National Influenza Vaccination Week

 

December is here and so is the flu season, along with the continuation of the COVID pandemic. Lucky us. Even though the flu season last year wasn’t bad, the consensus by the experts is that all the mask wearing, staying home and handwashing helped. We may not be so lucky this year with so many people thinking the pandemic is over. Flu visits us from fall to spring. The length and severity of the season can vary from year to year.

What is the best way to help protect against the flu? An annual flu vaccine. It takes about 2 weeks for antibodies against the flu to develop.

Why do we need a new vaccine every year? The flu virus changes and alters itself every year. This is why it can be so widespread and hard to avoid. That is also why there is a new vaccine every year.

Who should get a flu shot? Everyone 6 months and older per the CDC.

Some of the flu symptoms that people most often get are:

• Coughing
• Headache
• Muscle or body aches
• Fever (some people do not get a fever)
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Sore throat
• Fatigue
• Vomiting and diarrhea (more common in children)

There are certain groups of people who are at increased risk of getting the flu and having dangerous complications. These include:

• Children between 6 months and 5 years old
• Pregnant women and women up to 2 weeks after pregnancy
• People over 65. There is a high-dose flu shot for these individuals as the immune system response decreases with age.
• Anyone who has a chronic medical condition. These include lung disease, asthma, neurological conditions, blood disorders, heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease, immune system disorders.
• People with a BMI of 40 or higher
• Individuals who live or work in a nursing home or chronic care facility. They have more chances of exposure to the disease.

Flu and COVID continue to be a risk for us all. Get your flu shot as soon as possible. Please get your COVID vaccine(s) if you haven’t gotten it/them yet, and your COVID booster if you’ve already had your COVID vaccination(s). We want everyone to stay well and prevent illness the best they can.

PTI wishes you and your family a healthy, happy, flu-free and COVID-free holiday season. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/season/faq-flu-season-2021-2022.htm

Take Small Steps to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes

 

November is National Diabetes Month. For 2021, the focus is on prediabetes and preventing type 2 diabetes. Almost half of adults 65 years of age or older have prediabetes, which is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Prediabetes is when your blood sugar level is higher than normal, but not high enough to be classified as type 2 diabetes. By joining a Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP), patients can lower their risk of type 2 diabetes by improving their health and building healthy habits.

The National Diabetes Prevention Program was developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. The program is evidenced-based with research that shows lifestyle modifications can cut the risk of type 2 diabetes in half. People in the program who have a modest weight loss of 5-7% of their body weight and work up to 150 minutes of exercise per week cut their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by up to 58% (71% for people over 60 years old). Support is given by Lifestyle Coaches on how to eat healthy, manage stress, stay motivated, problem solve and provide tips on how to get more physical activity. Coaches help keep the motivation going by suggesting small changes to lifestyle and daily habits. Attendees also are supported by the other people in the class who have similar goals.

For the MDPP, sessions are offered over a 2-year period, although the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) are considering shortening the program to 1 year. The first 16 modules are presented over the first 6 months of the program, then there are 10 presented over the next 6 months to help maintain healthy habits. Participants are weighed each week, give coaches their activity minutes and discuss how their action plan went for the week. Monthly maintenance sessions are offered for an additional 12 months for eligible beneficiaries who have met certain weight loss and attendance goals. 

To be eligible for the MDPP, beneficiaries must have:

• Medicare Part B coverage through Original Medicare (Fee-for-Service) or a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan
• Results from one of three blood tests conducted within one year before the first core session:
• Hemoglobin A1c test with a value of 5.7-6.4%
• Fasting plasma glucose test with a value of 110-125 mg/dl
• Oral glucose tolerance test with a value of 140-199 mg/dl
• A body mass index (BMI) of at least 25; 23 if self-identified as Asian
• No history of type 1 or type 2 diabetes, with the exception of gestational diabetes
• No End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD)
• Never participated in the MDPP before

We have lifestyle coaches who are currently providing virtual programs for the MDPP. There is no cost for eligible beneficiaries. If your organization is interested, please contact Harmony at hkinkle@transformcoach.org for more information. 

To learn more about the MDPP, please see the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/diabetes/prevention/lcp-details/mdpp.html. 

