National Playing Card Day

Do you like to play cards?  Are you a card shark?  It’s National Playing Card Day so today’s the day to play a game of cards with a friend!

We have the four suits of hearts, spades, clubs and diamonds thanks to the French back in the 1400’s. After the War of the Roses in 1462 the cards and suits spread to England and later Germany. No one actually knows for certain who originally thought of them!

Today you can get a deck of 24 or the more common 52 cards.  According to bfsoftech.com these are the top five most popular card games:

1. Cribbage
2. 500 Rum (also called Rummy 500)
3. Poker
4. Solitaire
5. Hearts

You might also play Go Fish, Crazy Eights, War or Memory with younger or newer players.  These are always fun!

Part of the popularity of cards is the fact that you can take them anywhere.  They are also easy to set up and even though some require skill, you can just get lucky too. Don’t forget about magic tricks.  There are that entertain by doing magic with playing cards

If you want a budget friendly deck of cards that has been around a long time, you could try Bicycle brand cards.  The company has been making cards for over 130 years.  

Today, you can get them in all different brands like Back to the Future, Mythical or Tally-Ho.  So many fun times to be had by playing cards!!

Private Home Health Care hopes that this week you can find time to play whatever game of cards you enjoy.  Have a few laughs and relax!

Happy Birthday, Louis Pasteur

Today is Louis Pasteur’s birthday.  He was born in 1822 in Dole, France and is best known for inventing pasteurization.  

Did you know that he also contributed to findings with germ theory?  His additional research helped to create the anthrax and rabies vaccines as well as TB and cholera vaccines. 

All this is impressive considering he grew up in a poor family with a father who was a tanner. In addition, he was just an average student in grammar school.  Pasteur was more interested in fishing and sketching in those years.  He actually turned out to be exceptional at drawing and painting.

He did get a bachelor’s degree in the arts and in science.  In 1847, at the age of 25, he got a doctorate from the Ecole Normale in Paris. Once he was appointed professor of chemistry and dean of science at the University of Lille his research began.

At this time Pasteur showed that bacterias could sour beer, wine and milk. Based on this knowledge he came up with a process to boil the bacteria and cool it down.  This is the process known as pasteurization.  His first test was in April of 1862, 160 years ago.

In 1865 he helped save the silk industry by preventing a disease that harmed the silk cocoons.This was followed by his first vaccine in 1879 to help with chicken cholera. His true fame came when he cured a 9-year-old-boy bitten by a rabid dog with his rabies vaccine.

Unfortunately, during the time of his research and discoveries he was partially paralyzed with a brain stroke in 1868.  His research did continue but by his 70th birthday his paralysis overtook him so all his research came to an end.  He passed away at the age of 73 in 1895.

Private Home Health Care follows the Pasteur Institute in France.  It is a private, non-profit international research facility that strives to continue research in important areas of science to continue the legacy of Louis Pasteur.

#healthresearch

Winter Solstice

December 21, marked the first day of winter or the winter solstice.  

According to National Geographic, “a solstice is an event in which a planet’s poles are most extremely inclined toward or away from the star it orbits.” 

For you and I living in the Northern Hemisphere the sun is the farthest away from us in winter.  This makes the first day of the new season the “shortest” day of the year because it has the least amount of daylight.

As children, anyone with a birthday today surely felt that life was totally unfair! How could it be that they had the shortest day to celebrate?  Someone needed to tell them that a day is twenty-four hours so they have as much time as anyone!

You could travel to Stonehenge in Great Britain or Machu Picchu and see monuments to the winter solstice but traveling might be a bit too much.

Another way to observe the winter solstice is by reading poetry about it.  It’s an adjustment for many of us to lose the daylight earlier so a bit of poetry could help pass the time.

Read the poem below and see if you can feel the season and the shortest day of the year.  It is from Robert Frost and it’s called “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.”

Whose woods these are I think I know.His house is in the village though;He will not see me stopping hereTo watch his woods fill up with snow.The little horse must think it queerTo stop without a farmhouse nearBetween the woods and frozen lakeThe darkest evening of the year.He gives his harness bells a shakeTo ask if there is some mistake.The only other sound’s the sweepOf easy wind and downy flake.The woods are lovely dark and deep.But I have promises to keep,And miles to go before I sleep,And miles to go before I sleep.

Private Home Health Care finds poetry relaxing.  We hope you can enjoy some poetry, short or long on this “shortest” day of the year.

National Oatmeal Muffin Day

Oatmeal and muffins.  What a great combination!!  

