Category Archives: Public Health Risks

How to Relieve Stress during the Holidays and in Daily Life

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

Breathe w-Nature to relieve stress_Pixabay & CPDHave you ever asked yourself this question: How did you manage your stress levels this year? Whether you realize or not, this is a question about your health, especially your long-term wellness.

Stress comes in all sizes and kinds. Paradoxically, it often occurs during the holiday season too. Thankfully, there are various tools for managing stress. Here, I will emphasize eight simple but powerful stress-management tips.

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Continue to read at How-to-relieve-stress-during-holidays-and-daily-life by Hui Zukauskas

 

Masking and Vaccination as a Double Shield against COVID-19

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

Mask & Vac as COVID Double Shield_Final_4-21Welcome the spring! What’s on your mind? School reopening? Summer vacation? Imagine hundreds of liberating thoughts on folks’ mind after a challenging year.

But frankly speaking, I’ve been thinking about masking and vaccination.

Despite remarkable national leadership and coronavirus vaccines roll-out progress, we still have a long way to go because of several variants fast-moving in the US, COVID cases surging in certain states, and young people increasingly getting infected. Needless to say, that elusive “herd immunity” remains in the air.

That’s why the issue is pressing on my mind.

I’m not going to reiterate the statistics as the numbers are grim to some and boring to others. Let me just cut to the chase to the practical solutions based on solid statistics and science.

Masking and vaccinating—on the top of COVID protective measures—are irrelevant to intelligence, politics or power control, even though some politicians made it sound so. Currently, a force in defiance of masking or vaccination or both is offsetting our effort and pace to stop the pandemic.

The issue is probably more about understanding, perspectives, safety and wellbeing of everybody.

Here are two outlooks or perspectives:

No. 1. Masking as a life jacket during desperate times

Yes, we are in desperate times. More than 560,000 lives lost; people we love and care are among them. We saw enough, period.

If you’ve been wearing a mask in the public, great! Continue doing so properly and persistently.

If you’ve been vaccinated, congratulations! Don’t let your guard down as you’re still at a potential risk to get infected / contract the disease (though less severe or lethal) and transmit the virus.

If you are one of those mask-defiant and/or vaccine-hesitant individuals, I respect your decision and individualism. However, unless for any specific medical reason, I urge you to take some quiet time reflecting as to WHY—why this is a burden for you instead of a care for yourself and others?
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No. 2. Mask and vaccination as double shield for yourself, your loved ones and for others.

Just like a lifeboat carrying us forward safely, vaccination is a long-term strategy and benefit for public health. COVID vaccination provides not only protection against the pandemic but also a promise of returning to the normal life to which we’re accustomed.

COVID vaccines are very safe and effective to protect you from getting severely sick or death while keeping you from spreading the virus to others. Mass vaccination is also the key that prevents more variants from taking roots and transmitting in the communities.

Even if you are fully vaccinated, masking up further defend you against increased transmission by the coronavirus variants.

Thus, consider this:

If you are devoted to your health, wear your mask and get vaccinated in addition to other protective measures.

If you are devoted to your family and community, help stop community transmission by wearing a mask and getting yourself vaccinated.

If you are devoted to our nation, you should be pride to wear a mask and acquire the vaccination, while counting our blessings for vaccine availability in the US.

If you are devoted to making the world a better place, masking up and rolling up your sleeve to get that shot are small, meaningful acts that contribute to eradicating the COVID-19!

In closing, the Takeaway –

For now, the proven solutions are—wear a mask in the public and get vaccinated. Do so with care and hope. Without doubt, the ultimate result will come with JOY!

Please share this message if you share the same cares and desires. Big Thank You!

 

Image credits: Pixabay, Clipart-Library, CancerPreventionDaily

Hypertension Can Be Asymptomatic but Potentially Fatal

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

BP Measure & Heart_pixabayWhen is the last time you checked your blood pressure? How is your child or children’s blood pressure?

Hypertension (high blood pressure) is a multifaceted issue, and I’d like to address why it matters in several brief, yet key points.

In case you are not aware, high blood pressure is redefined at a reading of 130/80 rather than 140/90 mmHg, according to 2017 guidelines from the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology.

It’s important to pay attention to the new normal—i.e. the reading should be lower than 120/80 mmHg, because when systolic (top) number is 120-129 and diastolic (bottom) number is lower than 80 mmHg, your blood pressure is referred to “elevated status”. So, if your reading exceeds 130/80 mmHg, read further.

Hypertension a common risk factor for various cardiovascular and other chronic illnesses. It often remains overlooked in the absence of symptoms. However, hypertension is a silent killer.