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

With October being called the Pink Month, we are reminded to think about how every woman’s life is important. This is the time of year to increase awareness of the disease and help raise funds to keep researching the causes and treatments. Throughout the difficult year and a half that we have all been experiencing, many women have not gotten their mammograms. It’s time to be proactive about our breast health going forward as knowledge and early detection can save lives. 

One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. Pretty scary. Most may never know the exact source of their cancer, but it is always caused by some kind of damage to the cell’s DNA. There are many risk factors, though. Some of these are avoidable risk factors (environmental and lifestyle) and the others are risk factors that cannot be changed (genetic).

Environmental and Lifestyle Risk Factors:

• Lack of physical activity
• Poor diet
• Being overweight or obese 
• Chest radiation before the age of 30
• Alcohol consumption
• Combined hormone replacement therapy

Genetic Factors:

• Gender
• Age 
• Race
• Obesity
• Family history
• Personal health history
• Mutations in certain genes (BRCA1 and BRCA2)
• Dense breast tissue

Per the American Cancer Society, if breast cancer is detected early and is in the localized stage, the 5-year survival rate is 99%. Early detection means women are doing monthly breast exams to identify any changes to their breasts, scheduling regular breast exams with a clinician and having a mammogram when indicated.

There are lots of pink ribbons, socks, shirts and hats to choose from for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Here is the recipe for a pink smoothie that is packed full of antioxidants, vitamin C, potassium, protein, and fairly low in calories (around 315). Combine all the ingredients in a blender until smooth and creamy and enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh or frozen mixed berries
• 1 frozen ripe banana
• ½ cup low fat plain Greek yogurt
• ¼ orange juice
• 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon of peanut butter (optional)

A healthy diet that is full of fruits, vegetables, fish, poultry, low-fat dairy, and 30 minutes a day of exercise (even power walking!) can lower breast cancer risk and boost your immune system. Be proactive about your breast health during this month. 

https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/ 

https://www.nfcr.org/blog/pink-smoothie-for-breast-cancer-awareness-month/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwtMCKBhDAARIsAG-2Eu_GnYiIOdw2_YPfR9JBp4ivGLgdCpYB3hV3ItYgSjmeC-d-anpjFt0aAl5EEALw_wcB 

Ride the Wave

 

It’s September and there’s no doubt that life continues to be difficult for many of us. Whether a home crisis of bees in the attic, a mother in the hospital, both golf buddies having heart problems, the kids starting at new schools, and the new school year in general, it can be hard to see the light sometimes. That pesky pandemic (that I definitely call by a different word rather than “pesky”) keeps hanging on like a bad habit day after day making it harder to be resilient to life’s natural challenges. The normal ups and downs of life are made worse with our lives continuing to be abnormal.

What can we do? We can try to enhance our resilience. What is resilience? It is the ability to withstand adversity and bounce back from difficult life events. It doesn’t mean that we don’t experience problems or stress or suffering, but we are able to tap into the strengths that we have to overcome some of our challenges. Pandemic life and all that it has thrown at us has definitely been challenging for sure.

One of the most important things we can do is to take care of ourselves with healthy habits. These are the foundation to emotional and mental resilience. Mental breaks and practicing relaxation can keep those stress chemicals in our brain at rest and sometimes this can stop us from being overwhelmed.

If you didn’t know it, September is National Yoga Awareness Month. The purpose of this month is to promote the health benefits of yoga. Many people find that yoga relieves stress, enhances the quality of life and improves physical fitness. So maybe take a yoga breather by finding a class online or in-person. Yoga can be one tool in your toolbox to improve your resilience.

You have to keep moving forward to keep your sanity in these trying times. Don’t be hard on yourself. Deal with things day by day. Ride the wave! You got this.

August is Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month

It’s hard to believe that it is already time for parents to deal with “back to school” when 2020 and a large part of 2021 have been so difficult to maneuver. Are the kids physically in school or out of school this week? How will I work from home and help my children as they do online school? Will they be physically at school for the new school year in the fall of 2021? It would be nice if the start of the school year would be “back to school” and “back to normal,” but there appears to be some possible glitches that may come and go. All we can do is keep hoping for the best and think positive.

As children go back to whatever their learning environment this fall will be, we need to remember that healthy vision is of the upmost importance to their ability to learn and their overall healthy development. Children are sometimes unaware they even have a vision problem, so they don’t know how to ask for help. 

Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month reminds us that that our children need the best opportunity to have a successful school year by having their vision checked. Eye exams are important as vision changes can occur without you or your child noticing. This month also stresses the importance of preventing sports-related eye injuries and vision loss and wearing protective eyewear when playing sports. 

