Category Archives: Healthy Living

Elizabeth Russell| Central Bucks High School West

A Year of COVID in Bucks

Bucks County Health Dept. Director Dr. David Damsker talks to JD and Phil about the toll of coronavirus locally, and the prospects of returning to life as it was prior to the virus.

JD Mullane and Phil Gianficaro, Bucks County Courier Times

Heart disease refers to a grouping of several different conditions. It is defined as a type of disease that affects the heart or surrounding blood vessels. It can describe a range of conditions from blood vessel disease to heart rhythm problems to heart infection.

I was curious as to how heart disease could affect teenagers and what we as a youth should be doing to look out for our own health. I interviewed my friend and neighbor, Dr. Michael Mooradd, whois a cardiologist.

I wanted to know the significance of heart disease on my age group and what signs myself and peers should be looking out for. I wondered what could be preventative and what symptoms to look out for.

Mooradd explained that the main advice that he shares is, Be aware of your family history, live a healthy lifestyle, no smoking, and encourage your family as well to follow a healthy lifestyle and seek treatment if they have any symptoms.

I was naively under the impression that my age group could not be affected by heart disease, which I believed only afflicted the elderly.

Mooradd shared that one of the biggest tragedies of heart disease is when people are afraid to seek medical assistance after they start to notice the symptoms and they do not seek the help that they need.

The symptoms include, but are not limited to, chest pain, left arm pain, throat pain, and jaw pain. Men and women exude different symptoms and sometimes women experience a shortness of breath.

The symptoms differ from person to person, but most experience these symptoms.

If you or anyone in your family have these symptoms you should consult a doctor for an evaluation.

There is also a genetic component to heart disease, so understanding your family history can help to inform if you should be more cautious in looking out for the signs and symptoms.

If people know that they have a family history they should focus on exercise, a healthy diet, and no smoking. People aged 50 and up are at a higher risk of heart disease.

Prevention can be a key component in helping to prevent heart disease in ones future. Mooradd explained that preventative measures can be taking such as practicinga healthy diet, regularly exercising, and controlling your blood pressure if you have hypertension. There are also preventative medications that can be taken, such as medication that helps to lower the bodys level of cholesterol.

Long term, heart disease needs to be caught early, and if it is caught early there is no damage or minimal damage. Mooradd said doctors try to educate the community that the first goal is prevention. Even if they do not catch it early on, it can still be treated.

Teens and other adolescents my age are not at high risk for heart disease, but they still need to look out for symptoms and track their family history.

Help encourage both you and your parents to practice living a healthy lifestyle and getting the exercise that you need.

Prevention and recognizing the symptoms and knowing when to consult a doctor are they key to living a healthy life and avoiding heart disease.

Elizabeth Russell is a junior at Central Bucks High School West. This is her first year writing for Reality.

Originally posted here:
Why teens should care about their heart health - Bucks County Courier Times

Provided by Prince William County

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, local Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) volunteers have served in Prince William County and the surrounding areas. MRC volunteers supportCOVID-19 testing sites and vaccination clinics, and educate the community on the best ways to prevent spreading and contracting the virus.

The MRC is a group of dedicated volunteers, who donate their time and talents to prepare for and respond to public health emergencies and promote healthy living throughout the year. MRC volunteers supplement existing emergency and public health resources.

Jeff Scheulen has volunteered with the MRC since April 2020. He began helping with testing, then moved on to help with the vaccination clinics. Jeff said, Im retired, and when I heard about MRC, which I never heard of before COVID, I realized there was a path for me to help out and support the community. My past career as a paramedic, thats what I did. I helped people.

Anyone can join the MRC; no medical experience is needed. Volunteers receive free training and participate in drills and exercises to prepare for emergencies. Volunteers must be over 18 and pass a criminal background check.

See the article here:
If Youre Passionate about Public Health, Volunteer with the Medical Reserve Corps! - Prince William Living

Andre Bessette, For The Bulletin| The Bulletin

The COVID-19 pandemic forced us to adapt to new ways of living from restricted travel, to virtual concerts, curtailed youth sports, and canceled community events activities we rely on to keep us healthy and connected. And with COVID-19 infection rates continuing to increase, we can expect that public health actions, such as social distancing, and other limitations in our daily lives will remain.

This winter could be especially difficult as we hunker down and cooler weather draws us indoors. Long, dark days coupled with cold weather and social isolation can lead to feelings of sadness, anxiety or depression. Here are some considerations for coping with these feelings in a healthy way.

Andre Bessette, PhD., is a clinical psychologist and supervisor in the Outpatient Behavioral Health Department at Day Kimball Healthcare. To learn more about behavioral health services at Day Kimball Healthcare, visit http://www.daykimball.org/behavioralhealth. For more information on Day Kimball Healthcares response to the coronavirus disease 2019, visit http://www.daykimball.org/coronavirus.