Hypertension is a primary risk factor for cardiovascular mortality (heart attack and stroke), and can bring about end-organ damage including chronic kidney diseases and renal failure. Even if people survive a life-threatening emergency, many face challenges of disability and complications that reduce the quality of life.

Hypertension is positively associated with some types of cancer, specifically renal cell carcinoma and breast cancer.
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Hypertension is becoming more common in children and adolescents but is under-diagnosed among this population, including those with a normal weight without a family history of hypertension. This is not surprising given the obesity epidemic, which presents alarming statistics—more than 1/3 of youth are overweight or obese and nearly 20% of children/adolescents has obesity. The relationship between hypertension and obesity has been clearly established; both can cause severe long-term health consequences.

As we live at a moment of crises, the compounding effect of COVID-19 reached an out of control point. A recent research published on European Heart Journal (2020 June; 41:2058-2066) reveals that patients with hypertension have a two-fold increase in the risk of dying from COVID-19 compared to those without hypertension. Antihypertensive treatment has lowered the mortality risk significantly compared with those left untreated.

The good news is that high blood pressure is a modifiable risk factor, and many hypertension-associated problems are preventable! So, focus on prevention.

The top strategy for preventing hypertension is lifestyle modification starting from a young age. Treating primary hypertension in children is almost exclusively a matter of an improved dietary and behavior regimen, including a more nutritional diet with reduced sodium intake, increased physical activity, and healthy weight. Pharmacological intervention is secondary strategy if your physician indicates it is needed.

A take-home-message: Watch your blood pressure, control your blood pressure to prevent acute cardiovascular events and help reduce the COVID-19 burden.

 

Image credit: Pixabay

Simple Math and Sharp Acumen on COVID-19

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

Key_Stay Safe n Sharp_pixabayCPDThe pandemic progression in the U.S. is very troublesome. What concerns me most is that many Americans still don’t take this highly contagious and lethal coronavirus seriously, along with misinformation and confusion clouding people’s heads.

I want to put it very simply—it comes down to math and judgement.

First, let’s go through a quick, elementary math on “99% of cases are harmless.”

Based on Johns Hopkins University tracking data, as of the afternoon of July 20th, the nation has 3,804,907 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 140,811 deaths, with 1.11 million or more people recovering. So, these numbers tell us:

  • Fatality rate is 3.7% (calculation based on confirmed cases here);
  • Recovery rate is 29.2%; and
  • That leaves the rest 67.1% of positive individuals ranging from being asymptomatic, with mild symptoms and some suffering, to hospitalized, critically ill, and struggling for their lives.

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Therefore, it’s clear that these numbers didn’t add up anywhere close to “99% of cases are harmless.” This statement is inaccurate at the very least, and completely false. Misleading people with it is dangerous.

The sad reality is that many of these deaths are avoidable, as proven by facts and data from the U.S. and some parts of the world. Grave consequences can also occur if listening to the self-interest, amoral politician on advocating the use of hydroxychloroquine and injection of disinfectant into the body as a cure. In fact, folks either died or were harmed after heeding that direction.

I can understand the public’s confusion. As new information on COVID-19 is emerging and changing weekly, if not daily, knowledge and our understanding evolve.  So did misinformation and the worst conspiracy.

However, for public health scientists and experts, one core principle will always remain the same—have the best interest of public health in mind, to protect and care for the well-being of the public.

That then leads to one question—whom should I listen to or trust when facing confusion?

Here is a quick and sharp judgmental call: if you want to have happy, long-lasting marriage, would you consult someone who has been divorced ten times? A little overstatement, but you get the picture.

So, if you have an appetite for life, just trust science and medical experts when it comes to your health and life.

Finally, a friendly yet important reminder: Stay safe and wear a mask while out.

P.S. Wearing a mask is a caring act that demonstrates a public health conscience, and not a political statement.

 

Image credit: Pixabay

How Racism Impacts Public Health

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

Health Disparities_Brown UnivThe COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the reality of two Americas in a way that many of us may have never before fully realized. In the wake of latest tragic killings of African Americans by police brutality, open outrage and massive, persisting protests have stirred social unrest. This calls us to examine racism at institutional levels and racial bias, implicit or explicit, in our conscience, too.

Here, I’d like to zoom into the topic of racism through the lens of the black Americans’ health. Racism is a public health crisis, and it is colliding with the COVID-19 crisis. Clearly, the pandemic has devastated communities of color and preexisting health disparities are worsened.

Let’s start with the impact of systemic racism, spotlighted by the pandemic

Think about the stunning statistics: approximately 60 percent of COVID-19 patients are Blacks and Latinos in some U.S. cities or counties where the minority population is about 30% or so. Black Americans are disproportionately infected with and died of coronavirus. Why?

