Did you know?

Our gut has a unique group of bacteria and microorganisms that are largely developed within the first 1,000 days of life. This “gut microbiome” seems to play a big role in our digestion, immunity (protection against disease) and our mental health!

We think that gut bacteria may help to make up to 95% of the body’s serotonin. Serotonin is a hormone that helps with mood, feelings of well-being, sleeping, and digestion. The gut keeps a balance between helpful and harmful bacteria. When that balance is disrupted problems may happen. Gut bacteria imbalance has been linked to:

• Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
• Obesity
• Cognitive (mental) and mood problems
• Asthma
• Metabolic Syndrome
• Diabetes

Many factors can affect our gut health, such as our diet, stress, environment, and medicines (like antibiotics).

Foods that help with gut health:

• Eat whole foods and limit processed foods. Heavily processed foods are high in food additives that can disrupt the gut.
• Add fresh fruits and veggies into your diet. Frozen fruits without added sugars or additives are good choices too.
• Include probiotic-rich foods, such as plain yogurt.
• Add fermented foods, such as kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi.

We’ve done a good job of re-grouping and moving forward in our work this summer.  And we know the next big thing coming up that has a lot of people feeling anxious: Back to School!  It’s a bit different this year to say the least. It understandably has been keeping people awake at night (or losing hair or causing indigestion…… however your stress tends to show up).

If this sounds like you, we highly recommend deep breathing exercises to calm your “flight or fight response”. Making deep breathing part of your every-day helps a lot with feelings of overwhelm & anxiety.

Here are some good ones to try:

Humming Bee Breath:

Find a comfortable seated position. Relax your face muscles.

1. Gently cover your ear canals with your middle fingers.
2. Keeping your mouth closed, gently breathe in.
3. As you breathe out make a humming sound using the back of your throat.
4. Close your eyes. Feel the vibration build as it buzzes through your chest and head.
5. Continue for as long as you’re comfortable.

Ocean Breath:

1. Sit in a comfortable seated position with both feet on the ground.
2. Breathe in through your nose for a count of 4.
3. With your mouth closed, breathe out through your nose as you make a “haaaaah” sound using the back of your throat. You should sound like the ocean (or Darth Vader from Star Wars).
4. Repeat 3 times.

Pro tip: If you have trouble, try breathing out the sound “haaaaah” with your mouth open – similar to how you’d fog up a mirror. Then try it again with your mouth closed, breathing out through your nose. It helps to place your hand on your belly to feel it expand with your breath.

Once you master making the “haaaaah” sound as you breathe out, reverse this exercise. Try to make the sound as you breathe in by gently constricting the back of your throat as you breathe in.

If you are in the mood for something simpler:

1. Sit or lay down. Focus on the sound of your breath.
2. As you slowly breathe in, pay attention to what you feel in your nostrils. As you breathe out, notice the movement of your belly. Mark your breaths by thinking breathe in, breathe out.
3. Practice for 1-3 minutes.

One of the hardest parts of social distancing during the COVID-19 outbreak is lack of physical touch. If you’re quarantining alone, this may be the longest you’ve gone without hugging or holding another person. Physical touch is a powerful healing tool. It can calm anxiety and depression and help you sleep better. Though we are isolated from our loved ones right now, there are still things you can do to feel good. Try self-massage to release some feel-good hormones that you would get from a warm hug.

Head Massage: Release tension in your forehead and temples.

1. Pinch the bridge of your nose, just underneath your forehead with your thumb and pointer finger. Hold for 3 breathes.

2. Take your thumbs and place them just outside the bridge of your nose, on the part of your skull above your eye socket. Press firmly upwards towards your forehead. Take 3 deep breaths while holding this pressure.

3. Take both hands and pinch along your eyebrows. Breathe deeply.

4. Press your middle three fingers firmly into the sides of your temples. As you breathe deeply, add slight pressure. Move your fingers in a circular motion.

Neck Massage: We hold a lot of tension in our neck. Try these two exercises to help soften your muscles and soothe pain.

Exercise #1

1. Put your left hand on the neck muscle located behind your left ear.

2. Gently apply pressure onto the area.

3. Slowly turn your head to the right while applying the pressure. Make sure your fingers don’t move, and that only your head rotates. Repeat on the other side.

