Month: December 2020

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Thoughts for the Holidays

As we head into a Christmas that is quite a change from usual, my thoughts turn to how different this entire year has been. I know I’m one of the lucky ones – being retired has meant dealing with fewer challenges than those who are still working. My fellow pharmacists, like so many health care workers, have had extra work and worries, trying to continue full health services while keeping themselves and their clients safe.

It seems like a good time to express thanks for the hard work of so many who are trying to keep the virus under control and minimize its impact as it continues to spread. I’d like to chime in with them to encourage everyone to help and to show their appreciation by doing everything they can to prevent virus transmission. Especially for front line health care workers in hospitals, fewer cases of COVID will mean their jobs will be safer and more manageable. So many hospital workers are exhausted and stressed way beyond normal.

Postponed plans…

I was really looking forward to going to Halifax to see our daughter’s beautiful new home and spend time with our family there. But, despite somewhat reduced cases (only 7 new cases yesterday, as I write this), central Nova Scotia is still under travel restrictions. Visiting there is not recommended, and 2 weeks of self-isolation would be required after our return.

So, unless conditions magically change, our visit will be postponed. As my husband says, we can go any time – it doesn’t have to be now. And our daughter has already given us several delightful video tours… with wonderful commentary!

But we are able to get together with my in-laws who live nearby. They’re a retired couple like us who mostly stay at home as the health experts advise. We also get together occasionally with a few of our (also retired or working-from-home) neighbours, keeping our “bubble” to about 10 people, as recommended now that we have only a few travel-related cases here in New Brunswick.

New Year’s resolutions?

So, I expect we’ll have extra time this holiday season that we can use wisely or waste away with worries. I read an Australian “midlife blogger”, Leanne, who writes the weekly blog, “Cresting the Hill”. She describes an alternative to New Year’s resolutions that I hadn’t heard of before: instead of traditional resolutions, at the beginning of each year, she chooses a Word of the Year… a word that will focus and inspire her throughout the year to move forward with her goals, new and old. It sounds like an interesting way to plan for a new year. I might just try it!

For 2021, I think I might choose “Health” as my word of the year – both mental and physical health (as you can’t have one without the other). I want to focus on Health for the environment, too, as we can’t be healthy without a healthy planet. Environmental health is a topic I’ve been wanting to write about, so perhaps you’ll be seeing more blogs from me about this topic in the coming year.

Holiday recommendations:

Meanwhile, here are a few holiday recommendations I came across that might help to keep your mind in a good place even if you can’t be where you want to be…

1. Sleep – When we don’t sleep enough, we are more likely to feel negative when things aren’t ideal, and just can’t feel our best when we’re overtired. A short nap (15 to 30 minutes) can help us increase energy and improve our outlook on the day, too.

2. Stay active – Although you may need to psyche yourself up a little to get outside when it’s cold and windy, fresh air and exercise can improve mood and contribute to good health, both mental and physical.

3. Address loneliness – When you contact friends and family, you’re not just helping to prevent yourself from being lonely… you’re helping someone else too. Whether you prearrange a time for a call, send a text or just ring and see if they have time to chat, the holidays are a time to reach out to others. Just a 5-minute call to say hello can bring happiness and connection. I’ve even gotten back to traditional snail mail a little – getting a card or letter can lift someone’s spirits for several days, as it can be re-read and enjoyed again and again. I think I’ll start writing more letters, even if I end up sending them electronically, but I like the idea of surprising others with a note or letter on real paper.

4. Eat well – Holidays and overindulgence go together. And there’s growing evidence that what we eat can influence our moods. Here’s a fun fact: did you know that turkey contains lots of tryptophan, an amino acid that is a precursor to serotonin (the substance increased by some antidepressants)? Some suggest that the tryptophan content of turkey may be part of the reason why we feel sleepy and contented after a big turkey dinner…

5. Align expectations – Some of us are at greater risk than others, should we become infected with the coronavirus, and need to take greater precautions. Others are returning to normal prematurely, due to “COVID fatigue” even though numbers of infections are peaking in many areas. Don’t hesitate to have a conversation about your comfort level regarding risk of exposure to the virus and respect the choices of others who decide to stay home. Although the holidays are important to many of us, as my husband says, it’s only a day, and we can celebrate later or enjoy the holiday in different ways. Keeping a small “bubble” this year can mean much less suffering later.

