New Study: Exercise and Covid-19

De-stress with Tai Chi and Yoga, but don’t forget Dance and Pilates too!

Now, more than ever, I feel the need to campaign for the value of exercise, as there is a new study that suggests that exercise protects against severe COVID-19 infection.

A new study involving over 50,000 participants was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, found that those who had exercised the most leading up to contracting SARS-CoV-2 were least likely to be hospitalized or die from the infection. 

The study looked at records from patients in the Kaiser healthcare system in California, in part because Kaiser doctor’s protocol is to ask patients questions about how much they have exercised recently during each visit. 

The researchers then stratified the subjects into groups based on the amount of time they had exercised in the past week (defined as equivalent to or greater in intensity than a “brisk walk”):

• Least active: 10 minutes or less
• Most active: 150 minutes or more
• Moderately active: in between least and most

The findings were striking. Those in the least active group were 250% more likely to die than those in the most active group and 30 percent more likely to die than those in the moderately active group. 

In conclusion, exercise about 30 minutes a day for your better immune system in combatting COVID-19.

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Being in healthcare at this time requires lots of energy adapting to a constant changing atmosphere.

I am proud to be on-staff at Kaiser Permanente’s Center for Healthy Living, where we give our patients health education and the tools to have better well-being.

At this time, I am leading their safe and therapeutic virtual fitness classes, teaching Dance, Tai Chi, Yoga, and Pilates, in designated areas in Southern California.

We are committed to engage our members at Kaiser Permanente to be healthy, and fit.

Patients are also encouraged to take other steps to improve their overall health and immune function—along with interventions like taking Vitamin D, social distancing, and vaccines.

I am also grateful that my company, Renew Your Power, continues to bring wellness, through specialized exercises, to corporations so that their lunch break can be a stress break.

At this time, we continue to wear masks and keep safety measures in-tact.

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There have been so many changes in the past year. Personally, I continue trying to keep hope alive moving forward in this ever wavering reality.

“Hope has the power to inspire, to give you the strength to hang-on and to believe in the possibilities that exist in a better future.” – Pastor Brad Scot Johnson

Yours in hope,

Maria Lauren, (MariaElena Alberici)

My website

Your Powerful Life blog is produced in my own time and solely reflects my personal opinions. Statements on this site do not represent the views or policies of my employer, past or present, or any other organization with which I may be affiliated.

Quarantine Anxiety, Exercise and Health

I choose hope.

Dizziness, sweating, trembling, nausea, sleep disturbances, restlessness, headaches and increased heart rate – are these the signs of the Coronavirus or anxiety?

If you are feeling tension, worry and concern for you and your family’s physical, emotional, financial and mental wellbeing, you are not alone. Together, we can help each other, even though we are warned to perform social distancing because of this Coronavirus. As a healthcare professional/lifestyle educator, I am reaching out in the hopes of enlightening you.

When this quarantine began, I was deployed to the frontlines screening patients at the entrance of medical and hospital centers. I have witnessed sick patients and expectant mothers gathered together at the entrance of wellness establishments to see their doctors. We need to flatten the curve of this virus and use common sense.

During this pandemic, if you don’t have a life-threatening situation, it is my suggestion to make telephone appointments with your doctor instead of taking trips to your hospital or medical center. This is for your safety and for the safety of others.

At this crucial time, I have come in contact with sick patients who had all the Coronavirus symptoms and were out of the country during the outbreak. For that reason, as well as my being sixty-eight years old and feeling ill, I was informed that I should get my doctor’s evaluation over the phone. My doctor advised that I be tested and to isolate myself from others until I receive the test results. This is a precautionary measure to make sure that those in healthcare, with symptoms, are indeed healthy and not hosting the COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus. Luckily, my test was negative. Positive news for me!

The threat of this virus is bad, no doubt, but research shows that fearfully stressing over this situation can cause physical symptoms of dizziness, sweating, trembling, nausea, sleep disturbances, restlessness, headaches and increased heart rate. Before these symptoms become problematic, you may prevent and get rid of quarantine anxiety through exercise practices.

Study after study, shows that exercise reduces anxiety and contributes to a better quality of life. This is true of all types of fitness forms whether it be Aerobic Dance, Tai Chi, Pilates, Yoga, Circuit Training or moderate intensity resistance exercises. It’s interesting to note, from research, that resistance exercise of higher intensity can increase stress and overburden your muscles. So, keep your fitness movements in a positive direction with no painful repercussions.

Being a naturally expressive, emotional person and a fitness therapist, I know that exercise, along with deep breathing, prayer and meditation works! Every day I do some kind of exercise because I feel the difference in my disposition and vitality. When I feel under the weather, I also try to get more rest and sleep, Relax-n-Renew, while continuing my regiment of consuming wholesome vitamin fueled foods and beverages.

In the midst of all this turmoil and safeguards make sure to release stress. Put on some music and dance to shake out tension. It feels good! I know it.

When the threat of Quarantine first hit the media and all my fitness classes that I taught were cancelled, I began to get anxious. So, my daughter, Marianna played the song, “I like to move it” and I began to move. After just a few seconds of fun dance therapy, I felt better!

On our YouTube channel, Feel Fit Freedom, you’ll see a variety of short, fun exercise videos by certified fitness instructors: my daughter, Marianna Riccio; my sister, Linda Eichberg and yours truly.

NEW!!! Renew Your Power – with Maria Lauren for safe and effective exercise videos of Yoga, Tai Chi, Dance grooves, and Pilates!

Exercise treats your mind as well as your body. Try moving and grooving to your favorite song. I bet you’ll feel a weight lifted off your shoulders.

I hope you try it and leave me a comment about how you feel.

Stay well and safe,

Maria Lauren, aka MariaElena Alberici

Your Powerful Life, blog

My website

Corporate Wellness

Info/research: Emotions in Motion, Exercise as an Anxiety Intervention

Your Powerful Life blog is produced in my own time and solely reflects my personal opinions. Statements on this site do not represent the views or policies of my employer, past or present, or any other organization with which I may be affiliated.