Every day, we arm ourselves with masks – doubled, if possible – sanitisers and take other measures to keep the virus away. However, what do we do to keep our bodies healthy so we can fight the virus if, God forbid, we catch it?

There’s no cure for COVID-19 so all we can do is get vaccinated, follow the standard operating procedures (SOPs) set by the government, and most importantly, do everything within our powers to keep our bodies functioning at its best.

To do that, here are four things you should start doing right away (if you’re not doing it already) to help you keep safe during the pandemic:

1) Invest in the essentials

Perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind during these uncertain times is that the pandemic is very likely here to stay. The government has announced that they will be treating COVID-19 as an endemic, which is a cue for you to start preparing yourself as well.

You can start by investing in the essentials. Consider buying higher-quality face masks such as the KF94 ones as three-ply face masks might not be enough to keep the viruses away. You should also start investing in alcohol-based hand sanitisers that are proven to be more effective against germs and bacteria. A face shield should be in your list too.

And if you have some money to spare, you can also consider investing in a portable air purifier to keep the air around you clean and healthy.

2) Take care of your diet

When talking about ‘diet’, many people associate it with special diets such as “keto”, “paleo”, “intermittent fasting” and other diets geared at losing weight fast.

While these diets may be helpful in the short term if your intention is to lose weight, they are not sustainable.

What you need is a balance diet that has as many food groups as possible (yes, including carbs and fats) in the correct amount based on your lifestyle and goals.

An easy way to figure out how to achieve this is by following the Malaysian Health Ministry’s “suku-suku separuh” recommendation.

Basically, the “suku-suku separuh” recommendation means that for every meal, you should divide your plate into a quarter serving of fish, poultry or meat, a quarter serving of rice, bread or cereal products and most importantly, half a plate for greens and vegetables.

3) Time to sweat it out

One of the best ways to keep our bodies in the best condition is by exercising. As we already know, the risk of being severely impacted by the COVID-19 virus is higher among those with comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, heart problems and other underlying health issues.

Exercising helps keep your body in tip-top condition to manage these diseases and more. Make sure that you do activities that increases your heart rate for at least 20 minutes, three to five days in a week.

Enjoy the blissful morning walk around the neighbourhood or explore that new trails and views near you. Do what you like - be it jogging, strength exercise, dancing, HIIT or any form of exercises that you can consistently keep to - and soon enough, you’ll feel the difference.

Oh, and if you’re a smoker, it is high time that you quit smoking. You’ll find that a pair of healthy lungs goes a long way in keeping yourself safe during the pandemic.

4) Keep your lungs healthy

Speaking of lungs, keeping yours healthy is the most important step in the fight against the pandemic - or any other diseases, as a matter of fact. As most viruses spread through the air, it should be made a priority to keep your lungs safe and healthy.

Thankfully, there are a few things you can do at home to improve the health of your lungs at home:

Singing - Yup, that’s right. According to the British Lung Foundation, belting out your favourite songs, even for just 15 minutes in the shower, can help strengthen your lungs and increase its capacity.

Get rid of pollutants - This ties into the pointers we listed above: invest in an air purifier and stop smoking at home. The less pollutants you have at home, the better it is for your health.

Load up on supplements - There are supplements out there that help strengthen your lungs, such as Omega 3, cordyceps and astralagus.

ic - or any other diseases, as a matter of fact. As most viruses spread through the air, it should be made a priority to keep your lungs safe and healthy.

Thankfully, there are a few things you can do at home to improve the health of your lungs at home:

Singing - Yup, that’s right. According to the British Lung Foundation, belting out your favourite songs, even for just 15 minutes in the shower, can help strengthen your lungs and increase its capacity.

Get rid of pollutants - This ties into the pointers we listed above: invest in an air purifier and stop smoking at home. The less pollutants you have at home, the better it is for your health.

Load up on supplements - There are supplements out there that help strengthen your lungs, such as Omega 3, cordyceps and astralagus.

Here’s another pro tip: you can also take a spoon of Cap Ibu dan Anak Herbal Cough Syrup every day to keep your lungs nourished.

We know what you’re thinking; isn’t that a a cough syrup?

Well, yes, Cap Ibu dan Anak is famed for its soothing remedy, but did you know that it can also boost the wellbeing of your lungs with its minty, honey taste AND quench your thirst? Here’s to helping you increase your water intake for your body.