National Say Something Nice Day: How to Spread Positivity

On National Say Something Nice Day we have an opportunity to make June 1st extra pleasant for everyone. The purpose of this holiday is to counteract bullying and the lack of civility and common courtesy that is growing among people in today’s world. Hopefully, the practice of saying something nice today will continue into all tomorrows.

This day is about more than saying nice things to others, it is about genuinely listening to others and tending to put others first. Kindness is defined as the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.

There are different ways to practice kindness. One way to be kind is to open your eyes and be active when you see people in need. Do you notice when people could use a helping hand? A sense of community is created when people are kind to those who need help.

Opening your eyes means noticing when others are suffering. A kind word, a smile, opening a door, or helping carry a heavy load can all be acts of kindness. Celebrating someone you love, giving honest compliments, sending an email thanking someone, telling someone how s/he is special to you, helping an elderly neighbor with yard work or food, taking a photo of someone and sending it to the person, sharing homemade food, refusing to gossip, and donating old clothing and things you don’t need are all ideas about how to practice kindness. 

Kindness is a spark from a match that creates a fire within a forest of anger, selfishness, and cruelty. Kindness can burn through all of those things. In dark times, kindness can be a light to make bleaker things brighter.

We currently live in distressing times where so many people seem polarized and are quick to express their outrage and disdain for others. Our country’s politics have certainly reinforced this way of behaving towards others. People seem to have strong opinions and they are not shy about expressing them with vigor. However, regardless of one’s point of view, refusing to treat others with respect and civility become a toxic virus that can spread easily.

Being nice matters, and perhaps now more than ever. Focusing on being nice is important but seems very hard to do in current times. First, try and accommodate others by putting yourself in their shoes to better understand appreciate, and connect with their experience of the world. Second, approaching conversations with humility and acknowledging that you may not have all the answers can help you be kind. And finally, expect goodness in others, anticipating them to ultimately want to work towards the common good with good intentions. If we try to embrace accommodation, humility, and goodness in our interactions with others, being nice will quickly follow.

Give kindness a chance. Let’s bring it back in fashion. We need it! And perhaps it can act like a positive and healthy virus that will spread far and wide in our currently toxic environment.

National Say Something Nice Day!

Today is National Say Something Nice Day! Private Home Care loves to promote kindness and positivity, and saying something nice is a great way to practice that!

Watch this video of a ‘say something nice’ experiment in New York City. It is impossible not to smile watching it!

It only takes a moment and does not cost anything to say something nice, but it can make someone’s day! It also brings joy to the person saying something nice, and it makes you beautiful inside and out!

Special Benefit of Tai Chi and Qi Gong – Fall Prevention!

Private Home Care is an expert source for fall prevention and provides educates about it. Qi gong (CHEE-gung) and Tai Chi are an incredible tool for fall prevention.

Many older adults start practicing tai chi and qi gong after a fall. Tai Chi and Qi Gong not only help strengthen the body and provide flexibility, but importantly they help build confidence and overcome the fear of falling! The fear of falling can actually be a contributing factor in provoking additional falls. The gentle physical activity from Tai Chi and Qi Gong, meditative aspects and overcoming the fear of falling are all terrific for boosting physical and mental health for older adults, and anyone!

Top Exercise for Older Adults: Qi Gong

Science has long proven that there are many mental health benefits from physical fitness. Private Home Care wants to discuss a special kind of exercise that integrates both and can be particularly beneficial for older adults. It is called Qi gong (chee-gung).

What in the world is Qi gong?!

Qi gong (pronounced CHEE-gung) is an ancient Chinese practice that combines gentle and slow deliberate movements, hand-eye coordination, meditation, and breathing exercises. It is even more gentle than yoga.

The moving meditation is a very low-impact exercise that puts minimal stress on joints and muscles. The routines were not designed to burn calories or raise your heart rate. Instead, qi gong is a martial art that can help your circulation, flexibility, balance, and alignment, as well as restore energy. With a focus on breathing and mindfulness, qi gong is wonderful for your mental health!

When you do qi gong,you are building strength and flexbility in a subtle way. Your body weight is all you need. It’s not about powering through muscular poses, but about engaging your whole body through slow movement and breath.

The postures flow together, making qi gong look like a slow, graceful dance that keep your body in motion. Qi gong is available to every level of accessibility, it can be done standing, sitting, or lying down. It is very flexible – you can take a class or do the exercises outdoors, on your own, with a group or at home. You can benefit from practicing qi gong for 2 minutes or 62 minutes – there is no time limit!

Mental Health, Coping, and COVID

Feeling a little more blue lately? Snapped at your partner without meaning to because you were feeling a bit more irritable than usual? Many people are experiencing this, you are not alone!

This is ok and is not your fault! We are in an unprecedented situation with extra stresses on our mental health.

Private Home Care hopes that this video can help you understand what may be going on with yourself and try to improve mental health.

COVID Mental Health Distress and Suicide

Private Health Care consistently emphasizes the importance of mental health, especially this month during Mental Health Awareness Month.

A sad consequence of COVID, lockdown and social distancing has been the toll on people’s mental health.

