Tag Archives: Health

COVID-19: How to protect yourself

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To slow the spread of COVID19, CDC recommends that people wear masks in public settings when around people not living in their household, especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.

Learn more: bit.ly/30QOzQF
 

Face masks are the most important, powerful tool the country has to combat the COVID19 pandemic. “We have clear scientific evidence that face masks work”, said Dr. Redfield, Director of CDC. “So please wear one to protect yourself, your family, your community, and your nation.”

COVID19 cases are rising nationwide. Case rates in the last 7 days were highest in the Midwest. This Thanksgiving, protect yourself and loved ones:

  • Avoid Travel.
  • Gather virtually or outdoors.
  • Wear a mask.
  • Stay 6 feet from others.
  • Wash hands.

 

References:

  1. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/about-face-coverings.html

Holiday Season Health and Safety Precautions

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U.S. states grapples with a resurgence of coronavirus infections and new lockdowns on local economies

As Americans prepare to celebrate the holidays with family and friends, it’s important to take precautions to keep everyone safe. As you prepare for your Thanksgiving, it is also important that family and friends should consider their local numbers and rates of COVID-19 cases when deciding to host or attend a holiday celebration.

Americans should consider safe alternatives to the traditional ways of celebrating. COVID-19 can easily pass from person to person through close contact and it is difficult to maintain a safe distance with high volume holiday season activities.

During this holiday season, public health experts offer the following health and safety recommendations:

Protecting Yourself from COVID-19 During Gatherings and Celebrations

  • Do not host or participate in any festivities if you have been diagnosed, exposed to, or awaiting results from a COVID-19 viral test.
  • Limit the number of attendees as much as possible.
  • Provide or encourage attendees to bring supplies to help you and others stay healthy (i.e. extra masks, hand sanitizer, and tissues).
  • All individuals should wash their hands or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer frequently.
  • If someone feels ill during the holiday season, get tested for COVID-19 and avoid going out in public or being around at-risk individuals.
  • Older adults or persons with certain underlying medical conditions who are at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19, or live or work with someone at increased risk of severe illness, should avoid in-person gatherings with people who do not live in their household.
  • Consider hosting an outdoor gathering rather than an indoor gathering.
  • Guests who have traveled from other areas or towns should distance themselves from people who are 65 or older and people of any age who have underlying health issues such as lung or heart disease.
  • Hosts entertaining at home should make sure frequently touched surfaces are cleaned and disinfected before and after gatherings.

Holiday Travel

  • People who are sick should not travel—even if symptoms are mild, infection can spread to others.
  • When traveling always wear a mask to keep your nose and mouth covered when in public places.
  • Avoid busy eating areas, such as restaurants during high volume mealtimes, if you plan to eat out at a restaurant.
  • If serving any food, consider having one person serve all the food so that multiple people are not handling the serving utensils.
  • If you are traveling to another state on a commercial flight, wear a mask and social distance as much as possible. If you feel ill upon return, get tested for COVID-19 as soon as possible.

STAY SAFE!!!

References:

  1. http://www.floridahealth.gov/newsroom/2020/11/111920-safe-and-healthy-holiday-season.pr.html

CDC Recommends Avoiding Traveling over Thanksgiving

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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “strongly” recommends that Americans avoid traveling to see family members and friends over Thanksgiving. With the spread of the disease exploding in the U.S. and with several dozen states shattering records for daily new confirmed cases in the past week alone, the virus appears to be exponentially spreading across the country with records for new cases per capita being set in midwestern states.

“As we’re seeing exponential growth in cases, and the opportunity to translocate disease, or infection from one part of the country to another leads to our recommendation to, to avoid travel at this time,” said Dr. Henry Walke, CDC’s Covid-19 incident manager commented.

As of Wednesday, 11/18/2029, more than 250,000 Americans have died from COVID-19, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. And, roughly 1 million new COVID-19 cases have been recorded in the U.S. in the past week.

Risk comes not just from the mode of travel, but from transportation hubs that can make physical distancing more difficult.

Holidays typically attract large gatherings, which tend to be associated with higher COVID-19 transmission levels. As a result, you want fewer people gathering than usual, and it’s even better if they’re people already in your “bubble.”