As children get older, any untreated eye disease or eye condition can become more difficult to treat. If these worsen, they can lead to other problems such as reading ability, classroom behavior and social problems. 

Some of the vision problems effecting children are:

• Amblyopia (lazy eye)
• Strabismus (crossed eyes)
• Myopia (nearsightedness)
• Ptosis (drooping of the eyelid)
• Color deficiency (color blindness)
• Hyperopia (farsightedness)
• Astigmatism (imperfection in the eye’s curvature causing blurry vision, eyestrain, headaches, squinting)

Some of the warning signs that may show that your child may have a vision problem are:

• A lack of interest in looking at far away objects
• Disinterest in reading
• Turning of the head or squinting the eyes while watching television
• Crossed or wandering eyes
• Family history of childhood vision problems

With vision problems being the 4th most prevalent class of disability in the United States and one of the most prevalent conditions in childhood, the importance of an eye exam cannot be overstated. Vision screening and eye care are essential components for health and are, hopefully, on that school list for the fall. https://www.cdc.gov/visionhealth/resources/features/keep-eye-on-vision-health.html 

National UV Safety Awareness Month

We are excited about basking in a wonderful Michigan summer as we re-enter society. Covid cases are way down, a good percentage of the public is vaccinated (with more getting vaccinated every day), and we are ready to move forward. We have already had a lot of hot and sticky days with plenty more to come, so this is a good time to talk about July being UV Safety Awareness Month.

Let’s go to the beach and play! Let’s lay out underneath the golden sun and absorb its goodness. It sounds so nice and relaxing and something that we always look forward to. But wait a minute. Do we still really need to protect ourselves from the sun after what we have gone through during hell year? We have been through enough. It doesn’t seem fair. We want to dive into everything with a vengeance. 

Bubbles burst every day and this one is no different. You know the answer and it isn’t very hard. We still need to protect ourselves from the sun to minimize the risks of its damaging effects. 

What are those damaging effects? The sun exposes us to radiation in the form of ultraviolet rays which are called UVA and UVB. Both of these can damage our skin and eyes. UVB penetrates the outer layer of our skin and UVA penetrates beyond the top layer and down into the middle layer. 

If we aren’t careful about protecting ourselves from the sun, we can set ourselves up for some potentially harmful outcomes:

• Skin cancer (basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma)
• Premature skin aging
• Eye damage (cataracts, macular degeneration, keratitis)
• Vision problems (blurred vision, light sensitivity, excessive tearing)
• Immune system suppression (causing a defective immune response)

There are ways we can reduce our risk of too much sun exposure if we take precautions. As you spend time outside, make sure to practice these important tips for sun safety. 

• Stay in the shade under a tree, shelter or umbrella, especially during the midday hours of 10 am to 4 pm. 
• Remember that the sun can hurt our skin even on cloudy or cool days
• Wear clothes that protect exposed skin from the harmful effects of the sun such as long-sleeved shirts and long pants or skirts. Even a beach coverup or tee shirt can help. Darker colors offer more protection. Some clothes even offer UV protection.
• Wear a wide brimmed hat to shade the face, ears, neck and head. If you wear a baseball cap, you need to protect the back of your neck and ears by covering those areas or applying sunscreen.
• Wear sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays. These rays can reflect off surfaces such as sand, cement, water and even snow.
• Wear sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15. Dermatologists recommend an SPF of at least 30 that is water resistant. Reapply at least every two hours and after sweating, wiping yourself off with a towel, or being in the water
• Certain medications that we take can increase our sensitivity to the sun and increase our risk of getting sunburn (NSAIDs, tetracyclines, amiodarone)

PTI wishes you and your family an amazing summer!

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/sunexposure/default.html 

https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/basic_info/sun-safety.htm 

https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/sun-protection/sunscreen-patients/sunscreen-faqs     

Get Healthy in a Park!

The second Saturday of each June is National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) Family Health and Fitness Day. For this year, the date is June 12. The purpose of this day is to promote the importance of parks and recreation in keeping our communities healthy and fit. We need this more than ever this year as we re-enter society.

The health benefits of exercise are well-documented. However, most adults and children are not active enough. The CDC recommends children and adolescents have 60 minutes or more of physical activity per day and adults 150 minutes per week. Having access to great places like parks encourages us to get out and participate. The closer you live to a park, the more likely you and your family are to use it.

