Hello all,
How are you doing? Thank you for reading our first ever blog!
COVID-19 surely touched lives in a big way by impacting our mental, psychological, and social well-being. We humans are social creatures, and being connected while maintaining social distancing truly helped us in balancing our mental, psychological, and social wellbeing.
What caught my eye during this pandemic and in the last few years, was the connectivity of groups. I noticed unconditional support for each other whether it comes to answering queries, offering support, giving platforms to showcase talents, and even simple tips.
I am going to talk about a few groups here who are keeping the community engaged while maintaining social distancing, supporting each other’s hobbies like giving cooking tips, gardening tips, and giving small business platforms the opportunity to showcase their services so all can feel supported and thrive.
I am going to call it “Social Health”.
In my opinion, it is such a crucial part of overall well-being!
I am truly amazed to see interactions within the groups. There are a lot of groups I admire but I am trying to narrow them down to a few to provide as examples.
OC Indian Women Group / OC India Association
Photo Credit: OC Indian Women Group
OCIW & OC India Association are supporting each other and having fun together. It’s a mini Google to get your queries answered right away. You ask a question and here comes the answer. This group organizes monthly meets normally where women can connect socially. As we were quarantined, OC India Association invited live speakers daily including registered dietitians, SLPs, yoga experts, financial advisors, lawyers, singers, dancers, web designers, artists etc. to provide timely information to keep members engaged, informed, and entertained. This virtual social connectivity surely enriched us with new information and all members including me felt included and supported. This group is led by Dr. Seema Choudhari.
As a registered dietitian, I believe that social bonding is important to keep our emotional and mental well-being on track.
Kitchen Queens Facebook Group
Photo Credit: Kitchen Queens
Photo Credit: Kitchen Queens
A few years ago, I just joined the Kitchen Queens group to be able to find some recipe ideas. The group is where members can share recipes and kitchen tips. It is the place to share your everyday food items and presentation creativity. Their mission statement is “Inspire and be inspired by our kitchen queens”. The group provides a platform for cooking competitions too and recently generated and donated $2000 to local community college student scholarships.
Wow! I had the honor to be one of the judges of a cooking competition recently and I was absolutely amazed to see the talent and creativity of these women who created soups and salad recipes within given ingredients. The Kitchen Queens have been keeping its members engaged by their awesome culinary skills. The Kitchen Queens group is led by Smita Vasant.
Cooking with passion and joy can sure contribute to health and wellbeing. Social support has a huge impact. Hobbies nurture your mental well-being in my opinion too.
OC Organic Gardening Group
Photo Credit: Organic Home Gardening Group
Photo Credit: Tanvi Shah
This WhatsApp group has many expert home gardeners who share their expertise to novice gardeners. A senior member of the group organized an event at her awesome home and shared her expertise to enrich novice home gardeners about soil, exchanged seeds, and, above all, had lots of fun. I was part of it. Group members share daily tips on gardening and also answers questions members have. The Organic Gardening group is led by Tanvi Shah.
I am not at all an expert in gardening, but as a registered dietitian I can say that home gardening and planting your own fruits, vegetables, and herbs is a great hobby that can support health in a positive direction.
Fit-Spiration Group
Photo Credit: Fit-Spiration
Photo Credit: Fit-Spiration
“This WhatsApp group is led by Mitu Govind and has many like-minded people who want to stay fit and eat healthy, The goal is to share and inspire each other with their experiences, recipes, articles and hike pictures and also have our very own friend Sangeeta Srivastava who is a registered dietitian. She shares, guides and coaches with her expertise to stay healthy and positive.” —Mitu Govind
Social support is so crucial to achieve any health goals in my opinion! Way to go Fit-Spiration!
Social support and a sense of community is very important in achieving any health and wellness related goals. After all, humans are social creatures!
To nurture your mental, psychological and social well-being, explore your hobbies, set a SMART health goal, then find a buddy and/or support group and Thrive!
#RDN #health&wellbeing #nurtureyourhobbies #socialsupport #strongertogether #community #covid-19 #socialdistancing #orangecounty #supportlocal #supportsmallbusinesses
Be well, be safe, and be socially connected!
Dr. Sangeeta Nutrition
Website: https://www.drsangeetanutrition.com
Email: info@drsangeetanutrition.com
What a beautiful reminder that social health is so important to us humans, especially through this time of ‘social distancing’, face masks and isolating from the public. That physical distancing does not mean social isolation. What great suggestions Sangeeta! I am going to check out some fun, nurturing groups that might help to fill my soul and bring more joy to my every day!!! With much gratitude!
A beautiful blog Sangeeta! Such an important message, very well written and aptly put together. We have realized it especially during these pandemic times the importance of social support and social health. It’s our actual wealth and am so glad we have these awesome whatsapp groups to count upon for support. Thanks for recognizing and making us part of your blog! Much Appreciated.
Qoute: “When ‘I’ is replaced by ‘We’ even ‘illness’ becomes ‘wellness'”
Wow sangeeta, great efforts and valuable information. My bets wishes for you.
Hi Sangeetha, what a beautiful write up! Yes, Covid 19 has changed the entire globe in all aspects of life. It is so important to find ways and means to cope up with the situation.
You have shown ways by which one can keep healthy socially, physically and mentally. Cooking, gardening, sporting are really great boosters for all age groups.
I also enjoy my groups where recipes are shared, gardening tips are given, hidden talents like painting, knitting, singing, Embroidary etc are brought out!
I am extremely happy for you as you are spreading love and socialising through these routes.
All the best Sangeetha.
Yes you are very much right. I also feel that a healthier mental status can be achieved through a better diet . You feel more energized if you eat healthy food .
Social bonding is a byproduct.
By best wishes for you
Thank you Monica, Mitu, Dr Joshi, Meenakshi and Anita for your support.
Great inspiration and reminders during this time in particular. Social health is so real! Thanks for this post.
Dear Lora,
Thank you.
Great Job Sangeeta!! You showed how one can be engaged in different activities during this pandemic situation and get support from different groups with likeminded people and maintain a healthy physical, social and emotional well-being. Loved it.?
Sangeeta, I agree, I also think it’s amazing how maintaining your mental & social activities to stimulate your brain, while exercising, and eating a mostly plant-based healthy diet can help reduce risks of diseases such as dementia. Hugely important!!!!