Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1400485
• Maintain healthy habits. Habits that kept us healthy are worth keeping. The habits we practiced during the pandemic will prevent us from getting not just COVID, but other infections, too. Just because we are vaccinated doesn't mean we should stop washing our hands really well, using hand sanitizer, and respecting each other 's personal space by keep- ing a bit of distance. • See your doctor. Many of us have put off visits to the doctor in the pandemic. Have a checkup and make sure your heart, blood pressure, cholesterol and overall health is good. • Take care of your mental health. If you are hav- ing trouble returning to work and the life you once enjoyed, find a support network or mental health professional. Find a forum where you can exchange ideas on how to ease back into work and society. Educators must take care of our own mental health so that we can be supportive of our students and convey our passion for what we are teaching. • Give yourself time to readjust to life. The trauma of the pandemic has instilled fears in many people, and everyone has to ease back into things at their own pace and comfort level. People need time to deal with their trauma and fears — especially if they lost loved ones or became ill. Many have post-traumatic stress disorder from their experiences during the pandemic. • Shift away from stress eating. In the pandemic, many consumed foods to manage their emotions and soothe them- selves, which often resulted in poor food choices. People ate when stressed instead of when hungry. They ordered fast food due to fear of going into grocery stores. Eating for comfort was a way of coping with trauma in unprecedented times. Don't beat yourself up over this. Instead, stop the addiction to food by reducing your intake of sugar, salt and fat. Becky Black A SSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF NUTRITION AND DIE TE TICS AT LONG BE ACH CIT Y COLLEGE Long Beach City College Faculty Association Patience Olajide A SSOCIATE FACULT Y OF HE ALTH SCIENCE AND HE ALTH CARE AT RIVERSIDE CIT Y COLLEGE; A SSISTANT PROFESSOR OF HE ALTH, HUMAN AND PUBLIC SERVICES, CL ARK STATE COLLEGE , SPRINGFIELD, OHIO Riverside CCD Faculty Association 20 cta.org Feature