Becoming a parent for the first time is exciting, joyful – and overwhelming. Helping your loved one prepare for the baby’s birth will make the transition to parenthood easier. Your help can also get the new family started on the right foot for a lifetime of health and happiness. 

Becoming a parent for the first time is exciting, joyful – and overwhelming. Helping your loved one prepare for the baby’s birth will make the transition to parenthood easier. Your help can also get the new family started on the right foot for a lifetime of health and happiness.

How do you know when helping your father or mother in-law becomes more than a once-in-a-while thing – making you a full-fledged member of the Sandwich Generation?

It’s not you; it’s me. I love being your only couch and I’m always here to support you. Lately though, I’m feeling smothered. I love that you enjoy chillaxing with me, but I think it’s time for you to see other furniture – perhaps a spin bike or bench press? I just want you to be the strong, healthy man I know you can be. In fact, here are some tips to improve life for both of us:  

1. Of course, spend less time sitting on me. The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes per week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic activity, or a combination. 

2. You enjoy munching those potato chips while watching the game, but the CDC strongly recommends a diet emphasizing fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products. Include lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts, and limit fats, cholesterol, salt and added sugars.  

3. Please, live smoke-free. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says as soon as you quit, your body begins repairing itself, and I’ll stop smelling like smoke and getting those little burn holes. Yuck! 

4. The CDC says keep track of your numbers for blood pressure, blood glucose, cholesterol, body mass index (BMI) and any others you may have. 

5. Instead of lounging on me and watching the television all day or staring into your phone, the American Psychological Association recommends giving the screens a rest every now and then. 

6. Visit your doctor regularly and always pay attention to signs and symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath and excessive thirst. If you have these, see your doctor or nurse immediately. The CDC warns, don’t wait!  

7. Sleep, boy, sleep! The American Sleep Association says all adults need seven to nine hours per night. 

8. Myhealth.va.gov says it’s important to stay connected with friends, family and other important people in your life. 

9. Learn to manage stress. Exercise and diet are important to help manage stress, but don’t forget simply to relax. Mentalhealth.gov says discuss your stressors with trusted people and grab a spot on the couch! 

10. Have fun! You have my permission (as well as the CDC’s)! Get out of the house and engage in fun activities. 

Remember, I’m not going anywhere. Even though we may not spend as much time together each day, if you keep yourself healthy, I’ll be a soft place for you to land for many years to come!  

It’s not you; it’s me. I love being your only couch and I’m always here to support you. Lately though, I’m feeling smothered.

Getting the COVID-19 vaccination is a huge step in enabling everyone to move past COVID-19. Does being vaccinated mean you can return to life as it was before the virus? Not exactly.

A Centers for Disease Control (CDC) study shows the COVID-19 vaccines are about 90% effective at preventing you from being hospitalized with COVID-19. The National Institutes of Health estimate the COVID-19 vaccines have saved over 139,000 lives within five months after release.

The studies prove the vaccines are likely to prevent you from getting sick. In the rare circumstances, they do not prevent you from getting COVID-19, the vaccine is very likely to minimize your symptoms, preventing you from being admitted to the hospital.

However, we are all in this together. As you can have and spread COVID-19 after being vaccinated without knowing it, it is best to act with caution.

Therefore, as we continue to navigate the pandemic, we should consider the safety of loved ones, friends, neighbors and strangers. To provide the safest environment possible, please follow the CDC guidelines below and remember recommendations may change as more data becomes available.

According to CDC guidelines, after full vaccination, which means two weeks after your last recommended dose:

•          You can resume many of the activities you enjoyed before COVID-19
•          Lower the odds of getting the Delta variant or spreading it by wearing a mask inside public places
•         Social distance when you can
•         Wash your hands often

For information on where to receive the COVID-19 vaccine click HERE.

Getting the COVID-19 vaccination is a huge step in enabling everyone to move past COVID-19. Does being vaccinated mean you can return to life as it was before the virus? Not exactly.

In a 2019 survey conducted by the Council for Responsible Nutrition, 77% of adult Americans take a dietary supplement. Are they helpful? Yes, they are. According to the National Institutes of Health, some dietary supplements can help you get adequate amounts of essential nutrients if you don’t eat a nutritious variety of foods. However, supplements can’t take the place of the mixture of foods that are important to a healthy diet.   