There are three apparent reasons:

First, black Americans have limited access to affordable healthcare. We know that 27.5 million Americans are uninsured; about 11 percent blacks among them, based on U.S. Census Bureau. During the outbreak, they are less likely to get tested and treated in a timely way when infected with coronavirus.

Second, black Americans have disproportionately higher rates of chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, respiratory illnesses, and cancer than white Americans. These underlying conditions make them more vulnerable to COVID-19 and compromise the treatment.

Third, these individuals bear the burden of socioeconomic inequality and injustice. Most of them are low-income folks, living in congested households packed with multi-generations or multi-families, and taking public transportations with no or little luxury for social distancing; not to mention those who are in shared housings situations such as homeless shelters and prisons. Moreover, people of color are also likely to reside in neighborhoods with higher levels of air pollution. A recent study from Harvard indicates that chronic exposure to high levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is 8 percent more likely to die from COVID-19. Plus, they are likely “essential workers” with increased exposure to the virus.

All these situations put black people at a higher risk for many illnesses including COVID-19.

Leave aside the evident overrepresentation of black people in poverty and white people in relative wealth. Let’s have a glance at some aspects of inequities that touch on black people’s daily struggles.

  • Education track

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Education from elementary school to college influences not only one’s occupation and career but also health literacy, lifestyle choices, and disease prevention. Do black kids receive the same health education in early school years as white ones? Think about black kids living in high-crime communities—do they have equal time or freedom to play outdoors after school like white children?

  • Environment injustice

Communities of color are hit harder by the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent research in the US and from Europe showed that air pollution is closely associated with a higher death toll from the coronavirus infection. Look around: where are locations of those air pollutant-producing plants, incinerators, or landfills? They are much more likely be in low-income neighborhoods in which people of color live, not in the white, high-income communities. Then consider asthma. Living with asthma, one has frail lungs and weakened immunity—both worsening COVID-19 outcomes. We know that air pollution, especially PM2.5, contributes to not just asthma and lung disorder but high blood pressure, cancer, and adverse pregnancy outcomes.

  • Emotional stress

The health risks for blacks amid the pandemic is only compounded or exacerbated by other life sufferings. These individuals, especially black men, have a constant fear of being hurt or killed by law enforcement when leaving their houses. Also, many blacks are grappling with other adverse circumstances, including mental scars from traumas such as the loss of young fathers, maternal and infant mortality, or challenges brought on by birth defects. Then it goes without saying that black people face discrimination in finding jobs and at work.  In the end, chronic stress and depression impair immune functions. Mental, physical and social sources of stress contribute to graver health outcomes among blacks than whites or other ethnic groups.

  • Eating choices or diet variables

Low-income black families also lack access to safe, sufficient and nutritious food that can meet their dietary needs and support a healthy life. Food insecurity leads to health disparities. With food insecurity, nutritional intake among many black pregnant women is consistently inadequate, which results in malnutrition of infants and low-weight newborns. With food insecurity, susceptibility to diabetes is greater and self-management of diabetes is more challenging.

One more fact is that black people suffer from heart disease, kidney disease and stroke at a higher rate than whites. After all, these are clinical consequences of hypertension. And black people have higher rate of hypertension. Genetics plays a role for sure, but also important is adequate care.

In addition, there will be adverse impacts on our black citizens that we may not see right now. For instance, during the pandemic, delayed cancer screening (or none from the uninsured) and delayed diagnosis will cause many avoidable deaths in the long-term.

The adverse effects on those who hold racism or prejudiced views

Racism, bias, and bigotry exist both consciously and subconsciously. Racism related hate and anger are negative emotions that lead to undesirable or destructive behaviors including violence. Negative emotions alter health conditions through “stressors”. For example, research shows that stress derived from anger and aggression is linked to heart disease and hypertension, whereas subconscious bias can cause sleep trouble such as insomnia.

On a broader scale, racism-related hate crimes and violence not only affect local communities but also disturb peaceful society, thereby negatively impacting the well-being of everyone, especially our children.

Surely, we can wait for government acts or policy changes to combat racism, but each individual can also do something constructive and ultimately health-preserving. To help healing, here are three immediate, achievable actions everybody can take:

  1. Be at peace with all people including those who don’t look like us. Be aware of bias in each of us and don’t let this roadblock deter our common good.
  2. Become a valuable contributor to improving equality. Show up and shore up for black communities. For instance, donate or raise funds for relevant causes close to your heart, share your skills for education or empowerment, or participate in a community effort such as a food drive, etc.
  3. Protect environmental health and defend against any form of pollution. Demoted environmental safety is one of the inequities responsible for minority’s poor health outcomes, and protecting the environment for us all is a job for everybody.

