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Hannah Gibson -Apr 30, 2020 / 6:00 am | Story:298702

Photo: Contributed

This is a friendly reminder to call your doctor, get seen and start treatment for whatever ailment, lump, bump, injury or illness youre currently experiencing.

With COVID-19 dominating our news, social media, conversations and thoughts, its unsurprising that we might be thinking of little else. However, your health remains a top priority, regardless of your COVID status.

With so much attention on the pandemic, its understandable that you might have not noticed changes to your health, if youre not experiencing a cough, shortness of breath or fever. Or, you may be anxious about visiting a doctor or hospital for fear of contracting the disease or taking up valuable resources.

My message to you is this; let your doctor be the one to judge your health situation. Almost all family practices are available for appointments in some form; whether thats a telephone or in-person consultation. By sharing your concerns with your physician, they can decide what the best course of action is. It may well be that they advise you to sit tight, but they can at least offer guidance and support for at home measures.

However, your doctor may decide that a referral is necessary, or further tests or scans. In medicine, it is always better to catch things early, and referring you for tests or a second opinion can be vital in getting information about your condition while its still possible to provide effective treatment.

B.C.s chief medical officer, Bonnie Henry, has urged citizens not to ignore urgent medical matters during this time. She also advised parents to continue with their childrens vaccination schedule, at a time where vaccinations have never been more important for safeguarding against infectious disease.

B.C. has actually seen a reduction in the number of visits to the ER since the pandemic has begun. On one hand, this is positive; perhaps people are only coming to the ER when they really need it, rather than using it as a walk-in clinic. However, there is a worrying alternative; that people are too scared to come in, and their health will bear the consequences of that.

So, please take this as a reminder to check in on your, and your familys, health. Is there something that has been bothering you? Have you had all tests and scans that were booked in for you? When was the last time you saw your particular specialist? Is your child up to date with vaccinations?

For any further advice or support, please get in touch with your family medical practice by phone, as they are in the best position to help you. Stay safe and be well!

Hannah Gibson -Apr 16, 2020 / 11:00 am | Story:297398

Photo: Contributed

Boredom eating, stress baking and closed gyms can lead to what people are calling the Quarantine 15 weight gained from our time in isolation.

While I dont want to add another anxiety to an already growing list, your physical health should remain a top priority during isolation.

Although worrying about weight gain isnt helpful or effective, taking steps to look after yourself will boost your mental health as well as keeping weight gain at bay.

Ive put together some ideas to help you keep your mind and body in peak condition during this time.

Identify why

Why is it that you keep going to the fridge or cupboard for more snacks? It is likely boredom, which is understandable. The solution is to keep your mind and body busy; call a friend, do a puzzle or read a book.

If youre still struggling, try snacking on something very low in calories, like celery or carrots. Itll keep your mouth and hands busy and wont be contributing to any weight gain!

Keep track

Use an app like MyFitnessPal to track your calorie intake as accurately as possible. Most of the time, seeing how our calories stack up during the day is enough to put us off eating more than we need.

You can also look at the vitamins and nutrients of what youre eating, and adjust accordingly. The chances are, theres vitamins or fibre that youre missing out on, so you can focus on increasing foods that are rich in these.

Exercise where you can

With closed gyms, parks and outdoor spaces, finding a way to exercise right now can be challenging. The good news is that there are lots of online courses and apps that offer at home workouts, ranging from a good old fashioned HIIT session to at-home ballroom dance or burlesque.

Many companies are offering reductions on courses, or free sample sessions, so make the most of whats out there. This may be the time to find a new passion.

Go low

When grocery shopping and cooking, aim to use low fat and sugar foods, such as dairy, spreads, salad dressings and oil. If the unhealthy snacks arent in the cupboard, you wont be able to eat on them!

Think before you eat

Ask yourself; am I eating this because Im hungry, because Im bored or because its in front of me? If its the latter two, stop.

Suggest a game or a walk to break up the mindless munching, or have a glass of water instead.

Check your mental health

Take time to check in on your mental health.

With your routine out of whack, food, sleep and exercise taking a turn for the worse, financial and work struggles and kids out of school, this is a difficult time for us all.

Its important to cut yourself some slack; this is a stressful time and if chocolate or the odd glass of wine helps you relax, go for it! Its all about finding a balance between healthy living and enjoying life, and only you know whats right for you and your body.

Hannah Gibson -Apr 6, 2020 / 11:00 am | Story:296497

Photo: Iz zy/Unsplash

Many of you may be anxious, stressed or upset with everything going on in the world right now.

Whether you suffer from mental-health issues or not, it is perfectly understandable to be experiencing heightened senses of emotion during such a turbulent time.

I have compiled a list of ideas I think can go some way to helping alleviate the feelings of anxiety and upset right now.

Id love to hear your thoughts on it, or if you have any further ideas that may help others.

Seek Help

Its important to remember that help is still out there for you to access, no matter what issues youre facing. With all the attention on COVID, it can be easy to forget about other health concerns, including your mental health.

Most family practices are still open, with an emphasis on telephone consults or even through online portals. If you have a health query, dont hesitate to seek help. Let your doctor be the one to decide if its a priority.

Seeking help for mental-health support is more important than ever. Kelownas Crisis Response line is still running, and is available to listen whatever you wish to talk about.

CMHA Kelowna is also open, and can signpost you in the direction of further care.

Another great resource is http://www.heretohelp.bc.ca.

Give Help

One of the most amazing feelings is being able to help others, and theres no time like the present. If you are able to, providing help and support in your community is an invaluable use of your time.

