COVID-19 and Smoking Cessation
COVID-19 AND SMOKING CESSATION
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), quitting cigarettes and e-cigarettes can help protect you from COVID-19.
Smoking is considered a risk factor for respiratory illness and respiratory failure is a common cause of death for those diagnosed with COVID-19.
In fact, there are benefits that can help the body fight off infection soon after you quit:
- Once you quit, the small hairs or cilia, in your lungs begin to heal giving you stronger lungs to help you fight COVID-19 if you contract it.
- Your lungs will no longer have the ongoing inflammation caused by smoking and that predispose you to COVID-19.
- Saying goodbye to smoking strengthens your heart due to increased blood circulation. Quitting helps to thin your blood and makes it less likely to form clot-causing heart attacks. A stronger heart helps if you contract COVID-19.
- Need another reason to ditch the e-cigs or cigarettes? Quitting now gives your body time to heal and makes your lungs and body stronger against future waves of COVID-19.
Want to learn more about the benefits of quitting? Visit the CDC's website here.
Now is the time to take the first step towards a stronger, healthier you. Looking for a helping hand? Talk to a HMC HealthWorks Certified Health Coach for tips, tricks and one-on-one support. Call 888.369.5054
Parents at Home with Children Due to COVID-19
PARENTS AT HOME WITH CHILDREN DUE TO COVID-19
Families are now finding themselves working, playing, going to school and living all under one roof. Due to the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, millions of adults and children are learning to adapt to their new normal. It is important to remember; the first few days or weeks of any new routine can be challenging. Below are three tips for finding balance with everyone under one roof.
- CREATE A RHYTHM FOR THE FAMILY. Try to avoid having a strict schedule because failing to adhere can be disappointing. Instead have a general rhythm that you follow each day. Be sure to include time for exercise, to do house chores, catch up with friends and family remotely and time to be outside. It is important to maintain an eating schedule so you don’t find yourself snacking all day long.
- OVER-COMMUNICATE. This applies to your family and work. Everyone is adjusting, so it is critical to have conversations about these changes. If you are working from home, be sure your family knows even though you are home you need space and time to work. Kids will react differently to the changes and will need you to provide guidance. Be sure to speak clearly, openly and with age appropriate language to help them adjust to their new normal.
- HAVE FUN! Look for new ways to connect with your children and partner. Play boardgames, go for hikes or spend time in nature. Cook a new meal or delicious dessert. Start a puzzle or make a fort with blankets. Listen to audiobooks, dig into your family history or have a dance party.
Kidney Donors Save Lives
KIDNEY DONORS SAVE LIVES
Benefits of Living Donation
Heart Smart
FROM THE BLOG
HEART SMART
Siri, do I have AFib? A smartwatch can accurately warn about atrial fibrillation, a type of irregular heartbeat, according to a study reported by the American Heart Association. A study, which involved about 419,000 Apple Watch users, found the device accurately detected the condition in more than a third of participants who received notifications of an irregular pulse.
When someone has an ischemic stroke – the most common type, where a vessel supplying blood to the brain is blocked – fast treatment to inject the clot-busting drug alteplase is considered essential. Generally, it has been thought the drug needed to be used within 4 1/2 hours of the onset of symptoms. But a study in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests some patients might be helped even if they receive the drug up to nine hours after symptoms begin.
Keeping tabs on your health or the health of a loved one with apps that track heart rate, blood pressure, fitness, and endurance can reveal a lot about the efficacy of medications, lifestyle adjustments, and other treatments. Tracking metrics is also a great way to have more productive and accurate conversations with your or your loved one’s healthcare team.
For more info on this topic click on the link below:
Drug & Alcohol Facts Week
FROM THE BLOG
DRUG & ALCOHOL FACTS WEEK
January 19th – 25th is Drug & Alcohol Facts Week. Answer the following questions that are part of the National Drug & Alcohol IQ Test. Answers listed at the bottom. For more information click on the links.
- True or False: The percentage of underage drinkers (ages 12-20) who drink has increased over the last 10 years.
A. True
B. False
https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2017-nsduh-detailed-tables
- Yes or No: Cocaine and methamphetamine are both in a class of drugs called stimulants. Does this mean they achieve their effects in the same way?
A. Yes
B. No
- True or False: Electronic vaping devices like e-cigarettes can help keep teens away from real cigarettes.
A. True
B. False
https://teens.drugabuse.gov/drug-facts/tobacco-nicotine-vaping-e-cigarettes
- Which of these is a symptom of alcohol overdose?
A. Irregular breathing
B. Confusion
C. Vomiting
D. All of the above
ANSWERS:
- B
- B
- B
- D