wellness – Learn Or Do

New Mammogram Regulation

Yesterday, it was all over the news that healthcare providers will soon be required to notify women whether or not they have dense breast tissue when they perform a mammogram. Why is this important?

First let’s talk about breast tissue in general. Overall, there are three different types of breast tissue:

Glandular. This is the tissue and ducts responsible for producing milk.
Connective. This is fibrous tissue that keeps ducts and glands in place.
Fatty. Yes – we carry fat in our breasts.

If you have a lot of glandular and connective tissue and not a lot of fatty tissue, you are considered to have dense breast tissue. But the tricky thing is that no matter what you weigh or what cup size you are, only a mammogram can determine just how dense your breast tissue is.

About half of all childbearing age women have dense breast tissue – but it changes over time. As you age, your breast tissue generally gets less dense due to estrogen levels falling off. So again – the question is – why do you need to know if you have dense breast tissue?

The two big reasons you need to know about your breast tissue are that high density has been linked to increased chances for breast cancer and the density can make finding breast cancer early harder because cancer and the fibers in your breast both show white on a mammogram.

Examples of types of breast tissue density – you can see how cancer could easily be hidden as the tissue density increases.

My mom died of cancer that started as breast cancer so statistically, I’m at a higher risk of getting breast cancer. As a result, I’ve always been very good about getting my screenings regularly. Before I went through menopause, my breast tissue was very dense and the routine for me went something like this: go get a mammogram, get a call from my doctor telling me that the mammogram was inconclusive and they’d like me to come in for an ultrasound, go in for the ultrasound, results were negative for breast cancer. I always wanted to cut to the chase and just get the ultrasound, but that’s not protocol!

Because of my mother’s history and the fact that a lot of my family is in the healthcare profession, I knew to ask questions and find out about the implications around the density of my tissue. I’ve also been blessed with having really good OBGYNs over the course of my life who have taken the time to educate me. I’m REALLY glad that more women will be getting this kind of information so they can make the best choices for their health.

Want to learn more? Check out these links:

Gut Health

I think I may have written about the stomach bug that hit my friend and I while we were in Italy – and I seem to have a recurrence going on. So I started taking probiotics and I’ve been reading up on gut health.

Gut health seems to make the news fairly regularly these days, but if you don’t know it refers to the balance of bacteria, viruses, and fungi, known as the microbiome in your digestive system. Studies have shown that when the balance gets off, it can lead to things like constipation, diarrhea, bloating, gas, abdominal pain, acid reflux, headaches, poor sleep, and even joint pain. So keeping that balance is good for your overall health!

Lots of things can contribute to poor gut health – starting with too little sleep and other bad habits like smoking and excessive alcohol consumption. Antibiotics can also be a factor – so if you’ve been prescribed medication for any sort of infection from conditions like acne to sinus issues, the odds are you could get a stomach upset with it (which is why you are told to take the medication with food to try to mitigate that). But diet is definitely the biggest driving factor. Eating too much processed food, sugar, saturated fats, and additives/preservatives will definitely drive up the bad bacteria in your gut.

So how do you get your microbiome back into balance? It all goes back to a healthier lifestyle:

Eat less processed food, more fiber, more fresh fruits and vegetables and limit sugary foods. Whole grains and fermented foods like sauerkraut and kimchi are particularly helpful.
Take a probiotic supplement. There are lots of them available – like Align or Olly Probiotic gummies. You can also find yogurt with probiotics – try Activia or greek yogurt. You can tell if your favorite yogurt has probiotics by reading the label – you want one that says “live yogurt cultures” or even better “lactobacillus acidophilus.” Need to sneak the probiotic into your diet? You can substitute sour cream with one of the healthy plain yogurts – you won’t notice a difference in flavor and you get the bonus of those cultures!
Exercise more! You don’t need even need a gym – you can just walk more. Maybe throw in some weight bearing exercises like squats and lunges. Hit those 10,000 steps a day – but if you can’t do that, try to increase your daily steps every day any way you can. Park farther away from the store or walk around the block. You can work up to the 10,000 steps easily. Need something more fun? Try dancing to 2-3 songs at least once a day! Just get moving! Bonus – it will help relieve stress which also contributes to poor gut health.
HYDRATE! Drinking adequate amounts of water helps your overall health in a lot of ways but will contribute to better gut health as well. But remember – boosting your consumption of coffee, tea and soda doesn’t count. Caffeine is a diuretic so drinking it actually takes water out of your system.
Get on a good sleep schedule. Planning for 7-8 hours of sleep per night can help get your system sorted out. So put those devices down about an hour before you want to sleep and develop a routine that allows you to get the rest your body needs.