6. Limit “doomscrolling” – This is a new term being used for scrolling endlessly through bad news on the internet. While we want to keep up on current virus trends and recommendations, some are advising we should set a time limit for this somewhat depressing activity, then move on to more positive activities. I find it’s helpful to read about things we can do to make a difference… hence, this little list! But, especially before bedtime, read something happy or uplifting to help set you up for a good night’s sleep.

Although this will be a very different Christmas for many of us, making an effort to eat well, stay rested, and keep moving can help keep us healthy, mentally and physically. Even though we can’t gather together as we usually do this year, by reaching out in different ways, we can help others and ourselves enjoy the warm feelings of the holiday season.

So, this will be my last blog for 2020. Like many bloggers, I’ll take a bit of a break over the holidays when most people are too busy to read anyway! I’d like to wish you all happy holidays and a healthy and joyous new year in 2021, as we all recover gradually from the events of this unusual year. I can’t help thinking it will all make for interesting stories to tell our grandchildren who are not yet born… how everyone wore masks, washed their hands many times a day, and didn’t travel or visit hardly at all for a whole year to prevent spreading a nasty virus. And how almost everyone in the world lined up to get a vaccination that would protect us from the virus.

Hopefully we can also tell stories about how scientists learned what we needed to do to prevent another virus from jumping from animals to humans and wreaking havoc across the world again…

Stay safe, stay home and stay well until we have it all under control, and I wish you a happy and healthy 2021! Jeannie

Articles:

Christmas 2020: How to protect mental health – Medical News Today

Cresting the Hill – Leanne in Australia

The role of diet and nutrition on mental health and wellbeing – Cambridge University Press

#mentalhealth #COVID19

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Winter Holidays… COVID-style

I’ve mostly been fine with pandemic restrictions so far. I know that restrictions are for our safety and to protect those who are vulnerable. The more the virus spreads, the greater the chance it will reach into nursing homes and plug up our hospitals. But to get through the holidays in good cheer, I’m going to have to work at it. Here are some ideas to help enjoy the holidays…

Staying in touch

My husband’s family have been doing video calls twice a week since spring, every Wednesday and Saturday. It’s really helping to keep the family in touch with each other and gives us something to look forward to. I started a similar “coffee hour” with my two sisters on Sunday mornings. I have been video chatting with my children fairly often, but sometimes we get busy and a couple of weeks go by. I want to get into a schedule with them too, so we talk regularly.

Of course, a low-tech phone call works too and is often simpler for those who might be find technology confusing, but there is something special about seeing each other, even on a screen. There are many programs that include video calling now, making it easier than ever. We’ve used Skype for years, but now also use Messenger often, as you can hop from texting onto a phone or video call in the same program. All you need is to load the app on a phone or tablet. Google’s Meet program, Zoom and What’s App are others that allow free video chatting through your internet connection.

With my husband’s family, we use a program called Whereby that allows up to 4 devices to securely connect for free, great for those who worry about security on the internet. They have a special on right now – unlimited free calls for up to 50 people over the holidays, until January 8th, if you were interested in trying it out. I find it’s easiest to really have a conversation with just 2 parties, though, as it’s harder to follow cues of whose turn it is to talk with 3 or more. My hubby’s family, who often have 5 or 6 on a call, raise their hand when they want to say something and that works well. Might be because several of them are retired teachers…

I also set up a group text in Messenger with our children and their spouses last spring, and they post there every day. It’s keeping us all in touch with each other and fits into their busy lifestyles. My son and daughter-in-law post videos of our two granddaughters regularly on it too, and we really enjoy those (watch them over and over and over…). It’s hard to get little ones to sit still on a video call for very long and videos let us see them at some exciting moments! These days, it’s the daily discovery of what their “elf on a shelf” is up to…