Risk factors to consider before attending a gathering include community spread of COVID-19, both where the gathering is held and attendees are coming from; exposure during travel; the location and duration of the gathering; the number of attendees and capacity for physical distancing; and attendees’ preventive behaviors before and during the gathering, according to broader CDC advice on how to navigate holiday celebrations and gatherings.

The risk level also depends on attendees’ social contacts and exposures over the preceding couple of weeks, M. Kit Delgado, an assistant professor of emergency medicine and epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania explained. Sitting out this year’s big family gathering can help keep everyone safe — especially vulnerable family members — and avoid overburdening hospitals during flu season.

“Unfortunately, the merriment we crave — eating, drinking and singing together in a cozy room — are among the highest-risk scenarios for transmitting COVID-19,” Delgado said.

The dire COVID-19 infection numbers already had people reconsidering their Thanksgiving plans. AAA estimated that fewer Americans will travel for the holiday than last year — though this year’s number still hovers around 50 million people.

References:

  1. https://on.mktw.net/3pGIPEF
  2. https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/11/19/936715870/dont-travel-for-thanksgiving-cdc-warns

Fitness Program: Five Steps to a Healthy Lifestyle | Mayo Clinic

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Any amount of physical activity or exercise is better than none at all.

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Starting a fitness program may be one of the best things you can do for your health. Physical activity can reduce your risk of chronic disease, improve your balance and coordination, help you lose weight, improve your metabolic health and reduce your metabolic age — and even improve your sleep habits and self-esteem.

There are three kinds of fitness:

• Aerobic fitness. Aerobic activities condition your heart and lungs. Aerobic means “with oxygen.” The purpose of aerobic conditioning is to increase the amount of oxygen that is delivered to your muscles, which allows them to work longer. Any activity that raises your heart rate and keeps it up for an extended period of time will improve your aerobic conditioning.

• Muscle strengthening. Stronger muscles can mean either more powerful muscles that can do bigger jobs (such as lifting heavier weights) or muscles that will work longer before becoming exhausted (endurance). Weight training (resistance training) or simple exercises such as push-ups are two examples of ways to focus on muscle strengthening.

• Flexibility. Like aerobic fitness and muscle strengthening, flexibility is a result of physical activity. Flexibility comes from stretching. Your muscles are repeatedly shortened when they are used, especially when exercising. They need to be slowly and regularly stretched to counteract the repeated shortening that happens through other activities.

You can start your personal fitness program with simple steps.

1. Assess your fitness level

You probably have some idea of how fit you are. But assessing and recording baseline fitness scores can give you benchmarks against which to measure your progress. To assess your aerobic and muscular fitness, flexibility, and body composition, consider recording:

  • Your pulse rate before and immediately after walking 1 mile (1.6 kilometers)
  • How long it takes to walk 1 mile, or how long it takes to run 1.5 miles (2.41 kilometers)
  • How many standard or modified pushups you can do at a time
  • How far you can reach forward while seated on the floor with your legs in front of you
  • Your waist circumference, just above your hipbones
  • Your body mass index

2. Design your fitness program

It’s easy to say that you’ll exercise every day. But you’ll need a plan. As you design your fitness program, keep these points in mind:

  • Consider your fitness goals. Are you starting a fitness program to help lose weight? Or do you have another motivation, such as preparing for a marathon? Having clear goals can help you gauge your progress and stay motivated.
  • Create a balanced routine. For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends getting at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week, or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity. The guidelines suggest that you spread out this exercise during the course of a week. Greater amounts of exercise will provide even greater health benefits.

But even small amounts of physical activity are helpful. Being active for short periods of time throughout the day can add up to provide health benefits.
Do strength training exercises for all major muscle groups at least two times a week. Aim to do a single set of each exercise, using a weight or resistance level heavy enough to tire your muscles after about 12 to 15 repetitions.