The Oatmeal Muffin is celebrated every December 19th.  It’s a great choice if you are in the mood for a muffin and the good news is that there can be health benefits.

The mighty muffin has been around for a long time, centuries even.  They started out being made with yeast but once they came to America we swapped out the yeast for baking powder. Leave it to Americans to find a faster way to bake!

If you love oatmeal but need a bit of variety in your diet try an oatmeal muffin.  They can be diabetic friendly, and carry some good nutrients like antioxidants.  Low calories is another plus. Add some blueberries for more healthy goodness!

Oatmeal can help with digestion and the whole grains can help reduce your blood pressure too.  There are ongoing studies but oatmeal may help with colon cancer too.

When you make your muffins you can try swapping out healthier ingredients to pack a bigger health punch!  Try using white-whole wheat flour instead of just white flour.  There is a healthy sugar replacement called Swerve (these come in granular and brown sugar) to try and almond milk instead of white milk.  It is doubtful you will find any difference in the taste!

Private Home Health Care loves oatmeal and we believe variety is the spice of life.  We hope you can find a delicious recipe to make and enjoy!

Wreaths Across America

Tomorrow, December 17, is Wreaths Across America Day.

Wreaths Across America started in 2007, dedicated to placing a wreath with a red bow on every veteran’s gravesite in all military cemeteries.  

The gravesites that get wreaths are for veterans from as far back as the Revolutionary War up to the modern day.  

Why the holiday season?  It is seen as another time to honor those who served, including those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. There are now 3,400 locations as well as at sea and overseas.

You could sponsor a location or volunteer to help place the wreaths. Families are encouraged to join in.  Younger generations can learn about the heroes fought to defend our country.

Here is the website for you to check out::  https://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/.  

The site has a wealth of information from how you can volunteer, to how you can sponsor a location, to a curriculum for all ages to teach your children.  

You can also read a section called “Meet the Heros”.  This lists different tributes to those heroes being honored this year.  All the locations for wreath laying events can also be found.

Private Home Health Care loves seeing the wreaths during the holidays.  You may find yourself checking out the site and deciding to get involved! 

International Tea Day

On this day the tea trade and farmers want you to appreciate and enjoy this easily found and  tasty drink.

A bit of history . . .

Tea started in China during the Shang Dynasty, in the years 1500 BC to 1046 BC.  At that time it was mostly used for medicinal purposes.  One legend has it that the god of agriculture used to test plants for medicine.  He would chew on leaves, stems and roots.  If he found they were poisonous he would chew on tea leaves as a remedy.

At one point tea was taxed in China.  That brings us to tea in Europe.  The Dutch were the first tea drinkers around 1610, followed by the British in 1650.  The British later decided to tax tea.  

The tea taxes eventually spread to the American Colonies and the rest is history! Fast forward to 2022 and the United States enjoys tea, the most popular drink in the world.!

What are the health benefits of tea . . .

According to Penn Medicine from a report this year you will find the benefits are plentiful.

• White Tea – least amount of caffeine; lots of antioxidants; may help fight some cancers; contains some fluoride to help your teeth.
• Herbal Tea – low caffeine in some. Helps you sleep (Chamomile), improves your blood pressure, keeps hair strong (Rooibos), soothes stomach upsets, can help with IBS and migraines (Peppermint), fights morning sickness, relieves joint pain caused by osteoarthritis (Ginger), helps liver health, lowers blood pressure (Hibiscus).
• Green Tea – high in flavonoids; can lower your bad cholesterol, reduce blood clotting, can act as an anti-inflammatory.  Matcha is a fine, high quality green tea, very popular now.
• Black Tea – caffenaited so watch intake. Contains flavonoids to fight inflammation and promote a healthy immune function.
• Oolong Tea – in between a green and black tea.  You will find an amino acid, I-theanine, that can reduce anxiety and help increase alertness.  Some evidence shows that it could help with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s Disease.

Private Home Health Care loves sitting down with a nice cup of tea.  Be cautious of adding sugars or drinking latte or bubble teas with sugar, carbs and calories.  You could try using Stevia, a natural sweetener and sugar substitute which is very safe.

National Guard Birthday

Today is considered the birthday of the National Guard here in the United States.  

The Guard was actually first established in Massachusetts in 1636 for the American Colonies. At the time it required all able-bodied men ages 16 to 60 to join.  There were three regiments created and these regiments remain to this day in Massachusetts!

You will find that the National Guard of today has changed a bit.  The ages have changed from 17 to 35.  The Guard is now a branch of the United States Army. They have access to the latest technologies that the Army does. 