I also started sending snail mail to our Grandgirls. Nothing more fun than getting something in the mail! Sometimes it’s a small parcel, other times just a letter or drawing. I’ve even gotten some return mail and that’s so special! My fridge is getting nicely decorated…

Home alone…

I’ve been hoping that somehow, COVID cases would get under control enough that we could get together with our children. But outbreaks continue to occur, and travel is still not recommended. In fact, health authorities are begging us all to just stay home, as hospitals in many areas are filling up with COVID patients. Regular surgeries are being delayed, even those to remove cancer. I just can’t imagine being in that boat…

So, it’s looking like our Christmas will be a get-together with my husband’s brother and his wife who live nearby and have been spending their time home alone like us. Hopefully, we can have a delayed holiday celebration in January or February with our children when quarantining afterward won’t be needed or at least won’t be as difficult.

When we isolated last March, on our arrival back from our winter holiday in Spain, we ordered home meal delivery (Hello Fresh!) to make it more fun. We had a great time cooking new dishes without having to worry about whether we had the ingredients on hand (everything you need is included except very basics like butter and eggs). Might just do that again for a while this winter for entertainment. It’s fun trying new recipes and feels like you’re eating at a restaurant since you’re not having your usual fare!

Holiday entertainment

Of course, this year I’m not just bemoaning the time I won’t have just hanging out with my kids and grandkids – we also won’t be travelling as we usually do in the winter. I bought some nice new “base layer” pieces (aka long johns…) so I can get outdoors more and not freeze to death. And we do have snowshoes that we had a little fun with last March when we came back early from Spain with snow still on the ground. There’s not much snow here yet but we try to walk to our mailbox at the top of our road almost every day (about a 30 minute walk, there and back) or head to the beach to see what’s new (it changes daily!).

I enjoy browsing through photos of previous trips and reliving the memories of warm vacations. But I came across an article this week with another suggestion for us Snowbirds who’ve had our wings clipped this year – sightseeing by internet! Sounds like it would be a fun way to spend some evenings “travelling virtually” on a big screen. I have a nice long HDMI cable that will put whatever is on my computer screen onto the TV for better viewing.

I’ll post a link to the article below, so you can check it out yourself, but one site they suggested is Google Maps Treks, that offers virtual tours of stunning regions around the world like the Great Barrier Reef, Venice, Mount Everest and the Canadian North. There are also virtual tours of museums, art galleries and even the International Space Station.

And, if you don’t have a fireplace to curl up in front of with a good book, there are plenty available for free on the internet, some with holiday music if you’d like that too. You just need a cable to connect your computer to your TV or a Bluetooth connection device like Chromecast, Roku, or Apple TV. You can buy these devices at electronics stores, Walmart or online.

If you don’t have a good book on hand, the “Libby” app takes you into the online section of your local library through the electronic library program, Overdrive. If you don’t have a library card, you can apply online. There’s also another online library called Hoopla that operates through provincial/state libraries that even carries my book!! 😊 I’m working on learning how to get books into the regular library system too… another project for this winter!

Staying cheery

Lastly, I want to share a nice article written by a pharmacist/blogger in Toronto that I chat with from time to time. She gives some ideas for how you can keep your mind in a good place even though you might be missing out on some of your usual traditions this year (the link to the article is below).

Here’s what she suggests:

  • Practice gratitude – Being thankful for what you have and focusing on the good things in your life, rather than what might be missing, helps keep a positive mindset. Start and end each day, thinking of the things that are good in your life right now and how grateful you feel for all of these.
  • Become aware of your thoughts – We humans tend to have a negativity bias, letting negative thoughts circle in our brains. If you’re starting to feel a little down, take a few deep breaths and examine what you are focused on. Realize the negative aspect is at least partly due to how you interpret the information or situation, and consciously try to change your point of view, focusing instead on something (anything!) that’s positive about the situation or on something else altogether that makes you feel good.
  • Let go of expectations – This is a year to just accept what comes and not to expect things to be the same as always. There is still a lot we can enjoy in the holiday season, even if it’s not part of our usual activities and socializing. We can create new traditions or plan to do things we’ve always wanted to do, but don’t normally have time for, that can be done at home. As my hubby reminds me: a holiday is just a day and there will be plenty more holidays to enjoy in the future.

