you to do what’s best for you, in your world, and within your means. Here goes:
I’m drinking a LOT of herbal teas. Consuming less caffeine is one of the most relaxing things I’ve done for my body, which has been in effect for several months now, as I was way too addicted to coffee for my own liking. In the coming days I’ll be posting more recipes for some of the teas I’ve been experimenting with after doing the research about their overall health benefits, so stay tuned and make sure you’re subscribed to this website so that you can get those. For example, I’m drinking ihlamur (linden tea), hot water with lemon, olive leaf tea, chammomile, and my favorite so far: mountain sage & lavender combination.
Dried papatya (chammomile) tea in the local pazar in Fethiye, Turkey | My Halal Kitchen
I’m staying in touch with family and friends, a lot. Whether it’s through texting, FaceTime, or WhatsApp, I’m using whatever tools I can use to check in on my parents, aunts and uncles, cousins (one is a nurse, so of course I worry), and of course all of my closest friends. It not only helps me to know how they’re doing, but the connection is good for my soul. Laughing, crying, expressing emotions about how we feel about one another and how much we mean to one another can only be good for the heart, it’s that important to me.
I’m doing other things that feed my soul are gardening and working, yes working. I actually try to combine both these days so that I can work among my plants, which makes me so very happy. I’ve moved all of my plants to a cozier place where I can work right in the center of them. It inspires me visually, but it’s also the most wonderfully-scented place in my house. It makes me very productive, too, so it’s a great place to be during quarantine.
I’m watching some of my favorite youtube channels for uplifting content, inspiration and to give myself hope for the future. Here are a couple of my favorites:
The Chateau Diaries– I love Stephanie Jarvis’ cheery nature and what she’s doing around her French chateau during the quarantine. It’s quite uplifting, to say the least.
Lifestyle Si– I love this interior designer’s calm and soothing nature as she talks about simple ways to decorate your home that just look incredibly aesthetic, natural and beautiful.
Eating a variety of healthy, all-natural, chemical-free real foods to boost my immunity | My Halal Kitchen
Most importantly, I’m listening to my doctors and their good advice- not the advice of rumors or old wives tales. For example, in addition to eating healthy (no refined sugars and only a variety of real, seasonal all-natural, chemical-free foods) I’m making beef or chicken bone broths almost daily, taking black seed and honey, Vitamin D, Vitamin C, Zinc, magnesium, bee propolis. I do need to do more fish oils, so that’s going to start again soon. Here are some of the doctors I listen to most:
What do I need to do better during this quarantine?
Mediate more (prayer and du’a/supplication)
Exercise (I need to find more good exercises to do from home)
Sleep earlier. Working long hours isn’t always a good thing and good quality sleep is crucial.
Stress less by reading less negative news and only what’s absolutely necessary. For a news junkie like me, it’s not easy but I’m going to do it.
How are you handling stress and boredom during the quarantine? I’d love to know in the comments below, so please share your tips and wisdom with the rest of us.
*This information is not intended as medical advice. Please consult your physician before undertaking any of the advice or suggestions included in this post.
I’ve wanted to share this recipe for a long time, and I’m not sure what took me so long other than the fact that this tea is usually made when I feel a sickness coming on, like a cold or a flu. Alhamdullilah (thank God), that’s rare in my house, so I don’t need to grab for it too often, but today I have had to drink several cups. I also feel very nostalgic for my best friend who first introduced it to me and gave me handfuls of it to keep. She brought it from Turkey, where they call it Ihlamur, and I was very sure to not forget the name of it so I could ask for it and look for it should I run out. Thankfully, she has re-stocked me several times!
Ihlamur is the Turkish word for linden berry, which also grows in the U.S.- I know because she actually showed it to me on the street and told me there was a certain time of year in which the leaves should be picked and further dried. They also have these tiny berries that come along with all the leaves when you pick them, as you can see on the plate above. I actually think we have them in our yard now, but I keep missing the season to go and pick them. This gardener talks about them here, giving some fascinating facts and you can even buy it dried in some Mediterranean or specifically Turkish shops. Online gives you more options to source it, though:
Once you have the leaves, the tea is easy to make and lasts a long time without getting bitter. In fact, it’s better and better when you leave it out, covered, of course.
Simply boil water and add the leaves, letting them steep over low heat, for about 10 minutes. At this point, turn the pot off and let the leaves stay in the pot, scooping out only enough liquid for the amount of tea being served and straining the leaves from the pot for each cup of tea.
..and the juice of one quartered lemon. Serve warm.
The other thing I love is that if/when this gets cold, I simply cover it and put it in the refrigerator (once leaves are strained) and reheat over the stove when I want to have some more. In this way, it’s good for several days.
I really hope you reach for ihlamur this winter, not because you need it but because you want to try it. Who knows, maybe in the spring you’ll even find a linden tree your yard and pick the berries and leaves. Just be sure to check with your local arborist to make sure what you’ve picked is safe to consume.
