Disclaimer- This article is ENTIRELY opinion based, not fact based. It is my personal feel on things and is in no way a claim that this is how others feel, manage or navigate being ill. 

It’s hard to log onto to any type of internet platform without seeing recommendations for what to do with all things COVID related. In fact, I did a quick review and in under 5 minutes I found a variety of opinion and evidence-based articles sharing data, tips, or general recommendations on how to navigate through our newest viral instigator. Information on how to quarantine… how to order food online… what supplements to take… what healing remedies to implement… what OTC meds to take… which OTC meds to avoid…. how to apply for unemployment… how to talk to your kids during quarantine… how to talk to your boss during quarantine… how to tell others that you have COVID…. how to keep the household uplifted during quarantine…the list goes on. To say we have ample support for what to do if we get COVID, if others have COVID or how to manage in quarantine, is an understatement. But what happens if we have a regular run of the mill cold? What if we or our kids come down with Strep throat? What if a coworker is coughing while at work because of her asthma? What if the dry air in our homes is making us have a sore throat in the morning? What if a parent comes down with pneumonia UNRELATED to COVID? What do we do? How do we navigate these other conditions that didn’t go away when COVID came? What do we say to ourselves and others? What do we do when it isn’t COVID?
 
I had the opportunity to be in this space this past week and I can say I was unprepared and overwhelmed by the enormity of how to navigate. We had an outbreak of strep throat in our home. I can say I never thought I would utter the words “Oh good..” when the nurse called with the positive strep results. But here we are, in a time when we are grateful for what we know and overly cautious of what we don’t. In the past I would simply have told friends, family, and clients that my daughter was sick, and I too am not feeling well. I would have made the decision to cancel clients, call in sick or stay home based on whatever symptoms we had and whether we were contagious, as well as what my own body said it needed.  I would then do what needed to be down and most likely have made the decision to lay low, stay home, and give my body time to heal. But that path didn’t feel good enough. Being sick in this COIVD era is no longer a personal experience and an opportunity to be responsible for yourself, it is now a public health matter. And depending on how much interaction you have in the community and what you do for work, it can be an absolute nightmare. 
 
I found myself acting in such uncharacteristic ways. For example, at one point I was googling whether I needed to “quarantine for strep”… Ummmmm WHAT?!? I am more rationale than this, but I was doing it all the same. Then when I finally reached out to my clients, I shared a longer than necessary explanation either over the phone or via text about why I was cancelling classes or sessions, and I felt the need to assure them, in an annoyingly high multitude of ways, that NO we did not have COVID. I made sure to obtain documentation from the doctor to share with school, work, or anyone else that may have need of it. I was overanalyzing every symptom any of us had. I became obsessive about checking temperatures of everyone despite no one at any time having a fever. I agonized over how to call in sick to the hospital I work at once a week, I worried if I stayed home one day, they may require a 14 day quarantine no matter what (this isn’t there policy and I know this, but the irrationality was thick at this point). I even debated dosing up on meds so that no one would know I was sick, and I could continue with none the wiser (obviously not a good plan but again, please note the irrational state I had sunk to). In general, my anxiety had tripled from its usual elevated stance and it was trickling down to everyone else. My daughter started to apologize if she coughed and she began to do hourly temperature checks on herself. My husband and I even started bickering as I agonized, and beat to death, how to call in sick. He was tired of hearing how hard this was, and I was tired of saying it, and yet I couldn’t stop myself. Suddenly I had lost all skills for how to be sick and I was slipping into a very unhealthy and irrational management of it all. 
 
Thankfully I had a breakthrough on Friday. I had finally cancelled the last remaining client commitments for the week, a private client Friday night and a private yoga class for Saturday morning, and in completing that task, I received the most incredible sense of relief I have ever felt in my life. It was like suddenly my worries melted away. Suddenly it was ok to be sick, t was ok to rest, and it was certainly ok to recover. It was alright to not have all the answers, I didn’t need them, I just needed to release my obligations to the rest of the world for a short period of time. I was so worried about how clients would react to me being sick or to my cancelling classes that I forgot that sometimes it doesn’t matter. Sometimes we must do what’s best for ourselves and allow others to do the same.  
 