Closing words

Racism impacts black people’s health and lives in a profound way in various areas. There are many scientific studies with alarming data on long-standing health disparities, but the trouble is that what’s known has been largely ignored or less invested in from top policy makers.

Now, racism has again bubbled to the surface and maybe will finally grab our attention. Health inequalities go far beyond what I mentioned above. This means that there is a lot of work ahead. Likewise, this means everybody can be involved in creating solutions.

So, let’s embrace each other in our society by sparking love and care for a positive change! Let’s improve health and improve lives together.

Finally, a friendly yet important reminder: Stay safe and wear a mask while out. 

P.S. Wearing a mask is a caring act that demonstrates a public health conscience, and not a political statement.

 

Image credit: Brown.edu

Reopening but Not a Relief – Thus Boost up Resilience

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

Together in Pandemic_PixabayMemorial Day is a somber day because it is for remembering those people who have died while serving our country, although it also marks the starting of summer with beach vacations and backyard barbecues. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has added serious concerns to the upcoming holiday weekend. So far, more than 95,000 lives have been lost to Covid-19.

First, let’s grieve jointly for those who lost their lives during the pandemic no matter what the cause, and honor their lives collectively.

Because this novel coronavirus suddenly turned the world upside down, life in the past months has been very tough for millions of people suffering from deadly infection, tragic loss and financial burden to emotional distress and “quarantine fever or fatigue”.

Together, we followed the “stay-at-home” order and applied social distancing to prevent spread of the disease, among various hygienic measures. Despite the recent lifting of some restrictions and reopening selected businesses, most of us remain anxious and cautious.

Now, it’s about the next phase—slowly moving on, and hopefully a post-pandemic life and beyond. Here I’d like to share my thoughts and key preventive measures as follows.

  • Shared challenges and Covid-19’s impact
  • Serious health issues and perspectives
  • Safe measures when reopening

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Where are the challenges and what can we control?

I’m certain that your challenges are unique, even overwhelming. For instance,

-          Maybe you are an essential worker to provide central services daily while others are staying at home;

-          Maybe you or your loved one fought through the Covid-19 for survival;

-          Maybe you lost your job and stood in a food line for the first time in your life.

-          Maybe you have underlying health issues that made you vulnerable to coronavirus infection, but fear about going to hospitals deterred your medical attention;

-          Maybe you have cancer and had to undergo cancer therapy during the pandemic with no choice to avoid hospital trips;

-          Maybe you work remotely in the comfort of your home while juggling child care in the household;

-          Maybe you’re a college graduate, stuck at home with a canceled graduation ceremony and celebratory parties, and without a clear perspective for future jobs due to the Covid-19 crisis;

-          Or maybe you are a victim of domestic violence but during the pandemic forced to shelter with the abuser.

The stories can go on and on… all impacting our life and wellness.

One thing we shared in common is that we were all affected during the Covid-19 outbreak though the extent and magnitude of challenges varied. And now, we’re all coping with a new normal.

We also know that this virus is highly contagious. However, positivity is contagious too. So, let’s maintain a positive outlook, care with compassion, and help one another go through the hardships.

Existing health conditions collide with the Covid-19

More than half of US adults have at least one chronic condition such as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension or obesity. These conditions increase the risk of becoming critically ill if infected.

On top of that, the “stay-at-home” order also did not make things better in the following ways.

—          Eat more for convenience

More time at home means more access to the refrigerator and food, less consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits, or more packaged/cooked food delivery to your doorsteps. And the worse, drinking more alcohol.

—          Sit more and exercise less

Remote working or online learning, entertaining and shopping all create more screen time, more sitting time, and less movement. Limited outdoor activities and work-related labor and reduced shopping trips, along with gym closings, all cut down the amount of physical activities – if one is not self-disciplined on regular exercise.

—          Feel more stressed

Anxiety and fear of coronavirus infection, unforeseen life change and financial drain from unemployment or business closures are common triggers initially. With the US Covid-19 death toll approaching 100,000 and unemployment claims looming 40 million, stress from emotional disarray and financial loss is undeniable.

—          Have more trouble sleeping

It’s self-explanatory due to the above factors compounding together. The pandemic accelerated vicious circles.

In addition, public health crises such as opioid addiction and Covid-19 collide too, which posed a threat to individuals with substance use disorders, and deserve our attention.   

Key safe measures when reopening

Covid-19 can be fatal, so can other life-threatening medical events such as heart attack and stroke. Coronavirus will linger, and other pathogens or toxins will stick around too. So, first and foremost is to protect yourself and your family as best as you can.