  • Start low, develop exercise habit and progress slowly. If you’re just beginning to exercise, start cautiously and progress slowly. If you have an injury or a medical condition, consult your doctor or an exercise therapist for help designing a fitness program that gradually improves your range of motion, strength and endurance.
  • Build activity into your daily routine. Finding time to exercise can be a challenge. To make it easier, schedule time to exercise as you would any other appointment. Plan to watch your favorite show while walking on the treadmill, read while riding a stationary bike, or take a break to go on a walk at work.
  • Plan to include different activities. Different activities (cross-training) can keep exercise boredom at bay. Cross-training using low-impact forms of activity, such as biking or water exercise, also reduces your chances of injuring or overusing one specific muscle or joint. Plan to alternate among activities that emphasize different parts of your body, such as walking, swimming and strength training.
  • Try high-interval intensity training. In high-interval intensity training, you perform short bursts of high-intensity activity separated by recovery periods of low-intensity activity.
  • Allow time for recovery. Many people start exercising with frenzied zeal — working out too long or too intensely — and give up when their muscles and joints become sore or injured. Plan time between sessions for your body to rest and recover.
  • Put it on paper. A written plan may encourage you to stay on track.

3. Assemble your equipment

  • You’ll probably start with athletic shoes. Be sure to pick shoes designed for the activity you have in mind. For example, running shoes are lighter in weight than cross-training shoes, which are more supportive.
  • If you’re planning to invest in exercise equipment, choose something that’s practical, enjoyable and easy to use. You may want to try out certain types of equipment at a fitness center before investing in your own equipment.
  • You might consider using fitness apps for smart devices or other activity tracking devices, such as ones that can track your distance, track calories burned or monitor your heart rate.

4. Get started…get moving

Begin your fitness program and keep these tips in mind:

  • Start slowly and build up gradually. Give yourself plenty of time to warm up and cool down with easy walking or gentle stretching. Then speed up to a pace you can continue for five to 10 minutes without getting overly tired. As your stamina improves, gradually increase the amount of time you exercise. Work your way up to 30 to 60 minutes of exercise most days of the week.
  • Break things up if you have to. You don’t have to do all your exercise at one time, so you can weave in activity throughout your day. Shorter but more-frequent sessions have aerobic benefits, too. Exercising in short sessions a few times a day may fit into your schedule better than a single 30-minute session. Any amount of activity is better than none at all.
  • Be creative. Maybe your workout routine includes various activities, such as walking, bicycling or rowing. But don’t stop there. Take a weekend hike with your family or spend an evening ballroom dancing. Find activities you enjoy to add to your fitness routine.
  • Listen to your body. If you feel pain, shortness of breath, dizziness or nausea, take a break. You may be pushing yourself too hard. Remember to drink plenty of water.
  • Be flexible. If you’re not feeling good, give yourself permission to take a day or two off.

5. Monitor and track your progress

Retake your personal fitness assessment six weeks after you start your program and then again every few months. You may notice that you need to increase the amount of time you exercise in order to continue improving. Or you may be pleasantly surprised to find that you’re exercising just the right amount to meet your fitness goals.

If you lose motivation, set new goals or try a new activity. Exercising with a friend or taking a class at a fitness center may help, too.

Starting an exercise program equates to healthy habits that last a lifetime

Health, not gold or silver, is the greatest wealth! Billy Graham

Starting an exercise program is an important decision for your health and well-being. But it doesn’t have to be an overwhelming or strenuous or anxiety producing one. By planning carefully, starting slowing and pacing yourself, you can establish a healthy habit that lasts a lifetime

Reference:

  1. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/fitness/art-20048269/?_ga=2.141564786.1134128569.1602276705-291377975.1601941478
  2. https://wa.kaiserpermanente.org/kbase/topic.jhtml?docId=ta3112

 
Learning, Growing and Getting Better and Better Everyday!!!

Psychosocial Health

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It’s important that you choose to be happy, healthy and at peace!

Health is defined as the overall mental, emotional and physical state of a person; the absence of disease and ailment. On the other hand, wellness or well-being refers to the state of being in optimal mental and physical health.

But wellness is more than optimal mental, emotional and physical health. It’s about living a life in harmony, full of personal responsibility and taking proactive steps for one’s entire well-being. Thus, a person living life very well controls risk factors that can harm them. Risk factors are different types of actions or conditions that increase a person’s chances for illness or injury.

Psychosocial (mental, emotional, social, and spiritual) health and wellness

“The secret of a better and more successful life is to cast out those old dead unhealthy thoughts.” Dr. Norman Vincent Peale

Psychosocial health includes four important components of well-being. It means being mentally, emotionally, socially, and spiritually sound which fortunately is no longer lost on traditional modern medicine. There’s plenty of proof that a healthy mind, content heart and grateful attitude are just as important for the prevention of diseases and therapeutic treatment. Therefore, this concept of psychosocial health, a state of mental, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being, deserves much attention and additional research.