Exercise #2

1. Take a tennis ball and lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor.

2. Place the ball at the base of the left side of the neck, in the space where your neck and shoulder meet.

3. Hold for 30 seconds. Breathe, relax and repeat on the other side.

If you would like more pressure, slowly lift your hips off of the ground into a bridge pose. If at any point the pressure becomes too much, lower your hips back to the ground.

Lower Back Massage. A lack of physical activity often causes soreness and tension in the lower back. Here’s one way to work that out:

1. Place a tennis ball between your lower back and a wall. You can also try this exercise lying on the floor, placing the ball between your back and the floor.
2. Move your body up and down, or side to side to find areas of tension.
3. Apply pressure in the tender spots to help release the tension.

Foot Massage.
We’ve got thousands of little nerves in the feet and sometimes they get angry. Giving yourself a foot massage feels luxurious.

1. Either standing or sitting, place a tennis ball under the middle of your foot. and slowly roll it towards your toes and back to your heel. Repeat for a minute as you breathe.
2. Switch feet and repeat on the other side.

Extra tip!
Set the mood! Light some candles, grab lotion.

Summer is here folks and we are feeling it. During the hot summer months, we will do just about anything to stay cool. Unfortunately, COVID-19 means we can’t escape to our usual indoor air-conditioned sanctuaries like the movies, bookstores, and restaurants. Check out these tips for staying cool during summer:

• Take a cold shower or pop an icepack out of the freezer. A cold shower will refresh your senses, lower your body’s core temperature, and help with blood circulation. If you don’t have enough time for a shower, take an icepack out of the freezer and gently press it onto your neck or wrists.
• Eat Spicy Foods. As the weather turns warmer, you may feel the urge to reach for something frozen to eat, but you’d be doing yourself a favor by swapping that popsicle for something spicy. Spicy foods like peppers have a chemical called capsaicin that cause your body to sweat. Sweating is one of the main ways the human body has to control body temperature. When sweat evaporates off the skin, your body cools down. It may seem counterintuitive, but the science behind it works!
• Drink water. Your body needs water to properly function. If your body is suffering from heat, water will help it self-regulate, so drink up! Try adding some flavor to your water. Check out these Flavored H2O ideas.
• Swap your bed sheets for breathable linens. Tossing and turning at night because you’re over heating? Switch to sleeping with breathable fabrics like cotton, bamboo, or linen. These fabrics help wick away sweat. Try a thread count between 200 and 400.
• Avoid roasting food in the oven. Last thing you want right now is the oven temperature up to 400 degrees. This will just heat up your home even more. Consider making fresh summer foods like salads and gazpacho. Stay Cool with these No-Cook Meals on Hot Summer Days!

There is a lot of information about COVID-19 (coronavirus) going around, it’s hard to know how to keep yourself and your loved ones safe. One thing we can do is keep our homes clean. Here are some tips about cleaning habits to help protect against the virus:

•  Clean and disinfect your home every day. COVID-19 can live on surfaces for hours to days. Because of this, it’s important to both clean and disinfect daily. If a surface is visibly dirty, clean it the way you normally would using soap and water or a cleansing solution. Afterwards, apply a disinfectant product to the area. Choose the same time each day to help you remember.
•  Use a disinfectant that promises to kill 99.9% of germs. Let it dry for 30 seconds before touching the surface again.
•  Wipe down surfaces you and your loved ones touch a lot with disinfectant each day such as:
  • Doorknobs
  • Light switches
  • Refrigerator and microwave doors
  • Drawer pulls
  • TV remote
  • Cell phones and keyboards
  • Counters and tables where you cook and eat
  • Backs of chairs
  • Faucet handles
  • Toilet handles
• Wear gloves if you want while you clean to protect yourself from germs. If you plan to reuse your gloves, once you’re done cleaning, wash them with soap and water.
• Open windows to help get fresh air into your home. This helps improve ventilation and clean the air.
• When your done cleaning, wash your bare hands with soap and water. Avoid touching your face.

How else can you keep your home clean? When you get home, take off your shoes, hang up your coat and wash your hands right away. Wash them for 20 seconds with soap and water. Hang a reminder on your door to help remember these steps.

