Four Tips For Managing Stress During Crisis

The last few months have been nothing short of pure, totally destructive chaos and sure, we have proven alone that this is nothing compared to the times of hurricane disasters and barrages of tornadoes plowing throughout our communities tearing up everything in sight. When you think of the word crisis, what comes to mind? Being out of control? Feeling abnormal? Depressed? Anxious? Worried? Yes, yes and YES! Let’s not leave out that this current time of crisis that we are suffering from has led to a pandemic like no other — the kind that causes mass hysteria and panic buying so much so that aisles are out of basic necessities; such as water and paper products. People tried selling one roll of paper towel and toilet paper for $40.

Now from crisis, this yields outcomes of chronic illness such as worsening stress, anxiety, depression and self-diagnosis of unrelated illness to help alleviate the pain-staking toll this has taken on each and every household globally. Usually, I like to write about health and fitness (since my blog is about that) and I would like to discuss stress management and ways we can minimize the risks and negative outcomes during this time. In my work as a mental health screener at a private facility, I assess the level of danger that patients present to psychiatric emergency for and I work with children as young as 5 and adults as old as you can think of (99+).

For one, any crisis (whether an emergency room visit or failing an exam at school) can be challenging and difficult to cope with if certain things are not in place to minimize the effects of such. Below I will address four ways to promote healthy coping and positive stress management techniques:

Communicate with family and friends through video platforms: With the ever-so-growing world of technology comes the blessing of video chat apps. By going to your iOS Play Store on your phone or computer, you can type in “video calling app” and several results will yield. Since I have an Android phone, I use WhatsApp, Duo and Zoom. Other apps you can find are FaceTime (popular to iPhone users), Skype, JusTalk and IMO. The alternate option can be to text or call. This is a critical element that has affected the geriatric population that are not accustomed to video calling and has challenged our millennial generation to utilize these methods for communicate. We need one another, so while you practice ‘social distancing’, keep in touch with your loved ones.
Develop, practice and apply healthy coping mechanisms: Sure, a brisk walk or performing 10 push-ups might feel good in the short-term; yet plenty of studies have proven that the application of coping mechanisms has both, a short and long-term effect on our overall well-being. In a study by Patterson (2003) discussing the effects of coping and social support on work and life stress notes that “coping and support have a main effect on well-being. Second, when coping and social support are high, the negative effects of work stress on well-being are reduced.” One app that has useful material in called Calm and it has an array of breathing exercises and meditation with soothing music to ease your worries. To name a few, there is deep breathing, meditation/prayer, guided imagery by way of listening to a pre-recorded script, exercising for 30 minutes daily and utilizing pressure points to reduce anxiety. You can access any of the above throughout resources on the internet or by simply visiting YouTube and searching for your coping method of choice.
Minimize duration of news watching and alert on your phone: Easier said than done, of course, because you want to keep updated on what’s going on otherwise how will you know? It is one thing to turn on the TV for five minutes and listen to what is new and it is another to sit and binge watch ABC, CBS, CNN and BBC. Yes, this COVID-19 virus is lethal, fifteen times deadlier than the flu and it is here to stay. COVID-19 is killing people of all health ranges within a matter of hours and those who are second or third contact with a positive-tested member of their family need to stay home and self-quarantine themselves. So, watching the news all day and indulging yourself in new coverage 24/7/365 is not only unhealthy, it negates anything discussed above and will only cause more panic. You can simply keep up with the news for a short period of under 10 minutes and keep your day productive by completing house chores, keeping healthy and communicating with family/friends.
Practice good hygiene: I purposely left this for the end because if you don’t listen to anything else I have said so far, you will at least pay attention to this one. The whole reason behind the spread of this COVID-19 virus is behind the fact that people are not practicing good hygiene and taking serious care of their personal health. People are still meeting in groups, trying to hold weddings for God’s sake, not adhering to the mandatory stay-in orders and simply not washing their hands. According to the CDC (2020), “many countries and global organizations have adopted recommendations to wash hands for about 20 seconds (some recommend an additional 20-30 seconds for drying).” You can even make it fun by reminding yourself of the alphabet or singing happy birthday to yourself several times throughout the day. Getting bored? Create a snippet in your head because if you simply run water or choose not to wash your hands, you are causing your own downfall. This also means brush your teeth, shower, adhere to using a paper towel when opening door knobs and using them to turn the faucets of public restrooms on and off.

