Apricots

Today we are going to talk about apricots.  Why apricots since they are in season from May to September depending on your region?

Private Home Health Care is preparing you plus you can get them dried all year round.

Apricots are a stone fruit, so they have a pit like peaches and plums.  They do have their own unique flavor between sweet and tart.  

In addition to a great taste you’ll find many good nutrients in apricots.  Some people actually call them a superfood!

When you eat a fresh apricot you’ll get beta-carotene, potassium and vitamins A, C and E.  It also has lutein that is good for eye health and fiber.  All that in a small apricot.

All those good nutrients and fiber make you want to have a fresh apricot doesn’t it?

Right now we are in the middle of winter so fresh apricots for those of us in the northeast are not an option.  What to do?  Look for dried apricots which are available in grocery stores.

If you eat dried apricots you’ll still get benefits.  The fiber, potassium and vitamin A are still beneficial.  You’ll also get polyphenols that are plant compounds that can have a biological effect on your body.

Additionally, dried apricots can help to keep your blood sugar levels down by offsetting carbohydrates consumed.  Their GI levels have a low glycemic index which significantly lowers blood sugar levels.

For now, dried apricots are a great fruit to add to your diet.  When the spring comes, look to eat as many apricots as you can.  Your body will appreciate it.

Photo by Markus Spiske

National Bean Day

Here we are again starting a new year and talking about beans.  There are so many good health benefits to beans that we just can’t resist the topic.

You know so many beans carry superpowers.  They are full of protein and nutrients, a powerful health punch.  Additionally beans contain plenty of fiber good for gut health.

You need to make sure you choose the right beans to get all the superpowers in a serving.  Look for these in your local stores, dry or canned:  Peas, soybeans, lima, cannellini, chickpeas, red kidney, roman, pinto, navy, black-eyed peas, black, split pea, lentils and great northern beans.

Bean protein power comes from 21 to 25 percent by weight compared to vegetables.  Beans have between six and nine percent protein for a half-cup serving.  Meat has more protein but beans have the fiber that’s missing from meats.

An array of minerals, no saturated fat and a wide variety of choices make beans an awesome and powerful food for your healthy diet.

A bean chili is a great winter meal for a family.  Hummus uses chickpeas and is easy to make.  There are unlimited options so find recipes that work for you.

Eatingwell.com is a great website for all things healthy.  We found a bean recipe there that we thought you might like.  

Here is the link:  https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/250222/sweet-potato-black-bean-chili/

Private Home Health Care loves the variety and versatility of beans.  We hope you take advantage of the healthy benefits of adding beans to your diet.  It’s a great path to weight loss too.

Weigh-In Day

January 4th has a list of many topics for the National list of days.  Today we have chosen Weigh-In Day because it may be just the time to talk about it.

Many of you have celebrated New Year’s Day recently along with other holidays with delicious food and drinks.  

Hmmm, did any of you happen to overindulge at all?  Could that have added any additional weight to your previously healthy body?   

If you are anything like us then the answer is probably yes.  Let’s face it.  Holidays come once a year so it’s only natural to have some foods that you might not have during the rest of the year.

We talk a lot about healthy foods and habits in our blogs because we care about our readers.  We try to give tips on how to help you keep your body and minds in top shape, no matter your age.

Today is a day of reckoning to get us back on a healthy track.  When you step on a scale you can see if there has been any weight gain or maybe a steady weight with little added.

There are so many different scales to choose from today.  You can even find some at the grocery store.  Be brave and check it out.  You’ll find out exactly where you stand so you can make a plan to change if needed.

You’ll find many options to help you if you do manage to add some pounds after the holidays.  Be positive and look for solutions to help you take the weight off again.  Getting weighed is a good starting point.

Private Home Health Care has a digital scale and we are going to jump on it once a week to help us stay on track.  There is a whole year ahead to make any changes!  Good luck!!

Happy New Year

Private Home Health Care would like to wish all of our family, friends, caretakers and clients a very Happy New Year!

We wish you a year ahead of good health, love, friendship and laughter.

Photo by Anna Tarazevich

It’s That Time of Year, Again

You are either past your holiday celebration or in the middle of it but either way, New Year’s Day is coming quickly.

Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve.  A night of eating, drinking and welcoming in a new year.  When we think it will be 2025 it seems amazing for some of us.  

For others we are young enough to know only the 2000’s so it’s another year in the decade.

Either way you may be thinking of what kind of resolutions you will make.  New Year’s is the time when you feel like there is a renewal, a chance to start again.  Resolutions are born out of this sense of new beginnings.

Resolutions can come in all forms.  You may say that you’ll drink less in the new year or perhaps start a new exercise regimen.  Dieting is often a common resolution, especially since the past couple of weeks have been full of eating.

Whatever your resolution, the next question is how to keep it going throughout the year.  How do you make it a new part of your life?

What if you make signs around your living area with your goals listed?  What about teaming up with a friend to help keep you on the straight and narrow path?  

Small goals can help keep you from feeling overwhelmed.  Keeping a journal might be a good strategy too.

We think resolutions are made with good intentions but following through can be a challenge.  Setting realistic and specific goals are key.  Pick a strategy that will work for you.

Private Home Health Care usually tries to make a resolution or two for the new year.  We have had some success so we will try again this year.  Best of luck to you! 

Photo by Breakingpic

National Call A Friend Day

Tomorrow is National Call a Friend Day.  It’s a day to reach out to a friend that you may not have been in contact with over the holidays.