Q: Should I get my vitamins from food or supplements?  

A: Mother Nature provides enough nutrients in fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy and meat. Our body digests, absorbs and pulls the goodness from natural sources better than their artificial counterparts. 

Q: Are vitamins different from supplements?  

A: Vitamins are considered supplements. A dietary supplement must be one or any combination of the following substances: 

• A vitamin, 

• A mineral, 

• An herb or other botanical, 

• An amino acid, 

• A dietary substance used to supplement the diet by increasing the total dietary intake (e.g., enzymes or tissues from organs or glands), or 

• A concentrate, metabolite (substance produced by or taking part in metabolism), constituent or extract. 

Q: Is there such a thing as too much of a good thing?  

A: Many supplements contain active ingredients that can have strong effects in the body. Always be alert to the possibility of bad reactions like nausea, diarrhea or stomach cramps, when taking a new product.  

Q: How do you know if you should take supplements?  

A: Talk to your doctor first. Manufacturers may add vitamins, minerals, and other supplement ingredients to foods you eat, especially breakfast cereals and beverages. As a result, you may get more of these ingredients than you think. MyPlate.gov is a good source for ideas and tips to help you create a healthier eating style that meets your individual needs and improves your health. 

Q: Are supplements effective?  

A: Some dietary supplements can improve overall health and help manage some health conditions. For example:  

• Calcium and vitamin D help keep bones strong and reduce bone loss.  

• Folic acid decreases the risk of certain birth defects. 

• Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oils is said to help some people with heart disease.  

• A combination of vitamins C and E, zinc, copper, lutein, and zeaxanthin (known as AREDS) may slow down further vision loss in people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).  

Q: Can vitamins interfere with medication? 

A:  Yes, sometimes, these drugs and supplements may interact in harmful ways. 

It’s important to tell all your health care providers about all dietary supplements and drugs you take. That way, they can help you avoid harmful interactions. 

In a 2019 survey conducted by the Council for Responsible Nutrition, 77% of adult Americans take a dietary supplement. Are they helpful?

Facial hair comes in all shapes and sizes from a two-day stubble to a wild and woolly bushel of hair that makes you believe in sasquatch. Today, we reveal the truth between myths and facts of whether beards impact your health.  

Do Beards help prevent throat illnesses? 

Similar to nostril hair, a thick beard can help catch and prevent nasty floating germs and allergens from entering your nose and mouth. However, the longer germs or allergens remain on a beard, the more likely you are to inhale them. Whereas sneezing gets rid of particles trying to enter your nose, washing your beard is the only way to avoid eventually breathing them in.  

Do beards prevent acne and ingrown hairs? 

Although most people may not consider acne and ingrown hair serious health concerns, they can be uncomfortable, and nobody wants a zit during a big moment in life. Shaving frequently can irritate skin and cause acne or ingrown hair. Growing a beard can prevent this and cover up unsightly blemishes. 

Beards make you look older … or younger? 

Some people may think a beard makes you look older. However, having a beard can help protect your skin from sunlight and reduce your face from aging and wrinkles. So, while a full bushy beard might make you look older today, you will appear younger tomorrow if you shave.  

The final cut

So, are beards healthy? Like most things in life, this is not a yes or no question. There are benefits to having a beard if you properly care for it. In the end, it comes down to personal preference. If you go for the mountain man look, please keep the crumbs cleaned out of your beard.   

Facial hair comes in all shapes and sizes from a two-day stubble to a wild and woolly bushel of hair that makes you believe in sasquatch. Today, we reveal the truth between myths and facts of whether beards impact your health.

Less severe, less sick, less likely to spread

In August and early September, Genesis HealthCare System saw a staggering surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations, 75% of which were unvaccinated community members. There has been a 3,000% increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations in recent weeks, with nearly one-fourth of those patients ranging in age from 18-45. The statistics prove younger people are not immune from getting COVID-19 and can become very sick from it.

