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- Written by Lisa Jillanza
Editor’s Note: Information within this three-part article titled “All Things COVID-19” has been obtained in part by research done through the Centers for Disease Control’s website (www.cdc.gov). Should you be concerned that you have signs or symptoms of COVID-19 or any of its variants, please seek medical attention.
We are quickly approaching the two-year anniversary of the first known cases of COVID-19 in the United States and the beginning of this worldwide pandemic. We have learned so much over the past two years about COVID-19 and all its subsequent variants, but as conditions are constantly changing, we also must adapt to those changes regarding hygiene, masking, symptoms, vaccines, and so much more. In this three-part article and with the help of research conducted on the CDC’s website, we will talk about many different aspects of COVID-19 and its variants.
Symptoms – According to the CDC, people with COVD-19 (any variant) have experienced a wide-variety of symptoms – from mild cold and cough type symptoms to more severe life-threatening symptoms. These symptoms include, but are not limited to:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
While many of these symptoms are simply inconvenient, there are many symptoms that are more severe like trouble breathing, (cont’d.)
- Or stay
- Colored skin, lips, or nail beds, depending on skin tone
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- Written by Lisa Jillanza
It’s February… again. Yeah, we know that for some February is their least favorite month (Hello Groundhog Day?!) but this short month is the perfect opportunity to start a Winter Challenge!
This easy at-home winter challenge can be adapted any way that you see fit. Want a harder workout? Double the amount of reps/miles/etc. Need a more laid-back work out? Lessen the reps/miles/etc. Any way you look at it, you are still getting that much-needed mid-winter exercise.
Here’s the 28-day (thanks short month!) February Fitness Challenge breakdown and feel free to adjust accordingly!
Day 1: 25 squats
Day 2: 10 burpees
Day 3: 30-second plank
Day 4: 10 push ups
Day 5: 1-mile walk
Day 6: 25 walking lunges
Day 7: 30-second bridge
Day 8: 20 donkey kicks
Day 9: 50 high knees
Day 10: 2-mile walk
Day 11: 25 burpees
Day 12: 15 pushups
Day 13: 150 jumping jacks
Day 14: 45-second plank
Day 15: 50 jump squats
Day 16: 30 jump lunges
Day 17: 45-second bridge
Day 18: 30 donkey kicks
Day 19: 20 pushups
Day 20: 3-mile walk
Day 21: 60-second plank
Day 22: 20 single leg bridges
Day 23: 150 skiers
Day 24: 40 walking lunges
Day 25: 50 squats
Day 26: 20 burpees
Day 27: 60-second bridge
Day 28: 100 high knees
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- Written by Lisa Jillanza
We are well into the cold and flu season and unfortunately everyone knows someone that has been down and out with cold and flu symptoms this year. Or even worse, COVID.
Fortunately, there are some simple ways to help you stay healthy throughout the winter. Here are five simple ways to stay cold and flu-free:
- Load up on garlic. It contains allicin, which has antiviral properties.
- Sweat it out in the sauna. Sweating helps to release toxins in the body.
- Get the proper amount of sleep. Sleeping helps you to be feel more energized and helps your immune system fight off germs.
- Eat your chicken noodle soup. It contains anti-inflammatory deliciousness that strengthens disease-fighting cells.
- Have your yogurt. The probiotics help strengthen your immune system by increasing the number of white blood cells in your body.
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- Written by Lisa Jillanza
- Mangoes are an excellent source of vitamins A and C, and they are also an excellent way to replenish potassium lost through exercise or for those who are constantly “on the go.”
- An average-sized mango can even contain up to 40 percent of your daily fiber requirement, thereby being a great way to curb constipation and irregularity.
- Mangoes can also help to prevent certain types of cancer and help to lower blood cholesterol levels, too.
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Recipe: Jamaican Jerk Chicken Salad
½ cup prepared or purchased honey mustard dressing
1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
4 chicken breast halves without skin, boneless
1 tablespoon Jamaican Jerk seasoning
2 large fresh mangoes
10 to 12 cups mixed greens
Stir together honey mustard dressing and lime zest. Cover and chill dressing while preparing chicken.
Rinse chicken and pat dry; sprinkle with Jerk seasoning. In a large skillet cook the seasoned chicken in hot oil over medium-high heat about 6 minutes on each side until browned and no longer pink. Thinly slice each chicken breast.
Arrange warm chicken and mango atop greens on four plates; drizzle with the honey mustard dressing.
Recipe: Mango Pork
2 medium ripe mangoes
1 pork tenderloin, about ¾ pound
Cooking spray or olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Hot pepper sauce
Put pulp of one mango in food processor or blender.
Cut the other mango into small cubes. Trim pork tenderloin and slice into 1-inch thick medallions. Flatten slices lightly with hand. Spray a skillet or medium saucepan with cooking spray or add a small amount of olive oil and heat on medium-high. Brown pork for one minute on each side. Season each side with salt and pepper to taste.
Reduce heat and cook pork another five minutes to cook through. Remove to plate and add mango to skillet or saucepan. Cook puree about, scraping up brown bits of pork, for about 30 seconds. Add several drops of hot sauce and the mango cubes. Toss cubes in puree while heating through. Spoon sauce over pork and serve with pasta or hot cooked rice.
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- Written by Lisa Jillanza
Potato chips, French fries, movie theater popcorn… all these foods we know are packed with sodium. But what about those foods that contain “sneaky” amounts of sodium? High sodium diets can wreak havoc on your health so the more you know about what foods contain sodium the better off you will be when making your food choices.
Sliced deli meats and hotdogs – just one hot dog can contain 500 mg of sodium and just two slices of deli meat up to 250 mg.
Cereal – here’s a sneaky one with one cup of cornflakes containing 200 mg per serving.
Pancake mix – mixes contain 400 mg of sodium per serving!
Canned soups and vegetables – anything in a can is going to contain high amounts of sodium so make sure to be a label reader!
Ketchup and soy sauce – while they are delicious, these condiments pack a punch when it comes to sodium with ketchup containing 150 mg per tablespoon and soy sauce containing 1,000 mg per tablespoon.
Frozen foods – just a single slice of frozen pizza contains nearly 750 mg of sodium! A single serving of frozen meatloaf contains 900 mg.
Spaghetti sauce – just one cup of jarred spaghetti sauce can have a sodium content of 1,000 mg.
Flour tortillas – depending on the size of the tortilla you are looking at between 400 and 600 mg of sodium in each tortilla.
Some seafoods – while seafood can be great for a heart healthy diet, be sure to check your canned and frozen seafoods for those sodium amounts.