In conclusion and without boring you more to death, taking care of yourself will allow you to save the lives of others that include family members or friends that you reside with. Furthermore, it will protect the lives of others you come into contact with. With the shortage of medical supplies and N95 masks, you can simply create your own mask, use one of those grass cutting masks and safely quarantine yourself in your home. People are money strapped and with the promises of a stimulus check to help alleviate the stress this is causing on people’s financial health, we can use this time at home wisely to protect ourselves, our loved ones and educate our children about the importance of caring for your emotional, mental, physical and spiritual well-being. Be safe, be smart and be positive — for this too will pass!

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2020). Show Me The Science —

How To Wash Your Hands. Retrieved from:

https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/show-me-the-science-handwashing.html

Patterson, G.T. (2003). Examining the effects of coping and social support on work and

life stress among police officers. Journal of Criminal Justice, 31(3), pp 215-226.

Is The End Near??

Sure, it seems like the end of the world is here and we are in some apocalyptic-like era where businesses are co-existing among failed systems that govern our bodies. Now, we have had our fair share of disasters that we’re legit; such as 9/11, Hurricane Sandy and lastly, Maria. But for the year 2020, all you millennial’s and alike, are poorly coping with what we call a pandemic. What was once only a cause for concern in China had quickly become a dire call for help from countries like Italy, Spain & France. We are talking about cases going from 10 to 500 in a matter of hours; one case in which 364 deaths were reported in Italy in a 24-hour period. Are you kidding me!?

Yesterday, I went grocery shopping for one item and decided to browse the aisles to see if people were panic buying or choosing wisely. Sure enough, I banked on panic buying and was correct. Store shelves of paper products and water were wiped out and the only aisle full of products were for dogs, cats and birds. Go figure! I guess the animals are not as worried as we are because they are walking around as though it is just another day!

One may think the end is near or at least, this may be the end of our rope, and I am sorry to break it to you but we are very far from the end. We are in a global crisis — some call it pandemonium, others call it chaos — and others just call it social distancing. Let’s not forget that we live in a society that is impulsive and reactive rather than one that thinks critically and decisively before deciding whether to order everyone to self-quarantine for two weeks. No you will not be on house arrest or have a tracker placed on your persons to determine everywhere you go. We have to act fast and act smart before we continue to react and explode from impulsive combustion.

During this time of crisis, air on the side of caution by washing your hands, cleaning your home, limiting time spent out at stores where large groups may gather in close proximity and most importantly, DON’T stop living your life!

‘Til next time…

Taking Care of Your Mind

Ever feel consumed with thoughts that you can’t sleep? Have trouble prioritizing your day-to-day responsibilities that you feel ill-accomplished? What about have to decide whether you should hit the gym, catch a power nap or work another 8 hours to earn side cash for monthly bills? If you have said yes to any of the above, then you my friend, are perfectly alright. As the famous words have been echoed over and over in my mind that ‘this too shall pass’.

Outside of going to your bi-annual check-up with your general practitioner to ensure your health is in check, the one part of our bodies we neglect is our mind. Imagine an air control tower and the people inside are making critical decisions and directing what planes can land and what planes can depart. The same goes for our mind as it is the air control tower of our bodies. Throughout our evolution of time, we move from underdeveloped to developed to deteriorating — all throughout the length of whatever time we are allowed on this planet. So, in this short period time, I find it fit to write about ways to take care of our mind and what we can do to promote longevity in our livelihood.

For starters, the things we expose our minds to on a daily basis shape our thinking. For example, if you watch the news every morning, then nine times out of ten you will start your day off with disgust. If you wake up, take a shower and eat a hearty breakfast while playing some of your favorite tunes, you will most likely go into work or school with excitement. You have heard the statements before that kids who are exposed to violent games and shows are more likely to be violent themselves or act out behaviors because the exposure to this content has been normalized. But then again, not every child exposed to violence or first-shooter games will turn out to be serial mass murderers. So please be cognizant of what you expose yourself to and how you start your day.

