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- Written by Lisa Jillanza
It’s that time of year again and no we aren’t talking about when our furry friend brings us baskets of chocolates and goodies. We are talking about the “perfect storm” of maladies where many play the guessing game of, “What Am I Suffering From?” From new variants of COVID-19 to the common cold, to seasonal allergies and the flu, how are we supposed to figure out how to remedy what ails us, when we don’t even know what it is?
Here are some common symptoms and treatments so we can end the guessing game once and for all.
General COVID-19 symptoms
- Headache
- Sore throat
- Runny nose
- Fever
- Loss of Taste and Smell
- Body aches
Omicron COVID-19 symptoms
- Cough
- Fatigue
- Runny nose and congestion
- Night sweats
- Less likely to have a loss of taste or smell
Common cold symptoms
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Sore throat
- Cough
- Congestion
Common Seasonal Allergies symptoms
- Itchy or watery eyes
- Itchy throat
- Itchy ear canals
- Stuffy or runny nose
- Tiredness or fatigue
(Continued in part II…)
- Details
- Written by Lisa Jillanza
During this month, millions of people all over the world take part in and recognize April as Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month.
It is a very common disease, but many people are unclear about what Parkinson’s is and how it affects those with the condition.
According to American Parkinson’s Disease Association (APDA), “Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a type of movement disorder that can affect the ability to perform common, daily activities. It is a chronic and progressive disease, meaning that the symptoms become worse over time. It is characterized by its most common of motor symptoms—tremors (a form of rhythmic shaking), stiffness or rigidity of the muscles, and slowness of movement (called bradykinesia)—but also manifests in non-motor symptoms including sleep problems, constipation, anxiety, depression, and fatigue, among others.”
Some interesting statistics about Parkinson’s include:
- Nearly one million Americans are living with Parkinson’s.
• Approximately 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease each year, and this number does not reflect the thousands of cases that go undetected.
• Seven to 10 million people worldwide are estimated to be living with Parkinson’s disease.
• Incidence of Parkinson’s increases with age, but an estimated four percent of people with Parkinson’s are diagnosed before the age of 50.
Unfortunately, the cause of Parkinson’s is unknown and presently, there is no cure. Current research is showing that exercise can improve brain function and may slow disease progression, especially if early onset. The earlier the intervention, the better effects exercise can have on the individual.
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- Written by Lisa Jillanza
Looking for a unique new way to burn calories while getting your daily chores done? Then this “Spring Clean your Way to Lean” workout is just for you! Simply follow this 5-day plan and clean your way to a slimmer, you… and the house will look good, too.
Day One: On day one, we focus on the upper body. Scrubbing the bathtub, the floors, and your toilets can burn over 250 calories an hour. Try to use both sides of the body equally as you scrub those areas clean. Pruning the bushes and trees will require some great arm strength and will work your core at the same time. You can burn upwards of 500 calories an hour if you keep up the pace!
Day Two: It’s time to engage the core! As you bend to weed and pick vegetables in your garden, practice lunges and squats for a whopping 241 calories burned per hour. And when you’re ready to mix it up, try lifting bags of dirt or produce. Onto vacuuming, yes, you can get a nice arm and leg workout vacuuming if you do it right. Try taking large lunge steps forward and backward as you vacuum the floors.
Day Three: Back to the upper body… time to dust! Don’t forget to find all those hard-to-reach surfaces and use lots of back-and-forth arm motions to burn 165 calories an hour. Then move onto the windows. At 229 calories an hour, you can probably find a few that could use some cleaning.
Day Four: Time to work those legs and organize the pantry. Squat down every time you lift something off a shelf or get up on your tip toes to work your calves when reaching up onto higher shelves for items. Take everything out of the pantry, clean it thoroughly, and then put everything back all while burning 344 calories in an hour.
Day Five: One last day to sweat it out. By loading and unloading the dishwasher and laundry, you can squat down to put dishes in the dishwasher and do another squat every time you grab items out of it as you empty it. (This also works with laundry. Squat to pull out one item, stand up as you fold, and then squat down again to get the next item.)
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- Written by Lisa Jillanza
Our bodies have a unique way of telling us when we are not getting enough protein in our diet. Here are seven great ways that show us we are lacking protein:
- You are constantly weak and hungry.
- Your muscles no longer have definition.
- You are struggling to lose weight.
- You are losing your hair.
- You are always getting sick.
- Your lower legs and feet swell unexpectedly.
- Your skin gets patchy in places.
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- Written by Lisa Jillanza
(…Continued from Part II)
Unfortunately, some disorders related to mental health, thrive in isolation situations. Lockdowns created more opportunities for domestic violence and child abuse fueled by drugs, alcohol, and financial struggle.
Relapses of addiction, eating disorders, obesity due to inactivity, and overall suicidal thoughts/actions were also exacerbated by the pandemic; all disorders that are related to mental health.
So, many will ask, where do we go from here? The most obvious answer is to talk about it. Seek out friends, family or even a professional to get your thoughts out. Oftentimes, counseling is enough for people to realize that they are not alone in their thoughts of anxiety or depression.
Others may need to seek medical advice and can benefit from a prescription medication to help get some relief. Another great way to help combat mental health conditions, is to find something that helps you take away those feelings of grief, anxiety, or depression – take up a hobby, exercise, or do something positive for someone else.
And most importantly, don’t be afraid to reach out! If you are afraid that you or someone you know might hurt themselves or someone else, call 911 immediately.
Some other numbers to keep handy include:
1-800-273-TALK (8255)
- Crisis Text Line: Text “Home” to 741741
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Helpline: 1-800-950-NAMI (6264)