One’s habits and diet have a huge impact on human health, on a systemic and individual level. As humanity is dealing with a deadly virus, its economic consequences, and the combination of protests across the nation, people are awakening to the importance of living an optimized wellness lifestyle.
As the founder and CEO of a home healthcare business—Sweet P Home Care–and healthcare provider with over forty years of experience, I foresaw the possible dangers of this deadly virus that, sadly, has now killed more than 100,000 people in the United States. Long before the federal government took action, I instituted infection control principles at Sweet P Home Care to mitigate the spread of the virus amongst my team of hundreds of nurses and administrative staff. Early in March 2020 I closed the office to visitors, rearranged desks to keep office staff at a distance, distributed PPE to my employees and mandate them to wear it. I further encouraged my team to bag their shoes and street clothes at their door and not to wear them inside their homes. My preventative effort was initially met with complaints and skepticism—but ultimately my leadership in this area garner respect as it prescient many of the same policies that the federal government later implemented. Despite being in the epicenter of the pandemic, New York City, my staff has fortunately remained healthy. However, as the virus spread, many other people found themselves struggling to make changes to their own lifestyles. Immune-boosting vitamins and supplements flew off the shelves, major online shopping platforms were flooded with orders. Green juicing, one of my company’s daily health routine became one of the world top health trends. Unfortunately, some individuals were unable to make sufficient changes and reverse years of unhealthy habits.
My time spent homeless on the streets of Spanish Town and New York, searching for food, and expending energy I did not have has given me the understanding that wellness and self-care are important in supporting and maintaining one’s health. My mantra, “my health is my wealth” serves me well. A successful businesswoman with the ability and resources to care for many of the people in need in the New York metropolitan area needs her health.
Now more than ever, it is important to implement a consistently healthy lifestyle that focuses on diet, exercise, and stress management techniques. Persistence is key in our aim for a longer, healthier, more vibrant life, especially through these challenging times.
Coincidentally, I’ve just completed writing my memoir, I Persist. That journey further informs on this topic. Stay tuned.