Caregiver Stress and Burnout

This year we have had to face unprecedented challenges, and this is especially true for those who are caregivers for loved ones. Now that the holiday season is upon us, there may be extra demands on time and energy. Holidays are meant to be enjoyed, and Private Home Health Care is here to give respite from overwhelming caregiving responsibilities so you can focus on your well being. Give you and your loved ones the gift of peace of mind this season by trusting Private Home Health Care to provide first rate caregiving services.

The holidays can be stressful enough, and being a caregiver adds more pressure. If the stress of caregiving is left unchecked, it can take a toll on your health, relationships, and state of mind—eventually leading to burnout, a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion. And when you get to that point, both you and the person you’re caring for suffer. Signs of caregiver stress and burnout include:

Common signs and symptoms of caregiver stress

-Anxiety, depression, irritability.

-Feeling tired and run down.

-Difficulty sleeping.

-Overreacting to minor nuisances.

-New or worsening health problems.

-Trouble concentrating.

-Feeling increasingly resentful.

-Drinking, smoking, or eating more.

-Neglecting responsibilities.

-Cutting back on leisure activities.

Common signs and symptoms of caregiver burnout

-You have much less energy than you once had.

-It seems like you catch every cold or bout of flu that’s going around.

-You’re constantly exhausted, even after sleeping or taking a break.

-You neglect your own needs, either because you’re too busy or you don’t care anymore.

-Your life revolves around caregiving, but it gives you little satisfaction.

-You have trouble relaxing, even when help is available.

-You’re increasingly impatient and irritable with the person you’re caring for.

-You feel helpless and hopeless

Empower yourself by turning to Private Home Health Care to support the needs of you and your loved ones. You don’t have to do it alone, and Private Home Health Care has over 30 years of experience providing compassionate care for seniors. It is estimated that up to 1 in 5 Americans are caregivers for family members, and it can be a lot to handle on top of daily obligations. If you are experiencing stress or are feeling burnt out, this message is for you: self care is key to health and wellbeing, and an important part of self care is reaching out for help, because we all need help sometimes. Self care is even more important when you are a caregiver. Our agency will help take care of you and your loved ones so that you do not have to stress. Our caregiving services help shoulder the burden of caregiving, which gives you more energy to celebrate the season. At Private Home Health Care, “Compassion is at the Heart of Our Care”. Have compassion for yourself and let us relieve your stress with your exceptional home caregiving services.

Cyber Monday for Safety

Today, November 30th, is Cyber Monday! Cyber Monday is celebrated the Monday after Thanksgiving weekend. Established in 2005, Cyber Monday is the Internet’s answer to brick-and-mortar holiday shopping. Unlike Black Friday, Cyber Monday gives you the chance to shop those amazing Black Friday deals from the comfort of your couch or office. In recent years, Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals tend to run together. Some start as early as the week of Thanksgiving and run right through the holiday season. But don’t neglect online deals. There may still be savings to be had. 

This year, Cyber Monday is especially appealing because of COVID. Doing your holiday shopping from home is much safer than venturing out to crowded malls where germs can be spread. The CDC still recommends avoiding indoor spaces where there are a lot of people, especially now that cold and flu season is here. This year, retailers are offering Cyber Monday holiday deals that are just as good as Black Friday sales and some of those sales have been extended. Cyber Monday is also less stressful, because you don’t have to drive to the mall, deal with traffic, try to find a parking space, trapeze your way through the crowd, fight for the items on your wish list, negotiate the checkout line, and so forth. Even reading that sentence sounds stressful! Cyber Monday also allows for easier returns because you can send it back in the same box it came in. You can still support small and local businesses on Cyber Monday by ordering artisan gifts from websites like etsy.com. This year in particular, Cyber Monday makes most sense for your health and well being. With the simple click of a mouse, you can finish your holiday shopping for loved ones, hassle-free. Now that is a good deal. 

November is Sweet Potato Month

November is National Sweet Potato Month! Sweet potatoes are not only delicious, but very healthy as well. In fact, they are considered superfoods, because they are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Sweet potatoes are especially popular around the Thanksgiving table, either mashed, roasted, or in a pie. When sprinkled with cinnamon, they make for a perfect, cozy wintertime food.

