Transform Pandemic Fear to Self-Care

You heard and read a lot about Coronavirus recently. Schools and many businesses are run on-line. Restaurants, theaters, libraries, museums, shops, and non-essential businesses are closed. Social events are canceled. You are told to practice social distancing and stay at home.

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a pandemic with global outbreaks spread quickly. No effective medical treatments are available for this new viral disease, although immunization and new drugs are under development. No supplement will cure or prevent Coronavirus. Older adults among age 60 to 80, especially with chronic medical conditions, are particularly vulnerable to severe or fatal infection. The fight against the coronavirus outbreak has disrupted the lives of millions of people in most countries worldwide. The WHO had raised the healthy emergency to its highest level in March. 

During this difficult time, everyone stay home is our contributions to our community in slowing down the disease spread. The best thing to do is to keep a positive spirit and take good care of yourself. Make sure to put your own well-being on the top priority, Eat healthy and rest well to optimize body’s immune function. Keep optimal Vitamin D levels, as it enhance overall immune response. Getting vaccinated against the flu and other diseases. Note: for those over 65, keep both flu (vaccine for over 65) and pneumonia shots up to date will provide better protection for you. Vaccination stimulates the immune system to protect against illness. 

To learn more about protective measures in self-care and at-home activities to keep productively busy, go to  https://www.qualitylifeforum.net/transform-pandemic-fear-to-self-carenew-page.html

Self-care begin with self-compassion. Self-care is valuable investment on our well-being. We must help ourselves to stay healthy. The most effective way to fighting virus is strengthen body’s immune functions by taking good care of self. Stay home and stay well with winning confidence will make a big difference.

Dealing with Difficult Emotions in the Holiday Season

The holiday season is family time of joy and love by tradition. The holidays are emotional times, a time in which we focus on family bounds and friends connections which means a lot to us. Holiday cheer can be overwhelming. The holidays can also trigger grief, family tensions, loneliness, and facing our own imperfections.

If you are dealing with challenging emotions and the holidays are difficult for you, understand that you're not alone. The holidays may not in a position to create “the wonderful time of the year” for you but likely to make you feeling sad. For too many people in late life, remembering lost loved ones and memories from past can be painful.

Resistance to pain directly affects suffering. The fact is, trying to repress your true feelings and appear cheery and grateful when you're actually suffering doesn't really work. Respect your own feeling and be able to say “no” is the first line of self-protection. Feel free to turn off the Christmas carols, decline holiday parties, or social events. Don’t feel guilty about skipping events if you’re experiencing holiday overload.

To read the full post, learn about healthy outlets for dealing with difficult feelings, and get help, go to https://www.qualitylifeforum.net/dealing-with-difficult-emo….

Osteoporosis in Women

Osteoporosis are far more common in women than men. Menopause is the most common cause of osteoporosis in women. Preventing bone loss is an important concern in the menopause and during post-menopausal stages. Osteoporosis is a disease that weakens bones to the point where they break easily—most often, bones in the hip, backbone (spine), and wrist. Osteoporosis is called a “silent disease” because there typically are no symptoms in the early stages of bone loss, until developing fractures or collapsed vertebra results in back pain. Medications are available for effective treatment.  Maintain adequate calcium and vitamin D levels are essential. Healthy and active life style benefits bone health for life time.

To read the full post for symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention in more detail, go to

 https://www.qualitylifeforum.net/osteoporosis-in-women.html

Action is what counts: Bridging the gap between health knowledge and behavior transformation

As health science develops globally and information technology become more efficient than ever today, new health information from all channels and connections (television and digital news, social media, emails and blogs, phone and texts, etc) come to us quickly. It can be a bit of overwhelming, but provided us great resources for health news update and opportunities for learning.

In general, the process from information receiving, knowledge building and transformation into practice for health benefits is in a three-step flow:

• Information validation and cognitive processing (scan commercials/scams and knowing it’s health value).
• Transform the learned knowledge into useful skills and apply them in real life.
• Practice, including be able to adjust new skills in variable conditions, for results and sustainable health benefits

Knowledge is power and enable us to make educated choices for healthy living. The behavior transformation is from knowledge. Behavior is the end result that is the only way knowledge can be beneficial. However, it doesn’t happen magically but requires significant time and effort. Bridging the gap between "knowing" and "doing" is a common struggle.