Basic Traits of Psychosocial Health

“The greatest revolution of our generation is the discovery that human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives.” William James

Individuals who are deemed to be psychosocially healthy aren’t completely devoid of problems. Actually, it’s not the quantity or quality of a problem, which makes someone sound in this respect. It’s the way people view themselves and how they view and response to stressful situations that sets psychosocially healthy people apart from those who are not. Here are just a few traits shared by these robust individuals. They:

  • Like themselves
  • Accept their mistakes
  • Take care of themselves
  • Have empathy for others
  • Control their anger, hate, tension, and anxiety
  • Are optimistic
  • Can work alone and with others equally well

Mental Health

“To make your mind healthy, you must feed it nourishing, wholesome thoughts.” Dr. Norman Vincent Peale

The thinking portion of psychosocial health is known as mental health. Your beliefs and values in life, as well as how you relate to others and respond to situations in your life, are a reflection of mental health, which overlaps with the other aspect of health.

When something happens to you that you don’t like and you respond in a positive manner by accepting your mistake and looking forward to its correction, then that’s good. But if you show up late for work regularly, get fired, and then blame anyone but yourself, then that may be an indicator of less than ideal mental and emotional health.

Emotional Health

The feeling part of psychosocial health is called emotional health. This includes things like anger, love, hate, and happiness. Oftentimes, emotional and mental health overlap a great deal in some situations. Going back to our example of getting fired from work because you came in late multiple time, if you feel a bit down, but still have high hopes for the future, that’s a positive thing. But if you lash out in a blinding rage against your boss, sulk when you go home, and avoid everyone thereafter, then that may point to improper emotional health.

Furthermore, it’s not unexpected even for an emotionally healthy person to experience some sadness and grief after getting fired; that by itself isn’t conclusive of poor emotional health. Everyone, even the most optimistic people, have their ups and downs. But an emotionally healthy person is one that responds to a situation in a manner that is controllable, in proportion, and with understanding.

Emotional intelligence is an ability to understand and manage your emotions and those of others. It can be broken up into five main parts:

  • Know your emotions: Are you able to quickly recognize your feelings?
  • Manage your emotions: Can you express those feelings appropriately? Are you able to cope with them well?
  • Motivate yourself: The more you can do this independently in order to achieve more in your life, the higher your emotional intelligence.
  • Recognize the emotions of others: The more you can empathize with others, the better.
  • Handle your relationships: The better you are at navigating conflict in life and building a good social network, the higher your emotional intelligence.

Social Health

Having healthy relationships is a good way to also introduce social health, the ability to create and maintain healthy relationships with others. I’m sure you can already appreciate how much this is related to the concepts we went over in emotional health. Everything here is related because they are all part of the one overarching concept – psychosocial health.

Social health goes beyond having appropriate emotional health and intelligence. A person with good social health:

  • Recognizes the importance of social engagement. We’re pack animals after all! We’re not supposed to live alone!
  • A person with good social health is able to support their friends in a time of need and ask for their help when they need it themselves.
  • They aren’t biased, prejudiced, racist, or sexist.
  • Listens to others well, expresses their feelings just as well, and acts in a responsible manner around others.

An example of a person with good social health is someone who has close friends. They enjoy listening to and feels close enough to share important feelings with. The contrast is a curmudgeon who is bad-tempered and discourages close personal relationships.

Spiritual Health

When you enhance your spirituality, you form a relationship built on inner peace, love, faith and security.

Spiritual health is about having “something more” in your life. In practical terms, we’re talking about getting to know yourself—getting to know what you’re feeling, what you’re thinking, what you’re intending, what your fears are, and what your loves are, according to Gary Zukav author of Seat of the Soul.

Relationships can transform into a spiritual connection and partnership. If we use our relationships with ourselves, others and God (or an entity that is transcendent) to make us wiser, kinder, peaceful, grateful and more compassionate, we can actually change how the relationships work for us. We can have and enjoy the relationships and lives we’ve always dreamed of.

