Make Time for Your Health - Pay Yourself First

The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown many of us off our game. With gyms and dance studios closed, long lines at grocery stores and many other businesses either shuttered or their services altered, we've had to change our schedules, our lifestyles and our workout routines - and that's just for starters. 

Now the holidays are here. The holiday season is a busy time for all us. But don't let the pandemic or the holidays deprive you of your health and fitness.

Here are some tips to help you stay healthy:

• Make time to exercise each day. We know that daily exercise is good for the cardiovascular, respiratory and musculoskeletal systems. Exercise also helps to reduce insulin resistance (so it improves insulin sensitivity) which helps to control blood glucose levels. Exercise also helps to improve mood.

• Shop for healthy, whole foods (not processed) either in-person or by utilizing the many grocery shopping apps. Plan your meals and invest in a little extra time to cook nutritious meals.

• Stay away from foods with additives. Unhealthy foods that contain food additives such as artificial colors, flavors and preservatives are inflammatory. They are not good for our bodies and brains. 

• And don't forget your sleep. Health experts generally advise to get between 7 - 9 hours of sleep per night. This helps to strengthen our immune system, and reduce the stress hormone known as cortisol. Cortisol can wreak havoc on the body when levels are too high for too long.

Pay yourself first. Make time for daily exercise, healthy eating and ample sleep each night. Why? If you don't make time for your health today, there's a good chance you'll be forced to spend time with an illness (such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes or heart disease) tomorrow. 

Wearing masks helps slow the spread of COVID-19

Wearing masks helps slow the spread of COVID-19, along with distancing ourselves at least 6 feet from others (which is about 2-arms' length), hand washing and avoiding crowds.

A person that wears a mask when out in public, and wears it correctly (covering BOTH their nose and mouth) protects others from their respiratory droplets - this is how wearing masks helps to slow the spread of COVID-19. 

A person can infect others, even if they don't have symptoms (asymptomatic).

Facial masks by Carole Jakucs, June 12, 2020. Image subject to copyright.

• When you wear a mask - you protect others. 
• When others wear a mask - they protect you.

There is no cure and no vaccine yet for COVID-19 (also known as SARS-CoV-2 and coronavirus disease).

So, it’s important not to let our guard down, work together to protect each other, and continue with safe behaviors to protect ourselves, our families, friends and communities. 

Carole's Italian kale, white bean and vegetable soup

After several creative sessions in the kitchen, I came up with this recipe for a healthy, delicious, nutrient dense soup. Kale is loaded with vitamins K, C and A. 

The other vegetables in this recipe are bursting with vitamins and nutrients too.

Among their many important functions, vitamin K is essential for bone health, vitamin C supports our immune system, and vitamin A is necessary for eye health.

Even though our bodies process beans as carbohydrates, cannellini beans have a fair amount of protein and fiber. And if you decide to use bone broth, it will add more protein. 

Carole Jakucs Italian Kale, white bean and vegetable soup - 2020 - image subject to copyright.

Carole's Italian Kale, White Bean and Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 (16-oz) bag of peeled, baby carrots, sliced or chopped (about 2 cups)
• 3 – 4 large celery stalks, rinsed and chopped (about 2 cups)
• 1 medium sweet or yellow onion, chopped (about 2 cups chopped)
• 1 bunch of kale rinsed, remove large stems and finely chop the remaining leaves (about 6 loosely packed cups of kale leaves)
• 1 (32-ounce) container chicken bone broth, chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 2 (15.5-ounce) cans cannellini beans (drained), you can substitute great northern beans if you don’t have cannellini beans
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes (with juice)
• If you like potato in your soup, you can add one medium potato, skinned and finely chopped (this is optional)
• 1 tablespoon freshly minced garlic
• 2 – 3 tablespoons Italian seasoning, to taste
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

• Heat olive oil for one minute over low heat in a 5 or 6-quart pot. Add onions, celery, carrots and cook for 4 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add kale and cook for an additional 4 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add broth, cannellini beans, diced tomatoes, potato (if you decide to use), garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and cover keeping a gentle simmer. Cook with lid for 25 – 35 minutes, or until carrots are tender. 

