National Hot Sauce Day

Today is National Hot Sauce Day! It is a spicy and delicious condiment, but did you know that there are great health benefits for your gut and digestive health?

Your taste buds and your gut may be more connected than you think. When you bite into a pepper, the capsaicin attaches to a receptor that communicates with other cells. That communication causes a nerve on your tongue to immediately tell your brain that it’s hot.

That same receptor is found in your digestive tract. When capsaicin enters your digestive tract and attaches to the receptor, it creates a chemical called anandamide. Anandamide has been shown to lead to less inflammation in the gut, which can be caused by conditions such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.

Also, this very reaction that calms down your gastrointestinal tract may also help prevent cancer and keep it tumor-free. Private Home Health Care encourages you to add some hot sauce to your food today in honor of your health!

National Cheese Lover’s Day

Cheese – it’s always a good idea.

On January 20, get ready to ‘havarti’ a ‘gouda’ time, because it’s National Cheese Lover’s Day! We know that cheese is love at first bite; when the first human tasted the salty, tangy, delicious goodness of cheese, they were hooked. And we can definitively say that human history was forever changed. Cheese might have had mysterious beginnings over 7,000 years ago, but it’s insanely popular today. In the U.S, one-third of all milk produced in this country goes into cheese production. It’s a multi-billion dollar industry! We’re ready to celebrate it.

There are so many varieties: cheddar, mozzarella, stilton, gouda, parmesan, feta, American, goat, pepperjack, bleu, ricotta, brie, gorgonzola, swiss, provolone, manchego, jarlsberg, labne, assiago, cottage, camembert, chevre, string, monterey jack, queso blanco, munster, burrata, haloumi, pecorino, and paneer, there is certainly a cheese for every time, place, meal, and taste preference! Because it is made from milk, cheese is full of protein, and calcium. Protein is important for building muscle and keeping our bodily functions going, and calcium helps build strong bones and brain health. Certain cheeses, especially organic or unprocessed cheese, have omega nutrients in them, and boast more probiotics. In fact, cheese made from the milk of 100 percent grass-fed animals is the highest in nutrients and also contains omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin K-2. Cheese is also rich in Vitamins A and B-12, along with zinc, phosphorus, and riboflavin.

On National Cheese Lover’s Day, go beyond your usuals and make a cheese plate with lesser known or unfamiliar cheeses. You will be surprised as to what you may like and discover! You can also celebrate by indulging in cheese fondue. Dipping things such as bread and pretzels in melty cheese goodness is always a great idea in our books. You can also make your own! Certain cheeses, such as ricotta, are easy to make in your own kitchen. All you need is whole milk, lemon or vinegar, a big pot and cheesecloth for straining.

Today, Private Home Health Care encourages you to enjoy one of our favorite foods – cheese!

National Popcorn Day!

Join us on January 19 as we celebrate National Popcorn Day! Buttered, salted, kettled, drizzled with caramel, spicy, or cheesy popcorn is one of those snacks perfect anytime, anywhere. The beauty of popcorn is that you can flavor it any way you like and tailor it to your personal taste. It’s great on the go, in the theater, or in your living room! The only downside is that popcorn can get stuck in your teeth.

Popcorn is one of the world’s healthiest and most popular snack foods. It has very high levels of fiber, which help with a healthy digestive tract and reduces risk of chronic diseases. In addition, popcorn is a whole grain, an important food group that may reduce the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension in humans. It is loaded with important nutrients like B vitamins, iron, magnesium, and zinc, and also offers a variety of health benefits.

Popcorn is high in polyphenol antioxidants, which help protect our cells from damage by free radicals. Polyphenols are linked to various health benefits, including better blood circulation, improved digestive health and a reduced risk of many diseases. Several studies have also shown that polyphenols may reduce the risk of cancer, including prostate and breast cancer.

Private Home Health Care encourages you to munch on popcorn and enjoy it’s many health benefits!

Inauguration Day

January 20th is a historical date for Americans. Every four years, the President of the United States is inaugurated on that day. The inauguration of the president of the United States is a ceremony to mark the commencement of a new four-year term of the president of the United States. After the oath is administered, the president gives an address, usually one emphasizing national unity. After the oath is administered, the president gives an address that is traditionally about emphasizing national unity.

The first American presidential inaugurations did not look similar to know what we know today! Our first President and founding father, George Washington, took the presidential oath on the balcony of New York City’s Federal Hall on April 30th, 1789. His second inauguration took place on March 4, 1793, at Congress Hall in Philadelphia, which was then the nation’s capital. They were much more modest affairs. Washington had the shortest inauguration speech in history, only 135 words, at his second inauguration on March 4, 1793. It was only in 1801 that Thomas Jefferson became the first president to be sworn in in the nation’s new capital, Washington, D.C.,

Even the date of January 20th for Presidential Inaugurations is relatively recent. Starting in 1793, the Constitution of the United States had originally established March 4 as Inauguration Day. This was in order to allow enough time for officials to travel and gather election results. With modern advances in communication and transportation, the lengthy transition period proved unnecessary and legislators pressed for change. The date was moved to January 20 with the passage of the Twentieth Amendment in 1933 and the first meeting of the new Congress to January 3. The swearing in of President Franklin Roosevelt in 1937 was the first January 20th Inauguration Day.

Fun Fact: On years when January 20 is a Sunday, a private swearing-in ceremony occurs with the public oath of office taken on January 21, which has happened three times.

Private Home Health Care makes a toast to continuing the tradition of a peaceful America!

MLK Day of Service

The real purpose of MLK Day is to have a day ‘on’, not ‘off’. MLK Day is the only federal holiday designated as a national day of service to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities.

Here are some ideas to perform acts of service. (And yes, you can still volunteer during a pandemic!)

-Hold a food drive

-Donate Blood

-Donate money to a worthy cause, such as local youth or homeless shelter

-Deliver meals and groceries to vulnerable seniors

-Write letters to elderly folks who are isolated due to COVID

-Support a local business – A great idea to support a local restaurant is to order meals or catering for local essential workers such as at a hospital or nursing home.

-Host a clean up event at a local park or community space

-Support essential workers by writing thank you notes or creating signs of thanks to display.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Private Home Health Care wishes everyone a meaningful MLK Day!

Martin Luther King Jr. Day was first celebrated in 1986. It commemorates the life and legacy for Martin Luther King Jr., who dedicated himself to peace, respect, and tolerance. He was a leader in the Civil Rights movement, preaching nonviolence and equality for all Americans.

MLK was a remarkable person. He entered college at age 15, and in addition to a bachelor’s degree in sociology, he went on to become an ordained minister and earn his PhD. In 1964, Martin Luther King, Jr. was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his dynamic leadership of the Civil Rights movement and steadfast commitment to achieving racial justice through nonviolent action.

However, the road was not easy. The civil rights leader went to jail 29 times. He was arrested for acts of civil disobedience and on trumped-up charges, such as when he was jailed in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1956 for driving 30 miles per hour in a 25-mile-per-hour zone.

MLK was the most influential of African American civil rights leaders during the 1960s, he was instrumental in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed discrimination in public accommodations, facilities, and employment.

Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4th, 1968. However, his legacy lives on as we strive to make the world a better place. Private Home Health Care embraces Dr. King’s message of peace, tolerance, nonviolence, equal rights, and service to others.