We enter a New Year with a decade attached.
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Hopes are high and resolutions sharp.
Anticipation drips off words and actions.
Verbosity and intention our worth.
Too much adrenaline may be our curse.
Enjoying the feeling sways easy.
Focusing attention skews the anticipation.
Throttle and measure the pedal of movement.
Counter annihilation of anticipation
and propel yourself on a true course of achievement.
Hands heavy with dirt, disease, and devilish deed doers touch our lives every day.
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According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, (10/2018) handwashing with soap could protect about 1 out of every 3 young children who get sick with diarrhea and almost 1 out of 5 young children with respiratory infections like pneumonia.
Feces (poop) from people or animals is an important source of germs like Salmonella, E.coli 0157, and norovirus that cause diarrhea, and it can spread some respiratory infections like adenovirus and hand-foot-mouth disease.
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Germs get into our bodies through our eyes, nose, and mouth. Proper handwashing with soap removes germs from our hands and helps prevent sickness.
Teaching people about proper handwashing helps them stay healthy.
92% of telephones are contaminated with bacteria such as staphylococci and E. coli.
$260 Billion is the annual cost of missed work and lost productivity due to illness.
100% is the reduction in bacteria after cleaning a keyboard with an antibacterial wipe.
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So, what is the right way to wash your hands?
Proper handwashing is one of the most effective things we can do to prevent the spreading of disease. Soap and flowing water together are the most effective combination, as the two help wash the germs away from the skin.
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Wash your hands often especially after you go to the bathroom and before you eat.
Our personal credit cards may be straining after this holiday gift-giving season but according to new research reported on the Nightly Business Report, (12/12/2019) 137 million people face financial hardship in 2019 due to medical debt.
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An increased number of patients are paying off medical bills with their credit cards.
PBS (Public Broadcasting Systems) published (Health Jul 26, 2018, 5:26 PM EST)) a study found in Health Affairs that one in six Americans have past-due health care bills on their credit report, a debt totaling $81 billion in all. These findings are consistent with a 2017 Urban Institute report that suggests medical debt is the most common financial burden in collections in the United States, a country where health care spending amounts to 18 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product.
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Medical debt imparts other parts of a patient’s life such as trying to purchase a home. A Zillow survey shows that 13 thousand people who owe money for their health care expenses are turned down (38%) for their home mortgage applications. Financial companies see these people as a financial risk. Forty-four percent of mortgage applicants admitted that if they had a $1,000 unexpected bill they could not financially handle paying the bill.
Caroline Ratcliffe, a senior fellow at the Urban Institute who studies asset building and poverty found in a 2016 study that families that set aside between $250 and $749 were less likely to be evicted or miss a mortgage or utility payment.
However, Benedic Ippolito from the American Enterprise Institute feels that “If you know you can’t afford a bill, and you really don’t want to incur debt, then you might not go out and seek care.”
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Here are some options to dig yourself out of medical debt if you are unfortunate enough to find yourself in that situation. It can happen to you even if you have a full-time job with medical insurance – it only takes one catastrophic medical event.
Some people are one catastrophe away from being insolvent or using credit cards to finance their health care; it’s a fact of life. Hopefully, you’ll never be in that situation.
If you read this blog on a regular basis you’ll know that maintaining health and wellness is a great idea. So, I wish you happy, healthy holidays.
The hustle and bustle of holiday shopping bring out unique shoppers.
The joy of the holidays can be overshadowed by the stress of shopping.
Stress often disrupts our sleep pattern and can have a negative impact on our immune system.
With this in mind, there are a few holiday shoppers to be aware as you forge ahead to stay healthy and happy this holiday season.
There’s bruising Bubba who always barges in front of the line.
Who can forget elegant Eloise sniffing everywhere for a good deal?
Lumbering Luke usually arrives late in the day but always seems to step on toes and shove shopping carts.
And no one wants to upset angry Angus when he spots a sizzling sale.
Some helpful shopping hints may be practical for your peace of mind. Avoid animal crowds and start early. The National Retail Federation (NRF) states that only 6.7% of shoppers begin their holiday shopping in September, 21.3% by October 1, and 42% by November 1.
Limits and lists are good – stick to them.
Establish your deadline, not someone else’s. Don’t sacrifice your time.
You don’t need that sparkly, seven-toed, whirly-durly dancing doll next to the check out counter. Impulse buying is a NO-NO.
Looking back on your holidays feel a heart full of love, not a stocking full of the sappy stuff.