So, what do we do if it isn’t COVID? 
What do we do without the step-by-step guidance that we have been groomed to look for?
 
In my opinion and from this limited experience, I feel that we need to get back to trusting our instincts and let go of what the world expects. Of course, we need to be responsible and mindful of others, but  we also need to remember to listen to our bodies’ needs. In fact, DON’T do what I did and agonize over what people will think of you in how you handle yourself. Just do what’s best for you, your family and those around you. I can’t promise things will always be fine or that others will be ok with your decisions, but it will release you from an extra dose of stress which is not conducive to getting better.
 
I felt the relief that I felt because I had finally given myself permission to get better, I was no longer trying to hide being sick, or beat myself up for being sick, instead I had accepted it and allowed myself the opportunity to be well again. 
 
Maybe this is one thing, among many, that COVID has taught us; to take a step back when our body demands it. But there are still things we need to learn. Like how we set aside our judgement and regain trust. This is not only regarding the judgement and trust of, and for others, but also how we apply these to ourselves. We must trust if someone says they have a cold that they have a cold. We must let go of judgement when we hear a cough from someone during a meeting. We must trust our own body when it says “rest”, or in many cases screams “TAKE A BREAK!!!” And finally, we must learn to take responsibility for ourselves and for our own health. 
 
This is what we do when we don’t have COVID, but surprise, surprise, this is what we also do when we have COVID… 
 
Moral of the story, take care of yourself, don’t worry about what everyone else is doing or thinks, manage your own health and that of your family and see how your sense of wellbeing slowly improves. 

A: Great question. Like most things we ingest, fish oil has an impact on every area in our body and each person may be affected differently based on their individual needs. Historically there has been a lot of research to support that fish oil can help to reduce triglycerides. Triglycerides are a measure of the fat that can build up and store in our blood vessels. High triglycerides are associated with an increased risk for a heart attack, therefore fish oil may reduce this risk. Recent research even shows fish oil to help improve brain function in those suffering from cognitive decline such as Alzheimer's. Aside from what research tells us, I have personally had many clients rave over how healthy and supple their skin feels when they add fish oil into their diet. In supplement form fish oil works therapeutically in the body, meaning it works like medicine so it should be treated as such. Never start a supplement without consulting your doctor first. Even with a substance that is so helpful such as fish oil, there are instances where it would not be recommended. If you are just looking to eat more fish each week then choose a sustainable-wild caught fatty fish such as salmon or sardines. Add these in once or twice a week and reap the benefits without the cautions of a supplement. For more information on how fish oil may be helpful for your individual health please reach out to Jessica and schedule a free 15 minute consult to discuss. ​

A: Great question! The short answer: it depends. As with all things in health and wellness, there is no one size fits all model, and what your body needs may be different than your friends. The long answer: Consider why you are thinking of a cleanse. Have you recently been exposed to a large amount of toxins or chemicals? Do you have a chronic condition you are battling? Are you trying to jump start healthy habits? Are you hoping to kick some cravings? How you answer these and other questions not only determines if a cleanse is appropriate, but also indicates what would work best for you. Overall, if you are committed to doing some sort of clean up, I would recommend starting slow by removing some of the unneeded chemicals in your life and added sugars in your food. This can be as simple as not using coffee creamer to as complex as switching out not only food choices but your health, beauty and cleaning products as well. Shift to choosing mostly whole foods. If you can't buy organic make sure to wash your produce. Above all though I would recommend that you work with a professional who has experience and knowledge in this area before starting any type of detox or cleanse regimen. For more information on how to "clean up" your diet this spring give me a call and schedule a free 15 minute consult to discuss your options. 