Physical activity and recreation benefits us in a number of ways:

• Improves mental health, mood and quality of life
• Helps control weight
• Reduces risk for certain diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, osteoporosis
• Strengthens bones and muscles
• Boosts immune system
• Improves ability to do activities of daily living (especially once we get older)

Parks can help improve the overall health and wellness of our nation by the simple act of just being outside in their glory. Beautiful outdoor settings support good health for people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. Exposure to nature is good for us!

Think about all different things that you and your family can do in a park:

• bike
• playground activities
• picnic
• camp
• hike
• study nature (maybe have kids make a nature journal)
• observe wildlife
• take pictures of what inspires you
• play ball
• identify rocks
• scavenger hunts
• fly a kite
• bird watch
• fish
• swim
• boating
• play with your dog
• community special events
• challenge activities (races, obstacle courses)
• high adventure challenges (rock climbing, zip-lines)and so much more….

Being outside can help us bond with family and friends. Some parks have organized programs which encourages people of all ages to do things such as gardening and caring more about the environment. There are many positive impacts that parks and recreation can have on our physical, social and mental health. When we see the open spaces and trails, it encourages us to use them. And you know what? You just might make a new friend in a park while you’re becoming more physically active.

But we don’t just need one day for family health and fitness. We need to make this an ongoing occurrence in our lives as we get back to normal and the pandemic winds down. Taking better care of ourselves and our families by getting outside for a healthy dose of physical activity is a great start. Plan to have active family time at one of the wonderful parks in your community or around the nation as you ease back into vacation mode.

If you were a Parks and Recreation television fan like me, bring out your inner Leslie Knope and do your parks proud. Get out there and use them, so you don’t lose them. Be an inspiration to your community and each other.  

National Recreation and Park Association Family Health and Fitness Day
https://www.nrpa.org/events/family-fitness-day/

U.S. National Park Service – Find a Park
https://www.nps.gov/findapark/index.htm

Michigan National Park Service
https://www.nps.gov/state/mi/index.htm

Huron-Clinton Metroparks
https://metroparks.com

Discover the Forest
https://discovertheforest.org

 

 Have You Been Taking Care of Your Mental Health?

If you feel you may have gotten a form of mild obsessive-compulsive disorder due to the pandemic and the cleaning rituals that were started, you are not alone. I am right there with you. But for those who have battled a true obsessive-compulsive disorder for years, the pandemic may have worked against years of therapy. 

The pandemic has done us harm in many ways. This has been one long period of unpredictable stress for many. The days and weeks seems to blur one into another. We may find we have a lack of motivation and energy. How hopeful we feel can change daily. We are exhausted. We are sick of thinking about and talking about COVID. It has caused disruptions and uncertainty about our future with many hardships being faced. Financial problems, COVID illness and death, job loss, school-age children learning from home, childcare issues, parents working from home, juggling even more responsibilities, travel restrictions and not seeing family and friends. The horrible list goes on. 

Many people admit their mental health has gone on a downward spiral and seems to hover in a caution zone. Some days it may be in a red zone. It is true that we’ve been traumatized. Some experts think this is the normal adaptive response to the stress caused by the pandemic and the changes to our lives that some people are experiencing. Learning to cope is of upmost importance. The mental impact of over a year dealing with quarantine is not good. This was new to all of us, and it is hard to know what to do sometimes.

Do we continue to take deep breaths and hope that we may be out of this situation sometime this year? That’s a start, as we struggle to make sense of this situation and the upending it has done to our lives. There will be a time to learn how to re-socialize and re-enter the world and it will be soon.

Will there be some things that may forever change once we reach herd immunity? I’m sure there will be. Will the shaking of hands be gone forever? I’m okay with that. Are you going to feel you need space when people get too close at the store? That’s when the shopping cart will come in handy. 

Take small steps when you can to manage your risks, like still having masks and hand sanitizer and washing your hands. If you’re lucky enough to have an office that has implemented safety policies, then the transition back there might be easier. It would be nice to see our office friends again and have lunch in our conference room like we used to, even if it is behind plexiglass. I miss our lunches together so much!

What are some things we can do for a positive impact on ourselves?

Practice mindfulness. Things such as meditating, praying and/or focusing on the positive things in your life daily.