A recent article in American Nurse Today (Nov. 2019 Vol.14 #11 p.6-11) written by Eloise Theisen MSN, AGPCNP-BC, and Eileen Konieczny, RN, BCPA outlines the long history that cannabis has taken for medicine and spiritual use. Currently, 33 states, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto allow medical cannabis use under specific qualifying conditions, and 11 states (and the District of Columbia) allow adult recreational use.
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The endocannabinoid system maintains homeostasis which makes it a unique target for medical applications. This molecular signaling system consists of cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2 are the most common and well studied), ligands, and enzymes that regulate sleep, pain perception, memory, mood, and appetite.
The receptors can be stimulated by our own endogenous cannabinoids, by plant-derived cannabinoids (phytocannabinoids), and by synthetic cannabinoids.
Ligands act as chemical messengers to get cannabinoids to interact at the receptor site while enzymes break down cannabinoids after they’re completed their function.
CB1 and CB2 receptors are found throughout our bodies.
When activated CB1 receptors mitigate anxiety, stress, pain, inflammation, depression, post-traumatic stress symptoms, and neurogenerative disorders.
CB2 activation mitigates inflammation, mental health disorders, neurologic disorders, and multiple sclerosis.
Cannabinoids are chemical compounds that can influence the cannabinoid receptors and promote the release of neurotransmitters. They include phytocannabinoids, endocannabinoids, and synthetic cannabinoids.
Phytocannabinoids are produced by the cannabis plant.
Endocannabinoids are molecules produced naturally and on-demand by our bodies.
Synthetic cannabinoids are created in the laboratory and are single, isolated molecules.
The two most studied phytocannabinoids are delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).
In 2018 the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved a medication called Epidiolex, an oral solution of plant-derived CBD for treatment of seizures in Lennox-Gastaut and Dravet syndromes in patients 2 years and older.
Dronabinol derived from THC is approved by the FDA to treat AIDS patients and patients undergoing chemotherapy experiencing nausea and vomiting.
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In December 2018, The Agricultural Improvement Act (“Farm Bill”) legalized hemp and defined it as any part of the Cannabis Sativa L. plant, including cannabinoids. These changes removed hemp from restriction under the Controlled Substance Act.
THC produces euphoria, psychoactive effects that influence mood, conscious and behavior. Side effects are dose-dependent. THC can lead to a substance use disorder.
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CBD improves mood by decreasing anxiety and depression and is effective for treating nausea and vomiting: seizures, inflammation, and neurogenerative disorders; and pain.
Cannabis products can be administered by many routes; topical, transdermal, inhalation, sublingual, ingestion however buyer beware. Cannabis plants are bio-accumulators that absorb contaminants and pollutants from the soil and environment. Heavy metals, pesticides, and other toxins may be present in the plant and when extracted or concentrated can be detected in the final product. Cannabis product testing requirements vary from state to state, so check with your state’s cannabis regulatory agency to understand specific testing requirements.
As cannabis legalization continues to bring more products into the public and medical field finding credible information about cannabis products may rest solely on the consumer. Just as in any other medical situation when a person has questions – ask.
Boxing is a competitive sport in which Oscar De La Hoya excels. He retires and enters the International Boxing Hall of Fame holding six boxing titles: Featherweight, Lightweight, Super Lightweight, Welterweight, Super Welterweight, and Middleweight.
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Oscar gives a television interview with Dan Patrick on “Undeniable” in which he discusses his ability to switch from a fierce-contender fighting attitude inside the boxing ring to a likable guy outside the fighting arena.
Competing at the Middleweight level gave Oscar an overreach for his ability. During the interview with Dan Patrick Oscar stated that he let his competitiveness override his thoughtfulness even though he loves to challenge himself.
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We’re like Oscar.
We get on an even road with our health and nutrition plan and our life seems in control; taking on the world is our goal. Slowly we skip our exercise routine, next, we eat 2 gooey, sticky cinnamon buns and then we binge-watch our favorite television show on a three-day weekend.
However, Oscar met his athletic goal of attaining six boxing titles while developing the Golden Boy Promotions Company. He also realizes that his competitiveness killer instinct is needed in the boxing ring while his business development skills are used for challenging himself outside the arena.
So, what do we learn from Oscar?
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We need exercise on a regular basis. Taking a short break from our exercise routine is okay however keep it “short.” When we get a craving for something sweet eat a “small” piece and then put the rest of it away. Television watching is great if you anticipate that murder mystery or golf tournament but binge-watching on the couch for three days eating junk food might not be a good idea.
Oscar says “that as a fighter I was always proud that I fought – I did some pretty cool stuff.”
We all do cool stuff; exercise, nutrition, health – repeat.
Lines of Listening blog 
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