July is National Picnic Month!

July is National Picnic Month! In New England, we wait all year for the perfect summer picnic weather. Now that it is here, time to enjoy picnics as much as we can! Picnics are a fun activity for the whole family and friends. They can take place in any outdoor setting, whether it be in the woods, a park, at the beach, or more.

Reasons why we love picnics at Private Home Care:

Great way to socialize – picnics are a fun way to socialize! Being in the company of others and socializing Social engagement is associated with a stronger immune system, especially for older adults. This means that you are better able to fight off colds, the flu, and even some types of cancer. You will enjoy better mental health. Interacting with others boosts feelings of well-being and decreases feelings of depression.

Spending time in the great outdoors! Enjoying time outdoors in a beautiful environment is calming and a great stress reliever. Fresh air outside is very healthy for your lungs! Being outside on a beautiful day just makes you feel good in general, doesn’t it?!

Vitamin D – when you are outside, you absorb Vitamin D from the sun. Vitamin D is important for fighting depression and building strong bones!

Mindful eating – eating outdoors at a picnic helps with mindful eating because you are not rushing to get the next task done. At a picnic you are also socializing while you are eating and enjoying being outside, which makes eating even more enjoyable! When you are eating while you are happy and having a good time, it is less likely that you will overeat to deal with emotions.

Stay active – going on a picnic encourages being active, whether it be going for a walk, playing catch, or swimming. You are also being social while you are moving, especially when you are doing a group activity like playing catch, instead of just solo exercise.

Enjoy at any age – picnics can be enjoyed at any age, from young babies to older adults. As long there is fair, temperate weather and there is a comfortable chair, seniors can join in on the fun! For seniors who may need increased assistance, having a backyard barbecue or picnic can be a great and accessible option.

Choose Tequila for Health Concious Drinking

Today is National Tequila Day, where we celebrate this popular liquor made from the blue agave plant. Kick off your weekend by celebrating with a little salt and lime, or make a tequila-based drink like a Margarita, Paloma, or tequila sunrise! 

Tequila has a long history, and for good reason. It is considered the healthiest of alcohols to consume!

Here are reasons why tequila is the best choice for a health-conscious drink:

1. Low in calories –  a shot of tequila only has about 65 calories, making it one of the most low-calorie options when drinking, Compare this to a glass of white wine at 160 calories.
2. Low in sugar – Tequila is made from blue agave nectar and has a naturally sweet flavor. That eliminates the need for sugary mixers, which is where calories and carbs really tally up. 
3. Gluten free – pure, 100% agave tequila is made from just that – the blue agave succulent plant. Agave is a fruit, and in tequila there is no trace of wheat or barley.
4. No carbs – thanks to the special distillation process.
5. Does not give you a hangover –  Yes, you heard right! Quality, 100% agave tequila does not cause hangover. Why? One of the biggest contributors to your hangovers is the presence of fermentation products known as congeners. Quality tequila made from 100% blue agave has fewer of these congeners, making it an ideal elixir. However, that is if you drink in moderation. If you are drinking tequila in excess, then there is a higher probability that you will not feel well the next day.
6. No spike in blood sugar – the sugars found in agave are simple sugars, so they break down easily in your body. There is a component in tequila that can break down dietary fat, which helps lower LDL, or ‘bad’ cholesterol levels.  
7. Aids digestion – The agave plant used to make the drink contains high levels of inulin, which helps the digestive system by growing good bacteria, making tequila an ideal digestif. That means taking a shot of tequila after a big dinner can aid in digestion!

National Cousins Day!

National Cousins Day on July 24th recognizes the lifelong relationships that grow among cousins. Our first friendships often form with cousins as young as infants and endure a lifetime. Nowadays, during COVID, it is especially important to spend time with cousins and loved ones! Being able to catch up with cousins after being physically distanced is a heartfelt experience.

Whether cousins grow up together in close-knit families or only see each other occasionally, they share common memories through grandparents, aunts, and uncles. 

