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!
Tennessee Covid update:
Hospitalizations: 1,116
Deaths: 91
Positivity: 14.55%
National population in the US grew at the lowest rate on record this year, thanks to effects from Covid. The Wall Street Journal is reporting a growth rate of 0.1% in the year ending July 1. This is unsustainable. Live births exceeded deaths in the US by only 148,000, well below the number of inbound immigration.
For better or for worse, there is a very finite amount of monoclonal antibody treatments available. Nationwide distribution has only been 200,000 doses for the current 2-week period, with only 2,664 doses allocated to Tennessee. Given that we had nearly 3,000 new positives just today, it's easy to see how only a small percentage of people will get the treatment.
If you have risk factors for severe Covid, you have to be especially aggressive if you intend to get monoclonal antibodies. You must be your own advocate, and you cannot wait to see how sick you'll get. You want to get monoclonals at the earliest possible opportunity.
If you get so sick that you require hospitalization, you will not qualify for monoclonal antibodies, nor can you receive them if you now are requiring oxygen because of your Covid.
There are reports now that the Pfizer Covid pill, known as Paxlovid, may receive FDA authorization this week. Pfizer has already shipped a number of doses into the US to expedite availability once approved. Efficacy numbers currently being reported reflect about a 90% reduction in hospitalization and death for high-risk individuals. This compares to around 30% risk reduction for Merck's pill molnupiravir.
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 ...