Want more info about your gut health? Check out these links to get started!

Covid is back???

President Biden came down with it – again. His third go-around with Covid. And 5 members of the Austrailian women’s water polo team have tested positive for it. The stinking virus just won’t go away will it? According to a report by Newsweek yesterday, Covid has “very high” rates in 17 US states.

I feel like I have been really lucky – I still haven’t caught Covid. Of course, being vaccinated, living alone and having good cleaning/hygiene habits probably has a great deal to do with that.

I have a love/hate relationship with the vaccine. I was giddy with excitement to get my first shot because it meant the end of all the isolation was near. But I am one of those people that reacts violently to the shot – fever, chills, headache, body aches for a good 24 hours after every shot. And I get it – a little misery might save me from a LOT of misery if I actually caught the virus. I have had 3 vaccines so far but now I find myself being reluctant to continue getting the shots because of the reaction.

As the virus continues to mutate, everything I’ve read says that the symptoms are much more mild now and tends to stay in the upper respiratory tract rather than going deep into the lungs like the initial infections in 2019/2020.

It’s still a good idea to self quarantine and wear a mask if you have it – you never know who you might come into contact with who might be immunocompromised. And nobody wants to make someone else sick RIGHT?

Reporting on numbers of people with Covid has gotten a little dicy with the advent of home testing kits and the less mild versions of the virus. But everyone from the CDC to county health departments are reporting a surge in cases this summer.

This article has a lot of good info about the current surge in cases: https://www.statnews.com/2024/07/18/latest-covid-spike-update-new-variants-fewer-novids/

So let’s continue to be careful OK? Wash your hands, avoid people who are sick, keep up healthy habits and increase your chances of making it through this summer wave of Covid unscathed!

New Bike!

So last week, I took my bike to the bike shop for a tune up. The tires weren’t holding air and the seat just wasn’t comfortable for me. Before I left for the bike shop, I was about 90% sure I was going to trade my bike in for a new one. And I did.

I got my old bike at a garage sale during Covid. It was fun to ride around the neighborhood – and to the local Dairy Queen – but it never really fit me. I could never get the seat adjusted to a good height and the handle bars were REALLY low. It might have been a good racing bike, but I just tool around the neighborhood and parks so a cruiser was what I was looking for. And I got one!

So now in addition to walking, I’m doing some cycling and it’s TOO MUCH FUN! I love having a bike that is sized for me and has been adjusted just for me. But in addition to having a lot of fun, there are a lot of health benefits to cycling as well.

Cycling is an aerobic activity so it helps with cardiovascular health as well as improving posture and coordination, building muscle and helping mental health. Steady cycling for me is burning almost an extra 150 calories in a half hour so I’m betting it will help with weight loss as well. (As long as I avoid too many stops at the Dairy Queen!).

It’s been more years than I like to admit since I rode a bike regularly. And while I haven’t forgotten how to ride at all, my balance isn’t what it used to be. The more I ride, the better it’s getting but I was a little shaky my first night out.

Apparently I’m not the only one rediscovering the fun of bike riding – when I Googled phrases around bike riding after years off, I found hundreds of articles! The themes of all of many of them are very similar:

Start small. Ride a few blocks or a couple miles. Get to know your bike and keep to areas/streets with little traffic to build confidence.
Safety first! Make sure your bike is in good shape and invest in a helmet. I laugh to myself saying that – I have a helmet, but I’ll be the first to admit, I’m not always good about wearing it. But a helmet can significantly drop the risk of a head injury in an accident. And remember, most bike accidents don’t involve another driver/person. Most bike accidents are bike versus some sort of obstacle in your path which may be as simple as a stick or water.
Ask for help if you need it. The people at my local bike shop were amazing – and they also organize outings for rides. Check at your local bike shop and see what resources you might be able to access. I’m guessing they’ll be happy to help you out even if you bought your bike at Walmart or another big box store.

I can tell you that I’m loving being back on a bike – my face actually hurt from smiling so much when I got home after riding it the first night. So it’s making me happy AND helping me be healthier!

Uninterrupted Sleep?

Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve had a problem with staying asleep. I go to sleep just fine but wake up about every two hours. For someone used to getting a solid night’s sleep it’s EXHAUSTING! I just don’t feel like I’m actually getting any rest. So curious me started digging into it.

