Members get a daily Covid-19 topic focused on Covid in Tennessee.
Supporters are part of a self-improvement sub-group where value is dispensed daily on personal growth in all aspects of life, informed by many sources. New members welcome!
There's a sense that the delta spike in our region is plateauing, or at least the hospital census of Covid patients.
The rate of deaths and admissions is starting to balance.
The course of the illness doesn't seem to be impacted much by our tools once the patient reaches the tipping point of needing the ICU.
Some recover. Many don't. And our professionals are devastated by this.
We don't get desensitized to being the last person a patient talks with, or the last hand they held.
We don't get used to death. Not really.
What we do get, at least sometimes, is angry. Deeply angry. Because there is a proven way to not have full critical care beds and morgues.
But there's a very evangelical group undermining public confidence in that tool, and a lot of people who WANT to not get a shot.
These evangelists of mistrust are actively directing people away from the ONE THING (like it or not) that makes a difference.
(Yes, monoclonals can help, but must be given early in illness.)
Oh, I have questions, too, but I got my first shot on December 18, 2020. Happily. Because I'll take my chances on a vaccine over my chances with a highly communicable respiratory that our bodies do not know.
Yes, I took my chances, risking leaving wife and children without a father. I take a whole lot bigger chance every time I drive my Jeep to work. Every time I start my chainsaw. Every time I fly my plane.
Yes, fear of the unknown is harder to overcome than fear of the known, and easier to stir.
I hate getting shots.
But I'm an adult, and so I use my mind over my fear.
This is not about mandates. You know where I stand. Unequivocally oppose.
But I think a lot of people would rather die from Covid to spite the experts and the dictators.
Yes, I'm a little aggravated at the same BS being pumped out over and over and the hesitant taking that in and finding love from the evangelists, setting themselves up as more likely to be a statistic from my hospital.
Do not EVER use my posts to justify your not getting a vaccination for Covid. While I am far from blind, and am continuing to question everything, I can promise you that I'd rather you get a shot than get a ventilator.
My hospital is full of Covid patients, not vaccine patients.
Capisce?
Stay healthy.
I'm on a weekend night call schedule this weekend, which always leaves me feeling under-rested and generally icky.
But I wanted to remind you that outdoor exercise without screens is really good for your mental health.
Go outdoors, preferably into the woods.
Get in tune with those surroundings, the sights, the sounds, the smells, even the movement of air and the varying temperatures as you walk.
We were made to be outdoors.
We were definitely not made to work in cubicles.
One Degree!
What you want from your body will dictate what you need to set as goals, and the goals will determine what you'll end up having to change to attain them.
I've spoken many times about systems being better than goals, and my position has not changed.
But goals are easier to discuss and to understand, so for this week, we'll be very specific about goals.
Do you want more muscle mass?
Do you want to be stronger?
Do you want to run faster?
Do you want to gain weight?
Do you want to lose weight?
Do you want to improve general fitness?
Do you want longevity?
Do you want strong bones?
Do you want to earn a Black Belt?
Understanding the benefits and costs of each particular goal may help you decide what you want.
For example, if you want to compete in body-building competitions, you'll not be doing the same thing as if you were focused on longevity. Same with strength competitions.
But general fitness and longevity go fairly well together.
Running is great but will increase the likelihood of needing knee or hip ...
I'll make this one short and to the point.
Spring time change is hard on all of us. Having to get up an hour early doesn't make going to bed an hour earlier much easier.
Yes, it's nice to have more productive time in the evening.
But it's at the cost of forcing us out of be an hour earlier, as we all know.
Our challenge is to adjust our circadian rhythm to match the world's expectations around us.
My main strategy is supplementing with a dose of melatonin about a half hour before I need to be asleep. It helps most people fall asleep more readily.
If you need a nap during your day, take it between mid-morning and early afternoon. Limit it to 20 minutes.
Taking a longer or later nap may make it even harder to get off to sleep in time.
All of the other normal advice applies even moreso:
- Take a 20-minute walk after supper.
- No screen time for the last hour before bed.
- Listen to calm music after supper.
- Don't eat for 2 hours before bed.
- Don't have conflict-laden conversations ...
