COVID-19 case rates continue to taper, restrictions are being lifted and tourists are returning in droves. Roughly $4 trillion in rescue funds has been injected into the economy with as much again on the table for the American Jobs Plan and the American Families Plan. As we face challenges of the new normal, how do we optimize health at a personal, social, environmental and economic level?
The challenges are myriad. Hawaii has always been particularly vulnerable to supply-chain hiccups. Inflation, including fuel costs, affects not only the local price of electricity and gasoline, but also goods arriving by containership. We see the cost of living is already increasing as food, gas, consumer goods and property prices rise. We can still thrive.
Tips to thrive in a post-pandemic world
>> Start a garden: It is interesting to note the wisdom in the numbers of fruit trees in older neighborhoods. It reminds me of the old Chinese saying, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.” If you have the space to plant, fruit trees eventually also give the benefit of shade, beauty and playground potential. Raised beds can be built in any size garden, and boxes or pots on a lanai can yield herbs and many easy-to-grow edibles. Community gardens are a great source of fresh food and outdoor work and are rich with the opportunity to meet new like-minded friends.
>> Increase physical activity: Following vaccinations, patients are now returning to clinics for face-to-face care. A large number complain of having gained weight, and are committing to new regimens for physical activity. At Grandmaster Cho’s Tae Kwon Do studio in Hawaii Kai, we have seen an influx of new students drawn by the opportunity to cultivate discipline, focus and enhanced flexibility and cardio. It is a short, compact workout. In Hawaii we are also blessed to have so many opportunities to exercise outdoors at no cost. For those who have gained significant weight and crossed the threshold to obesity, Manakai offers a comprehensive program for weight loss that includes dietary and exercise guidance, counseling and, if necessary, a referral for bariatric surgery.
>> Wean the screen, grow community: As we move into the less restrictive Tier 4, it is time to begin to wean from the screen. We can reconnect with others and enjoy face-to-face gatherings with greater confidence when vaccinated. We might feel rusty in social interaction and perhaps shy or anxious. If so, take baby steps and slowly expand the circle.
>> Disaster preparedness: Hurricane season just started and stretches to November. The strong focus on the pandemic and its economic fallout, and now the relief we feel as we emerge, might distract us from other environmental risks. Check your hurricane supplies and evacuation plan. We tend to scramble when the hurricanes form and remain vigilant following … for a while, and then it fades. Be ready.
>> Cultivate resilience: We emerge from the pandemic into a new world, one that is more quickly paced and less predictable than before. As the economic engine fires hotter, there will be old jobs and businesses that do not come back and fresh opportunities that could not have been predicted in a changing landscape. Stay flexible, keep learning, study options, think about education and build in a backup plan.
>> Civic engagement: On the other side of the pandemic, there seem to be more voices raised as agents for change on social issues and the climate. We can be inspired by the six children who together are taking 33 major governments to one of the world’s most powerful courts, the European Court of Human Rights. If they win, all those countries could be legally forced to slash their carbon emissions.
Ira Zunin is a practicing physician. He is medical director of Manakai o Malama Integrative Healthcare Group and Rehabilitation Center (mana kaiomalama.com). Please submit your questions to info@manakaiomalama.com