To learn more about how to keep your home clean to protect against COVID-19 visit CDC.gov

Written by Wellness Department

During the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, it’s important to lower your risk of coming into contact with unsafe germs while buying essential items. Coronavirus is not a food borne illness but since the virus can live on surfaces you want to be careful when grocery shopping. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends you wear a face covering when you leave the house like a scarf, bandana or mask you made at home.

Follow these tips to protect yourself on your next trip to the grocery store:

• Bring your own wipes or sanitizer. If you are using a shopping cart, wipe the handle and inside the cart before you use it. Another option is using your own reusable bags to avoid touching a cart.
• Shop at off-peak hours when stores are less crowded. Some stores have set aside shopping hours for people 60 and older. You are more likely to get coronavirus by being close to people. Try to keep a safe distance from others, about 3-6 feet.
• Limit your trips to the store. Most people don’t have the freezer space or funds to stock up on 2 weeks of groceries. Try your best to get enough food for the week.
• Shop for long-lasting foods. Frozen fruits and veggies are great to have but also try to buy longer-lasting fresh produce like root veggies (potatoes, carrots, onions, leeks).
• Try not to touch items you don’t plan to buy to help protect others who may buy them later.
• Take what you need. Leave food for others. Don’t hoard or panic buy.
• Have a flexible plan. Create a shopping list that allows for alternatives. If your store runs out of ingredients, look for a substitute.
• Don’t touch your face. This includes your mouth, eyes, and nose until you’ve been able to sanitize your hands.
• Be kind to the checkout person. Keep your distance. Place payment on the counter rather than handing it to them. Offer to pack your own groceries.
• Don’t stress. While it’s smart to take precautions, you need to take care of your mental health. Do the best you can to stay safe.

When you get home, wash your hands and follow these tips to keep your home and food safe:

• Wipe containers and boxes with a disinfect spray or wipes. If you don’t have any cleaning supplies, use soap and water.
• Rinse fresh fruits and veggies under cold running water before putting them away. Do not use soap or bleach. Cooking kills the virus, but fresh produce eaten raw should be washed.
• Wipe down or machine wash your reusable grocery bags.
• After your food is stored, wipe down all surfaces in the kitchen.

For takeout or prepared food delivered to your home, put your meal onto a plate and throw out the packaging. Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds before eating.

Check out this video on how to wipe down groceries before storing them.

Check out this video of Dr. Sanjay Gupta on how to wash your hands.

Having a well-stocked pantry can give you a sense of calm and control when the world around you feels uncertain. It will also help you create tasty comforting meals for you and your loved ones during your extended time at home.

When preparing your pantry for social distancing, buy items you eat regularly. Keep these tips in mind and remember, try not to panic buy.

• Grains and pastas: brown rice, quinoa, barley, dry pasta (long like spaghetti and short like penne), bread crumbs, crackers, hot cereal
• Condiments and Sauces: vinegars (balsamic, white, red), mustard (yellow or Dijon), mayonnaise, ketchup, hot sauce, salsa, soy sauce, broths for soup, extra-virgin olive oil, neutral cooking oil (such as canola or grapeseed), tomato sauce, tomato paste
• Cans and jars: beans (white, black, chickpeas), dry lentils, polenta beans, canned fish like tuna, sardines and salmon, jams, olives, pickles
• Spices and dried herbs: Kosher salt, black pepper, red-pepper flakes, ground cayenne, curry powder, bay leaves, sweet paprika, ground cinnamon, ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, basil, oregano
• Nuts, Nut butters and dried fruits: walnuts, almonds, peanuts, peanut butter
• Sweeteners: Honey, maple syrup, granulated sugar
• Dairy:  milk and hard cheeses like parmesan. Eggs last long in the fridge and butter can be stored in the freezer.
• Freezer: chicken, red meats, fish, shrimp, sliced bread (for toast), fruits and veggies. You can use fruit in smoothies and veggies in soups, stir-fries and stews.
• Root Veggies: garlic, onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, parsnips, turnips, radishes which all last long in the fridge.
• Other needed items: coffee, tea, pet food, toilet paper, personal grooming like shampoo, and cleaning supplies.

It is nice to have a couple of treats in your pantry as well! Think about keeping some microwaveable popcorn on hand or cookie dough in the freezer for when you’re craving something sweet.