We think this day was created and placed just before New Year’s Day because it can be such a busy and hectic time.  Family often comes first but good friends are important too.

Facebook and Instagram are available 24/7 but it’s not the most personal way to keep in touch.

Taking the time to make a phone call is a much closer way to find out what’s happening in other people’s lives.  If you haven’t spoken to a good friend in a while a phone call can bring the friendship right back.

The trick to the call is to try and do it when you aren’t surrounded by people.  You may also need to step away from the mounting chores or cleaning needed.  The words from Annie of “tomorrow, tomorrow” is a good mantra.

You might even try having a facetime call which gets you really up close and personal.  Today’s technology is a great way to stay in touch with friends near and far..

Private Home Health Care hopes that tomorrow is a day to renew a friendship.  We wish you some free time to take a few minutes to reach out to an old friend and warm your heart.

Photo by Katrin Bolovtsova

Celebrations!

Private Home Health Care would like to wish everyone very Happy Holidays!

Christmas and Hanukkah both begin on the same day this year. Kwanzaa is right after.

Christmas starts tonight with Christmas Eve and Christmas Day is a blessed and joyful celebration for the church and families.  

Hanukkah begins December 25 at sundown and this festival of lights celebration is enjoyed over eight days.  It is another time for family and friends with lighting of the menorah and eating some potato latkes, donuts and gelt.

Kwanzaa runs from December 26 to January 1.  Black Americans celebrate with family and friends with candles lit each day.  A theme of unity is celebrated  along with dancing and togetherness and a feast on the last day.

These three celebrations have different names but have common themes of joy, family and togetherness.

We wish you a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah and a Happy Kwanzaa.

Look on the Bright Side Day

Are you a person that sees the glass half full or half empty? 

Tomorrow on the Winter Solstice and the shortest day of daylight in the year it is also a day to look on the bright side!

What this means is that if you are a person who sees the glass half empty tomorrow you can try and change your attitude by focusing on a positive in your life.

The winter solstice has caused many people to feel a bit depressed and perhaps even out of sorts.  This is understandable because light leaves us early and it’s also often cold and cloudy.

You might say, how then with the early darkness and less than sunny weather can you see a bright side?

One way is to set your sights on looking for the silver lining in a situation or place.  If you see the glass half full that’s not hard to do.  You probably do it naturally in any given situation.

If you see the glass half empty you might say that sounds like a cliche.  Well maybe so but looking to find a positive can be rewarding and it can lift you up.

Here’s one silver lining.  All over the world people celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.  These are all festive holidays in the month of December, making it a festive month.

As you go through the day tomorrow do your best to look for the bright side.  Putting the lights on the tree can bring people together.  Preparing the potato pancakes can gather people in the kitchen to share stories.

Private Home Health Care works hard to see the glass half full as we go through our days.  There can be bumps in the road but how you manage those bumps makes all the difference.

Look for your silver linings tomorrow and look for a brighter day.

How to Avoid the Common Cold

You can catch a cold any time of the year but during the cold months they can linger a bit.  You get the scratchy throat, a runny or stuffy nose and sometimes body aches.  Not much fun really.

As you get older you get a bit more susceptible to colds and those germs seem to linger and never go away.

It’s not possible to find ways to completely avoid catching a cold at some point but there are a few ways to try your best to avoid them.

Wash your hands.  You heard this during the COVID-19 pandemic but it is a good way to help ward off the germs.  Aim for twenty seconds.  Try and watch after you have been out and about, definitely before you eat and if you sneeze or cough.

Get your sleep.  You’ve heard us say this over and over again in our blogs but it’s true that if you get enough sleep it helps your immune system stay strong.

Keep a balanced diet.  Eat fruits, vegetables, whole grains and avoid processed phones.  Citrus fruits, strawberries and peppers are all rich in Vitamin C to help your immune system.

Manage the stress in your life.  Try your best to do whatever you can to lower any of the stress in your life.  It helps with more than just trying to avoid a cold.

Finally, if you are older or have health issues it would be in your best interest to avoid large crowds.  Large crowds have more germs so in the winter months it’s best not to be in the middle of a crowd.

Colds can make you feel very uncomfortable so if you do get one try and take care of yourself with good food, rest and sleep.  There are medications that can help too if needed.

Private Home Health Care understands that it is impossible for you to be certain to avoid a cold.  We hope you have good information to do your best to avoid them as best you can.  Stay Well.

Wreaths Across America

This past weekend was Wreaths Across America Day.  The day that wreaths are placed at the gravesites for all of those veterans who were in service to our country.

The mission of the event is to “Remember fallen U.S. veterans; honor those who serve; and teach your children the value of freedom.”

It began in 1992 when a couple in Maine had a surplus of wreaths.  They reached out to their senator and 5,000 wreaths were placed in Arlington National Cemetery.  

It was in December of 2008 when it became an official yearly occurrence and today over three million wreaths are laid at Arlington National Cemetery and cemeteries across the United States and overseas.

As the wreaths are laid we honor the men and women who sacrificed for their country.  In addition, we remember all of those men and women currently in active service.

Not only for us but for our children it’s an important lesson and a way to pay respects.  There are fewer and fewer men and women still alive from World War II.  For those who were able to talk about their experiences their voices are now silenced.

The next event is scheduled for December 13, 2025. Anyone can help place the wreaths so if you would like to participate next year you can go to this website for information:  https://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/

Private Home Health Care honors those who gave their lives for our country.  The wreaths at our cemeteries each year are a wonderful way to show our respect.