Keep a routine. Focus on the things in your control. Do activities you enjoy whether it’s watching a movie or walking outside with your family or pets. Talk to family and friends regularly.

Take a break from the news. Too much social media isn’t good for anyone and neither is reading, watching or listening to COVID news. 

Listen to your body. Eat healthy, get some exercise, try to get enough sleep, stretch and breathe deep. 

The virus has had an impact on our mental health, and it is time to recover it. Anxiety is a completely normal response to stress, but if it becomes too overwhelming, please talk to someone. Your primary care provider is a great start for help. There are many other resources that are only a referral or a click away. Be kind to yourself and get help if you need it. After all, May is National Mental Health Month.

There is a light up ahead and excitement will be in our future. We can do this. Be patient even though it is getting extra hard. Hang in there a bit longer. Please.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/managing-stress-anxiety.html 

World Immunization Week is April 22 – 28

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) normally promotes World Immunization Week at the end of April. The week is dedicated to promoting the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against diseases and death. Never could we have imagined how important this week would be in 2021.

COVID-19 has ravaged our world with a fury that hasn’t been seen in a hundred years. We will never forget this. We will pass the stories down to our children and grandchildren, who are currently too young to understand everything that was gone through to try and protect as many people as possible. The world is now focusing on the new vaccines to protect against COVID-19 and with good reason. We want our lives back again. The COVID-19 pandemic showed us how quickly new diseases can spread when we have no immunity or vaccine to prevent them. It has been a pretty scary year for all. 

Now that there is hope on the horizon, we must not forget that routine vaccinations need to be completed. Immunization programs were scaled back around the world in 2020 to minimize COVID-19 transmission. Especially important now are the children who did not get their routine immunizations due to the pandemic. This puts them at increased risk for diseases like measles, polio and other vaccine preventable diseases. It’s time to get moving and finally get caught up with those missed vaccinations. 

The fact that misinformation continues to be a problem around the topic of vaccines is an added threat to our world. Trust and confidence are important to maintain and increase vaccine acceptance. Investment in vaccine programs is vitally important to remove access barriers. 

World Immunization Week 2021 will promote greater engagement globally around immunizations and promote the importance of vaccines. Let’s all work together to promote vaccines for people of all ages. Check with your primary care physician and pediatrician to make sure everyone in your family is up to date and if they aren’t, you know what you need to do.  

A Spring Renewal Like Never Before

Winter has helped prolong the torment that COVID has given us. We can’t get out and do the things we would normally do during an ordinary winter, much less a pandemic winter. As people get their vaccinations and cases go down, we anxiously await an end to the misery that has dragged us down into a pit for too long. I don’t know about you, but I’m desperate to be pulled out of that pit.

Sunday, March 14, will officially mark the beginning of Daylight Savings Time in Michigan and our days will get longer with one more hour of light to help remove us from our gloom. Spring will officially begin on Saturday, March 20. A new season with all the hopes and dreams we normally associate with it, but with a little more extra luck needed for this year. Cross your fingers, wear your favorite socks, bring out your four-leaf clovers and do whatever else your culture or religion suggests you can do for good luck. Everyone’s help is needed this year. We all want some good news and to feel hopeful, as we dare to dream about a post-COVID world.

A change in season can also signal to us a needed change in our behavior and what we would like to focus on for the new season. Perhaps taking better care of ourselves by eating healthier and getting outside more for physical activity would be a good start. Maybe it’s time to call our primary care physician and get an appointment for any needed health screenings and the yearly physical we put off in 2020.

Here are some National Health Observance items that alert us to what we can do for our personal health in the month of March:

National Nutrition Month. Most of us could make better food choices and develop sound eating and physical activity habits. Healthy eating and increasing our physical activity are also the two main things a person can do to prevent type 2 diabetes.

https://www.eatright.org/food/resources/national-nutrition-month 

Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Colorectal cancer is preventable and treatable. Current guidelines recommend screening for colorectal cancer beginning at age 50 (or earlier if certain risks are present.) Colonoscopy continues to be the gold standard for screening. 

https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal/basic_info/screening/index.htm 

Save Your Vision Month. This is our reminder to get a yearly eye exam from an optometrist. The American Optometric Association recommends eye exams every two years for adults 18-60 and yearly for people 61 and older. 