Carole Jakucs Italian kale, white bean, and vegetable-soup - 2020 - image subject to copyright.

Try this soup and enjoy. Wishing you good health!

10 tips to have fun and stay fit during the stay-at-home order for COVID-19

It’s important to keep busy and remain positive during the stay-at-home order due to COVID-19. Some fun ways I found to stay busy and fit are:

 

Photo credit of coronavirus image: CDC/ Alissa Eckert, MS; Dan Higgins, MAMS

1. Work from home if your job allows.
2. Catch up on reading books you’ve not had time to read.
3. If you begin to feel stressed or fearful, consider prayer, meditation or relaxation breathing. These can help calm your mind.
4. Reach out electronically to family and friends you miss.
5. Discover some great new music and new composers to listen to.
6. Stay physically active with fun dance and exercise videos via stream or DVD.  The choices are endless; jazz, tap, ballet, hip-hop, Bollywood, Tai Chi and Yoga.
7. And don’t forget stretching and resistance training. Both are an important part of a complete fitness program in addition to cardio.
8. Since going out to eat is on hold right now, consider trying some new, healthy recipes to dazzle your taste buds and alleviate boredom.
9. Consider decluttering closets and cabinets while you’re stuck at home. Prepare bags of unwanted clothes and other items for donation to your favorite charities. Helping others can help us too.
10. And last; resist the temptation to overindulge in junk foods, alcohol or other drugs. You’ll feel better for it both physically and mentally if you maintain a healthy diet, weight and lifestyle. 

Six tips for protecting yourself from COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019)

Here is a brief overview of some of the advice given from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and infection control experts, regarding how you can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 (also known as the coronavirus, novel coronavirus, and coronavirus disease 2019) to reduce your risk of infecting others or becoming infected yourself.

Image by Carole Jakucs, 2020. Subject to copyright. 

Hand washing

Wash your hands frequently with soap and clean, running water for at least 20 seconds. Singing the song, "Happy Birthday" twice, which is about 20 seconds.

Make sure you rub all surfaces of both your hands under clear, running water and don't forget to include your fingertips, thumbs, tops of hands, palms and between your fingers.

If you're not near a sink with soap and running water, the next best way to clean your hands is by using hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol to clean your hands, until you can get to a sink and wash your hands with soap and water.

Make sure you wash your hands before and after eating, using the bathroom, touching your eyes, nose and mouth or the rare venturing out of the house for necessities such as groceries.

Cover your coughs and sneezes

Always cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough and sneeze (a sleeve will do if you don't have a tissue and is better than nothing) then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands.

Don't touch your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed (unclean) hands

If you don't heed this advice and your hands have infectious germs on them, you can make yourself sick (inoculate yourself) with COVID-19, other viruses and bacteria.

Stay home when advised to do so 

Heed the rules, guidelines and recommendations by your local, state and federal leaders and public health departments regarding sheltering in place. The current CDC Guidelines of 15 days to Slow the Spread is for the entire U.S. Some states that have greater numbers of COVID-19 infections such as New York, California and Washington, may have additional guidelines dictated by their local conditions on the ground.

If you're sick and have seen a physician and/or have had a known exposure, the current recommendation is to isolate yourself at home for at least 14 days (known as self-quarantine or self-isolation). Always follow the advise given to you by your physician. 

Practice social distancing 

When you do need to venture out of the house for groceries for example, ensure you maintain at least 6 feet of space between yourself and others. 

Disinfect suspected or confirmed contaminated and high-use surfaces

Make sure you frequently clean (using disinfectant solution or wipes) any and all surfaces that may be contaminated such as: Shopping cart handles, payment key pad surfaces at grocery or pharmacy check-outs, counter tops, door knobs, light switches, keyboards, cell phones, the steering wheel of your car, etc.just to name a few.

*This blog is not a comprehensive list of all you can do to protect yourself and others from getting COVID-19. Please visit the CDC and the National Institutes of Health for more information.