If you are feeling unsettled, stressed, or have jangled nerves as we all weather changes due to COVID-19, there is a good reason. In this special edition of the podcast, Michele and Eliz discuss why your brain likes a predictable environment and how uncertainty creates stress. Eliz shares her research on stress and some tips to decrease the impact of these unsettling times.   As always, there’s a bit of humor, some real talk about food insecurity, bullying, and even Michele’s stress brought on by a drunk driver destroying her cattle fence.     Key points:

• Why your brain likes predictability

• How you can make uncertainty feel more predictable

• WASH YOUR HANDS

• How to disconnect from the stress of things you can’t control

• Why your emotional reactions are natural

• WASH YOUR HANDS

• Why we have enough food

• Why staying at home is important

• Seriously, WASH YOUR HANDS

COVID-19 Resources   Alton Brown on how to wash your hands for the World Health Organization (WHO) #SafeHands challenge   A COVID-19 coronavirus update from concerned physicians   Why outbreaks like coronavirus spread exponentially   A call to clear misinformation in the era of COVID-19   Mental Health Considerations during COVID-19 Outbreak   Eliz’s blog with COVID-19 resources  Eliz’s New Book: stressproofbook.com