Higher levels of spirituality have also been linked to increased compassion, strengthened relationships, and improved self-esteem. “Our findings show that spirituality is significantly associated with better mental health and well-being and may add to an individual’s overall wisdom,” explains Dilip Jeste, senior associate dean for the Center of Healthy Aging and a professor of psychiatry and neuroscience at the UC San Diego School of Medicine. “Spirituality does not require religious faith but is characterized by humility and ever-present connectedness to oneself or to others or to an entity that is transcendent, such as Mother Nature or God or the soul. It helps reduce stress in many people and allows them to be more at peace, happier, and healthier.”

References:

  1. https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-psychosocial-health-definition-components-traits.html
  2. https://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/forging-a-spiritual-relationship/all
  3. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/202010/how-spirituality-wisdom-and-mental-health-are-intertwined
  4. https://www.forbes.com/sites/amymorin/2016/06/15/this-is-how-your-thoughts-become-your-reality/?sh=1dd1728528a0

Background:

Physical wellness: This means we exercise, eat well, practice safe sex, don’t do any dangerous activities like jumping off of buildings, and so on. Physical fitness increases physical wellness. By being physically fit and well, you are better able to take care of yourself and others, especially in a time of need. You are also better able to prevent illness and disease.

Intellectual wellness: Critical thinking, being curious, and always learning new things. Developing intellectual wellness is critical not only to help a person grow in school and do better at work, but it actually prevents the onset of disease. It’s been shown that people who regularly learn new things and challenge their mind can stave off many mental health problems.

Emotional wellness: Being confident, having a solid self-esteem, building trust, and being able to understand another’s feelings. A person who is emotionally well is aware of their feelings and is able to properly cope with them. Emotional wellness also implies a person can deal well with stressful situations.

Social wellness: Having good communication skills, the ability to establish good and healthy long-term relationships, and having good relationships with family and friends. Interpersonal relationships are very important in order to maintain a good emotional and physical state of being. We are, of course, ‘pack animals,’ so to speak, that depend on one another to survive and live well.

Spiritual wellness: The path to a spiritual wellness and relationship depends upon you because how you relate to yourself determines how spiritual you are toward others, according to Deepak Chopra. Developing compassion, forgiveness, being caring, having a sense of purpose and meaning in life. Spiritual wellness doesn’t automatically imply the need for religion in a person’s life. But, it does imply a personal relationship with God or committing to something higher. This personal relationship or commitment to something higher can be developed and found through things like nature, meditation, volunteer work, and family.

Mahatma Gandhi:

  1. You must be the change you wish to see in the world.
  2. Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.
  3. Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.
  4. Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive because your words become your behavior. Keep your behavior positive because your behavior becomes your habits. Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive because your values become your destiny.

References:

  1. https://www.chopra.com/articles/how-to-have-a-true-spiritual-relationship

Get Your Annual Influenza (Flu) Shot

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“Protect yourself this flu season with a flu shot” Piedmont Healthcare

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and medical experts across the country are urging Americans to get their flu shot this fall. With peak flu season fast approaching, health experts have emphasized that this year, more than ever, it’s important to get vaccinated for the seasonal flu. 

Additionally, influenza vaccines are more available and easier to obtain this season then past influenza seasons. The CDC recommend that you start getting your flu shot.

Flu season usually starts in the fall and can last well into spring.

Flu season can be hard to predict since it usually starts in early fall around October and continues into spring. December through March are considered peak flu season in the U.S.—the time when most people get the flu. It’s good to be aware of flu season but you should also know that you can get the flu any month of the year. The best way to stay protected is by getting a yearly flu vaccination.

“Out of any year in your lifetime, this is the year to get your flu shot,” said Dr. Jane Kim, a VA physician. “This is an extraordinary year and it’s to protect you and your family. Flu shots are safe and effective. You want to be prepared and protected.”

To accommodate the expected increase in Americans getting flu vaccines this year, more flu vaccines have been orders nationwide than last year to meet the demands and avoid vaccine shortages.

Flu vaccination reduces the risk of flu illness

Had a flu shot last season? You need a new one now, and it’s best to get it early.