Turns out there are a lot of reasons why a person can have no trouble falling asleep but still have sleep disruptions. Here are some of the top reasons:

Stress. Mental stress, worry, and anxiety can make it difficult to relax and fall asleep, as well as stay asleep throughout the night. Racing thoughts or concerns may keep your mind active, making it challenging to achieve restful sleep.
Environmental factors. Is the room too hot/cold? Did you consume caffeine? Is there too much light? Too much screen time? All of these kinds of things can cause sleep disruptions – hard to believe right?
Medical conditions. Things like sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, chronic pain, acid reflux, or hormonal imbalances can interfere with sleep continuity. You’ll probably need to consult with your primary care physician if you think one of these conditions is in play.

Here are some really great links about waking up at 3AM – which seems to be my favorite time to be awake. Maybe it’s my liver (check the first link)? Any way you look at it, 3AM seems to be a popular time to be awake in the middle of the night!

What’s New in Wellness?

I’m working on an application for a Marketing Director position with a nutrition company. I’m a believer in vitamins and health supplements so I’m enthusiastic about the role – it would allow me to use my experience and skills to help make a difference in people’s lives.

I take a Women’s multivitamin, extra Vitamin D, extra Vitamin E and an eye health vitamin every day (almost – I tend to forget them on days that I get out of a normal routine). Why? Well, like many women, I try to eat a healthy diet, but life can get in the way of that! I make it even harder on myself since I live alone – making the quantity/variety of food I cook challenging.

Why do I take what I do? Well, I think a multivitamin is sort of like an insurance policy. It helps ensure I get iron, Vitamin C and various minerals that I might not quite get from my day to day diet. As a woman, iron and calcium are really important to me so the multi-vitamin gives me a little boost.

My OBGYN recommended extra Vitamin D because I’m an inside worker so I may not get it naturally via sunlight particularly during the winter. And I’m very fair skinned so I avoid a lot of sun in the summer so I don’t get burned! Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium – and ladies, as we age we want to maintain calcium levels to help avoid osteoporosis. I figure a little boost here can’t hurt. I don’t want broken bones!

I take extra Vitamin E because it has anti-oxidant properties and it’s good for your skin and your eyes. And years ago my OBGYN recommended it as a way to help relieve monthly cramping. That was reason enough for me to take it but I also think it’s part of the reason I have very few issues with my complexion.

Last but not least, my Opthamologist has been tracking the onset of macular degeneration in both of my eyes. I had cataracts removed from both eyes at a fairly early age and I’m also showing signs of macular degenerations very early. I have spots in both eyes that are areas of concern although I haven’t started with any noticiable symptoms in my vision yet. So I take a daily eye health vitamin as well. I prefer Ocuvite since it’s only 1 capsule a day. Eye Health vitamins typically contain Lutein and Zeaxanthin which are related to Vitamin A and help keep your retinas healthy.

Want more info about Vitamins? Check out these links!

Measles outbreak?

As of yesterday, there were 15 confirmed cases of measles in Chicago this year. In a city of more than 2.75 million people, that doesn’t seem like a lot – but measles are extremely contagious and spreads via airborne virus.

Before the introduction of the measles vaccine in 1963, it wasn’t uncommon for an epidemic of measles every 2-3 years – and measles killed an estimate 2.6 million people per year.

So what is measles? It’s a respiratory tract infection characterized by a high fever, cough, runny nose, red/watery eyes and a rash that spreads over the whole body. In addition, about 10% of people who contract measles will have ear infections and another 10% will suffer from diarrhea. So it’s not pleasant!

If you’re unvaccinated and contract measles, you have a 20% chance of needing to be hospitalized. Other complications can include pneumonia, encephalitis and even death.

In 2000, measles was declared eliminated from the U.S. (defined as no disease transmission for more than 12 month) thanks to a highly effective vaccination program. However, in recent years the percentage of children receiving the vaccine has been dropping. for the 2022-23 school year, national coverage for the measles vaccine was at 93% – 2% lower than what is needed to achieve herd immunity. Theories on the drop all center around impact from the Covid pandemic and range from timing issues for wellness visits being disrupted to vaccine fatigue. Misinformation about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine is also contributing to the drop.

The good news? For those of us who have had the 2-dose measles vaccine, we should be covered for life. Children should receive their first dose of the vaccine when they are between 12 and 15 months old with the second dose administered when they are between 4-6 years old. Did you miss getting a vaccine as a child? Adults can also be vaccinated – see your healthcare provider for timing for the 2 shots.