As new infection cases are still rising in some regions or areas, a potential second wave of outbreak is not behind us.

Here are six key steps to your safety:

1.  Prepare for a new lifestyle, and embrace the new normal.

Alongside a healthy lifestyle and good hand hygiene, whenever you go to a public place – WAITS (wait for a minute and do)

Wear: a face mask.

Avoid: touching eyes, ears, outer side of your mask and shared surfaces. No handshaking.

Isolate at home: if you feel sick, and take the virus test as advised.

Take:  hand sanitizer and a disinfectant wipe (placed them in a small plastic bag/container)

Stay: 6 feet apart from others as much as possible.

2.  Know your risk factors and vigilance is key.

Remember that risk factors vary individually. In addition to existing health and environmental risks, indoor isolation life also amplified some diet and lifestyle problems.

3.  Strengthen the immune system – your all-time protection.

It’s about nurturing yourself and your most potent defense against any pathogen and illness. Boosting your immunity involves multi-front approaches from diet, physical activity and weight to lowering stress, adequate sleep and a healthy lifestyle. This is the time to foster your wellness, so follow the guidance from Key Strategies for Cancer Prevention in details and preserve your health—your most valuable asset.

4.  Manage stress.

Enjoy more family time. Relax your mind and body using array of stress-relief techniques, resolve to focus on things you can control rather than worries that you can’t, and let your creativity takeover your anxiety. In post-Covid era, many jobs will undergo dramatic changes, and many workers will return to a fundamentally different workplace. So take time to reflect and create your new future.

In the meantime, don’t hesitate to seek help.

5.  Take care of your own health or medical issues.

Never ignore your health problems – if there are any unusual changes, go for Telemedicine first if it’s a non-emergency issue. Even if it’s a non-Covid related emergency, the hospitals try their best to assure your safe visit, so don’t delay your necessary medical attention.

6.  Stay well informed, stay away from disinformation overload, i.e. “infodemic”.

As new information on this virus and disease is emerging remarkably fast, new understanding continues to change weekly, if not daily, misinformation and confusion evolved too. Please trust science especially when it comes to your health and life.

Summary

Unlike other viruses, the novel coronavirus is both highly contagious and lethal, and still lingering around. There is no room for us to become complacent at least before a vaccine and treatment are successfully developed. Keep taking all safe measures to protect yourself and your family.

Ask yourself how important your health is to you.

 

Image credit: Pixabay

Personal Practices amid Coronavirus Pandemic and Beyond

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

(This is Part 3 of Mini-Series.)

Flatten the curve_CPDBlog_by CDCThe rapid spread of Covid-19 has been scary, worrying and nervous to millions of people, particularly the vulnerable folks—those with chronic diseases such as cancer, heart issues and diabetes, the elderly and pregnant. Nobody escapes the grim reality as young, healthy people were also infected and died.

This is a time with a lot of unknown and uncertainty.

To live through the outbreak, I’d like to emphasize practicing personal hygiene in a few areas. These measures or tools are known and proven to lower your exposure to coronavirus, reduce current spread and fatalities, and safeguard your wellbeing as well.

Let me dive right in, and talk about three areas of personal hygiene. Hope these doses of personal responsibility help calm your nerves and confront this crisis.

First, personal health hygiene

Personal hygiene is a powerful weapon for personal protection, it’s like wearing a piece of invisible personal protective equipment (PPE).

It is critical to wash your hands frequently, totally, and meticulously for at least 20 seconds, use a hand sanitizer (> 60% alcohol) when water and soap are not available, and disinfect commonly touched surfaces for you and your family, and so on.

I feel I keep repeating myself, because I’ve advised so in my book and articles for preventing many illnesses. In fact, I even guided the readers why and how to cultivate healthy hygiene or habits in the kids from their early life. However, it’s worth it; because hand hygiene has been well-established to be an important tool and the most effective way to prevent spreading infectious diseases.

Then behavior hygiene includes covering cough or sneeze with your elbow or napkin, disposing contaminated napkins or handkerchiefs in a proper way—if possible, bag them. Stay at home and use a face mask if you are sick or have Covid-related symptoms. These preventive measures help yourself and others.

Second, personal isolation hygiene

“Social distancing” sounds like a buzz term to most of the world, but in the science of public health, it is a proven and effective measure in fighting pandemic. As the image shows, it works for “flattening the curve”.

Social distancing is also personal defense, it’s like an invisible barrier to block this dangerous virus from penetrating into your body. This is because Covid-19 spreads via person-to-person transmission. We isolate each other to isolate the virus.