Second on my list is exercise and diet. Of course you are thinking to yourself: “I know he was going to write about exercise and diet!” and you would be correct! Truth be told, practicing daily exercise regimes and eating a balanced diet will prolong your health and life in unimaginable ways. One of the leading causes of disability in the United States is clinical depression and sure enough, over 300 million people suffer from it worldwide (Koskie et al., 2018). More so, a healthy diet can protect the human body against certain types of diseases, in particular noncommunicable diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, some types of cancer and skeletal conditions (WHO et al., 2020). Eat your colored veggies, pack on protein, add in some delicious fiber and grains, exercise 30 minutes three times a week and don’t forget to reward yourself for a job well done!

Lastly, take time for yourself to relax and wind down because with all the hustle-and-bustle, you can neglect self-care and self-love. One simple way to do so is plan out one day a week that you dedicate to yourself to do whatever you choose — whether you attend a concert, sporting event or go for your favorite ice cream. The most common questions I ask my patients are: (1) What coping mechanisms do you practice? (2) What hobbies and interests do you have? Surprisingly, 90% respond with “I don’t have any”, “I don’t have time for that” and “I don’t know.” We must not work to live nor live to work; instead we must create our own journey, love and respect ourselves and take care of our minds. I wish you well…

Namaste!

Sources:

Koskie, B. (2018). Depression: Facts, Statistics and You. Retrieved from :

https://www.healthline.com/health/depression/facts-statistics-infographic#2

World Health Organization (2020). A Healthy Lifestyle: Benefits of A Balanced Diet.

Retrieved from: euro.who.int/en/health-topics/disease-prevention/nutrition/a-

healthy-lifestyle/benefits-of-a-balanced-diet

Recipe: Liver With Garlic & Onions

One of my most favorite meats aside from rabbit and venison is liver. The kind of liver purchased was beef-based and weighed in a 1.08 pounds. Typically, I have lessened my red meat intake to a few times a year and focus on the purchase of leaner, less fatty meats like chicken and turkey. Since beginning a new job a few weeks ago, I began to utilize my Jax Meal Prep lunchbox. The lunchbox includes a shaker bottle, four 2 cups containers and two 1 cup containers along with an ice pack.

I have successfully been utilizing this lunchbox for meal prep and without a weight, I have to rely on my eye to gauge the ounces amount. I cook Sunday afternoons and Wednesday evenings; so that I am covered for the week and my typical meals consist of barley, chicken and vegetables. For the sake of this recipe, I am using an electric stove for cooking.

Ingredients:

1 tsp of honey

Small pinch of dill weed

1/16 oz black pepper

1/2 onion (ringed)

6 garlic pieces

1/8 oz Mrs. Dash salt-free

1/8 oz Montreal Steak Seasoning

Small pinch of oregano

1/8 oz Italian Seasoning

1 Tbsp Pinot Grigio

1 Tbsp Merlot Wine

2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Natural Lime Juice Container

Preparation:

Take meat out of packaging and slice into cubes or thin 1″ pieces that satisfy your desire for sliced meat or cubed (typically used for stew).
Place meat in a colander and run cold water. Pour four to five drops of lime juice into water and let meat sit for four minutes. Pour out liquid after time has elapsed.
Throw seasonings into colander and mix together with meat and let meat sit for two minutes.
Take a vegetable slicing knife and cut garlic into small, tiny pieces. Take 1/2 onion and peel skin off the pieces. Cut 1/4″ thin slices while maintaining ring-shape. Pour 1 Tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil into non-stick pan and proceed to place garlic and onions in. Pour 1 Tbsp of Merlot wine into pan and simmer on low flame for 5 to 7 minutes.
Take a larger non-stick cooking pan and pour 1 Tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil into pan. Pre-heat for 30 seconds and place seasoned meat while cooking on knob level six for 90 seconds, then lower to knob level 4. Place cover over pan and allow meat to steam cook for four minutes before taking cover off and turning over other side of meat to cook for another four minutes. After doing this, pour 1 Tbsp of Pinot Grigio into pan and 1/4 cup of water to add flavor and prevent drying of meat. This process can be repeated at least two to three cycles.
When the meat appears to be browning, you can place the knob level to low and toss in the sauteed vegetables. Allow this to simmer for three to four minutes.
Slice into the meat to ensure it is fully cooked to desired level. Your dish is now ready to be served.
Take tongs and place meat pieces into dish. Take another tong and dress onions and garlic over the meat. Take natural honey and place a tsp on the side of the dish.