One cup (200 grams) of baked sweet potato with skin provides

Calories: 180

Carbs: 41.4 grams

Protein: 4 grams

Fat: 0.3 grams

Fiber: 6.6 grams

Vitamin A: 769% of the

Daily Value (DV)

Vitamin C: 65% of the DV

Manganese: 50% of the DV

Vitamin B6: 29% of the DV

Potassium: 27% of the DV

Pantothenic acid: 18% of the DV

Copper: 16% of the DV

Niacin: 15% of the DV

In addition, sweet potatoes — especially the orange and purple varieties — are rich in antioxidants that protect your body from free radicals. Natural compounds called carotenoids give sweet potatoes their rich color. Carotenoids are also antioxidants, which means they have the power to protect your cells from day-to-day damage. Free radicals are unstable molecules that can damage DNA and trigger inflammation. Free radical damage has been linked to chronic illnesses like cancer, heart disease, and aging. Therefore, eating antioxidant-rich foods is good for your health. This is especially so for brain health, because antioxidants play a role in protecting brain cells when aging.

Just one sweet potato gives you 400% of the vitamin A you need each day. This helps keep your eyes healthy as well as your immune system, your body’s defense against germs. Also, sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene and anthocyanins, antioxidants that may help prevent vision loss and improve eye health. In fact, the large amounts of beta-carotene and vitamin A, which are in sweet potatoes, can lower your chances of developing macular degeneration eye disease, which is the most common cause of vision loss. Sweet potatoes are also beneficial for those with diabetes, because the compounds found in them can help control blood sugar. When boiled, sweet potatoes are low on the glycemic index (GI), which means they won’t raise your blood sugar as quickly as high-GI foods.

In addition, sweet potatoes promote gut health due to their high levels of both soluble and insoluble fiber as well as antioxidants. Studies have found that fiber-rich diets containing 20–33 grams per day have been linked to a lower risk of colon cancer and more regular digestion. Antioxidants in purple sweet potatoes promote the growth of healthy gut bacteria, including certain Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus species. Greater amounts of these types of bacteria within the intestines are associated with better gut health and a lower risk of conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and infectious diarrhea. The high levels of Vitamin A in sweet potatoes contribute to a healthy immune system. Vitamin A is also key for maintaining healthy mucous membranes, especially in the lining of your gut. The gut is where your body is exposed to many potential disease-causing pathogens. Therefore, a healthy gut is an important part of a healthy immune system. The gut of course is responsible for digestion, but also plays a critical role in immunity, and sweet potatoes act as a superfood in that they support both of those functions.

Post-Thanksgiving Food Hangover

You had a fabulous Thanksgiving with loved ones – turkey was eaten, cranberry sauce was consumed, the mashed potatoes were like a dream, your family is stuffed with stuffing, and the warm, inviting pumpkin pie delivered on it’s promise. Your Thanksgiving stretchy pants served you well this year. It is the day after Thanksgiving and the trash is taken out, leftovers are in the fridge, and the kitchen is cleaned. But, you feel off – really off. What is happening?

The next day ‘food hangover’ is real (so worth it though!). We have all had a food hangover – bloating, lethargy, maybe a little nausea or stomach upset, and fatigue. And you know the cause: not drinking too much but eating too much—overindulging in food that’s too fatty, salty, spicy, sugary, caffeinated, or simply too much food for your body to cope with the day after. After a Thanksgiving feast, your body simply is not prepared to handle such a large amount of fatty food. It’s going to take a little while for your digestive tract to get up to speed and build up the necessary enzymes to process it, causing you that heavy, bloated feeling you’re suffering through, possibly along with indigestion or heartburn.

When people overeat, their bodies have the tendency to chemically change, including metabolic shifts. There are also electrolyte imbalances due to the process of digestion that occur once the massive amounts of food have been deposited into the body. This can also cause a feeling of depression, emotional attachment to food, fatigue, and also boredom. This is thought to be partially due to dopamine and endorphin release after food consumption High amounts of salt consumed at Thanksgiving are responsible in part for the ‘food hangover’ feeling. Drinking extra water the day after can help flush out the excess sodium in your system and facilitate the digestion process. Then there is the sugar – like salt, sugar is quickly absorbed and not something you’re likely to feel the effects of the next day, even if you consumed a mountain of cookies, candy, and sweets. Instead, your hangover is more immediate—you probably feel a rush of energy soon after you eat, followed by a so-called sugar crash shortly afterward (picture kids 30 minutes after cake is served at a birthday party).

By nature, our bodies crave sugar and salt, and once indulged, it still wants more. That is why you will be hankering for sweet and salty foods the day after Thanksgiving, but your best bet is to refrain. Ride through the food hangover by taking good care of yourself by resting, hydrating regularly, going for walks, eating healthy meals full of fruits and veggies, and staying away from caffeine and alcohol. Herbal teas like peppermint or ginger are great for aiding digestion and helping with the post-Thanksgiving food hangover. If you need, take some pepto or antacids. Most importantly, sit back and enjoy another Thanksgiving well spent with delicious food, loved ones, and filled with gratitude. Feasting for one day will not make you gain weight if you nurse your food hangover and take care of yourself in the days after. Now that is something that we can all be grateful for!