According to the CDC, vaccines reduce a person’s risk of contracting COVID-19, including the Delta variant. Vaccines are highly effective against severe illness. Experts continue to monitor and evaluate how often unvaccinated people are contracting COVID-19, how severe their condition is, and how likely a vaccinated person is to spread COVID-19 to others. Data show that vaccination often make symptoms less severe in people who are vaccinated but still get COVID-19.

mRNA COVID-19 vaccines have shown to provide protection against severe illness and hospitalization among people of all ages eligible to receive them. This includes people 65 years and older who are at higher risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19.

Vaccines work by stimulating your immune system to produce antibodies, exactly like it would if you were exposed to the disease. After getting vaccinated, you develop immunity to that disease, without having to get the disease first.

mRNA vaccines, such as Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, work differently than other types of vaccine, but they still trigger an immune response inside your body. While this type of vaccine is new, research and development on it has been under way for decades.

In contrast to mRNA vaccines, many other vaccines use a piece of, or weakened version of, the germ that the vaccine protects against. This is how the measles and flu vaccines work. When a

weakened or small part of the virus is introduced to your body, you make antibodies to help protect against future infection.

All COVID-19 vaccines are free from metals and will not make you magnetic, including the site of the vaccination, usually in your arm. None of the vaccines authorized for use in the U.S. contain a live virus.

For more information about vaccines and how Genesis is responding to COVID-19 click HERE.

In August and early September, Genesis HealthCare System saw a staggering surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations, 75% of which were unvaccinated community members.

Genesis HealthCare System received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus award with Target: Stroke Honor Roll and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll. These awards recognize the healthcare system’s commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines. This is the seventh consecutive year for the Stroke Gold Plus with Honor Roll Award, and the second consecutive year for the Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll Award.

“Genesis HealthCare System is committed to providing high-quality care for our stroke patients by implementing the Get With The Guidelines-Stroke initiative,” said Bryan Bjornstad, M.D., Genesis Neurology Group. “Timeliness is imperative when patients are having a stroke. Our team works diligently to ensure patients quickly receive the highest level of care.”

Genesis earned the award by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients at a set level for a designated period. These measures include evaluation of the proper use of medications and other stroke treatments aligned with the most up-to-date, evidence-based guidelines with the goal of speeding recovery and reducing death and disability for stroke patients. 

Genesis also received the Target: StrokeSM Honor Roll award. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet quality measures developed to reduce the time between the patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with the clot-buster tissue plasminogen activator, or tPA, the only drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat ischemic stroke. 

Additionally, Genesis HealthCare System received the Target: Type 2 Honor Roll award. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet quality measures developed with more than 90% compliance for 12 consecutive months for the “Overall Diabetes Cardiovascular Initiative Composite Score.” 

Genesis HealthCare System received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus award with Target: Stroke Honor Roll and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll.

We all know the importance of exercise. The benefits are more than physical, they’re emotional too. Research by the National Institute of Aging shows that physical activities can help reduce stress, improve your mood and help you sleep better. Why wouldn’t we want to exercise on a regular basis? Because sometimes, it’s boring. 

Staying motivated for fitness can be a struggle but keeping active is crucial to maintaining long-term health for your heart and body. How do you stay motivated to keep moving? Recognizing that you’re bored with your routine is a great first step.  

Find ways to exercise that fit your personality. If you’re a social person, do something that engages you socially – take a group dance class, join a recreational sports team, or start a walking group with friends. Connecting with your friends is a great way to stay motivated, and they can make you accountable to continue exercising.   

Cross-training, which means doing a variety of different exercises or activities, is another good way to keep exercise boredom at bay. For example, you may want to alternate between walking, swimming and strength training. Cross-training also reduces the risk of injuring or overusing one specific muscle or joint. 

Set small, new goals, find an exercise partner or even try exercising at a different time of day.  Enjoy the new activity, and whatever you do, don’t give up. 

Staying motivated for fitness can be a struggle but keeping active is crucial to maintaining long-term health for your heart and body. How do you stay motivated to keep moving? 

Carolyn tried several non-surgical treatments, from over-the-counter medications to steroid injections to assistive devices, like a cane or walker. But finally, the pain became so bad that she could barely walk. So, she moved forward and had joint replacement surgery on her left knee.