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SEATTLE -- A lot of us are working from home and basically eliminating human interaction, which can bring on feelings of isolation, loneliness and depression. So how can make sure that we are prioritizing our health during this time, while staying connected?

Dr. Oliveira is the senior medial director at Regence BlueShield, and he says it is so important to stay social in a social distancing world.

Use the technology that you have available to you. Many of us have the ability to do video chatting with a friend, a family member, such as I did with my son today. Chat, text, send messages, even do a neighborhood email chains if you can. Worst case scenario, just pick up the phone and call someone," he said.

Dr. Oliveira says if you start to feel depressed or sick, there are resources available.

Telemedicine is a great solution for you, not only for primary care services. If youre worried about that you may have the flu or COVID-19, but also if you need behavioral health services as well," he said.

Myths about coronavirus are spreading like wildfire across the internet. Dr. Oliveira says don't buy into those rumors. It is best to just go straight to the source.

Read reliable resources, your health department, the CDC, those are places to get information on COVID-19, not necessarily your favorite ad coming through Facebook or other social media sites," he said.

As always, there are the tried and true methods to health and wellness, even if it looks a little different this day and age.

Get enough sleep, eat well and exercise! And exercise may have to take different paths given where you are in your social distancing standpoint, working out at home or taking a hike, all are important things.

Dr. Oliveira says because a lot of us don't have to commute right now, it offers up some extra time to pick up an old hobby. Maybe it is painting, playing the piano or just hunkering down with a good book. All of these things can help you stay connected while staying healthy!

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Healthy Living: Staying connected in the age of social distancing - Q13 News Seattle

HANAPEPE Physician, nutritionist and author Steven Masley was planning to be at Talkstory Bookstore in Hanapepe on Friday, signing copies of his latest book The Mediterranean Method.

With recent COVID-19 stay-at-home rules and travel quarantines, however, the Pacific Northwest resident is postponing his book signing.

A trained chef, European sailboat captain and the creator of a health program for public television, 30 Days to a Younger Heart, Masleys newest book promotes an eating style that some studies show leads to a healthier life.

He is a fellow with the American Heart Association, the American College of Nutrition, and a former fellow with the American Academy of Family Physicians. He is also an affiliate clinical associate professor at the University of South Florida.

He has appeared on over 700 media interviews, including public television, The Today Show and the Discovery Channel.

His newest book looks at the advantages to the philosophies of The Mediterranean Diet, and provides recipes and practical ways to make the diet work for the average person.

The Mediterranean Diet has been rated as the overall No. 1 diet on the planet three years in a row by US News and World Report. Masley says these honors should not be too surprising, as Mediterranean countries have some of the longest life spans on the planet and they have lower rates of heart disease, diabetes, memory loss, cancer and obesity than nearly all other western countries.

The meals are simple to prepare, Masley says. It has also been ranked as the easiest diet to follow long-term.

The diet itself is based upon the eating habits of people living around the Mediterranean Sea: Spain, France, Italy, Greece and Turkey, as well as Middle Eastern and northern African countries.

Masley says what these cuisines have in common is the consumption of fresh, seasonal, whole foods featuring vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, herbs and spices; the predominate use of extra-virgin olive oil; moderate amounts of seafood and poultry; and the moderate consumption of red wine.

What the Mediterranean diet specifically has avoided is processed foods, sugar, sweeteners and artificial flavors. Red meats are rarely on the menu or are used sparingly to flavor a dish.

Considering all these benefits, Masley said he felt compelled to write a book, The Mediterranean Method, to help promote this eating plan and to make it simple to follow.

To do background research for this book, I read nearly 1,000 scientific journal articles, plus, my wife Nicole and I bought a sailboat and sailed from Spain to Turkey during 2018 and 2019. We visited small ports, food markets, family-run restaurants, and searched for regional recipes that were easy to prepare, delicious and healthy.

Let me share my version of the food and lifestyle pyramid of a low-glycemic Mediterranean diet, adapted from my book, The Mediterranean Method, Masley said.

Continued here:
Fresh foods, healthy living - Thegardenisland.com

Lets talk about rewiring your thought patterns. Did you know that your thoughts can change your biology? I believe our brain (how we think) impacts our biology and our biology impacts our biography. Want to put this theory to the test?

Think of a lemon. Close your eyes and envision yourself cutting a lemon wedge and then bringing it up to your mouth. Now smell it. Put the lemon between your teeth and hold it there. Imagine biting down on that lemon. What did you experience? Did your salivary glands start salivating? Mine did just writing this. You just changed what was going on in your biology by thinking of this lemon in your mouth.

Now think of the most joyous time in your life. What emotions come up? The emotions that came up with that thought also impact your biology. What about a sad or hard time? The emotions that come up all change the direction and information of your biology.

Its been proven time and again. Simply thinking about something causes your brain to release chemicals that affect how you act and how you feel.

Now that we know this, its easy to see how important positive thinking is to our health and well-being.