Sharing creates joy

Our neighbour realized this week that a special needs child who lives on our road is disappointed that he can’t go to see Santa as he always loves to do each year. So, she borrowed a Santa suit and her husband is playing Santa this year! A bunch of us chipped together to buy gifts for him to deliver to our special neighbour, and I’m organizing a few songs (plus words and karaoke music!) for us to join in the fun with some caroling. It feels good to do something kind for someone else and will take our minds off things we’re missing this year!

What are you doing differently this year? Sharing ideas can be inspiring and heart-warming… Tell us how you plan to have some fun for your winter holidays this year in the comments below!

Read the full articles:

Your guide to enjoying a classic Canadian winter, virtually – CTV News Six ways you can have a classic Canadian winter without leaving your home | CTV News

How to create a more peaceful mindset during this holiday season – King City Guardian Pharmacy HOW TO CREATE A MORE PEACEFUL MINDSET DURING THIS HOLIDAY SEASON – King City Pharmacy

#COVIDwinter #snowbirds

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Is smog a risk factor for COVID?

We know now that viruses like SARS CoV-1 and SARS CoV-2 can survive in the air as an aerosol for several hours and can travel longer distances than previously thought. But can weather changes like increased smog or dust in the air increase the risk of catching the virus?

New evidence, although still debated, suggests that it can. Spikes in viral respiratory infections, both SARS CoV and influenza, have been observed in various locations after an event of increased fine particulate matter in the air. This includes both smog and dust storms.

The word “smog” is a combination of the words smoke and fog, and describes an environmental condition where fog is mixed with smoke, car exhaust and/or other chemical pollutants, creating a brown, grey, greenish or yellowish haze. In London, England, where this was common in the past due to burning of soft coal for home heating, they would refer to this as a “pea souper”. Coal is still used for heat in many parts of the world, in spite of the pollution it creates. Higher quality, harder “anthracite” coal is preferred, as it produces less smoke and less pollution. Wood and coal are considered approximately equally in polluting effects.

How does smog increase risk?

Researchers hypothesize that 2 things could be happening to increase risk of viral spread during smog conditions:

  • Increased numbers of fine particles floating in the air make it easier for virus aerosols to form, stay suspended in the air, and travel farther, causing increased risk of infection spreading.
  • Particles, when inhaled, irritate the lining of the lungs, creating inflammation and irritation, worsening existing chronic conditions like asthma, and making it easier for a virus to take hold.

Another weather factor that appears to contribute to increased infections, is what is called a “temperature inversion”. Normally air temperatures decrease with increased altitude – as you move farther from the surface of the earth, the temperature drops. With a temperature inversion, cooler air is trapped close to the earth’s surface with a warmer layer above it. This inversion of temperatures appears to trap not only cool air, but particles as well, creating conditions of increased smog and pollution – visible clouds of particles in the air we are breathing.

Fine particulate matter

This fine particulate matter is also referred to as “PM2.5” and some areas with frequent pollution problems track its measurements daily. Health authorities are also closely tracking cases of COVID-19, so scientists have been able to compare spikes in both in various areas around the world. Data from Tenerife (Canary Islands), London, the Swiss Canton of Ticino, and Paris supported the researchers’ hypothesis that increased particulate matter in the atmosphere and temperature inversions were followed by a spike in cases and deaths from COVID-19. Comparison charts are available in the references below.

While spread of viruses like SARS CoV-2 can occur without the environmental conditions described, it has been known for decades that peaks in fine particulate matter and smog can play a critical rose in the spreading and severity of viruses. While early cases have been identified weeks and months before the pandemic struck in several areas, it may be that smog and haze conditions were needed to enhance virus spread to dangerous levels.

This supports the idea that it may be a good idea to wear masks to protect against inhaling fine particles on days with increased smog or pollution to reduce risk of respiratory infection even when not near others and after the pandemic is controlled. Will we continue to use this tool to prevent infection in the future, at least during flu season?