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Healthy Living: Healthy ways to cope this winter during pandemic - Norwich Bulletin

COVID-19 has weighed heavy on our hearts for months. But did you know the virus may actually harm your heart?

A new Cleveland Clinic survey shows some Americans dont realize the impact COVID-19 can have on heart health.

According to the survey, a quarter of Americans mistakenly believed the virus only affects the lungs, not the heart. Dr. Samir Kapadia says even people who have healthy hearts can experience problems due to a COVID-19 infection. Those with heart disease are at particularly high risk for severe COVID infection and complications, but the survey shows more than 60 percent are unaware.

The survey says nearly 70% dont realize hypertension increases the risk for a severe case of coronavirus. Stress can also negatively affect your heart. However, only about half of Americans are aware of the consequences.

People who have fear, people who have anger, it has been shown that both of these can lead to blood clotting mechanisms and can cause heart attacks, Kapadia said. Stress of a serious nature, like with COVID, where youre seriously ill, can have high adrenaline levels and that can create, sometimes, the heart-pumping function to go down.

Kapadia says offices and hospitals have implemented safety measures, so dont delay care for concerning symptoms or check-ups to help manage chronic heart or medical conditions.

Go here to read the rest:
Healthy Living: Survey shows Americans dont realize harmful hearts effects of COVID-19 - ABC27

Esther Lew 5 February 2021

The Ritual Caf and Bar invites diners to begin the journey with wholesome food with plant-based and gluten-free options.

From the sambal belachan mayonnaise sauce and tempeh to the freshly baked bagel and pastries, the food at The Ritual Caf and Bar is meant to get you into that conscious space of clean eating and lifestyle practices. Besides serving up a flavoursome and healthy menu, it is also a venue that aims to bring together a like-minded community for wellness healing and self-development activities after opening hours.

Headed by Chef Matthew Tham formerly from Two Men Bagel House and Meta Fine Dining, the menu is defined by robust east-meets-west flavours. A good example was The ImpossibleTM Mala Somen, which was dressed with homemade Szechuan sauce, garlic crumbs, bak choy and a sous vide egg. It was fiery but not overly numbing, making it a satisfying choice for mains. My favourite was Uncle Matts Beef Bowl, which featured sous vide steak with truffle oyster dressing, a sous vide egg and tsukemono with fragrant Japanese rice. It made a grain lover out of me for the day. It was worth it.

Special mention must also be made for the Tofu Tempe Fries, a moreish appetiser of fried tofu and tempe fritters served with homemade sambal belachan mayonnaise sauce. Whilst tempe typically has a dry, firm and chewy texture, this rendition was soft, moist and freshly made, perfect with the sauce. It got us into a mood to munch, and the Truffle Kombu Fries with Parmesan was addictive as well. For dessert, the freshly made Buttermilk Belgium Waffle with salted caramel ice cream, and bananas was a delightful treat as well.

The breakfast menu, available till 3pm daily, is a highlight by itself, with hits such as the Beetroot Gravlax Bagel, which was lovely to bite into. The bagel was soft and not too dense and chewy, while the pickled beetroot counterbalanced the saltiness of the gravlax, smoothed over by the satisfying mouthfeel of the cream cheese. Another star dish is the Madames Truffled Egg Croissant, with scrambled eggs made even more delish by the creamy brie and bechamel, enhanced by earthy black truffles.

Apart from its sumptuous food, The Ritual also impressed with its agenda for wellness lifestyles. The name of the caf stems from my pursuit of living a purposeful life through meaningful rituals and to share the importance of having a balance between mind, body and soul, said Cassandra. Many people are too focused on just one area of their lives and they find theres always something missing hence I want to create a safe space where the community can gather and practise healthy rituals that allow them to live a purpose driven life, changing routines to rituals, says Founder Cassandra Riene Tan who also owns sister cafe and bar Botany.

In this community, there will be mental wellness advocates, coaches, industry experts and strong social advocates, also known as The Ritual tribe leaders, who will be leading wellness programmes and experiences that bring together communities of different backgrounds. Expect non-conformists and seemingly controversial topics such as mental wellness, sexuality, metaphysics and spirituality; and alternative healing topics such as Ayurveda, herbal remedies, TCM and Reiki in these knowledge-sharing and experiential sessions, workshops and casual mingling sessions.

Alocassia Apartments, #01-09B,383 Bukit Timah Road. http://www.theritual.co

Continued here:
Mindful eating and healthy living - epicureasia.com

If they can afford it, Twin Cities area renters now have access to apartment buildings with the kinds of amenities and features typically found in high-end houses and luxury resorts: Spas for people and dogs, apps that control everything from lights to package delivery and indoor and outdoor gathering spaces with chefs kitchens, firepits and big-screen TVs.