In general, the National Guard is made up of men and women who are civilians with regular jobs.  If you want to join, the minimum time commitment is 1 weekend a month and then 15 additional days.  Over those 39 days you would participate in drills and training activities.

What is unique about the National Guard is that they exist in each state subsequently, they are available to support each governor’s needs.  In addition, units can also be deployed for longer deployments. There are National Guard men and women who served in places like Iraq and Afghanistan for example.

After World War II the Air National Guard was also established.  Today, there are approximately 350,000 men and women who make up the Army and Air National Guard.  This accounts for 39% of the Army.

Private Home Health Care salutes those men and women who help serve our state and our country.  If you know someone in the Guard please thank them for their service.

#NationalGuardBirthday

Stressed?

This can be a very busy and stressful time of year.  You may be preparing for a holiday or interacting with people who are preparing for a holiday.  Stores are busy, traffic can be heavy and it can make you feel wound up and stressed just by being around it all.

Here are some easy suggestions to relieve some of the stress.  They just might work! 

Find music that will relax you and play it.  You can do it while you are working or take some time away to listen.

Take a 20-30 minute walk.  Yes, you have time to do that.  The fresh air will help and you’ll feel a bit renewed when you get back.

Meditate.  Find a quiet, comfortable place and sit and calm your mind.  Take as much time as you need or feel you can spare.

Exercise or a yoga class can lower stress.  It’s time away and good for the heart and mind.

If you like to be organized, make a list of things that need to get done.  Break the list into manageable pisces.  Tackle a little bit at a time.

Reach out for help.  No one ever said that you have to do everything yourself.  That’s what family and friends are for, right?

Private Home Health Care realizes that too much stress can affect our health.  We want you to enjoy the busy season along with keeping the stress away!  

Feeling Lonely?  What Can You Do?

Loneliness is defined by Merriam-Webster as being without company or cut off from company. It’s no surprise that you don’t feel too happy or satisfied when you are feeling lonely.

The US Department of Health and Human Services finds that about 28% or 13.8 million people live alone.  Are all of those people lonely, not necessarily but living alone can lead to it.

If you do feel lonely you need to be careful.  Loneliness can lead to cognitive decline, depression, high blood pressure and heart disease.  You may find that you add on weight as well.

What can you do to help with any feelings of loneliness?

You should stay in contact with people.  Call a friend or family member.  Have a chat.  See if there could be a regular time for a phone call, short or long.

Do you live close to friends or family?  See if you can get a visitor to spend some time over a cup of tea, coffee or water?  If no one lives near you, see if you can arrange for a neighbor, church member or elder service to stop by.  Conversation and close contact can wake up your brain.

Learn new technology.  Is there someone you know that can teach you how to use the internet?  Perhaps you use the internet and you need suggestions for new sites to visit.  You may be able to find a safe chat group to join.

Investigate a hobby or interest.  You may be a good knitter or gardener.  You might be a great carpenter or a lover of puzzles.  Any of these activities can help your brain and if you do the activity in a group at a senior center you’ll have social interactions.

Would you like to volunteer?  There are so many places that need help.  If you love animals there are animal shelters looking for volunteers.  Do you like books? Volunteer at a library.  There are so many opportunities available.  Check them out.

Private Home Health Care understands that for some people this time of the year can be difficult causing feelings of loneliness.  Look for ways to stay connected to people. Staying connected can keep you happy and healthy.

National Influenza Vaccination Week

The first week in December has been designated by the CDC as National Influenza Vaccination Week.

A recent flu season had as many as 49 million Americans ill.  You can expect to have symptoms of fatigue, fever, chills, sweats, aching muscles and a headache.  You generally just feel basically awful.

Generally, flu season starts to hit in October but it peaks December through February.  Early December is a perfect time to get protected.

While it’s not unusual for a large number of people to get the flu each year, you will find that it affects people differently.  You could end up in bed for a number of days or in the hospital.  Complications from the flu can lead to bacterial pneumonia, sinus infections, ear infections or worsening of an existing medical condition.

You can find many studies on the flu and because of these the flu shot is highly recommended by the CDC.  You can get a shot for a nasal spray.

The recommendation is for anyone over 6 months of age to get a vaccination. If you are over age 65 there are also three new vaccinations offered for the 2022-2023 flu season.  Talk to your doctor about the options.

There are some who should be careful about getting a flu vaccination.  Contact your doctor to confirm.  There can be issues with age, health (now or past) or allergies that might not work for you.

Private Home Health Care works with many people over the age of 65.   We know that nothing is guaranteed but taking precautions are important especially as we get older.

#NationalInfluenzaVaccinationWeek