In Operation Transformation: Keeping Well Apart, the team from OT are back to try and help people get through these challenging times. This is not a weight-loss series. It is about providing individuals and families with the tools to sustain our collective effort.
Clinical Psychologist Dr. Eddie Murphy will be offering tips on mental health and our resident GP Dr. Sumi Dunne will be on hand to advise people on their health concerns.
Dietitian Aoife Hearne will be offering ideas on meal planning, weekly shops and there will be helpful "how to cook" videos available online. While Karl Henry, the champion of the Ad Break Challenge will be showing people how they can stay fit in their homes.
How much is too much when it comes to handwashing? Can we all have bums like Beyoncé by the time this pandemic ends? And why does Dr. Eddie say that women are like dolphins? Read on...
1. The difference between men and women
Cocooning, self-isolation, physical distancing - never before have we as a society been asked to unite together by staying apart. Safe to say, it's been tough going.
With hobbies, jobs, and day to day activities on hold, our social lives are bound to suffer and, according to Dr. Eddie, men may be the most affected.
In last night's episode, Dr. Eddie explained that women are like dolphins while men are like sharks in that, generally, women tend to be more sociable while men are often more solitary.
For this reason, the OT team are encouraging men across the country to make an effort to take part in video chats and game nights so as to connect with others in an effort to mind their mental health during this trying time.
.@dreddiemurphy reckons that women are like dolphins and men are like sharks. Trust us, it makes sense when you watch it. 🦈🐬#OTKWA, tonight at 9.35pm. @OpTranRTE pic.twitter.com/U1AI7WpFLj
— RTÉ One (@RTEOne) April 29, 2020
2. How to get a bum like Beyoncé
Two weeks ago, Ann Brophy from Santry joined Ray D'Arcy on RTÉ Radio 1 to discuss her new at-home fitness plan. Instructed by Karl Henry to get in her 5,000 steps while living in her one-bedroom apartment, Ann laughed telling Ray that she planned to ignore those instructions.
Well, you can imagine how Karl reacted to that.
Staying socially distant, the height-fearing fitness expert joined Ann on her balcony via cherry-picker and got the Dublin woman moving. Following their chair-based workout, Karl informed the 61-year-old that she needed to strengthen the muscles in her bum with exercises that can easily be done at home with no gym equipment necessary.
According to host Kathryn Thomas, if she follows Karl's instructions, Ann will have a bum like Beyoncé by the end of all this.
"You're gonna have a bum like Beyonce at the end of this!" 😉#otkwa Wednesday, 9.35pm pic.twitter.com/O58HxRubJd
— RTÉ One (@RTEOne) April 28, 2020
3. How much handwashing is too much
Last night, we checked in with the Ryan-Mongey family and saw mum Emma rallying her kids' spirits through dressing up for homeschool and even sharing her brand new ukelele, courtesy of Dr. Eddie, with the family.
However, not everyone in the household was enjoying playtime as dad Ray, a graphic designer who is currently working from home, struggled to get to grips with his anxiety surrounding hygiene.
Wiping down everything from groceries to Emma's new toy with disinfectant wipes, the dad of three says he's struggling to cope with his urge to wash his hands - and everything around him - multiple times.
According to Dr. Sumi, at this time, it is unnecessary to wash down our shopping from the supermarket. We should simply wash our hands and prep food as usual.
As for handwashing, Dr. Eddie says that although we should all be washing our hands thoroughly, the habit of washing in a "continuous cycle" is unhelpful as it is driven by anxious thinking.
Distinguishing between appropriate hand washing v anxiety based handwashing ...#otkwa pic.twitter.com/RqKBYFWYoK
— Dr. Eddie Murphy (@dreddiemurphy) April 29, 2020
Watch Operation Transformation: Keeping Well Apart every Thursday on RTÉ One.