Let me elaborate further. Social distancing and self-isolation or self-quarantine are hard for spring break beach goers or the Mardi Gras festival fans, and obviously difficult when business or city lockdowns. However, as this pandemic is raging, the blue ocean hides a sea in abundance of micro-sharks, i.e., invisible viruses. For coronavirus, packed crowds are either an easy ride to a host or an absolute buffet for survival—whatever you’d imagine, because all the nasty virus needs is to attach itself to a human cell and insert its genetic material into it, then replicate its RNAs and repeat the process of infecting other cells.

Please understand that social distancing doesn’t mean lonely living. I’m illustrating this point using Dos and Don’ts below:

 

Do

Do Not
1 Comply with social distancing. Close up social connections and support. (Thanks for modern technologies.)
2 Go outside (e.g. walk or exercise). Involve face-to-face contact (including no handshakes, high-fives or hugs).
3 Shop necessities and seek medical care. Travel outside the city/town, attend a large gathering, go to restaurant, café or theatre, and visit friends.
4 Work remotely, if possible. Trust any online disinformation.
5 Maintain a safe distance away from others (advised 6 feet).

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Social distancing requires responsibility and patience. I favor what an expert put, that is “Act like you have the virus and don’t want to infect others.” So, take personal responsibility seriously. Don’t forget that social distancing is a temporary but mandatory suffering; Nobody ordered social distancing indefinitely and no need to implement forever. After all, the lesson learned is that social lockdowns benefited “flattening the curve” in different countries.

Collectively, social distancing is well-worth it; because we can survive from human bond through different ways, but the virus cannot.

Finally, personal sleep hygiene

Even under normal circumstances, many folks are having trouble with sleep due to various reasons. Covid-19 outbreak induced stress can trigger insomnia or exacerbate existing sleep deficiency.

To manage anxiety, one of the effective ways is to ensure a good night sleep; in return, adequate sleep can improve mental and emotional health. My book has offered in-depth insights and tips, so no need to reiterate more here.

In addition to staying safe, eating healthy and exercising regularly, your immune system is your best weapon to fight viruses and diseases. Stress can weaken, but sleep can strengthen this defense.

Summary

We are fighting a common yet invisible enemy against humanity.

We have shared challenges, concerns, and desires. One goal is clear—to flatten “the curve” and get to the other side of it, which requires everybody to take personal responsibility and extra measures. Practicing the above areas of personal hygiene can imminently protect yourself, your loved ones, and others in the communities.

This is the exact right time, though not the only time, to plant personal hygiene routines into both public and personal consciousness.

Coronavirus will pass, just as other crises.

A final point: Cancer is another health crisis that does not discriminate any human being and many are living with it now, which should not be forgotten. Compromised immune system and complicated cancer treatment for cancer patients become more challenging at this troubling time. Their personal stories should also not be forgotten. Thus, the battle against cancer should keep on, the book “Key Strategies for Cancer Prevention” details why, how and what you can do to prevent cancer and optimize your wellbeing. So, remember to pick up a copy for yourself or your loved ones.

Let Your Well-being Shine through in 2020

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

Wrapup 2019, Start 2020_CPDAs the year 2020 approaches and, like many people, we reflect on the past and make New Year’s resolutions, I trust you will take care of your health and wellness in the coming year.

Human well-being is connected to important social and ecological issues. So, I also encourage you to pay special attention to some critical health challenges that both you and our society face. Here I outline three of them.

1.      Climate change impacts human health.

We need to take the urgent threat of climate change seriously. However, many folks still cannot see its seriousness or simply ignore it and, needless to say, some national leaders deny it.

The pressing perils of climate change are undeniable. Consider questions such as the following. Does climate crisis add to your mental distress? Does it threaten your physical body in various ways (e.g., food chain contamination, water pollution, or pathogen multiplied)? Does it have any consequential effect on our younger and future generations?

Let your voice of conscience guide you to give up some conveniences that are not ecologically friendly. This can benefit you, the earth, and others. There are many ways you can practice a healthy lifestyle in combination with eco-friendly acts, as mentioned in this CPD article: https://www.cancerpreventiondaily.com/the-climate-crisis-is-a-health-crisis/

You can do much more. For example, the Washington Post has a recent article on how to plan eco-friendly travel. It’s worth pondering.

How you can reduce your carbon footprint when you travel …

https://www.washingtonpost.com › lifestyle › travel › 2019/11/27

2.      Cancer remains the No. 2 killer (with the possibility of moving up).

I’ve been emphasizing the significance of, as well as some specific risk factors and strategies for, helping to prevent cancer. Cancer may seem inevitable as a part of modern life and aging, but blindly accepting it would cause more unnecessary deaths. The truth is that overwhelming evidence has shown that most cancers are preventable.

