| Genesis Healthcare System

Self-care 101: how well do you treat yourself?

Read more about Self-care 101: how well do you treat yourself?

Welcome to our self-care quiz. Self-care is crucial for maintaining your physical, mental and emotional well-being. It's about taking time to nurture yourself and prioritize your needs. Let's see how well you're doing with your self-care routine.

Question 1:

How often do you take time for yourself during the week?

a. Every day, I make self-care a priority.

b. A few times a week when I can squeeze it in.

c. Once a week or less, I'm always on the go.

Question 2:

How do you prioritize your mental health?

a. I regularly practice mindfulness, meditation or other mental health activities.

b. I try to check in with my emotions and mental state regularly.

c. I often ignore my mental needs. There's just too much to do.

Question 3:

What does your sleep schedule look like?

a. I consistently get 7-9 hours of sleep per night.

b. I get enough sleep most nights, but sometimes I stay up late.

c. My sleep schedule is irregular, and I often feel exhausted.

Question 4:

How do you handle stress?

a. I have a healthy coping mechanism that helps me manage stress effectively.

b. I try to relax and take breaks when I'm feeling stressed.

c. I often feel overwhelmed and struggle to cope with stress.

Question 5:

What do you do to unwind and relax?

a. I have hobbies or activities that help me relax.

b. I try to relax but often feel guilty for taking time for myself.

c. I rarely take time to unwind and relax.

Results:

Mostly A's: Congratulations, you're a self-care superstar. Keep up the fantastic work.

Mostly, B's: You're on the right track with your self-care, but there's always room for improvement. Keep taking those moments for yourself.

Mostly C's: It sounds like you could use more self-care. Remember, taking care of yourself is not selfish. It's necessary for your well-being.

Self-care is not a luxury. It's a necessity. Use the results of this quiz to identify areas for improvement in your self-care routine and start prioritizing yourself today.

Ready to get healthy?

Sign up for our digital newsletters to receive health tips, recipes, success stories for inspiration and information about new doctors to help you on your journey to better health.

Email sign up here

Genesis HealthCare System’s Health and Wellness content conveniently provides accurate and helpful information. Your health history and current health may impact suggestions provided through our Health and Wellness content. Although we hope this information is helpful, it is not a substitute for your doctor's medical advice. Before making any significant changes, please consult your doctor.

Behavioral Health

Tue, 10/01/2024 - 08:00

Self-care 101: how well do you treat yourself?

Use the results of this quiz to identify areas for improvement in your self-care routine and start prioritizing yourself today.

Exclude From Search

Pain, pain go away

Read more about Pain, pain go away

Chronic pain persists, sometimes for years. How individuals experience pain varies widely. For some, it can feel like a dull ache; for others, a burning or throbbing sensation. Regardless of how you describe it, chronic pain is debilitating and can interfere in daily activities. It also causes other functional and psychological symptoms, such as fatigue, trouble sleeping and mood changes.

Tips on how to manage your chronic pain:

Move. We know: You hurt. You don’t want to move. However, physical activity helps in several ways. Exercise builds strong muscles and bones. Exercise also releases endorphins—feel-good hormones—so you can better cope with pain. Finally, being active prevents obesity.
Try physical or occupational therapy. Physical therapy treats pain through movement, with strengthening and range-of-motion exercises, and occupational therapy gives you skills and strategies to manage pain.
Relax. Meditation and other relaxation techniques help you better manage stress (being in pain is stressful) and reduce tension that can aggravate pain.
Stay engaged. Spending time with family and friends, and engaging in activities that bring you pleasure, help take your mind off pain and remind you of the positive aspects of life.
Explore complementary health modalities. Medical literature provides some support that complementary approaches, such as acupuncture, massage and yoga, may be helpful in alleviating lower back and arthritis-related pain, and relaxation training and biofeedback may reduce pain associated with migraines and chronic headaches.
Stop smoking. It’s bad for your health, and nicotine can make some pain medications less effective.
Practice good self-care. Eat a healthy diet that includes plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and limit sugar, saturated fats and alcohol. Maintain a healthy weight and get plenty of sleep.

Lifestyle

Mon, 08/15/2022 - 08:00

Are you living with chronic pain? Here are some tips to help manage it.

Exclude From Search

Win at weight loss

Read more about Win at weight loss

If you’ve watched more weight loss workouts than you’d like to admit or eaten grapefruit for breakfast lunch or dinner, then read on to learn tips for successful weight loss.