So, lets rewire your thoughts to improve your biology and excite your biography! Here are some simple affirmations to help reset your thought patterns. Feel free to make up your own, but if one of these speaks to you, grab it, repeat it, feel it and love it.

I am important, loved, wanted and welcomed.

I willingly let go of all that does not serve me, and I choose to step into my greatness with an open heart.

I claim my own power and lovingly create my own reality. I am strong and loved.

I am safe, calm, and the universe loves and approves and supports me.

I release the past. I cherish myself and my beautiful sexuality. I am safe. I am loved.

I love who I am. I am grounded in my own power. I am secure on all levels.

I am the power and authority in my life. I release the past and claim my good now.

These affirmations come from the groundbreaking work of motivational author Louise Hay. Ms. Hay is a perfect example of the mind-body connection, having overcome a violently traumatic childhood to become a New York Times bestselling author.

Would one of these affirmations work for you? Take some time to really listen to your language. Listen to the words you say over and over, the ones you say aloud and the ones you repeat in your head. Write down any words or beliefs you keep repeating. Then take some time to dissect them and rewrite them. Changing your language and your thinking will change your physical being, daily activities and life experiences.

Give it a try. What do you have to lose?

Anna Marie Frank is a brain health and wellness expert, author, lecturer and human-potential coach. The views expressed are her own.

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HEALTHY LIVING: Rewire your thoughts to improve your biology, excite your biography - The Bakersfield Californian

By Lisa Hageman For The Bulletin

MondayMar23,2020at6:34PM

Palliative care (pronounced pal-lee-uh-tiv) is specialized medical care for people living with a serious illness. This type of care is provided by an interdisciplinary team of professionals that can include nurses, doctors, social workers, clergy, and others who are focused on providing relief from the symptoms and stress of a serious illness, and in doing so, improving the quality of life for both the person with the illness and the people who care about them.

Part of the care provided by a palliative care service is discussing the medical facts as assessed by the medical team in language that is easily understood, answering questions about the medical plan of care and health care choices surrounding the plan of care, all while keeping the person experiencing the illness at the center.

During these goals of care discussions, the palliative care team assists with helping people with serious illnesses identify the person they would rely on to make medical decisions on their behalf if they were unable, and to talk through their goals and preferences as they relate to future heath care wishes.

Access to and connection with this type of care can be through your health care provider in the community or during an inpatient stay in the hospital.

In the event that you or a loved one are diagnosed with a serious illness, a palliative care team can help you to navigate the complex healthcare world, including walking with you as you seek treatments (like chemotherapy or dialysis) for your disease, and help manage symptoms and live as well as possible in a body thats not working well.

If a time comes that your medical team assesses that further treatment is not possible or becomes too risky, or the patient decides thatfurther treatment is not wanted and comfort and allowing for natural death is the goal of care, Hospice can become involved to support you as you face your end of life. Questions about how palliative care may help you or a loved one may be directed to the Backus Hospital Inpatient Palliative Care Service at 860-889-8331 ext. 6829.

Lisa Hageman is the manager of the Preventive Medicine Initiative at Backus Hospital.

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Healthy Living: Palliative care team treats seriously ill patients - Norwich Bulletin

People seem to be spending more of their time trying to achieve life goals, such as starting a business or pursuing a competitive career. If they manage to fulfill these dreams, they move on and start planning for business expansion, career growth, and other ways where they can improve their life. This process seems to be the norm in the modern world.

Nowadays, people prefer to find ways to sustain their lifestyle and to look for solutions to ensure that they live a more comfortable life. As a result, everyone seems to be too immersed in their jobs. This can help improve your financial status and achieve self-growth. However, you should still prioritize your health over anything else.

The busier you become, the more you need to pay attention to your health. This includes your physical, mental, and emotional health. You have to find time to take care of yourself despite your busy schedule. Here are a few reasons why you need to start living a healthy lifestyle:

If you observe businesses, a lot of entrepreneurs are now investing in a fresh food franchise and other business ideas supporting the healthy living lifestyle. They are trying their best to encourage people to stay healthy and patronize natural products. You might want to start heeding their advocacy because it will change your life for the better. Here are a few other pointers to ensure that you stay strong and healthy:

Having a healthy lifestyle is probably one of the best investments you can give to yourself. If you are not healthy, your immune system will be compromised. As a result, your ability to perform your tasks will be significantly affected. Thus, you need to keep prioritizing your health, no matter how busy you become. Doing this will help you reach your maximum potential by not suffering from illnesses and other health issues. You can come up with a lot of excuses just to avoid making time for your health.

However, you need to keep in mind that for you to reach your goals, you need to maintain a healthy mind and body. If you have bigger dreams, you need to work harder to take care of yourself. Start fixing your schedule as soon as you can. Make sure to spend some time to be physically and mentally fit so that you can take on all the challenges you encounter in life.