CDC conducts studies each year to determine how well the influenza (flu) vaccine protects against flu illness. While vaccine effectiveness (VE) can vary, recent studies show that flu vaccination reduces the risk of flu illness by between 40% and 60% among the overall population during seasons when most circulating flu viruses are well-matched to the flu vaccine. And, the flu shot “takes about two weeks after getting the vaccine into your body to build up enough antibodies to protect against the flu,” commented Jean Moorjani, MD, a pediatrician at Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children.

For military veterans, getting a flu shot will be easier this year. The Community Care Network has been expanded to include more than 60K partner locations where enrolled veterans can get a no-cost flu shot. Community Care Network providers are a vital part of VA’s health care network, ensuring eligible Veterans and their beneficiaries get the timely, high-quality health care they need.

With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to persist across the United States, it is imperative for healthcare providers that come in contact with patients to get their flu shot this year. And, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, reducing the spread of respiratory illnesses, like flu, this fall and winter is more important than ever. “People are scared to go out,” Dr. Jane Kim said.

According to the CDC, for the week ending October 17, 2020, seasonal influenza activity in the United States remains low.

For more information on the flu vaccine, visit https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/keyfacts.htm and to find the location nearest to you to receive your annual flu vaccine, visit Vaccine Finder or visit your healthcare provider.

For mor information, view the videos below:

Influenza facts and advice video from the Cleveland Clinic:

References:

  1. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/season/index.html
  2. https://www.health.com/condition/cold-flu-sinus/how-long-for-flu-shot-effective
  3. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/vaccines-work/vaccineeffect.htm#howeffective
  4. https://www.flumistquadrivalent.com/about-the-flu/when-is-flu-season.html?source=fmq_c_c_168&umedium=cpc&uadpub=bing&ucampaign=flumist_ub_resources_dtc_sd_exact&ucreative=season_exact&uplace=2020influenza&outcome=udtc&cmpid=1&&msclkid=9db03de7525e16a2211862641efdcf45&gclid=9db03de7525e16a2211862641efdcf45&gclsrc=3p.ds

COVID-19 is Spreading in U.S. with Pandemic Fatigue, Cooler Weather, Eased Restrictions

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Coronavirus cases are surging again across the U.S.

New coronavirus cases and hospitalizations continue to increase in the U.S., which could be an indication of a ‘fall surge’ of respiratory virus infections predicted by public-health officials.

For multiple times since October began, newly reported cases nationally ticked above 50,000, fueled by infectious outbreaks in several regions of the country.

The seven-day moving average of new U.S. infections, which smooths out day-to-day fluctuations, was above 50K, the highest since mid-August. The 14-day average stood at 47K. When the seven-day average is higher than the 14-day average, as it has been since early October , it suggests cases are rising.

While circumstances differ locally, many regions across the U.S. have a seven-day average of new cases greater than their 14-day average, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of Johns Hopkins figures.

Hospitalizations also have increased across the U.S. in recent weeks, though deaths haven’t surged at a similar pace. Deaths often lag behind new cases and hospitalizations, given the duration of the disease. The seven-day average of daily deaths attributed to Covid-19 has been hovering around 700 for about three weeks, down from around 1,000 two months ago.

Thanks to improved detection, most people infected in the summer had mild or no symptoms. But as cases soar, hospitalizations and deaths are also expected to rise.

U.S. has more fatalities than any other country in the world

The U.S. has more fatalities than any other country in the world—more than 217,600 since the pandemic began. But it doesn’t have the highest percentage of cases that are fatal. About 2.7% of reported cases in the U.S. have been fatal, according to data from Johns Hopkins. That figure has declined in recent months as treatments have improved and testing has expanded, allowing more mild and asymptomatic cases to be detected.

“I long for the day when each and every day we see fewer cases than the day before,” said David Aronoff, director of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn. “But if you were to ask me when that day would be, I don’t honestly know.”

Daily case-count tallies are likely to increase or remain at high levels without concerted use of such strategies as enhanced testing, widespread mask-wearing and clear, consistent messaging, epidemiologists and public-health researchers said.

Since summer, younger people make up a growing share of new U.S. infections.

Despite the rising numbers of infections, many have grown tired of restrictions on their social life and say they would rather risk catching the virus than stop seeing family and friends.

