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 confirmed SARS-CoV2 infection numbers, Saturday to today, are 1,059, 902, and 729. Fifteen people were reported to have died from Covid-19 since Friday, and hospitalizations have leapt to 702 patients hospitalized in the State. Positivity is back over 12%.
I postulated yesterday that the delta variant may well be far less lethal than the alpha. An astute and learned reader pointed out that I may be ignoring the impact of vaccination on the numbers, and he is not wrong. I have found no way to tease out the apples-to-apples numbers, as the reporting is not combining the vaccinated to unvaccinated rates of demise from delta.
My gut, though, is that delta is going to finish the job of getting to herd immunity due to its extremely high viral loads and easy entry into our cells.
Further, I hope that those who have chosen to forego vaccination are in good health, and acquire the smallest possible initial dose of virus particles when you catch delta. Keep getting sunlight or taking D3 supplementation, don't have dietary deficiencies, and don't stay obese.
The Veterans' Administration sent letters to its employees today that Covid vaccination will be mandatory for all employees. This policy, as it has been presented, does not recognize naturally acquired immunity from prior infection as an equivalent to getting vaccination. Any employee, including physicians, may be disciplined or terminated if they fail to comply. If you are a regular reader, you can infer my opinion of this mandate.
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 ...