Breakthroughs in cancer diagnosis and treatment have saved millions of lives. However, there are some new and sober trends. First, cancer has surpassed heart disease as the No. 1 killer in some wealthy countries and in some U.S. counties. Second, the incidence and death of the deadliest malignancy, pancreatic cancer, are rising—it is projected to be the second-leading cancer killer by 2030 from being the current fourth-leading cause of cancer mortality. And finally, cancer death rates are climbing among young and middle-aged adults.

Lifestyle modification is a key to preventing cancer—and cardiovascular disease as well. So, integrate ways of eating more plant-based food by committing yourself to a balanced diet with plenty of vegetables, fruits, beans, and nuts, but with limited red and processed meats. Keep body and mind more active; sleep more and manage emotional stress better.

3.      The HIV epidemic is not over.

According to the WHO, “December 1st, 2018, marks the 30th anniversary of World AIDS Day—a day created to raise awareness about HIV and the resulting AIDS epidemic. Since the beginning of the epidemic, more than 70 million people have acquired the infection, and about 35 million people have died. Today, around 37 million worldwide live with HIV, of whom 22 million are on treatment.”

Look at the picture in the U.S: approximately 1.1 million people are living with HIV today, and about 15 percent of them (1 in 7) are unaware that they are infected.

Thanks to advances in HIV treatment, significant progress has made. However, by the end of 2018, an estimated 1.7 million people worldwide became newly infected with HIV, including about 38,500 cases of new infections in the U.S. (based on USAID, CDC, and HIV.gov data). Among them, certain populations or ethnic groups continue to be disproportionally affected.

Healthcare systems surely bear the responsibilities to provide HIV prevention, treatment, and care for those with comorbidities (e.g., tuberculosis, mental health, and some noncommunicable diseases).

It matters to us, too. If any folks don’t see how the HIV epidemic is related to you or your life, I present only three perspectives, among others.

  • If you care about public health domestically or globally, it matters.
  • If you care about your community as a whole and/or the health and wellness of others—whether an HIV-infected friend or a stranger who may live with fear, stigma, and suffering—it matters.
  • If you care about stopping the opioid crisis, it matters. Substance users and abusers are at a higher risk for HIV because of being infected through needle-sharing and injections.

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The bright side is that HIV is a preventable disease, and proven effective strategies are to know the risk factors, avoid and reduce HIV transmission. In addition, you can help address and tackle social and structural factors underlying the HIV epidemic. 

Collectively, with these outlooks in mind, let’s work together to find solutions.

Have a healthier and happier 2020 !

 

Image credit: Pixabay/PublicDomainPictures; CPD

 

Be Vaccine-Vigilant, Not Vaccine-Hesitant

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

Calendar w-Vaccination_svc.eduThe latest victims of misinformation are hundreds of cases of measles outbreaks. Based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been a confirmed 764 cases of measles from January 1 to early May this year in 23 US states.

Obviously, there is a growing public health threat from measles. I’d like to highlight 5 key points why measles vaccination is critical:

  1. Measles is a highly contagious disease caused by morbillivirus. Severe complications and death can result from measles infection.
  2. Yet some parents resist or hesitate vaccinating their children with the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine (MMR). However, they should have peace of mind based on solid science: MMR is very safe and effective in preventing measles, mumps, and rubella. There is NO evidence that measles vaccination causes autism, period.
  3. The World Health Organization (WHO) placed vaccine hesitancy on the list of the top 10 threats to global health in 2019. Measles remains a common disease in many parts of the world, and unvaccinated people can get infected. Such people may be at risk of being exposed to and contracting measles on their next international trip or while on a cruise ship.
  4. Take viral infection seriously because virus infection is a well-known cause of cancer in humans. Some common examples: hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a primary carcinogenic agent of liver cancer; human papillomavirus (HPV) causes cancers of the cervix, anus, oral cavity, and pharynx. Simply and conclusively, chronic inflammation as a result of persistent viral infection significantly increases the chance of cancer development.

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  5. Last but not least, understand that there is misinformation circulating across the Internet, and it comes with a price of some sobering health consequences. Be aware and cautious with what you read. Trust reputable medical authorities and consult your physician when in doubt.

The thoughtful bottom line is:

It is a risky and even dangerous choice not to get children vaccinated. It can endanger the health of a child, the family, neighboring kids and adults, all unvaccinated individuals, and the community as a whole. Significantly, it can also harm very vulnerable cancer patients whose immune functions are compromised.

So rather than being vaccine-hesitant, become Vaccine-Vigilant.