Cook Time:

Total cooking time should take up to 25 minutes.

Bon Appetit!

Five Strategies for Success In 2020 Resolutions

Recently, I created a video on my YouTube channel to discuss five strategies for attaining success in the new year and with the new year steadfastly approaching, new years resolutions are being made. Weight loss, weight gain, travel to Hawaii and Bali, make a new friend or possibly landing your dream job. Whether you are in the category of any of these or have other plans in order, I want to set you straight with five ways for you to be successful and joyful in the new year.

Start with you: Sounds easy right? Well it is if you are responsible, disciplined and hold yourself accountable for all the choices and decisions that you make in executing your plan. Imagine that YOU are the control tower and your life revolves around how well you are reading the radar and screens in front of your regarding planes departing and arriving on your tarmac. You are radioed in that a flight arriving from Germany is ready to land; however a flight leaving for Japan in on the same tarmac needed to leave. I am no flight expert in any way; however two planes cannot simultaneously fly out and land on the same tarmac at the same time. So a decision must be made to direct the arriving flight to hold off on landing due to a flight departing.

How does this even relate you ask? You are in control of your life: the decisions you make have consequences and the choices you make have repercussions. You know you and what works best for you, as well as, what has not worked in the past. Be the best you for the best outcome in 2020.

2. Set short term, realistic goals: When starting off with a workout plan, begin with short-term realistic goals rather than long-term, unrealistic goals. Each new year that begins during the months of January through March, there is a 150% spike in membership because people want to lose weight and make transformations to their bodies that they are unhappy with from the previous year. Commercial fitness facilities hold sales such as “$0 down and first month free” or “no enrollment fee and just $9.95 per month”. I would not turn that deal down either!

When you begin your gym journey, begin with attendance two to three times a week for a duration of 30 minutes throughout the first month. For the second month, you may maintain this same schedule or increase to three times a week for 30 minute duration. For the third month, you may maintain at three times a week or increase to four times weekly. It is important to maintain this schedule to set a routine for yourself that is easy to maintain and does not place a burden on your daily activity.

3. Cut out bad habits/unhealthy eating: In order to reach your fitness goals, sacrifices will have to be made and it is your responsibility to be disciplined in maintaining this practice. Of course, cutting out your favorite dessert or fried foods may be difficult at first and discipline is not something that comes like riding bicycle to all. Below are a list of foods and practice that need to be cut to attain your health goal:

Fast food products such as Popeyes, Chick-fil-A, BK and other chains
Reduce heavily oiled cooking and reliance on non-natural seasonings
No alcohol
No candy/sweets
Quit smoking/vaping/drug use

4. Limit screen time: Screen time is destroying our youth and generations that follow. We are becoming so consumed in our need to have a phone or tablet that it is changing our moods, reducing socialization and forcing stores to close and replace humans with robots. Children are isolating themselves, adults are divorcing and animals have their own YouTube, Instagram and Facebook accounts — the driving force being this obsession with a need to be ahead. This obsession is the very thing that can very well hinder your success in life or may help with your entrepreneurship.

When it comes to reaching your fitness goals, leave your phone in the car or at home because your phone will not help you lose weight, get muscles or make you faster. Your phone may count your steps, but having your phone on you at the gym is not a necessity unless, and only unless, you use it for music purposes only. There is nothing more annoying then watching someone texting non-stop while sitting on a machine they are not using. The machine is not your sofa or couch with popcorn. By limiting your screen time in the gym, you will maximize your results.