Additionally, mixed and inconsistent messaging from federal and local officials over preventive measures has sowed confusion and complacency. Some local governments have eased restrictions on businesses and requirements to wear masks. Meanwhile, college students returned to campuses, leading to some spreading of the virus, and the onset of cooler weather has led many Americans indoors, where the virus is more transmittable, public-health researchers said.

References:

  1. https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-covid-19-is-spreading-again-fatigue-colder-weather-eased-restrictions-11602759601
  2. https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19s-global-divide-as-west-reels-asia-keeps-virus-at-bay-11603186202

Healthy Aging and Lifestyle: Avoid Muscle Loss as You Age

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Declining muscle mass is part of aging, but that does not mean you are helpless to stop it.

“Older men can indeed increase muscle mass lost as a consequence of aging,” says Dr. Thomas W. Storer, director of the exercise physiology and physical function lab at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “It takes work, dedication, and a plan, but it is never too late to rebuild muscle and maintain it.”

The best means to build muscle mass, no matter your age, is progressive resistance training (PRT), says Dr. Storer. With PRT, you gradually amp up your workout volume—weight, reps, and sets—as your strength and endurance improve.

This constant challenging builds muscle and keeps you away from plateaus where you stop making gains. (See “Working on a PRT program.”) In fact, a recent meta-analysis published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise reviewed 49 studies of men ages 50 to 83 who did PRT and found that subjects averaged a 2.4-pound increase in lean body mass.

if you want to burn more calories and lose weight, the answer is simple: build muscle, according to the Cleveland Clinic.  

Muscle burns more calories at rest than fat

Ten pounds of muscle burns 50 calories at rest, whereas 10 pounds of fat burns 20 calories. This means, long after you’ve stopped working out, your body is still burning over twice as many calories when you’re toned than when you’re not. 

Strength training

When you lift weights and build muscle, you’re actually creating tiny tears in the muscle fibers within your body. This is why you’re sore after a tough workout.

Strength training comes when your muscles build against those tears. athletic trainer Tom Iannetta, ATC, CSCS explains that strength training is beneficial at any age. “As we age, we lose muscle mass, which decreases metabolism, so establishing a strength program will not only increase muscles, it will boost metabolism,” he says. 

Get moving a little every day.

Work out every morning and some evenings. Some moves take just minutes to do. Here’s a few ways to do it right:

  • Start slow—incorporate regular walks or body weight exercises to feel the burn.
  • Workout when you’re working—like with a stressball or a hand grip strengthener
  • Incorporate a complete exercise plan for building muscle. Use it and you’ll avoid back pain and get injured less

A general guideline for improving strength is to exercise each major muscle group at least twice a week. This could be performed as a full-body workout or by doing a split routine performing upper body exercises twice a week, then lower body exercises twice a week.”

Helpful strength training tips:

  • Warm up. Always begin with a light warm-up such as riding a stationary bike or an elliptical machine. Five to 10 minutes should be sufficient.
  • Sets are key. Three sets of an exercise with eight to 12 repetitions has been the gold standard for an effective strength program. However, finding time to exercise may be a challenge.  Recent research shows that many people see results with one or two sets of eight to 15 repetitions of a particular exercise.
  • Push it. Pushing the muscle to fatigue is a key factor. Choose a weight that is heavy enough to fatigue your muscles in eight to 15 repetitions. As exercise becomes easier, you can progressively increase the amount of resistance.
  • Variety is the spice of life … and muscle building. As you get stronger, try varying the exercises you perform. Different exercises or varying the weight training equipment in your routine should keep your program challenging.

The important thing is to find an activity that you enjoy. With consistency, you’ll shed that quarantine weight in no time. 

References:

  1. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/build-muscles-lose-weight-by-adding-strength-training-to-your-workout/?_ga=2.29316282.743021087.1601167027-783556893.1601167027
  2. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-can-you-avoid-muscle-loss-as-you-age/
  3. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/preserve-your-muscle-mass

Age-related muscle loss | Harvard Men’s Health Watch

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After age 30, men begin to lose as much as 3% to 5% of muscle mass per decade, according to WebMD.com. Most men will lose about 30% of their muscle mass during their lifetimes. Less muscle means greater weakness and less mobility, both of which may increase your risk of falls and fractures.

A 2015 report from the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research found that people with sarcopenia, age-related muscle loss, had 2.3 times the risk of having a low-trauma fracture from a fall, such as a broken hip, collarbone, leg, arm, or wrist.