It is true, deep down in our heart, we know what is good things to eat or to do for a healthier and happier life. But despite knowing all of that, we may not ACT on it.  In reality, it’s very common in many people.

There is no simple answer. Humans have emotions, feelings and free wills. We try to reason or make excuses for anything we want or don’t want to do. We are knowledgeable but sometimes tend to overthink, which complicates life.  Furthermore, fundamentally driven towards pleasure and away from pain is human nature. We prefer short term gratification rather than delaying pleasure for long term gain. This explains why many people favor the ice cream rather than eating carrot sticks or do nothing rather than go to gym.  We know well that healthy food choice and fitness are important for well-being, but knowing and doing are in different domains.

To read the full text, go to https://www.qualitylifeforum.net/action-is-what-counts.html 

The key take away messages:

• You know it well. Do it now. Don’t wait. Action is what it counts.
• Take breaks while on vacations and set an allowance for comfort food pleasure are acceptable. Too strict diet may be hard to follow and self-discipline is essential to prevent cheating. The best eating pattern is what works for you and you can stick with. Combine healthy eating with exercise routine is most effective for wellness maintenance.
• The weight has up and down days, don’t see it as a failure. Don’t give up. Be confident that results will sustain with continued efforts. The great feeling after workout is your reward for short term effort and quality of life improvement is your reward in the long run.

Action call: 

Take action today; don’t put it off. You are not alone; we may have different situations but also share something basic in common. Contact QualityLifeForum@outlook.com for a free call. An individualized coaching program can help you achieving your personal health goals.

Time for Change

At certain age, we have used to our own way of doing things and rarely think it twice. However, human body shift gradually from growing to aging stage unnoticed.  Something may go wrong when our body changes but we don’t. When my mom was in her 90’s, once she fell while standing on one leg to put her pants on. I suggested her sitting down to get dressed to be safe, but she was surprised and said she always done it this way. Situations like this happens very often. It’s time to consider change the way that we are using, feeding, and take care of our bodies, adapt to body changes, and reduce safety risks as time goes on.

Human body is changing quietly every day and this process is part of natural aging.  We may not aware of these subtle changes and habitually doing what we use to do. Or, some refuse facing degenerative health conditions by denying it. Our way of thinking may become less flexible and don’t see the negative side of stubbornness creates barriers at every turn at great costs. It’s very sad to see the casualties as the result. We are in charge to initiate TLC transformation to enhance wellness. We are the mastermind to make healthy choices and taking actions for self-care. The therapeutic lifestyle change (TLC)  transformation is an important “DIY” (do it yourself) project of life, instructed by health care professionals and supported by social resources. Be flexible and adaptable; it’s never too old to change for better and enjoy the new experiences with rewarding health benefits.

To learn more, go to www.qualitylifeforum.net to read the full post and other healthy aging topics.

Downsizing in the Golden Years

Downsizing in the Golden Years

Downsizing is a personal choice. Moving to a smaller home with less maintenance and/or a place where your retirement life is more relaxing with lowing cost of living can free up your physical and financial resources for happy golden years ahead. Your will need time think through for making this important decision. Downsizing and moving during retirement is a massive undertaking but with the proper planning can turn out to be a productive, life enhancing adventure. The process of sorting through possessions and making conscious choices to decide how much and what you want to carry on will redefine purpose of life. Downsizing space can relieve financial worries and maintenance burdens, enhance quality of life in the golden years.

Go to QualityLifeForum,net to read the full post and to learn more practical details.

GERD Management with Life Style Modifications

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is the most common upper gastrointestinal disorder seen in the elderly. The most common cause of reflux episodes is transient LES relaxations, the drop in the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure not accompanied by swallowing. Incompetence of the LES was shown to be more prevalent in the elderly. The most common symptoms of GERD are heartburn and acid regurgitation. Other common symptoms may include water brash, belching, chest pain, nausea, chronic sore throat and cough, hoarseness (scratchy-sounding voice), bitter taste in mouth. In addition to medical treatment (i.e., antacids, H2 receptor blockers, proton pump inhibitors), diet and life style modifications are important preventive measures. Go to www.QualityLifeForum.net July 2019 health coaching session to learn more and/or contact QualityLifeForum@outlook.com for your health coaching needs.