At family gatherings, cousins entertain each other and get into trouble together, too. 

They celebrate birthdays and might even blow out the other’s candles to their cousin’s annoyance. When their siblings irritate them, cousins become an ally. Sometimes cousins seem more like siblings, especially if they’re only children. As cousins grow up, watching their children grow reminds them of their youth. And that’s when the cycle begins anew. 

Even if cousins are not close in age, you still hold special, lifelong memories because no one knows you quite like your cousins do :). Whether you are the same age and have memories playing in the yard, or are years apart and have memories of older cousins helping younger ones sneak extra dessert at Thanksgiving (anyone who has done this just smiled and laughed a little), times with cousins are cherished moments.

The day celebrates every age of cousins – new baby cousins and cousins whose babies are all grown up!

Now, during COVID, it is advised to keep your circles smaller for health reasons. That means it is especially important to spend time with those most important to you – family and cousins. Celebrate National Cousins Day by spending time with your cousins today! And if your cousins do not live near, make sure to call or get in touch with them via the internet!

Junk Food

July 21st dedicates a giant menu of items to National Junk Food Day. Each year, the day permits us to chow down on the foods we usually don’t include in our daily diet. Junk foods, by definition, typically contain high fats, sugars, salt, and calories and very little nutritional value.

How did junk foods come to be?

With the advent of packaged foods during the late 1800s, junk food made its way into American life. Still, home-cooked meals remained the standard for several more decades. Eventually, after World War II, the artery-clogging industry took off. Since the population ate out more, traveled more, the industry was primed to produce products at an increased rate.

From the frozen food aisle to fast food chains, a myriad of choices for consumers flooded the market. Potato chips, baked goods and so much more filled supermarket shelves, prepackaged and ready to go.

By the 1970s, junk foods earned a name and a bad one, too. Michael Jacobson, a microbiologist, is credited with coining the phrase. He also set out to curb our appetite for the high sugar, high salt, high preservative foods Americans consumed at an alarming rate.

While deep-fried, fat-laced foods increase our waistlines, cholesterol, and blood sugar numbers, an occasional indulgence shouldn’t impact a healthy, diverse diet and lifestyle. That means there is room for occasional, reasonable indulgence. This does not mean eat a fast food cheeseburger every day! This means that it is ok to enjoy a small slice of cake at a birthday party with a healthy meal! Balance is key. For instance, if you want pizza for lunch, have a single slice with a nice, big, yummy salad. 

Massage for Arthritis and Well Being

The third week in July celebrates ‘National Everybody Deserves a Massage Week’. This is a touching week, and we are highlighting the benefits of massage for those suffering from arthritis. At Private Home Health Care, we value integrative therapies and medicines to best benefit our clients, and massage therapy is a proven method to help ease symptoms.

Massage therapy from a registered massage therapist can be a great short-term, drug-free way to soothe arthritis pain and stiffness, as well as help you keep moving. Massage helps relieve pain and eases the muscle stiffness associated with arthritis by improving circulation, helping to reduce inflammation. That translates to enhanced blood flow to arthritic joints, improved movement, and reduced pain.

Benefits of massage are as much physical as they are mental and emotional. Massage also lowers the body’s production of the stress hormone cortisol while boosting production of serotonin, which can improve mood. Additionally, massage can lower production of the neurotransmitter substance P, often linked to pain, and improve sleep as a result.

Our motto – ‘Compassion is at the Heart of Our Care’ rings true for family members of our clients as well! ‘Everybody Deserves A Massage Week’ reminds us of the importance of self care. At Private Home Health Care, our job is to provide the very best care for your loved ones and support aging in place. We encourage their family members to take the very best care of themselves! Massage therapy is a proven method for stress relief and relaxation, and a great way to do self care. This week, give or receive a massage from someone close, or book a massage this week with your favorite massage therapist, because everybody deserves a massage!