Originally posted here:
Why You Need to Keep Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle - Fife Free Press

Hikers walk up from and back down to the parking lot at William Frederick Hayden Park at Green Mountain on a warm spring day March 25, 2020. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)

Coloradans who place a high value on fitness, exercise and outdoor recreation have been in a quandary since the outbreak of the coronavirus, wondering how to run, hike, ride bikes or ski without putting themselves at risk for exposure. On Friday, The Denver Post interviewed state epidemiologist Dr. Rachel Herlihy for guidance. She has been with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment for eight years and has been the state epidemiologist for three years.

How concerned are you about the potential for transmission of the COVID-19 virus in parks and on trails as people seek exercise for their physical and mental health? Weve all seen images of people congregating in parking lots and at trailheads.

Its a great point. Our concerns about transmission of this virus are really mostly when people are going to be closer together. If that is occurring in outdoor spaces, that is certainly concerning. We are very serious about social distancing and the orders that local jurisdictions and the governors office have issued. We know they are really important to try and protect people and save lives. We certainly know its important for people to exercise, but we want people to be doing that in a way that maintains social distancing.

Are you saying that people are relatively safe if they are maintaining that six foot distancing out there?

Yes. I think if people are maintaining those social distancing spaces, it is safe to be outdoors. We want people to exercise. We know it is very important for peoples physical and mental health, but a crowded park, a crowded parking lot, is certainly a place where transmission could occur. So we encourage people to find ways to exercise outdoors that avoid crowds and situations where you are going to be less than six feet from other people.

We hear about this six-foot space a lot. It sounds like you are reasonably confident that if someone is more than six feet away from someone, even if they have the virus, theyre not going to be contagious.

I would say its low-risk, not zero-risk. We certainly know the closer you are, and as that period of (exposure) extends, the greater the risk is, but transiently passing by someone at a distance of greater than six feet would be considered low-risk. Six feet is chosen for a reason. We know thats the distance that respiratory droplets can travel.

In addition to the distance youre keeping from one person, its also thinking about how many people are present. If you are six feet from one person, thats different from being six feet from 20 people. In general, we want the numbers of people that are close together to be quite small.

If someone is running or hiking on a single-track trail in a park or an open space and someone approaches from the other direction, is it sufficient to simply step aside to maintain that six feet? And what if someone coughs in an encounter like that?

Certainly coughing would be concerning, so if individuals are on a trail coughing, and you are in close proximity, that would certainly increase the risk of transmission. We would hope that individuals that are out getting exercise are generally feeling well. We know the risk of transmission for individuals that are symptomatic, but there is some small risk of transmission when individuals are asymptomatic as well before they develop symptoms.

Running on a wide road instead of a narrow trail, especially if that is a popular trail, is a great thing to do.

How contagious is someone who has contracted the virus but is asymptomatic?

We know that the virus is spread especially between people who arent touching the same surfaces typically by coughing or sneezing. Thats how those respiratory droplets are projected into the air another person can inhale those respiratory droplets. That means the risk of transmission is going to be much greater if someone is symptomatic, so we believe more transmission occurs from people who are symptomatic than from people who are asymptomatic.

The difference might be in a household or a close indoor setting where an individual could potentially touch their face and then touch surfaces and contaminate those surfaces. Thats different. Thats typically not going to happen as much hiking or biking on a trail. Youre not going to be sharing surfaces with an individual. That does get to the point of avoiding play structures, playgrounds, those sorts of settings. There is an opportunity for surfaces to be contaminated.

The governor has been very consistent about telling people they should get outside and exercise, that its important. Why do you and the governor consider that to be so important?

Its about peoples physical and mental (health). Especially right now, its important for people to have those healthy outlets. Colorado in particular is a state that embraces an active lifestyle. We want Coloradans to maintain that active, healthy lifestyle they have during this difficult time.

One of the things the governor has suggested is that perhaps you go for a jog less often. Perhaps there is an alternative to going for a jog. Can you take an online class in your basement or living room? Are there other things you can do to decrease risk of exposure to other individuals? We want people to be able to do this be outside and exercise but also come up with strategies to maintain social distancing while continuing to be active.

Open spaces and parks tend to be magnets for people. Is it better to stay close to home and exercise in a neighborhood where there are two-lane streets with sidewalks on both sides so people can cross to the other side of the street, as opposed to recreating on trails?

Absolutely. Find those routes for your walks and runs and bike rides that are more likely to have fewer people on them. Thats a great alternative to going to a popular park. Another strategy is to go at less popular times of the day. In the spring, lots of folks are probably out midday when its warmest out, so instead consider going at alternate times when its not going to be quite so crowded.

Is there anything else you want people to know on this topic?

People should use their judgment and be smart, understand how serious this virus is and really follow those guidelines to keep themselves and the people around them healthy. At this point, we dont feel theres a need to close trails or limit peoples exposure to nature and exercise. But we all need to do our part so we dont have to close trails or limit access to recreation in the state. These measures are serious, and they are about saving lives.

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What you need to know about exercising outdoors during the coronavirus outbreak - The Know