“Older men can increase muscle mass lost as a consequence of aging,” says Dr. Thomas W. Storer, director of the exercise physiology and physical function lab at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “It takes work, dedication, and a plan, but it is never too late to rebuild muscle and maintain it.”

Increasing strength and endurance

One possible contributor to sarcopenia, age-related muscle loss, is the natural decline of testosterone, the hormone that stimulates protein synthesis and muscle growth. Think of testosterone as the fuel for your muscle-building fire.

The FDA has not approved taking testosterone supplements to build muscle mass in men due to their side effects.

The best means to build muscle mass, no matter your age, is progressive resistance training (PRT), says Dr. Storer. With PRT, you gradually amp up your workout volume—weight, reps, and sets—as your strength and endurance improve. This constant challenging builds muscle and keeps you away from plateaus where you stop making gains. To gain more muscle mass, older men need a structured and detailed PRT program, says Dr. Storer.

Set up a detailed progressive resistance strength training workouts

You should do strength-training that works all major muscle groups—legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms—at least two days a week.  Strength training can involve lifting weights, using resistance bands, or exercises like push-ups and sit-ups, in which your body weight furnishes the resistance.

A typical training program might include

  • 8 to 10 exercises that target all the major muscle groups
  • sets of 12 to 15 reps, performed at an effort of about 5 to 7 on a 10-point scale
  • two or three workouts per week.

After you have established a routine, the way to progress is to add a second and then a third set of the exercises. Another way is to decrease the number of reps per set and increase the weight or resistance to the point where you are able to complete at least eight reps, but no more than 12.

Increasing muscle power

Building muscle is not all about strength, says Dr. Storer. You also need power. “Muscle power, how fast and efficiently you move, is more connected to the activities of daily living and physical function than muscular strength,” he says.

A good way to improve overall muscle power is with your legs, since they are most responsible for mobility. “Doing quicker movements against resistance, like one’s own body weight, can be an effective means of developing power,” says Dr. Storer.

For instance, when rising from a seated position, try to do it quickly. When climbing stairs, hold the handrail and push off a step as fast as possible. “It does not have to be every step—begin with one to three steps—but this teaches your muscles to use strength in a more effective way.”

References:

  1. https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/guide/sarcopenia-with-aging
  2. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/preserve-your-muscle-mass

Vitamin D might make sense

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Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, recommends getting enough sleep, maintaining a healthy diet, and avoiding or alleviating stress as the three most potent ways to keep your immune system strong. 

He states that “it is much more healthy living than giving yourself supplements of anything”.

Recently, when responding to a question, Dr. Fauci told the actress Jennifer Garner that he takes two supplements: vitamin D and vitamin C.

Fauci states consistently that the best ways to control the pandemic are: good hand hygiene, mask-wearing, and social distancing.

Vitamin D might make sense.

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is naturally present in a few foods, added to others, and available as a dietary supplement. It is also produced when ultraviolet (UV) rays from sunlight strike the skin and trigger vitamin D synthesis. It comes in two main forms, D2 (ergocalciferol) and D3 (cholecalciferol). Both forms are well absorbed in the small intestine.

Yet, regarding vitamin D, “there is good evidence that if you have a low vitamin D level, you have more of a propensity to get infected”, Dr. Fauci commented.

Several scientific studies have concluded that being deficient in vitamin D can put you at greater risk of infection, and it appears anecdotally that finding has held true again during the coronavirus pandemic.

“There is good evidence that if you have a low vitamin D level, that you have more of a propensity to get infected when there are infections around,” Fauci said. “Those data are pretty good data.”

In addition to reducing inflammation in the body, vitamin D also helps our bodies absorb calcium, keeping bones healthy and strong, so it’s good for people of all ages and races to make sure they’re getting enough.

Sources of Vitamin D

Few foods naturally contain vitamin D. The flesh of fatty fish (such as trout, salmon, tuna, and mackerel) and fish liver oils are among the best sources.

References:

  1. https://www.msn.com/en-us/Health/wellness/forget-vitamins-fauci-says-the-3-best-things-to-keep-your-immune-system-working-optimally-cost-nothing/ar-BB199xsP?li=BBnbfcL&ocid=overlayclose
  2. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/