Tag Archives: COVID-19 Pandemic

Rethink Obesity and Reshape Your Health

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

Raised Garden Beds_A.H.steadI had a conversation with a friend regarding the pandemic and weight among other topics. My question is—How is your weight affecting you physically, emotionally, or medically?

If this sounds relevant to you, read on.

First, I’m highlighting three quick facts about obesity:

  1. The prevalence of obesity in U.S. adults reaches 42.4% (pre-COVID), based on the CDC.
  2. The obesity rate of young adults aged 20-39 is 40%.
  3. Obesity is an established risk for chronic diseases (e.g. heart disease, some cancers, diabetes, stroke, etc.), and has been linked to severe complications and clinical outcomes of COVID-19.

Now combine the reality of the pandemic. The lockdowns or self-quarantine and teleworking—by less exercise and more stress—exacerbate obesity epidemic, at least weight gain becomes increasingly common among many folks.

Let’s focus on one of the weight control solutions right at your home.

If you have been living in a confined world, getting less active in the outdoors or gaining “lockdown pounds”, you may wish to create your own “little paradise” in your garden.

The health benefits are abundantly clear, just mentioning some of them:

  • More movement to get physically active for weight control
  • Family activity to prevent the kids from overweight and obesity
  • Stress relief and mood enhancer
  • Close contact with soil that benefits the gut microbiome.
  • Eat nourishing veggies or fruits of your own without chemical toxins.
  • Connect with nature and enjoy your surroundings.

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Let me add a critical note on gut microbiome.

We know that the gut microbiota can contribute to human metabolism, immune defense and so on. Disturbances of gut microbiota not only disrupt your gut barrier and immune function but also have an impact on your weight and obesity.

Due to a modern lifestyle, most of us leave behind the contact with soil (plainly the “dirt”), hence causing the loss of diversity of beneficial microbiota in the human gut, which has led to some negative health consequences including obesity and diabetes. In contrast, research showed that our ancestors had the highest richness of the gut microbiome because of their hunting-gathering lifestyle.

Flowers & Plant on hands_Sm_PixabaySo, what actions can you take to reshape your health?

In August to early fall, you still have time to plan something green and healthy, with benefits of getting physical activity, fresh air, and the gut microbiome as players in your team.

Whether you have a big or small backyard garden, you have many ways to do so including but not limited to the following:

  • Select your favorite seasonal veggies, fruits or flowers and plant them.
  • Use elevated / raised garden beds or planter boxes , if you need more space or more variety. They look fantastic and this site offers a lot of great information too!
  • Add other varieties such as a little fountain or water flow, providing serenity.
  • Include a bird feeder or bath for bird watching, which is really joyful and meditative. As an article in New York Times puts it—“The birds are not on lockdown, and more people are watching them.” Certainly, you can also adore eBird.
  • Any other favorites, lawn chairs, a table under a tent, etc.?

Now that I threw a few ideas based on my “playing with dirt” and experience, but I’m not in any way near a gardener. So, if you ask a Pro gardener, you’ll get an ocean of suggestions or options for sure.

But the point is —

Whether you’re planting veggies, fruits and flowers or watching birds chanting and water flowing at your backyard, you are in touch with nature, thereby escaping from the pandemic anxiety or quarantine fatigue to enhance your well-being.

Not only can you indulge in your “little paradise” anytime, but you keep moving because gardening is not one-time labor.

So, take a few minutes from your busy or demanding life, appreciate nature, the tranquility, the beauty of greens or colors, the sound of water, the singing birds, along with healthy weight, beyond harvesting nutritious crops.

Is it a small joy of your life? I bet it’s the unique rewards of your “little paradise”!

 

P.S. If you don’t have your own garden, participate in nearby community garden.

Image credits: Aaron’s Homestead , 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

Rekindled Sense and Attention to Cancer Amid COVID-19

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

Calm & Care Flowers_Blog useBefore Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) rises as a foremost source of mortality in front of our eyes this year, heart disease and cancer are the leading causes of global death.

Both COVID-19 and cancer do not discriminate (any age, race/ethnics or gender), and cause great global public health concern.

In March, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared the outbreak of COVID-19 a pandemic, after the disease spread to more than 100 countries leading to tens of thousands of cases within a few months worldwide.

Strictly speaking, a pandemic is defined when an epidemic spans various continents and affects a large number of people. Although the scientific community has not adapted the pandemic label for noncommunicable diseases such as heart disease and cancer, cancer certainly reaches pandemic proportion and severity (regardless of speed).

To be clear, my focus is not about terminology but about the brutality of a disease. However, if we view cancer morbidity and mortality through the lens of pandemic, without disputing the terminology or the precise term, we can implement protective measures and save more lives, especially from preventable cancers.

Here I examine what dire similarities COVID-19 and cancer share and how they differ.

   

COVID-19

(Communicable disease)

 

  

Cancer

(Noncommunicable disease)
Characteristic Sudden outbreak, quickly, and highly infectious Slowly developing over decades, noninfectious
Origin & Cause Natural or animal origin, caused by a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) Cells of origin, i.e. cellular mutation, due to a combination of genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors; <10% of hereditary cancers
Person-to-Person transmission Yes No in general, but some cancers can be passed from person to person through viral transmission.
Speed & Severity Deadly in days Deadly in years
Global death & mortality rate (MR) 145,500+ as of 4/16/2020

MR: *projected 2-3%, presently ~4% in US

 Nearly 10 million annually;

MR: rose by 17% since 1990, with age-standardized 0.05-0.15%
Human immunity

 

 Nobody is immune to it at present and it can strike virtually everybody Can strike virtually anyone
Effective treatment No evidence yet Yes, if at earlier stages.
Best weapon Containment and mitigation to reduce community transmission Risk factor prevention, early detection & treatment
Emotional difficulty, fear, anxiety, and powerlessness Yes Yes
Say Goodbye or celebrate a lost life in person No Yes
Public health urgency Yes ? (ask ourselves)

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*At this time, it is impossible to reach a precise MR of this outbreak.

Because of the complexity and multifaceted mechanisms underlying cancer development, doing one or two things won’t be sufficient in beating cancer. We must take multiple actions with integrative approaches—some of the same protective measures can be put  in place to prevent cancer amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

For example, strengthen the immune system—the most powerful defense we have. However, during physical distancing or home-bound time, stressful emotions such as fear, anxiety, and anger; sleepless nights; as well as unhealthy behaviors (e.g., poor diet, more alcohol consumption, less physical activity) can provoke the burden of noncommunicable disease (heart disease, diabetes and cancer) through weakening the immune functions.

COVID-19 will pass just like any other pandemic; it’s only a matter of time.

Unlike COVID-19, cancer persists as another health crisis and many are living with it now, which should not be forgotten. Compromised immune systems and complicated cancer treatments for cancer patients become more challenging at this troubling time, and personal stories should also not be forgotten. Thus, the battle against cancer should keep on. The book Key Strategies for Cancer Prevention details how cancer is developed, as well as what you can do to prevent cancer and optimize your well-being. So, remember to pick up a copy for yourself or your loved ones.

Like COVID-19, cancer demands our rekindled attention and care. Behind the numbers are human lives.

 

Image credit: Amazon.in