Unfortunately, there has been a rise in suicides that are attributed to mental health struggles stemming from COVID. Increased levels of anxiety, depression, isolation, and stress can impact those particularly with pre-existing mental health conditions.

It is heartbreaking to face that there has also been a rise in suicide among minors. Let’s spread awareness of this tragedy and hopefully prevent others from suffering.

World Digestive Health Day: Why It’s Important

Every year on May 29th, the World Gastroenterology Organization (WGO) celebrates World Digestive Health Day (WDHD) and initiates a yearlong, worldwide, public health campaign through more than 110 WGO Member Societies which reach over 50,000 individuals worldwide. Each year focuses upon a particular digestive disease and/or disorder in order to increase general public awareness of prevention, prevalence, diagnosis, management and treatment of the disease and/or disorder. The theme for the World Digestive Health Day 2020 campaign is “Gut Microbiome: A Global Perspective.” 

Digestion is important for breaking down food into nutrients, which the body uses for energy, growth, and cell repair. Food and drink must be changed into smaller molecules of nutrients before the blood absorbs them and carries them to cells throughout the body. The body breaks down nutrients from food and drink into carbohydrates, protein, fats, and vitamins.

Our digestive track is home to about 100 trillion bacteria that digest our food, regulate our hormones, eliminate toxins and produce key nutrients. With over 400 species of bacteria in our gut, our health depends on maintaining the critical balance between the good and harmful intestinal bacteria. They help with digestion, but otherwise they stay on their side of the intestinal lining, and we stay on our side. But, in fact, there is a lot of interaction between the body’s immune system and bacteria in the gut.

About 70 percent of the body’s immune system resides in the digestive track. When the immune system is compromised, such as is the case when gut health is compromised, we are at increased risk for autoimmune diseases, bacterial overgrowth, colds, flus, cancer, allergies and many other conditions.

The food we eat not only feeds our fat cells, but also determines what kind of inner garden we are growing in our guts. This garden is filled with bugs that determine more about your health and your emotional and mental well-being than you ever imagined! Getting your gut bacteria healthy is one of the most important things you can do to get and stay healthy. If your bacteria are sick, so are you!

The key to good health is a strong immune system, especially during times like these.  If we have a weakened immune system we are more susceptible to colds, flu and other problems (including the coronavirus). Germs are everywhere and being exposed to them is a natural part of life. Building a strong immune system is your best defense against infectious illness and disease.  Your immune health depends on the lifestyle choices you make every day. By supporting your body’s own natural ability to defend itself against pathogens, you will not only have resistance to colds and flus but to other infectious illness that comes your way. 

By keeping your digestive track healthy, you can keep your immune system healthy. As we continue this fight against the coronavirus, it is important that we do everything we can to keep ourselves and others healthy. Pay attention to your digestive health and focus on maintaining a healthy diet!

National Senior Health & Fitness Day

Put on your sneakers for National Senior Health & Fitness Day.  On the last Wednesday in May each year, approximately 100,000 senior adults will participate in activities across the United States for this national observance.

The common goal for this day is to help keep older Americans healthy and fit.

Seniors benefit in numerous ways from physical activity. Exercises can be done at home, a community pool, or a local center. And seniors aren’t limited to just one type of exercise either. There are many to choose from. And many activities can be modified to fit any limitations. Yoga, walking, and swimming are all low impact routines that offer a range of benefits late in life and for all abilities.

As you think about the best ways to care for your aging parent or loved one, one of the things you can do that will provide the most benefit in all areas of life is encouraging exercise. Being active can help your aging senior in a wide range of ways, from strengthening social relationships to improving memory and even preventing depression. As you learn more about the benefits of staying active, you may find that you are surprised by a few of them.

For many seniors, exercise is a social event. A water aerobics class gives the chance to connect with other seniors. A walking group provides the chance to catch up on exercise and the latest social news. Any of these opportunities provide accountability and support for your loved one to stay motivated and engaged. Encouraging your senior to stay active means encouraging a healthy social life, in many cases.

Exercising releases mood-boosting endorphins, which can help lessen feelings of depression. If your aging loved one is suffering from mood swings or depression, exercise could help re-direct their negative thoughts and provide a great deal of support.

Keeping the body strong is one of the most important tasks for an older adult, and exercise is the best way to improve both strength and mobility.

Seniors who “sit around” most of the time can suffer from atrophied muscles, difficulty breathing and walking, unsteady balance, poor blood flow, and other common physical problems. Simply getting off the couch and moving can help with these issues. Even a short walk a few times a day has its benefits!

Physical activity has been directly linked to slowing the process of mental decline. When you are physically active, every part of your body, including the brain, receives more blood flow. Blood flow encourages cell growth. By encouraging the senior in your life to stay active, you are actually encouraging better mental health and improved cognitive functioning.

Becoming more active can energize your mood, relieve stress, help you manage symptoms of illness and pain, and improve your overall sense of well-being. And reaping the rewards of exercise doesn’t have to involve strenuous workouts or trips to the gym. You can gain the benefits from adding more movement and activity to your life, even in small ways. No matter your age or physical condition, it’s never too late to get your body moving, boost your health and outlook, and improve how you age!