Do you:

Eat too many refined grains (white bread or rice)?
Eat big portions?
Skip meals?
Eat a lot of meals away from home?
Graze all day on high-calorie snacks?
Frequently drink high-calorie coffee drinks, juice drinks or regular soda?
Consume too much alcohol?
Eat for emotional reasons?
Eat in front of the screen like your phone or computer?

Changes are coming

OK, let’s get real. Pick at least one habit from above and work on changing this habit. For example, try limiting sweets and treats to only 200 calories a day, cutting out fried foods or only eating out once per week.
Replace the old habit with a new lower calorie habit, such as trying new fruits or vegetables or a new type of exercise class.

On track

Self-monitor. You can do it. Studies show that people who self-monitor their meals lose more weight and keep it off.
Weigh yourself. The most successful “losers” tend to weigh themselves about once a week.

Nutrition

Thu, 08/18/2022 - 08:00

If you’ve watched more weight loss workouts than you’d like to admit or eaten grapefruit for breakfast lunch or dinner, then read on to learn tips for successful weight loss.

Exclude From Search

Feeling rotten? Find out if it’s a stomach bug or E. Coli

Read more about Feeling rotten? Find out if it’s a stomach bug or E. Coli

If you find yourself on the verge of vomiting or are rushing to the bathroom with a bad case of diarrhea, you’re probably not analyzing what caused it – you just want to get it over with and feel better.

Taking care of bathroom business is clearly the first priority. But finding out whether you have a stomach bug (caused by a virus) or food poisoning caused by a bacteria, like E. coli or salmonella, is important.

Why? Knowing what made you feel rotten can reveal a few things, namely: how long the illness is likely to last, how you can care for yourself at home and how to know if things are bad enough that you should seek medical care.

Here are the key differences between the two illnesses:

Food poisoning: Caused by eating food that’s been contaminated by bacteria, viruses or parasites. E coli and salmonella are two types of food poisoning.
Stomach virus: Caused by viral infection that targets your digestive system.

If you’re trying to figure out what happened to you, know this: many symptoms of food poisoning and stomach bugs are the same – vomiting, diarrhea, headaches and fever. But there are some differences, such as:

If you have food poisoning like E. coli, symptoms usually appear just a few hours after eating contaminated food.
If you’ve recently had a meal with others and they’re feeling sick, too, you probably have food poisoning.
If you have a stomach bug, you’ll probably feel better in a day or two: food poisoning can last much longer, up to 10 days.

If you have food poisoning or a stomach bug, staying hydrated should be a top priority. Take small sips of water, suck on ice chips or sip broth throughout the day to stay hydrated. Just make sure to avoid sugary drinks – although it seems like they might help, they can actually cause dehydration. Also, on the road to recovery, take your preferred over-the-counter pain reliever or fever reducer as needed. And make sure to take advantage of one of the best remedies there is – lots of rest.

Get medical help if you have bloody stools and/or:

Diarrhea that lasts for more than three days
Fever over 100.4°F (in adults) or above 101°F (in kids)
Are noticing signs of dehydration, like extreme thirst
Vomiting

Primary Care

Tue, 08/23/2022 - 08:00

Here are the key differences between the two illnesses.

Exclude From Search

Bon voyage, old salt!

Read more about Bon voyage, old salt!

While sea captains might be accustomed to inhaling salt daily, most of us could stand to limit our salt intake. Just like the sea water surrounding the captain’s ship, salt comes at us from every point on the compass.

In the early days of exploration, food used to be packed in salt so it wouldn’t spoil during travel, but now we have huge freezers and salt’s still everywhere, especially frozen foods. Blimey! More than 70% of the sodium we eat comes from processed and prepackaged grub. There’s also an ocean of salt in breads and rolls, pizza, sandwiches, cold cuts and cured meats and soup.

Salt and sodium are different. Sodium occurs naturally in foods or is added during manufacturing. Table salt is a 40 to 60% mix of sodium and chloride. One teaspoon of salt has 2,300 milligrams of sodium, which each crewmate is supposed to have each day. Most of that is in what the chief cook prepares. Many people add about 1,100 milligrams extra per day. Shiver me timbers!

We all need a teaspoon of sodium a day for health but diets any higher in sodium are associated with high blood pressure (hypertension), which burdens your heart. Increased blood flow can harm your heart, brain, kidneys and eyes. It raises the risk of heart attacks, heart failure, stroke, kidney disease and blindness. Not exactly ship-shape!