With pandemic worries unlikely to subside anytime soon, developers are now trying to woo renters with a perk that can't be seen: fresh air.

Several Twin Cities apartment buildings are being built and retrofit with a range of features that aim to help ease concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic. From wider hallways to expensive high-tech ventilation systems, a handful of rental owners are incorporating health-focused features that can cost tens of thousands of dollars, but give them a competitive edge over other high-end apartment buildings.

"Air has always been this unseen commodity," said Patrick Crowe, a Twin Cities-area developer. "But we've become hyper aware of it since the pandemic."

Crowe had long planned to make the Quentin, a 79-unit apartment building that's under construction in St. Louis Park, a showcase for the latest sustainability and energy-efficiency features. Since the pandemic, he's doing even more.

The five-story building was designed to enable residents to live "net zero," meaning they won't consume more energy than is produced on site or purchased through solar and wind credits from Xcel Energy. Strategic placement of operable windows enable residents to take advantage of as much natural light as possible. The building will have supplemental smart LED lighting, smart thermostats and additional insulation to help withstand extreme temperatures.

Crowe said that since the onset of the pandemic, he has added other features. Common spaces were also adapted to facilitate social distancing, including wider corridors and indoor and outdoor areas that enable residents to gather safely. For $850 residents can upgrade to a catalytic air-cleaning system that kills bacteria and viruses and he has added energy-efficient elevators with an air-purification system that kills bacteria and viruses. He has also increased the size of those elevators to enable residents who are sharing a ride more space to keep their distance and to maximize air volume in elevators. He has also added stainless-steel interior surfaces to make them easier to clean.

And this week crews are installing a rooftop system that will continuously supply fresh air to the building. That's in contrast to more standard techniques that bring fresh air exchange into the units only when the individual heating and cooling systems are operating. And soon, crews will begin installing 85-kilowatt rooftop solar panels.

Crowe said the upgrades will add about 10% to the cost of the $22 million project, which includes eight income-restricted units for people who earn 50% of the area median income. Market-rate rents start at $1,460 for a studio unit.

Developing a "healthy" rental building stems from Crowe's interest in a building that's more energy efficient and sustainable than what's currently available for the market. And while he said the marketing potential of such features wasn't his primary motivation, he and other developers are constantly looking for ways to make their buildings stand out in an increasingly competitive market.

"People really want to know about the quality of their spaces they're living and working in," he said. "And now people are way more hypersensitive about it."

That includes renter Lauren Strahan, who said the focus on air quality in the building played a significant role in her decision to sign a lease in the building, which is currently preleasing and will open this summer.

"Since we are still in a pandemic I wanted to choose an apartment complex that provided outstanding air quality in order to continue to be as safe as possible," she said.

She said she was initially drawn to the building by its fitness facilities including the yoga studio, Peloton equipment and year-round spa area where she can relax after workouts.

"Initially I wasn't aware of the air quality being something that I should be concerned about," she said. "This year has really shined a light on the importance of a healthy living environment."

At the Viridium (Latin for "green") Apartments in the North Loop neighborhood in Minneapolis, Twin Cities-based Schafer Richardson lists "antimicrobial surfaces and materials" and an "air-cleaning ventilation system" among its amenities.

The building, which opens next month, is also pursuing LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. That includes meeting higher standards for indoor air quality, materials and sustainability.

Katie Anthony, director of development, said that in response to the pandemic, the company has also installed ionizers in Viridium's common areas, and in all other common areas in the company's portfolio.

The same is being done at most of the buildings that are owned and managed by Kelly Doran. At the Mill & Main Apartments across the Mississippi River from downtown Minneapolis, the company is finishing the installation of ozone-free ionizers in all common areas and are making them available for residents who pay an upcharge to have them installed directly into their apartment's heating and cooling systems.

"They're not cheap," Doran said. "But if a resident wants one, we add a little to the rent to help pay for it."

He said the company has also hired its own on-site cleaning staff rather than outsourcing it in an effort to do more regular cleaning, and he's bought electrostatic sprayers, which are used several times a week throughout each building in all common areas.

Pat Huelman, coordinator of the Cold Climate Housing Program at the University of Minnesota, said that with some exceptions the apartment industry hasn't embraced cutting-edge building science technologies that are more common in other sectors of the construction industry.

To date much of the focus has been on preventing the transmission of sound and smells between apartments. Now, more research is being done on preventing viruses and other contaminants being shared from one unit to the next.

"It wasn't one of their top priorities. It's a little more challenging and more expensive," Huelman said. "Getting them up quickly and at a very competitive price point with enough pizazz to catch eyeballs is what it's been about."

Jim Buchta 612-673-7376

Read more:
Amid virus, developers woo Twin Cities area renters with fresh air - Minneapolis Star Tribune