https://www.allaboutvision.com/eye-exam/ 

National Kidney Month. Our kidneys are important for our health. Diabetes and high blood pressure are the leading risk factors of kidney disease. Learn more about how you can keep your kidneys healthy at:

https://www.kidney.org/content/national-kidney-month 

Evidence-based Clinical Practice Guidelines such as the ones at the Michigan Quality Improvement Consortium (MQIC) are always a great resource. The aim of the Adult Preventive Services are to recommend to the health care provider appropriate screenings for a specific age group. Talk to your provider about any concerns you have about your health. If they don’t bring up screenings that are appropriate to your age group, bring them up yourself. 

http://www.mqic.org/pdf/mqic_adult_preventive_services_ages_18_to_49_cpg.pdf 

http://www.mqic.org/pdf/mqic_adult_preventive_services_ages_50_to_65plus_cpg.pdf 

The pandemic has caused much pain and played many tricks on us during its seemingly endless grip on our lives. As the trees, plants and flowers start their renewal, let’s look to them for strength and begin ours, too. 

February is Children’s Dental Health Month

The month of February presents a great opportunity to promote the benefits of good oral health in children. It also raises awareness of the importance of pediatric dental care at an early age. Developing good dental habits early helps children get started on the road for a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums. 

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that parents take their child to the dentist by the first birthday or six months after the first tooth becomes visible. Some parents may feel this timeline isn’t realistic for a variety of reasons. For the most part, dental care is started around the age of three or less. Most pediatricians keep tabs on a child’s mouth and may even provide fluoride at pediatric visits, but they aren’t a substitute for a trained dentist. Once the dentist gets their first look inside the child’s mouth to check the gums and teeth, preventive measures and parental concerns can be addressed early.

Home dental care is crucial. Tiny teeth need to be protected as they have a key role to save space for a child’s permanent teeth. These teeth affect smiling, chewing and speaking. They also have an important role in a child’s overall health. Tooth decay that is untreated can cause oral infections that can lead to other serious health problems. 

Baby bottle tooth decay has always been a problem for babies and young children. When a child consumes sweetened liquids or those with natural sugars (fruit juice, milk, formula) the bacteria in their mouth produces acid which attacks tooth enamel even on baby teeth. This can eventually cause tooth decay. Children should not fall asleep with a bottle with a sugary liquid. The liquid will be in their mouths ready to do the dirty work on these little teeth as they lay there at naptime or for the night. If a parent absolutely insists on putting a child to bed with a bottle, use only water. According to the American Dental Association, 40% of kindergarten children have early tooth decay. 

The following are some tips to help maintain a child’s dental health:

• Wipe off your baby’s gums every day with a washcloth or clean gauze pad to clear away harmful bacteria
• Brush their teeth beginning with the first tooth using an infant toothbrush. Use water and a tiny bit of fluoride toothpaste after six months of age.
• Make brushing last for two minutes twice each day. Children who are ages two through six years should use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste. Supervise them once they are brushing their teeth themselves to remind them not to swallow toothpaste.
• Start flossing as soon as their teeth start touching one another
• Give your children healthy snacks like cheese or low-sugar yogurt. Resist sweetened beverages and gummy or sticky sweets that can lodge in between their teeth. 
• Encourage the drinking of water as it helps to rinse away any sugar that is in their mouths. Some city water sources also contain fluoride which is an efficient way to prevent tooth decay. 
• Replace your child’s toothbrush every few months
• Get your child on your dental insurance
• Schedule routine dental checkups every six months

During the COVID pandemic it has been difficult for many people to accomplish the preventive care they would normally be doing. Dental care may have been one of those items that was missed in 2020. As we start moving forward in this new year, make dental health a priority for your children and yourself. 

Finding Some Good from a Bad Year

Did you turn the calendar to 2021 as quickly as you could? For the first time ever, I put my new 2021 calendar into its wall holder at midnight on January 1, 2021. This horrible, painful, uncertain, challenging, roller coaster year couldn’t end quick enough. It has given me scars that will last for years. Going forward I will never have enough disinfecting wipes in my closet and I’ll most likely wear a mask at the airport even once it isn’t required. But as hard as this year was, I didn’t lose as much as others did and I am grateful.

We can never minimalize what this incredibly difficult year has done to so many people. But with all the bad, some good things did happen in 2020 because of the pandemic.

• Health care workers have always been and will always be heroes. We can never thank them enough for what they and their families have gone through in this pandemic.
  