5. Follow the 80/20 rule: The 80/20 rule emphasizes 80% focus on dieting/healthy eating and 20% on lifestyle practices. You want to eat healthy and change your diet to curtail dishes that are balanced. The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion has a 2015-2020 Health Guideline that can guide you to make smart choices in the food products you choose. At the end of this article, I will include a hyperlink you can click to access the guidelines homepage. I know you are asking yourself: can I really do this? I am not sure I am capable of doing all this. I understand and empathize with you because we all fear change for the outcome is unknown and some of us do not want to change even though you are well-aware change is necessary for health reasons.

You can do this, you can empower yourself and you can be successful. If you are not sure where to start or how to use a machine, ask a member of the gym to show you. You are not obligated to purchase training sessions if you choose not to and gym staff are often available to answer questions you have. Remember, this all begins and ends with you. Check out my YouTube video below for more tips! When you achieve goals, reward yourself with a healthy, positive thing. I wish you joy, luck and success in your 2020!

~N10~

Link: https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/

How To Stay Joyful During The Holiday Season

When we think about the holidays, usually it is a time of happiness and joy; whereas for others it is a time of grief and sadness. Loved ones have passed on and Christmas dinners just are not the same anymore. The joy of opening gifts, getting unexpected surprises, socializing with family you have not seen throughout the whole year and whatever else comes to mind just is not valued the same as it used to be. Whether you are travelling or staying home for the holidays, you want to ensure that first-and-foremost, you remain joyful.

So, how does one stay happy during this holiday season? Good question because I am writing this article with myself and countless individuals I have met throughout the year — through volunteering, engaging in community and civic activities, co-workers, family, friends and acquaintances. So again I ask: how do you stay happy during the holiday season? I have devised a list of what things work for me and help keep me in check when times may be more difficult than others.

If you are alone for the holidays, take yourself out on a date. You do not have to spend tons of money or splurge, you can simply head to the cinema, your favorite bookstore or go for a stroll in the park. Most towns also have Christmas meals at the local church or VFW for those spending the holidays alone.
Call over a friend or make a new friend. I’m not saying go to the bar, get drunk and bring home all your other new drunk buddies. Head to a local business and spark up a conversation with someone new. If not, call over a friend and spend some quality time over a meal or catching up on new things.
If you’re invited over someone’s home, ask if there is anything you can contribute to the menu. Again, do not go all out and buy a $50 cake. Something as simple as pastries, a baked pie or making a small entree tray will do — just be sure to ask if there are any food restrictions or allergies their guests may have.
Do not feel guilty or obligated to get someone a gift if you cannot afford to. The simplest gesture is being there and spending quality time with friends/family. Too often, our society has created the norm that you have to give a gift and spend a ridiculous amount of money on someone just to show how much you care. If you do, I would re-evaluate who you family and friends really are.
Attend a holiday event. Since I am in New Jersey, most people either travel to community theaters to see The Nutcracker or Radio City Music Hall for the Rockettes. More so, most towns host a Christmas tree lighting event that often have music, hot cocoa and sometimes Christmas giveaways from Santa, himself.

I wish that you have a wonderful and joyous holiday!

My First Blog Post

Welcome to my fitness and health blog!

“Every journey leads to a maze of dreams.”
— Self-quoted.

This is my first post and I’m brand new to blogging; however I wanted to build from my social media platform and share ideas, thoughts and workouts. The blog will consist of new weekly posts regarding workout plans, meal prepping, how to correctly portion-size meals and discuss any new material that comes to fruition. Stay tuned for new weekly content and I look forward to building with you all!

Are You Ready for Next Level Growth?

Long before even considering a blog or having a growing social media platform, I was sitting in my room contemplating which one of my many interests I would pursue. Would it be arts? Poetry? Muralist? YouTuber and blogger never popped into my mind until this past year when I was encouraged by a friend to post my workout video online. Low and behold, in a few months time, I found myself with 1,000 subscribers and focusing on growing my watch time. While I love art, poetry and painting, my real passions are fitness and healthy eating. So, here I am writing without a clue of where to start!