Healthy Habits for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a special holiday where we give thanks and express our gratitude for all that we have in life. It is a time of year to gather with loved ones around the table and enjoy decadent Thanksgiving dishes such as turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, pie, and other festive foods. This holiday is centered around food, and it can be easy to overeat to an unhealthy extent. While it is ok to enjoy Thanksgiving indulgences, it is important to be mindful of what and especially how you are eating. When we overload on calories, our blood sugar spikes and then drops, which results in feeling tired and sluggish. By design, our bodies crave food for energy when we are feeling fatigued. High amounts of salt, sugar and saturated fats can make us bloated and uncomfortable. All of these effects carry over into the next day, and contribute to weight gain.

Eating healthy at Thanksgiving does not at all mean opting out of your favorite foods! Private Home Health Care always encourages striving for balance, and though Thanksgiving is a day of indulgence, it is possible to find a middle ground. The key to doing Thanksgiving right is mindfulness and having a strategy. By mindfulness we mean focusing on how you are eating and celebrating the holiday. Here are some strategies for Thanksgiving:

-Do not skip breakfast. We repeat – do not skip breakfast or any meals! When you miss a meal, you are more likely to overeat later. By eating a nice, healthy breakfast with plenty of protein and fiber, blood sugar is stable, and the metabolism keeps running at a normal speed. The metabolism slows when you skip meals and does not burn calories as effectively. We recommend a plant based breakfast that is light but filling, such as oatmeal with nuts, a JuicePlus smoothie or tofu scramble.

-Stay hydrated! It can be easy to forget to drink water throughout the busy day, but it is so important for healthy digestion, energy levels, and overall well being. This is especially so when consuming alcohol, try to drink a glass of water for every alcoholic beverage. When we are dehydrated, we are more likely to overeat because the body can confuse thirst with hunger.

-Slow it down: take your time when eating. Enjoy every bite, savor the flavors and textures of a delicious Thanksgiving meal. Take small bites, chew slowly and put your fork down often. Breathe deep and let yourself relish the moment. Sip water throughout the meal. You can even wear a watch to remember to pace yourself.

-Half and two quarters rule: Aim to load up half of your plate with veggies, a quarter with protein, and a quarter with carbs. Also, no matter how hungry you are, try not to fill up on bread or appetizers!

-Bite-sized is best: With so many delicious options, it can be easy to overload your plate. For those who have eyes bigger than our stomachs, serve yourself a two-bite sized portion of everything. If you really enjoy it, have another two-bite sized serving. 

-Second (or third) is not always best: Additional helpings leads to overeating. If you are tempted, wait at least 20 minutes before refilling your plate because that is the amount of time it takes for your stomach to signal to your brain that you are full. 

-Walk it out: Try your best not to pass out on the couch after Thanksgiving dinner, but rather to go for a light walk. This helps with digestion, gives you a break from eating, and distracts in case you are tempted to overeat. It can be a good idea to even get two walks in on Thanksgiving day – one in the morning to give you a break from cooking and prepping, and one after.

-Tea party: With so many delicious options, it is not hard to go overboard on dessert. Make yourself a hot cup of tea right before beginning the dessert course. It can help both with pacing yourself while you indulge in pies, cookies and cakes, as well as aid with digestion. Peppermint or ginger tea are great options.

-No pressure: do not let anyone pressure you to have another serving, a bigger serving, or eat more than you are comfortable with. Some homes and cultures emphasize finishing your entire plate, but that is where mindfulness comes in – start with a two-bite serving of everything, that way no one is offended that you did not eat. Another strategy to try if there are comments made is to change the subject and politely offer to refill drinks – everyone will take you up on that. If Aunt Carol keeps insisting that you try her (questionable) hot dog jello salad, kindly say that you will try it in a little while because you are so full, after some time passes she will most likely forget. 

-Leave it for leftovers: If you really loved something but are full, save it for later. There are always plenty of Thanksgiving leftovers and they are just as tasty the day after!

-Keeping drinking: Sip water throughout the entire day, especially in the hours following the meal. Continue to hydrate the day after for healthy digestion and to keep your system fresh. Aim to drink at least 8 glasses of water throughout both days, but more is better.  

-Stay smiling: You tried not to, but ended up overeating this year at Thanksgiving, and that is ok! Do not beat yourself up or feel guilty about it, this happens to everyone occasionally. Stay smiling, remember gratitude in that you were able to enjoy such a delicious feast, and move on! During the next day or two, make extra effort to hydrate, get plenty of rest, and go for light walks.