Sure, there are sodium substitutes. Many contain a lot of potassium, which is bad for those with kidney disease. Check with your family doctor before trying salt substitutes. And sea salt? There’s very little sodium difference between sea, table or kosher salt.

Salt’s boring, anyway! Sea captains have sailed every ocean blue and found many great alternatives like cider vinegar for vegetables — salads and sauces. Allspice really gives lean meats and stews a kick in the britches. Try cayenne pepper on eggs and nutmeg on fruits, potatoes, chicken and fish.

The list goes on but remember the American Heart Association and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans support a long list of good foods. Take it from the old salt, there are no saltshakers in the mess hall, and no-one’s jumped ship yet!

Nutrition

Wed, 08/24/2022 - 08:00

Exclude From Search

Can learning a second language help your brain? Si.

Read more about Can learning a second language help your brain? Si.

We all know fitness and nutrition are vital to having a healthy body. Did you know to have a healthy brain, you need to exercise it too? Take our quick two-question quiz and discover what learning a second language can do for your mind, or mente in Spanish, or esprit in French and so on.

With evidence supporting that learning a second language will improve the minds of the young and elderly both, it becomes more of a question of which language do you want to learn? With numerous online resources and apps on mobile phones, learning a new dialect is more convenient than ever. Even if you question the mental benefits, at least you will be able to order your favorite dish the next time you travel to a foreign county.

Behavioral Health

Quiz

Wed, 09/07/2022 - 08:00

Take our quick two-question quiz and discover what learning a second language can do for your mind.

Exclude From Search

Pickers and squeezers: 5 ways to avoid pimple scars

Read more about Pickers and squeezers: 5 ways to avoid pimple scars

Having a pimple scar is like having a stain or damage on a white dress: It's noticeable or more pigmented than the skin's overall color. A scar is formed from a deep wound to the skin. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, when an injury penetrates the inner layer of your skin called the dermis, collagen is made to heal the wound, which forms scar tissue. The most common type of acne scar is atrophic or sunken scars. Pitted scars are often the result of collagen loss on the area where an acne breakout was present. Other post-acne blemishes that are mistaken for scarring are post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Large, inflamed pimples are more likely to leave darker pigments behind. Let's look at how you can prevent and treat your acne scars.

Prevent skin damage

The worst thing you can do is tamper with an inflamed pimple. Doing so can cause further irritation and spread infection. It also causes prolonged scarring. The best practice is to let it heal by minimizing irritation. 

Treat acne once it forms

Add salicylic acid face wash to your skin routine. It clears oil, dirt, dead skin cells or any contaminant that leads to acne. Find the salicylic acid product that's right for you. Always test on a small portion of your skin before applying on a larger skin surface. 

Microdermabrasion and collagen treatment

Also known as depressed scars, an ice-pick-scar may go away on its own. If it does not, ask your dermatologist about microdermabrasion, a treatment where the top layer of the skin is removed with gentle exfoliation to reveal new skin. Another option is to get a collagen injection. It will smooth out uneven skin surfaces.

Remove dark marks  

Use retinol-based creams or cleansers. Retin-A is a vitamin that helps increase cell regeneration. That means it speeds up the production of new skin cells. It also reduces inflammation and skin lesions.  

Alpha Hydroxy (AHA)

AHAs are also an excellent way to unclog pores and remove marks on the skin. Find an AHA product that's gentle to use every day and get rid of rough, bumpy skin. 

Beauty

Mon, 09/12/2022 - 08:00

The worst thing you can do is tamper with an inflamed pimple. Doing so can cause further irritation and spread infection. It also causes prolonged scarring.

Exclude From Search

Managing choosy eaters

Read more about Managing choosy eaters

Choosy, fussy and picky are labels for the eating norm of toddlers as they are developing food preferences. It's also when we see their fickle side. Yesterday's favorite food might hit the floor today, or snubbed food might suddenly become the best loved. They may eat one or two preferred foods for weeks – and nothing else.

Try not to get frustrated by this typical toddler behavior. With time, your child's appetite and eating behaviors will level out. Here are some tips to help you through the picky eater stage while introducing healthy food habits.