• Teachers finally got the praise and recognition they have long deserved. Families discovered that homeschooling is hard, and teachers are heroes.
  
• Truck drivers, farmers, grocery store workers stayed on the job to keep our economy going. They are heroes, too.
  
• Two COVID-19 vaccines have been approved. Three more vaccines have clinical trials (Phase 3) in-progress or being planned.
  
• Millions of us stayed at home without parties, social gatherings, vacations, and time with our extended family and friends to help reduce the spread of the virus. It has been frustrating, depressing and isolating, but it was the biggest selfless act of love ever given from one human being to another. Many discovered that quarantine time ended up being bonus time with their families that they normally didn’t have due to busy lives.
  
• Small acts of kindness happened around the world as we stopped and smelled the roses.
  

Hopefully, we don’t have much longer to go until there is some normalcy to our lives again. We are all looking forward to that time. I asked coworkers three questions about 2020: what they have learned from 2020, in what ways have their lives changed for the better and what are they most looking forward to in 2021. Silver linings do exist and some of them are written below. Thank you to everyone who participated and bared their soul. You have all been inspiring. Here’s to a happier and healthier 2021!

What have you learned from 2020?

Rachel. I have learned that both myself and my family are resilient. I have learned that we can all adapt better than I ever expected. I have learned that things don't have to be perfect to be functional. I have learned that there is beauty in the chaos, and kindness is a JOY to spread. I have found my love for reading again. I learned to play more, and I realize that being outdoors is therapeutic for me...even the snow!

Denise. I have learned an easy, good recipe for bread after making several recipes, new cookies to make neither of these is a good thing!  Patience with a new puppy and training/command skills.  Learned to appreciate my home more, every room and everything in my home during so much time at home. Thankful I have a home, heat, food, and family. Learned new things about my husband and daughter during so much time spent together. Appreciated working at MNO even more, thankful I have a job I can work at home during a pandemic.

Erica. Don't take the "little things" for granted.

Yang. Since the pandemic, I learned a lot of things but most importantly to protect your loved ones. I know a lot of people have been affected by coronavirus and what it does to people emotionally and physically. I hope we can go back to normal, but I believe this will be the "new normal" for us. Be safe and mask up!!

Anonymous. With all the circumstances that have transpired this year, every day I find myself rereading a plaque someone gave me a few years ago. It reads, “Don’t look back, you’re not going that way.” So, my eyes will look forward…I am thankful for my family and my life.

Ginny. Life and health are gifts to be appreciated. Technology is a gift! So is help dealing with it! Most aspects in 2020 unfortunately seemed to be politicized which impacted attitudes. This virus, although being vicious, became a source of blame rather than unity. Wondered how necessary all the shutdowns were as fiscal issues are terrifying. Children are stressed over all the changes in school. There’s more depression, anxiety and sadness in people.

In what ways has your life changed for the better? 

Rachel. I have had more time with my family. With keeping plans to a minimal my little family of four has more time together which I was craving!

Denise. My life has changed for the better in that I appreciate SEEING coworkers on Zoom more than I could imagine. I realized how much less my family can live with. Walking alone or with friend or family is really a joy. I need to walk more often. Talking on the phone with friends instead of sending a quick text is truly so much better. A slower day to day life is very sweet, more things seen and appreciated. Like a light turned on in my life.

Erica. I have learned a lot about gratitude, gratefulness, optimism, and hope! 

Ginny. Staying home allowed for more time to clean and organize house. Zooming with family in order to see them. Focus on hand washing and self-protection more. 
 

What are you most looking forward to in 2021?

Rachel. HUGGING PEOPLE! I am a hugger and I miss that terribly! Travel, vacations, big parties, loud houses!!

Denise. Looking forward to being together with coworkers without fear of COVID-19. To the freedom of being with ALL my family and hugging freely. Cautiously look forward to travel. Freely entertaining friends and family. Helping people in neighborhood, church wherever needed without worry of the virus. Look forward to participating in health fairs again with coworkers. Cautiously looking forward to COVID-19 vaccine for everyone.

Erica. Hopefully, the opportunity to be able to safely get together with family and friends and resuming life pre-COVID. 

Anonymous. It’s the eye of the tiger, it’s the thrill of the fight and rising up to daily challenges into the night!

Ginny. Seeing family in person! Hopefully, less stress and fear and more freedoms!