I’m thinking I’ll likely be taking a few masks with me any time I travel by air, even after I’ve been vaccinated against COVID-19. I’m remembering a miserable visit my son and family had with us in Florida, where they all took turns with symptoms of an obvious viral infection, no doubt caught on the plane on their way to visit us as they were all fine before they left home.

My son said he couldn’t think of a better place to be sick, but it really spoiled what should have been a wonderful break from winter. Maybe masking on the plane (and washing hands more too!) could have prevented it all. If nothing else, we’re all learning how to reduce virus transmission through all this…

Advice for the future?

Meanwhile, if scientists continue to find more evidence to support this theory, perhaps weather advisories will help to predict worsening of risk of viral infections and provide reason for us to increase personal protections on those days, like wearing a mask as they do in Asian countries on smoggy days. But at the very least, it will provide yet another reason to reduce air pollution and work improve our environment.

I like to hear about new research into the Coronovirus – I figure, the more we learn, the better we will know how to control this terrible virus. On the news last night, the announcer said deaths from COVID-19 for the previous day were greater than the number of people who died in 911. We’re seeing 911 every day and COVID-19 has become the #1 cause of death in the US.

So, stay safe and keep others safe too, whether you know them or not. It’s going to take several months to get everyone vaccinated so we can get back to normal lives again, but we know how to protect ourselves and others until then. I know you’ve heard this many times (but I just have to say it again…): Keep your distance from others when out, wear a mask, wash your hands, stay home as much as possible. If we celebrate our holidays quietly this year, more of us will still be here for next year’s celebrations.

References:

Link between air pollution and COVID-19 spikes identified – Medical News Today

Peaks of Fine Particulate Matter May Modulate the Spreading and Virulence of COVID-19 – Springer Link

#COVID #airpollution

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Do you like Audiobooks?

I’m curious about how many of you enjoy audiobooks. Or whether you’ve even listened to one yet… Many (like me!) love words on a printed page, but I have started using e-books for convenience when travelling or to entertain myself when I have an unexpected wait. Since I can read on my phone, I always have a book with me.

But audiobooks involve listening instead of reading… more like a television show without the picture. Like a book, you get to imagine the characters and envision what they’re doing in your mind.

My younger daughter loves audiobooks because she can listen while walking the dog, driving the car or doing chores. I used to set my Mom up with an audiobook on occasion and she really enjoyed just relaxing with a story. My brother-in-law would listen to audiobooks when taking his daily walk on the beach when we were all in Florida. He found them more entertaining than just listening to music while walking. Seems audiobooks can appeal to all ages.

So, as I mentioned in a previous blog, I decided to make an audiobook myself from my first book Can I Speak to the Hormone Lady? Managing Menopause and Hormone Imbalances. I stumbled across a mini-course online, teaching how to do it, and thought “I can do this!” I used to read to my children when they were small, and that included the first 4 Harry Potter books, so I’ve had lots of practice reading out loud! The only other part was getting the right equipment and recording conditions, and learning to edit afterward. I didn’t want a single breath sound left in! I also re-did anything that didn’t sound quite right and, since my reading improved as I progressed through the book, I ended up re-doing the first few sections to make them better quality. I’m sure I’ll continue to improve as I do more of this work.

Of course, it’s not perfect, but I decided it was time to submit it to Amazon/Audible/iTunes for distribution. I was surprised that it will take at least a month for it to be approved and processed. They must listen to every recording to ensure quality!

But, meanwhile, I’d like to share the “5 minute sample” (which is now closer to 6 minutes, as I added the title and a closing to the recording…) If you’re curious, you can listen to it here: https://jeanniebeaudin.wixsite.com/author/audio-books The sample is from the introduction, explaining what the book contains and why I wrote it.

I’d love to hear what you think of my sample if you have 6 minutes to spare… and, of course, you can do something else at the same time if you listen on your phone! I hope to have the full book available for women in their 40s to mid 50s in the new year – in time for New Year’s Resolutions to prevent or fix hormone imbalance symptoms.

And email or comment below to let me know if you love audiobooks or if you’ve never listened to one. I’m curious how many of my readers are also potential “listeners”…

#audiobooks #hormoneimbalances #menopause