Image credit: https://lookingglass.svc.edu

The Climate Crisis Is a Health Crisis

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

Green Power & Plant in hands_PixabayApril is here, and the annual Earth Day, a worldwide drive to celebrate the natural world and its wonders and to protect our environment, will soon be here (April 22). So it is appropriate for us to address rising concerns about climate change.

Climate change is not a buzz word nor science fiction, but rather an urgent crisis based on scientific facts. The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 13: Climate Action) calls for the world (i.e., us) to “take urgent action to combat climate change and its impact.”

So, how urgent? And how does climate change affect you?

A plain fact is that greenhouse gases (especially carbon dioxide, CO2) absorb heat. The climate becomes warmer and warmer, because CO2 has been released into the atmosphere in increasingly faster and larger amounts. This acceleration of the greenhouse effect results from the expansion of fossil fuel burning, livestock farming, deforestation, and other practices over past decades. Basically, these are human activities.

Consequently, we see more and more extreme heat, rising seas, flooding(s), wildfires, hurricanes, and disasters. These events endanger the beauty and richness of the planet and the harmony of the ecosystem, and they threaten national security (seriously). More alarming, they take not only economic tolls but tolls on human lives by their severe impact on public health.

We have a window of 12 years to reduce carbon emissions. The well-being of future generations depends on and demands our speedy actions.

Let us focus on exactly how climate change can impact human health.

We know that dangerous storms resulting in flooding by heavy rains cause more contaminated water, more environmental pollutants, and more disease-spreading pathogens, leading to more human deaths. As the World Health Organization assessed, rises in malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea, and heat stress caused by climate change could kill an additional 250,000 people each year by 2030 and forward.

We know that warmer regions harbor more disease-carrying insects, and climate change has altered the geographic pattern of these bugs. For example, Lyme disease, an infection spread by tick bites, reached its highest occurrence, with a reported 40,000 cases, in 2017 after steadily growing since 1991, based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s data.

We also know that extreme heat waves and extreme weather patterns cause more psychological distress, depression, and other mental health concerns.

Some people in some demographics might dismiss the urgency of dealing with climate change, thinking it doesn’t affect them. It is true that the poor and minorities are often the victims most at risk of suffering from communicable diseases, and among them, the most vulnerable are children. However, climate change affects everyone, because evidently it is causing growing incidences of non-communicable diseases (e.g. heart disease and cancer) in both low-to-middle income and high-income countries.

We know that more water vapor creates a thicker blanket of pollutants—not only warming the earth but producing reduced air quality. Additionally, high temperatures render inert chemicals more volatile and more soluble; some of them are carcinogenic or possibly carcinogenic, and human exposure to them is increasing. The more pollutants around, the more asthma, respiratory diseases, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer.

All of this is indisputable.

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There are numerous ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and I’d like to share seven top ideas for taking “greener” actions and lifestyle modifications on a daily basis:

  1. Bike or walk instead of driving whenever possible to reduce the carbon fingerprint and overcome a sedentary lifestyle.
  2. Buy local to reduce fossil fuel for transportation and greenhouse gas emission, and if it is close to home, walk to the farmers’ market; needless to say, the better quality of food you will likely find there doubles your health benefits.
  3. Cut meat consumption, especially red meats, and embrace a plant-based diet. Note: Less meat ¹ No meat. By eating less meat, you help curtail livestock production and coexistent greenhouse emissions, while lowering your intake of potentially carcinogenic agents.
  4. Recycle, recycle, and recycle. And even better, minimize the use of plastics from water bottles to plastic bags and straws, in order to prevent pollution and cut carbon emissions.
  5. Reuse items when possible to reduce wastes in landfills. Reuse grocery/shopping bags and reuse other household products or personal items after repairing. You may also donate still-useful items to charitable organizations.
  6. Unplug electronic devices, turn off TVs, and switch off lights when not in use, to curtail carbon dioxide emission by consuming less electricity and preserving more natural resources; particularly in the evening, doing so will also promote a good night’s sleep.
  7. Plant a garden or a tree around the house if you haven’t yet, to offset the greenhouse effect and global warming, as plants and trees take in carbon dioxide. Plus, gardening keeps you physical active.

It all comes down to behavioral change and at times it takes giving up some convenience. You have a choice to act on one thing or all of the above, and certainly you can go further beyond.

I challenge you to make a thoughtful resolution or update your New Year’s resolutions, and contribute your personal efforts to combating global warming.

Imagine when that effort is multiplied many times, what changes it will bring to the world.

Again, climate change and health impact go hand-in-hand. So, let’s save the planet, save the world, and save lives!

Please share this post, “spread the words” is one of actions by raising the awareness.

 

Image credit: pixabay