Family style. Share a meal as a family as often as you can. Mealtime means no distractions like TV or cell phones. Serve one meal for the whole family and resist the urge to make another meal if your child refuses what you've served. 
Food fights. If your toddler refuses a meal, avoid fussing over it. It's good for children to learn to listen to their bodies and use hunger as a guide. It's a parent's responsibility to provide food and the child's decision to eat it. Pressuring kids to eat, or punishing them if they don't, can make them dislike foods they may otherwise like.
Break from bribes. Tempting as it may be, try not to bribe your children with treats for eating other foods. 
Try, try again. Just because a child refuses a food once, don't give up. It can take 10 or more times trying a food before a toddler's taste buds accept it. Limit snacks and have a set mealtime - it helps if your child is hungry when introducing a new food.
Make food fun. Toddlers are especially open to trying foods prepared in creative ways. Make foods look irresistible by arranging them in fun, colorful and recognizable shapes. Toddlers usually enjoy any food involving a dip and finger foods.

"Cut solid foods into bite-size pieces they can easily eat themselves, making sure the pieces are small enough to avoid the risk of choking," said Kevin Frank, M.D., Family Medicine, Genesis Primary Care - Somerset. "Avoid introducing processed foods, instead prepare protein sources and serve fruits and vegetables, so you know your child is getting all the necessary nutrients to grow and develop."

Nutrition

Tue, 09/13/2022 - 08:00

Try not to get frustrated by this typical toddler behavior. With time, your child's appetite and eating behaviors will level out.

Exclude From Search

Need a boost?

Read more about Need a boost?

How is it that two people of the same age, gender and height can eat the same foods and be equally active, but one gains weight while the other loses it?

One piece of the puzzle is metabolism. How well your body burns energy to keep up basic functions like heartbeat, breathing and thinking is called your basal metabolic rate. We often just call it “metabolism.”

Can you change your metabolism?

Yes. Whether you’re born with a fast, average or slow metabolism, there are things you can do to speed yours up or slow it down. Read on for a few tips to boost your metabolism and manage your weight.

Be more active. 

When you exercise, your metabolism speeds up. For a few hours afterward, it stays slightly higher. And over time, regular exercise builds muscle. The more muscle you have, the more of a boost your resting metabolism gets. And remember that any added physical activity makes a difference in your health.

Eat smart.

That means eating less fat and eating more fiber and complex carbohydrates (carbs), which you get from fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Eat lean meats and low-fat dairy products. And drink water instead of sugary drinks. For each snack or meal, include a little fat and some protein along with carbs. Also limit alcohol and sugar, which have lots of calories but offer no nutrition.

Track and plan your meals and snacks.

Plan what you'll eat and eat on a regular schedule. It helps you avoid overeating or making poor food choices when you're hungry. Keep track of how you eat. Write down everything you eat and drink.

Count the calories you've eaten at each meal and snack.

Then use this data to decide if your portions are the right size. Check to see if you are eating a variety of foods. You might find that making a few small changes will help you eat healthy.

Eat a little before you get active. 

If you can, have a snack before you go out for that vigorous walk. It gives you energy so you can enjoy the activity.

Talk with your doctor.

It’s a good idea to consult with your doctor for a diet and exercise plan that is right for you, while boosting that all-important metabolism.

Lifestyle

Mon, 09/19/2022 - 08:00

Boost your metabolism to avoid weight gain.

Exclude From Search

What's in your family tree?

Read more about What's in your family tree?

When you're at a doctor's appointment and asked about your family history, do you answer that your ancestors moved here from across the ocean? That's not the information providers are seeking. The doctor wants to know if anyone in your family has a medical condition worth mentioning, like heart disease, cancer or diabetes. When you respond they want you to include medical conditions, causes of death, age at disease diagnosis, age at death and ethnic background. Be sure to update the information regularly and share what you've learned with your family and doctor.

Why is it important?

Health problems sometimes run in the family, and most people have a family health history of at least one chronic disease. That's why it's important to know as much as you can about the health problems of your birth family. Information about your family's health history can help your doctor provide better care because you may be more likely to develop that disease yourself. Share with your provider if more than one close relative has (or had) the condition and got the disease at a younger age than usual.

How you can use history to improve your future

You can't change your genes, but you may have the most to gain from lifestyle changes and screening tests if you have a family health history of disease. "Screening tests, such as blood sugar testing, mammograms and colorectal cancer screening help find early signs of disease," said Angela Paima, APRN-CNP, Genesis Primary Care. "In many cases, healthy living habits can reduce your risk for diseases that run in your family."

Primary Care

Tue, 09/20/2022 - 08:00

Know your medical history branch.

Exclude From Search

Subscribe to