A: Great question , and you are right, outside of a hospital facility it is not as common for a dietitian to help someone gain weight, but it is a health concern for some people and I’m glad you brought it up. My suggestions vary from person to person but overall the goal is to make the meals and snacks you do eat more calorie dense without adding bulk. This is best done using fat. Fat has more calories per gram than protein or carbohydrates and is a tasty and healthy way to increase the calorie content of food. I would start by throwing away all the low fat stuff you use. Use real mayo, real sour cream, real salad dressing, etc. Start adding butter to your meals. I really like to use an unsalted grass fed butter. Switch to whole milk and real cream, it works well to add these whole fat dairy options to oatmeal or to use them in coffee. Try making a smoothie with some coconut oil , hemp or flax seeds, and some fruit. Add in some whole milk yogurt or kefir for added calories and a dose of probiotics. Drizzle olive oil on your salads, even eat some olives for a snack. If you like cheese add this to your eggs in the morning, no need to settle for the partial skim milk cheese sticks anymore, go for that sharp cheddar you like next time you have crackers and cheese. If it’s a whole food, real fat, then it’s ok to add it. Avoid adding trans fats or using candy and sweets to gain weight. This may help pack on the pounds but it won’t help your health.
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Again, this is not a typical issue in the American diet and is very individualized. If you are trying to gain weight I would encourage you to come see me or another dietitian to help set up a plan that works for you based on the foods you like, the foods you tolerate and your schedule.

A: That's a great question and the answer will vary slightly based on where you meal will take place. If you are hosting the meal then its an easy fix to create vegetable side dishes that are lower in carb. Skinnytaste.com has some great options. Or it can be as simple as including a veggie tray and/or a meat and cheese tray with your meal. Squash is an option as a lower carb vegetable so long as its free of added sugars. If you are going somewhere else see if you can find out what the meal will be, if there are no low carb options request to bring a side dish to share. Regardless of the location of the meal and whether or not you have control of the food choices, you definitely have control of your portions. So go ahead and try everything if you must, just be sure to reduce your portion size of the carb heavy items and load up on things like turkey and green veggies. And also be sure to take your medications. Don't lie to yourself about the carb count or neglect to test your blood sugar, its important on these days to be aware of whats going on so if you are on insulin you can dose accordingly. Last tip, get active. Go for a walk, play an active game with family, start decorating the house for Christmas. Just add some activity to help utilize all that extra energy you ate. And don't forget to enjoy the time with family and friends! Happy Thanksgiving!

A: Great question, and I will say that this is an area
that I am constantly working on myself. It is very easy to
fall into the habit of grabbing a quick sugar filled breakfast
item, however with a little bit of planning and some creativity, breakfast can
be quick and healthy.
​
One of the easiest healthy choices for breakfast is an egg. You may be saying
to yourself that you don’t have enough time to make eggs, well no problem,
make a big batch of hardboiled eggs the weekend before. Your breakfast
could be as simple as a slice of toast and a hardboiled egg or you could
dress it up a bit and slice the hardboiled egg and put it on the toast with
some cheese. Maybe dress it up even more and add cold roasted red peppers,
avocado, onion, pickles...the sky is the limit, if you like it put it on there.
Second, you could find one of those great recipes for egg muffins. These
are made the weekend before and the recipes are extremely easy to follow.
Third, did you know you can make scrambled eggs in the microwave??
It’s easy, crack an egg or two in a cup and cook in the microwave for 30
seconds, stir and cook for another 30. When all else fails think outside the
box and make a ‘non-breakfast’ choice. Example: last night’s leftovers,
a ham sandwich, etc. There are no food rules that say breakfast must be
cereal or toast.

​A: Absolutely. The health benefits of yoga reach far beyond simply being able to touch your toes, although for many people this is accomplishment enough.

Yoga has an impact on all systems of the body. It is beyond the space of this column to list the why behind it, but I can share a little of what is improved.
Most people don't realize that yoga helps to strengthen bone. It also increases muscle mass and improves strength. It also lubricates the joints and relieves every day aches and pains. In doing all this it also helps to teach the body how to maintain balance and avoid falls. Maybe better known is its connection to mental health. It is considered common knowledge that yoga helps with stress but not as many are aware that it is also known to help with depression and anxiety. In addition to these physical and mental benefits the breath work that is connected with the movement also impacts other our cardiovascular and respiratory health. Many chronic diseases are improved with the addition of yoga. The list could go on and on. In fact I encourage you to reach out to me to find out more about all the ways that yoga could help you!