Month: November 2020

Who Is The Event Planner In Your Family?

This next week is the kick-off to the holiday season and I am expecting that it will be different for each of you in comparison to previous years. Between my parents and the families of my five siblings, we usually split up the menu, the cleaning, the decorating and errands. Cooking occurs in 4-5 different kitchens before it is all brought together in my parent’s home. This process makes feeding 20-30 adults appear easy.

My family will not be traveling to Texas this year so I started to take stock of what all needs to happen this week. There will only be five of us this year in my home. I could feel anxiety building up as I pulled out my Thanksgiving planner and realized that there was a lot to do. Eeeek!

 

What do gatherings look like for you and your friends and family?  This year the festivities will probably be different.  What all has to happen and who usually does it?  What can you afford to do?  

Let’s look at this week’s activities.

  • What is your family going to do this year?
  • Who are you going to spend the day with?
  • What needs to be done?
  • Who’s the event planner in your family?
  • What will be on your menu?
  • Who is paying for what?
  • Who’s the shopper?
  • Who’s the cook?
  • Who cleans up?
  • What else?

If the answer is ‘me’ to most of these questions, what can you do to reduce your stress and anxiety this week? If you do not own any of the duties listed above, what can you step up and do?

 Look at the invite list.  Is there anyone who can share the workload and errands? How much meal prep can occur ahead of time and who will do it? How are you going to build in a way to make sure that you get to enjoy the day as well?

Holidays should be enjoyed by all.  By planning out the day and the participants, you can come up with a plan to ensure that everything gets done and that everyone gets to enjoy the day.  

As you look forward to all of the different celebrations coming up in the next 6 weeks, apply this same approach to all of them.  After everyone has enjoyed their feast, make a preliminary plan for any upcoming gatherings so that everyone knows what their future tasks will be.  By laying the framework out, it will make for a more pleasant and less stressful experience for all.

 

Invest In Your Health By Setting Health Goals

I am so not a cold weather person. I am in Pittsburgh for a couple of days and arrived yesterday to very windy and cold weather. One of my first thoughts was ‘I am not walking in this!’

 

I am asking for you to invest in your health by setting health goals.  As you think about how to do this, think about building in movement into each of your days.  What challenges do you face? You may not be able to set up an exercise plan due to medical conditions or disabilities but if your clinician has given you the green light, find something to do that makes you move more.

 

Hot, cold or rainy weather, home situations, shorter days, new COVID restrictions on gyms, malls and other outdoor venues may all impact your ability to get a workout in.

 

Look around you.  Your setting may be in a shelter,  on a couch with a friend or in your home.  You may not have the room or specific equipment (treadmills, stationary bikes, elliptical or weight lifting equipment) available to you but if you can sit or walk, you can move.  

 

 

Invest In Your Health By Setting Health Goals

  • I will talk to my clinician about starting an exercise routine.
  • I will look at YouTube videos or other online resources and find a series that I like and set a start date within 2 weeks.
  • I will look at my calendar and schedule three 30-minute blocks of time for exercise each week.
  • I will invite my spouse/friend/family member to join me in these exercises.
  • I will keep all of my appointments with myself and not cancel any of the sessions.

We have a  Monthly & Daily Health Goals  planner for you to use.  Write out your weekly and monthly goals.  Writing them down and posting them on the fridge or your mirror will allow you to see them daily.  This will help keep you on track.  You can also click on the Resources Tab to find this planner.

This is a great time to do this.  This will keep the extra holiday pounds at bay, provide natural endorphins to help you counteract the mental stressors that you face every day and make you physically stronger.  Are you ready to do this? 

 

Will Pap Smears Become a Thing of the Past?

Will Pap smears become a thing of the past?  I hope so!   One of the most dreaded exams for a female is having a pelvic exam done so their clinician can collect a Pap smear specimen.  The test used to be done each year but the great news is that technology has continued to improve and this is no longer true.      

The Well Woman’s Chart states that cervical cancer screenings are recommended for all women between the ages of 21-65. This does not mean that you need the screening done every year; your age and past results determines your management plan.  These recommendations may not apply to you if you have had a hysterectomy, have HIV, are immunocompromised, were exposed to DES in utero or were treated for high grade dysplasia in the last twenty years.  Your clinician will be able to give you guidance on the timing.  Did you notice that I used the term ‘cervical cancer screening’ instead of just saying a Pap smear?  I used the word Pap smears above but I want you to learn the new wording.  

 

Your personal risk score

Have you seen the results of your previous test results?  If not, keep looking for it.  If you have access to your patient portal you may be able to look at the actual report.  Do you understand the results?  If you have always have had normal results and do not have the risk factors described above, then the cervical cancer screening intervals are below.

Less than 21 years of age: No screenings

Ages 21-29: Cytology only (Pap smear test) every 3 years

Ages 30-65: You have three options:

    • Cytology only (Pap smear test) every 3 years
    • High-risk Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) test only every 5 years
    • Cytology plus Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) test (co-testing) every 5 years

What if the results were abnormal at some point?  This is where the biggest changes will occur because now it is based on your personal risk score.  There are new algorithms that take your personal results over time to determine what to do next.  There are too many variations for us to discuss here but your clinician should be able to walk you through the decision making process. If they can’t do that, ask for a referral to a gynecologist who can review your specific case.

 

key points

  • New guidelines were issued in 2020.
  • No screenings done under the age of 21.
  • Yearly Pap smears are no longer the standard of care if your results are negative.
  • The HPV vaccine protects against the virus that causes cervical, vaginal and vulvar cancers.

 

Anxiety Word Cloud

7 Ways To Combat Election Anxiety

Who is ready for this election cycle to be over?  I definitely am!  

I have heard from so many about how stressed they are about the potential outcomes of this election cycle at all levels; local, state and national.  This has been a long election cycle during a pandemic where people have more free time on their hands.  The endless news cycle with both sides pummeling their audiences can be mind-numbing.  Having a civil discourse became difficult in many circles.  

I have been working with many individuals who have been working on personal and professional areas of growth. Some have been working on self-awareness, conflict management, how to deal with difficult employees and on coping skills to help deal with anxiety. This is a great time for them to use these new skills to help them get through the next week.

My parents told me at a young age that the politicians in Washington, DC make the laws but what truly impacts you day to day is what happens in your backyard. As I was raising my family and in my work, I have focused on those things that impacted those areas. 

Regardless of who wins, I ask that you continue to take the passion you have been expressing to truly begin or continue working in your communities. Even better, go up the chain as far as you can.  If you are new to this, pick one thing to focus on and then expand as your time allows.

School boards, County Commissioners, planning commissions, Boards of Health, PTOs, church councils, state government meetings, task forces and so, so many ways to become involved. This is just the tip of the iceberg.  You have a computer at your finger tips which allows you to ‘attend’ many of these meetings.  Many of these entities record their sessions so you can watch them at your convenience.  

Find your passion and become involved. Speak up for those who don’t feel like they have a voice. Listen to those who have a different perspective and opinions to see what you can learn. Accept that not all of your views will be accepted by all. That is OK. Regroup and figure out how to move forward.  

So what can you do to get through the week?

Seven Ways To Combat Election Anxiety

  • Limit the amount of news that you watch to 10-15 minute snippets
  • Stay off of social media
  • Take a walk outside and absorb some sunshine
  • Work on a project that requires focus
  • Exercise
  • Interact with nature
  • Watch your favorite comedy

What will you do to relieve election anxiety?