Measles is a serious disease that at minimum could cause you a couple weeks of misery – or send you to the hospital with complications that aren’t great. So make sure you and your kids are covered as the disease is making a bit of a comeback! Want to learn more? Check out these links:

Wellness Wednesday

I’m going to say it – I wish I had gotten the flu shot last fall. I didn’t and now I’m sorry. But hey, at least I’m on the mend!

I think my interview went pretty well yesterday. I’m supposed to hear about next steps by the end of the week. Please keep your fingers crossed for me? It’s the kind of role where I believe I would be able to make a difference for that company – and it’s work that would make me happy.

But getting back to our Wellness topic, let’s talk about fever since the flu gave me a high one for 3 days. Most of us have had a fever at one time or another given that it’s one of the ways a body reacts to infection. For the most part, you take a couple Tylenol or Advil and that will take care of it. But as an adult when you have a fever that gets above 103, doctors recommend you don’t go it alone. Especially if you have additional symptoms like a severe headache, vomiting, rash, chest pain or altered behavior.

Here are some resources to check with regarding fevers:

What have I learned? Keep hydrated, thank goodness I always have Advil and next year, get the flu shot!

Wellness on the Job Hunt

I went to dinner with an old friend last night and she made a point about asking me how I was doing mentally through the job hunt. And I have to say, I think I’m doing surprisingly well. I’ve been referring to my mental health since I restarted this blog to help capture everything around my job search. I won’t lie – during my last job search, I didn’t do as well.

But I’ve approached everything differently this time. It’s helpful that my personal life isn’t as stressful as it was last time. And oddly, I think a silver lining of Covid is that I’m so used to being at home alone with my computer, that this job search is really just a shift in what I’m doing and on what computer. I mean seriously – one of my biggest challenges to date has been to get used to using my Macbook again rather than my old Walgreens PC!

This time, I haven’t been shy about reaching out to old friends. Last time, I was really embarrassed about being laid off and I shouldn’t have been! This time I have no shame about it. What has happened at Walgreens was nothing I could control so I am having no problem saying I was impacted in a mass layoff. That doesn’t seem like a huge shift but for me, it has been. My friends have been nothing but supportive too. So while I’d like to be working, I’m also loving having the time to meet up with people I haven’t seen in years.

The other thing I’m doing differently this time is being much more balanced in my job search/life activities. Last time, I sat at the computer for HOURS AND HOURS at a time scrolling job boards and making myself crazy second guessing what I wanted to do next. This time, I’ve narrowed down the types of roles I want to look at. I’m being thoughtful about what industries I’d like to work in and I’m alternating looking at job boards with taking training that will either sharpen existing skills – or is just about something I’m interested in. I took a seminar on AI last week that was fascinating! (I’ll be following up on that one – I’m having too much fun playing with ChatGPT now!)

And I’m scheduling time for me. I take walks. I’m doing some long delayed projects around the house. I’m crocheting like crazy and even selling some of my work. I’m planning some travel. I’m perfecting my recipe for Oatmeal Raisin cookies. So the balance between the stress of looking for a new job and spending time doing things that make me happy is really keeping things in perspective. Am I thrilled to be unemployed? Certainly not – but I’m keeping the mood swings the job search can cause to a minimum and that feels like a victory.

Are you in a job search too? Need a little advice on keeping your mental equilibrium? Try the tips at this link! https://www.nlsnow.com/resources/the-impact-of-mental-health-on-your-job-search-and-career

Mental Health – Decluttering

You can always tell where I am mentally by how clean my house is. I tend to be a clean freak – but when I’m stressed out or down, I stop cleaning. Apparently that isn’t uncommon. And I often find that cleaning will lift my mood. Right now, the house is pretty good – but today is the start of Lent and I’m diving into the 40 Bags in 40 Days declutter challenge.

I did this a few years ago and it was fabulous mentally and for my home. All you do, is every day during Lent, target an area of your home and fill a bag to either sell, donate or throw away. It encourages you to have discipline about some extra attention to your home – and gets rid of a LOT of clutter. OCD person that I am – I’ve made a simple spreadsheet to track what I clean and what I’m doing with my bag every day.

Don’t freak out – the bag can just be a grocery bag. Or it can be a Waste Management bagster if you need an industrial size bag! But at the end of Lent, you’ll have a clean house and a leg up on Spring Cleaning. And I bet you’ll feel a lot better without the clutter too.

Need some more info about this kind of challenge? Check out these links!