Whether its getting groceries for elderly neighbours, or offering childcare support to frontline workers, youll get a huge boost for your own sense of wellbeing by helping those around you.

If youre at risk yourself, you can help from your home by offering your phone number to people who are in self-isolation, so that they can call and have a chat to alleviate the time alone.

Limit News

In a time of 24-hour news on the TV, shared news articles on your social media and news apps on your phone, the influx of information can be incessant.

I find it helpful to limit the amount of news I see in a day; too much and the state of the world can become overwhelmingly stressful.

Create Routine

Most of us have seen a big change in our routines, with working from home or having the kids off school. As creatures of habit, we crave a sense of structure, and so creating a routine for your days will help alleviate the feeling of uncertainty.

Set alarms, have your meals at appointed times, and allocate set breaks from work or schooling. Make sure youre getting showered and dressed properly in the morning; it may seem silly if youre not going out, but the process of getting ready and feeling smart will help your productivity levels no end.

Self Care

Now is an excellent time to focus on your self care.

This means something different for everyone, but the essence is finding something that relaxes you and occupies your mind.

This could be:

Whatever works for you, incorporate it into your daily routine. Along with self care for your mental wellbeing, make sure youre looking after your physical health too.

Eating well, exercising, hydrating and getting enough sleep are all really important in keeping your body and mind healthy.

Connect with Others

If you didnt use video calls before, now is the time to get stuck in. Ive been able to connect with my family back in the U.K. far more than I normally would over the last month, as people are realizing the power of video calls.

Weve done pub quizzes, had long chats about life, played games and seen each others living spaces far more than ever, and despite social distancing I feel more connected than ever to some of my closest friends.

Acknowledge Emotions

Despite all these measures, youre likely to still feel anxious or down from time to time, and thats OK. Talk about how youre feeling with a friend or family member, or on the crisis line.

The chances are, they are feeling the same, and shared emotions are much easier to deal with than facing it on your own. If you feel like crying, let it out. Ive cried a lot in the last few weeks, and every time Ive felt a release of emotion that then lets me get on with my day and put those feelings behind me.

Whatever your situation, I hope you and your friends and family are keeping safe and well during this time. Remember to seek help and give help where you can, and most importantly, stay home to slow the spread.

Hannah Gibson -Mar 19, 2020 / 6:00 am | Story:279469

Photo: Contributed

Forty-five per cent of Canadians regularly take health products, such as vitamins, minerals or herbal remedies.

With annual sales at an estimated $1.4 billion in Canada, I ask:

A recentUniversity of Toronto study looked into the evidence supporting the use of supplements, such as vitamins, minerals and fish oils. Specifically, the study looked at the effect on the risk of heart-related illness.

It foundthere was no significant effect from taking supplements.Supplements dont help to prevent cardiovascular disease, and they come at a cost.

I take a look at the main vitamins and nutrients, and how you can ensure youre getting enough without paying excessively for the benefits.

The government only recommends a few supplements, depending on age. Vitamin D is recommended for all Canadians, because most of us are deficient due to a lack of sun exposure.

Vitamin D helps regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body, and is needed to keep bones, muscles and teeth healthy.

Being deficient in vitamin D can lead to rickets in children, which is a type of bone deformity. In adults, it can cause a condition called osteomalacia, which is a softening of the bones.

During summer, we should be able to get all the vitamin D we need from sunlight. However, as most Canadians are deficient in this vitamin, taking an oral supplement is a good idea.

Vitamin A and C are also recommended for children aged six months to five years old. Vitamin A helps your bodys natural defences, including keeping skin healthy, while vitamin C also helps maintain healthy skin, bone and blood vessels.

Eating a balanced diet full of fruit, vegetables and dairy (or alternatives fortified with vitamins), should ensure that you get all the vitamin A and C needed.

The recommendation to supplement childrens diets is due to the fact that more vitamin A and C are needed for growth and development.

Women trying for a baby, or in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, are recommended to take folic acid. This nutrient is important in the development of the brain and spinal cord in Fetuses.

Aside from pregnancy, there is no clinical need or benefit to taking folic acid, so it isnt recommended for anyone outside this category.

Other nutrients, such as calcium and iron, are also marketed by pharmaceutical companies as being essential to your health and well being.

While this is true calcium building strong bones, muscles and teeth, and iron essential for carrying oxygen around the body we should be reaching our daily targets if we eat a healthy, balanced diet.

Good sources of iron include meat, liver, beans, nuts, whole grains and green vegetables.

Women need more iron than men due to having periods and losing blood each month. Signs of iron deficiency anemia include feeling tired, out of breath or weak.

If you believe you may be deficient, go to your family doctor to get your blood levels checked.

Taking iron supplements without medical supervision isnt advised; iron can cause nasty side effects.

Calcium is also found in similar foods, as well as dairy products (or fortified alternatives). Taking too much calcium, in the form of supplements, can cause stomach pain and diarrhea, so again is not recommended without a physicians advice.

A few years ago, I challenged myself to eat the Daily Dozen a checklist of 12 types of food that you should incorporate into your diet each day.

I downloaded the app (Dr. Gregers Daily Dozen) and aimed to tick off all the food groups by the end of the day.

This is a great way of making sure youre getting all the right vitamins and nutrients to stay fit and healthy!

The list is as follows:

Download the app, or read of Dr. Gregers book, How Not to Die. Its a really informative read about how to use diet and exercise to prevent all the top causes of death.

Get in touch in the comments below, or via email, if you have any questions about supplements or how to reach your daily targets.

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It's not all about COVID-19 - Health and Happiness - Castanet.net

This entry was posted on April 30, 2020 at 2:45 pm and is filed under Preventative Medicine. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |