Will Protests Set Off a Second Viral Wave?

Across the country, mayors, public health experts and other officials worry that even though many protesters are wearing masks, the risk of new coronavirus cases will increase as thousands gather.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2MijsXe
via health&fitness

Coronavirus Continues to Disrupt Prescription Drug Supplies

Patients who rely on chloroquine and other medications fear they won’t be able to get needed refills because of high demand.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3daIQu7
via health&fitness

Coronavirus Live Updates: Nations Forge Ahead With Reopenings, as Global Cases Surpass 6 Million

President Trump postponed the G7 summit set for next month after Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany said she would not attend, citing the pandemic.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2zEh7DA
via health&fitness

Do Runners Need to Wear Masks?

Some people have taken to yelling (online and off) at people exercising without masks. But does it really matter?

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2B9wvIe
via health&fitness

Coronavirus Global News Tracker: Live Updates

President Trump said the United States would end its relationship with the W.H.O. The Supreme Court rejected a California church’s challenge to attendance limits. And crowd restrictions have put Russia’s beleaguered opposition on the back foot.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3cie3tO
via health&fitness

Scientists Question Major Hydroxychloroquine Study

Experts demanded verification of data and methods used in a study of drugs to treat Covid-19. The study suggested the drugs might have increased deaths.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2ZWGWcq
via health&fitness

Blaming China for Pandemic, Trump Says U.S. Will Leave the W.H.O.

America’s decades-long relationship with the organization has been instrumental in improving health around the world.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/36IJX1u
via health&fitness

It’s Not Whether You Were Exposed to the Virus. It’s How Much.

The pathogen is proving a familiar adage: The dose makes the poison.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2MaHC5Z
via health&fitness

Testing Is Key to Beating Coronavirus, Right? Japan Has Other Ideas

The country has reported fewer deaths than other major nations and ended a state of emergency even while maintaining a low testing rate.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2yKfCmN
via health&fitness

Scientists Question Validity of Major Hydroxychloroquine Study

Experts are demanding verification of data and methods used in a study of malaria drugs used to treat Covid-19. The study suggested the drugs may have increased deaths.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2Xd6nER
via health&fitness

Live Coronavirus News and Updates

New federal guidance on how to safely reopen businesses would transform the corporate work experience. Epicenters of the pandemic shift both across the U.S. and around the world. Day cares are reopening, leaving parents with tough choices.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2ZMLYs1
via health&fitness

Live Coronavirus News and Updates

New federal guidance on how to safely reopen businesses would transform the corporate work experience. Epicenters of the pandemic shift both across the U.S. and around the world. Day cares are reopening, leaving parents with tough choices.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2ZMLYs1
via health&fitness

Coronavirus Pandemic: Live Global Updates

Doctors worry that India’s lockdown, which began two months ago, is being eased too soon. In Indonesia, the caseload has doubled since early May to nearly 25,000.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3dcprsI
via health&fitness

The Birds Are Not on Lockdown, and More People Are Watching Them

Bird-watching has surged in popularity during the pandemic. It’s easy to start, and you can do it anywhere — even from inside, and even in urban spaces.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2XFMtRZ
via health&fitness

Coronavirus Live: Global Updates

Doctors fear a lockdown that began two months ago is being eased too soon. In Indonesia, the caseload has doubled since early May to nearly 25,000.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2X9TQCd
via health&fitness

What’s the Risk of Catching Coronavirus From a Surface?

Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2ZJ0ilj
via health&fitness

The Perseverance of André Watts

Putting physical disability on view in the highly competitive arena of classical music takes grit; playing with invisible disease seemed even more terrifying to me.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2MiEC7X
via health&fitness

C.D.C. Suggests Big Changes to Offices: Temperature Checks and Desk Shields

If followed, the guidelines would transform the everyday experience of employees across the country, from executives to clerical workers.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2zDPaLS
via health&fitness

Rediscovering Wine After Covid-19

Aside from its toll on human life, the pandemic has also stolen little things, like the ability to smell and taste. How a neurologist found a deeper relationship with wine.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/36CYRGF
via health&fitness

Coronavirus News in USA: Live Updates

Masks become a flash point for businesses, with many requiring them — and a few banning them. Cases are still rising in Wisconsin, where a court overturned the governor’s stay-at-home order. About 1 in 4 American workers have filed for unemployment since March.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2Ahi04U
via health&fitness

Temperature Checks and Desk Shields: C.D.C. Suggests Big Changes to Offices

If followed, the guidelines would transform the everyday experience of employees across the country, from executives to clerical workers.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3ewj7w6
via health&fitness

When a Close Friend Has Doubts About Vaccinations

Health experts offer ways to approach the charged topic when speaking with people you care about.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2XFiJ7R
via health&fitness

Margaret Maughan, Medal-Winning Wheelchair Athlete, Dies at 91

Paralyzed from the waist down, she won gold in archery and swimming at the first Paralympic Games in 1960 and became an advocate of sports as therapy.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2M9s8iM
via health&fitness

Live Coronavirus News

Another 700,000 infections have been reported in just the last week as the Americas and the Middle East confronted more cases. And in Mexico, the pandemic is straining a hobbled health care system.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3dgmjvO
via health&fitness

Pride and Panic: Children of Health Care Workers Grapple With Pandemic

Children whose parents work on the front lines of the coronavirus outbreak worry about jobs they say are important but hazardous.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2M4rhje
via health&fitness

Coronavirus Live Updates: Testing in the U.S. Becomes Major Campaign Issue

Testing becomes a campaign issue: President Trump would leave it to the states, while Joseph R. Biden Jr. said he would create a national program. Even the hardest-hit cities are far from herd immunity.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2zCvhVD
via health&fitness

Coronavirus Live Updates: Testing in the U.S. Becomes Major Campaign Issue

Testing becomes a campaign issue: President Trump would leave it to the states, while Joseph R. Biden Jr. said he would create a national program. Even the hardest-hit cities are far from herd immunity.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2zCvhVD
via health&fitness

‘It’s Too Late’: In Sprawling Indonesia, Coronavirus Surges

A random sampling of thousands found that one in 10 had antibodies for the coronavirus, an alarming glimpse at what could be runaway transmission.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/36DgLsX
via health&fitness

Coronavirus Globally: Live Coverage

A fire tore through a Covid-19 ward in Bangladesh, killing five. And scientists are revising the timeline of when the virus reached Europe and the United States.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2M2eRZk
via health&fitness

‘We Loved Each Other’: Fauci Recalls Larry Kramer, Friend and Nemesis

In public, the activist berated the infectious disease expert for federal inaction on AIDS. But their affection lasted decades and changed the course of the epidemic.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3gnpsMe
via health&fitness

Live Coronavirus News Updates

Scientists are revising the timeline of how the virus spread. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said she would direct public school districts to share federal aid with private schools.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2X6lFLC
via health&fitness

Coronavirus Globally: Live Coverage

As concerns about a much-touted Covid-19 drug grow, France has revoked its authorization as a treatment. In China, the rise of virus-tracking apps is stirring privacy fears.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2XElfuW
via health&fitness

Coronavirus Epidemics Began Later Than Believed, Study Concludes

In Washington State and Italy, the first confirmed cases were not linked to the outbreaks that followed, the analysis found. The epidemics were seeded later.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/36CP3fW
via health&fitness

Is Takeout and Delivery Food Safe?

Yes, if you follow some common-sense guidelines. Here are some answers from health experts.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2TLwgJR
via health&fitness

Coronavirus Isn’t Keeping Florida Crowds From SpaceX Launch

Many beachside hotels along the state’s Space Coast were already at full capacity before Wednesday’s scheduled launch, a local tourism executive said.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2X8HwSK
via health&fitness

Experts Fear Increase in Postpartum Mood and Anxiety Disorders

New and expecting moms are facing pandemic-related fears on top of social isolation.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2B7Zdt9
via health&fitness

A Possible Remedy for Pandemic Stress: Exercise

People who stayed physically active while sheltering were less depressed and more mentally resilient than those whose activity levels declined.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2ZGNThG
via health&fitness

Big Pharmacy Chains Also Fed the Opioid Epidemic, Court Filing Says

New details emerge in a lawsuit asserting that chains including CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens sold millions of pills in small towns but rarely flagged suspicious orders to authorities.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2TIfBXL
via health&fitness

Coronavirus Live Updates: As Renter Protections End, Worry Over an ‘Avalanche of Evictions’

For renters who’ve survived financially with help from the government and laws barring eviction, time is running out. Despite analysts’ forecasts, investors keep pushing the stock market higher.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2TCUExp
via health&fitness

They Evoke Darth Vader, but These Masks May Save Your Doctor’s Life

With medical masks in short supply, several hospitals have turned to industrial models. They get rave reviews and are allowed by the F.D.A., but the Trump administration has no plans to encourage distribution or production.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2X6c5so
via health&fitness

Finding, and Curing, Cancers May Be Another Casualty of Coronavirus

As the death tolls rise to the coronavirus pandemic, those of us who specialize in oncology are bracing for another wave of victims: People not yet diagnosed with cancer.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2zof7PL
via health&fitness

To Fight Covid-19, Don’t Neglect Immunity and Inflammation

After seeing who is most likely to become infected and die, immunity and inflammation warrant further discussion and public attention.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2TAKCga
via health&fitness

Live Coronavirus Updates

El Salvador’s president says he takes hydroxychloroquine. China’s young workers are struggling to find jobs. Indonesia’s leader said he would deploy troops and police officers to help slow the virus.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2XC9aGG
via health&fitness

Why Boosting Your Immune System Makes You Feel Sicker (And 8 Other Facts That Will Protect Your Health)

“You have a supercharged immune system…and that is why you’re so sick.”

I’ll never forget the words from my immunologist. It was the same speculation I heard a week earlier from my oncologist, right after a relieving conversation where she shared that I didn’t have cancer. If I’m being open, this was the third time I’d heard about my overachieving immune system, as the words echoed what my rheumatologist had suspected, as well. 

Now, before you think this is about some rare disease or a catchy headline, I’m sharing my story because it’s an important lesson for you and how you can protect your health. In the face of coronavirus concerns and immune system hype, I’ve watched helplessly as supplement manufacturers have blatantly lied about the realities of “boosting” your immunity.

For more than 20 years, I’ve suffered from inexplicably high fevers without any answers. My fevers would last for more than 60 days and run upwards of 104 degrees, forcing me into delirium, causing me to lose upwards of 30 pounds, and leaving me a shell of a human. 

Of all the things I expected to find out —  cancer, infectious disease, the plague (that’s what I called my mysterious illness — a “boosted immune system” was the last thing on my mind. But, this became my reality once I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder.

If you want to really understand what you can do to work with the natural functions of your body, it’s important to know that a “boosted” immune system is not what you think and not what you want. Instead, it’s time to rethink sickness and disease — and follow these science-backed recommendations to help you stay as healthy as possible.

How Your Immune System Really Works

It didn’t take the outbreak of coronavirus to make you worry about your immune system. The multivitamin industry is a multi-billion dollar business. From Vitamin C gummies to antioxidant drinks and zinc lozenges, there’s no shortage of options that promise to protect your immune response.

The only problem is, like most supplements, there’s a lot more smoke (read: marketing) than substance. 

With a few exceptions, most vitamins and minerals won’t do anything for your immune system unless you are severely malnourished and deficient. And, we’re not talking about missing your daily fruits and vegetables. We’re talking about you living in a perpetual state of sickness.

The idea that you can pop a pill, drink a fizzy potion, chug kombucha, super-charge with billions and billions of probiotics, mainline IV cocktails, or do anything else to “boost” your immune system is…well…how can I put this clearly…

It’s bullshit.  

This is not doom and gloom or a haters anthem. Just the opposite. There are a few impactful things you can do (without spending money) to protect your immune system. But, there just happen to be many (many) more potentially useless options that don’t. 

A quick disclaimer: if you take multivitamins, Greens drinks, or other supplements for a variety of other reasons — or just to fill the gaps in your diet — there’s no need to stop if it works for you. This is just about what you can really do to help support your immune system.

Here are 8 truths that will change the way you think of your body, save you money, and  — most importantly — make it easier to course-correct and take care of yourself both before and after you get sick. 

Immune System 101

Your immune system might be the most impressive design of the human body. You have two different components that protect you from disease — the innate and the adaptive. 

Your body has a first line of defense, like your skin and mucous membranes. Once a disease passes through, that’s when your innate immune response kicks in. These the proteins and cells that fight against any disease or infection by increasing inflammation (yes, inflammation can be a good thing — more on this later) to create a protective barrier aimed at preventing the spread of any infection that has penetrated your body.

The easiest way to think about this is imagining the behind-the-scenes magic your body works after you get a cut anywhere on your body and you need to heal with simultaneously preventing the creation or spread infection.

On the other hand, the adaptive immune response is what you probably think about as your immune system. This how your body responds when you get sick and your body quickly works to recognize the disease, create antibodies or immune cells, and defeat the infection, bacteria, or virus. 

This function (and limitations) of your adaptive immune system is both what makes coronavirus so dangerous — and what makes your immune system so fascinating. 

If your body has no way of recognizing a disease (this is what makes a virus novel), then you’re going to get sick. But, assuming your body can overcome the disease and create immune cells to overcome the infection, your newfound immunity (the cells) stays in your body forever.

It’s why many doctors believe that it might be impossible for you to suffer from the exact infection twice. Once it’s learned, you’re protected. That’s also why you shouldn’t worry about being inside weakening your immunity. It’s not how your body works. 

It’s the same mechanism that allows vaccines to be effective. The disabled version of the bug is introduced into your body, you “learn it” and creates the methods to defeat it, and then you can use this newfound defensive mechanism to keep you safe. 

Therein lies the most important part of your adaptive immune system. You have to adapt to the disease, and to do so you must come in contact with it.

But, you can’t improve your immune system’s database without fighting infections first.

An Immune “Boost” Is Not Good For You

Your immune system can’t be easily manipulated. Anyone that tells you they can “boost” one part of your immune system is lying. Not to mention, doing so could be a massive mistake. 

Think about the story of my autoimmune disease. As my doctor’s made painfully clear, I have a “boosted” immune system. When I get sick, my body responds by triggering high fevers. This is a natural reaction.

Despite what you might think, a fever is a good thing. It’s your body’s way of fighting disease by heating up your internal system, making the illness uncomfortable and vulnerable so you can kill it off.

But, my reaction is broken. It’s a supercharged response that means my body heats up even hotter — and there’s no off-switch. So, I stay hot — long after the original bug has been killed, and my entire body suffers as a result. This, in a nutshell, is what happens with all autoimmune conditions (but not all result in symptoms like fevers).

Now, apply that same concept to your own body. When you think about boosting your immune system, you probably imagine being healthier, feeling stronger, and recovering faster.

But, when your immune system is actually boosted and working — much like my fevers — the “effectiveness” would result in you being miserable. 

Think about when you’re sick. The aches and fevers and even the snot (yeah, I just wrote snot) are not the symptoms of sickness; they are all a byproduct of your innate immune system at work.

The same goes for allergies. The itchy eyes and burning throat are your immune system reacting, learning, and fighting.

So, if you truly boost your immune system, you would intensify those uncomfortable symptoms. 

Safe to say, unless your body is in fight-mode, you don’t want an overactive (AKA “boosted”) immune system because that’s what causes autoimmune disorders, a disease to which there is no cure.

Instead, you want a healthy, functioning immune system that knows when to fight infection when it’s needed, can relax when it’s not, and is able to maintain a strong barrier against disease. To make this your reality, stop looking for boosts and start focusing on the things take make it harder for your body to function normally.

Stress Is The Original Immune System Killer

If you really want to help your immune system, start by looking at your stress levels. Whether you feel it or not, stress disarms your immune system and prevents it from working at its normal levels. 

As far back as the 1980s, breakthroughs in the stress-immune system relationship occurred in research that focused on students and how their immune systems were suppressed leading up to exams. The research found that your T-cells (the fighters that protect you against everything from viruses to life-threatening diseases like cancer) decrease in the face of stress. 

There was also fascinating research at Carnegie Mellon, which found that people who had less stress in their lives were better able to fight off the common cold when exposed to the virus. Similar responses immunosuppression was mimicked in other stressful situations, including studies that show people in difficult relationships heal slower if they suffer cuts or other wounds. 

So what’s happening? A great immune system is one that isn’t being dragged down by life (as opposed to “boosted” by pills). Better health starts with seeing big-picture immune sabotage, and (thankfully) they are all easy concepts to understand

Your immune system has an army of cells that keep you happy (T and B cells are your main immune fighting cells). And those cells produce an immune response that produces cytokines (friendly protein cells that help your body) and antibodies that destroy foreign pathogens. 

Unfortunately, stressors shut down your natural immune response, which means your fighter cells can’t function as they normally do to keep you healthy. 

If you need to destress, 10-15 minutes of meditation is a great place to start. If you’re new to it, try. an app like Stop, Breathe & Think, Calm, or Headspace.

Not feeling your inner zen? Here are two additional options with science on their side.

Stress-relief option 1: Take 2 deep breaths when you feel your heart racing, or before you answer a call or have a meeting. According to the Program on Integrative Medicine at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, the deep breath will make you sound more confident and reset your heart rate to reduce stress.

Stress-relief option 2: Grab coffee with your friends. Researchers at the University of Bristol in England discovered that when stressed-out men consumed caffeine by themselves, they remained nervous and jittery. But, when they caffeine-loaded as part of a group, their feelings of stress subsided.

Count The Hours You Sleep — Or Else

Sleep deprivation is the other part of the 1-2 combo that can knock out your immune system. If stress stresses out your immune system, then sleep deprivation exhausts your body into making mistakes that leave you vulnerable. 

A lack of sleep can prevent your immune cells from making their way to your lymph nodes (where they help you fight disease) or confuse your body and make it harder for them to create the right antibodies to fight back against infection.

How bad can it be? One study showed that regularly sleeping only 6 hours per night makes you four times more likely to catch a cold compared to sleeping 7 hours per night. And the risk gets even worse if you sleep fewer than 5 hours per night.

If you need help improving your sleep, here are a few simple guidelines that can make it easier to fall (and stay) asleep.

• Go to bed around the same time every night
• Time your sleep in 1.5-hour increments. This is a full cycle, so it will help ensure you don’t wake up in REM sleep, which could leave you groggy and tired.
• Sleep in a colder room than your preferred “room temperature.” Some research suggests between 60-70 degrees.
• If possible, exercise earlier in the day.
• Don’t consume alcohol before you sleep. (Yes, we realize this might be tough sometimes.)
• Limit screen time about 1-hour before you sleep.
• Clear your mind. Either watch a comedy, do a puzzle, or journal right before you sleep. This will trigger a part of your brain that will help “calm” your thoughts so it’s easier for you to fall asleep.

Movement Might Be The Best Medicine

If you go back in time just 10 years ago, many people believed that exercise actually weakens your immune system. Turns out, nothing could be farther from the truth. 

Whether you lift weights, run, cycle, or walk — any type of exercise, especially when combined with more sleep and less stress — is a key part of keeping your immune system functioning well.

Exercise works in many ways to make sure your immune defensive systems can act quickly and effectively, and it can even help offset stress or sleep difficulties. (This all assumes that you’re allowing for proper recovery.)

Recent research found that regular exercise:

• Helps the overall health of your immune system
• Decreases your risk of illness
• Helps mediate the correct inflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses
• Delays the onset of age-related immune decline

Even better, a review of studies found that movement truly is medicine. From the study conclusion:

Contemporary evidence from epidemiological studies shows that leading a physically active lifestyle reduces the incidence of communicable (e.g., bacterial and viral infections) and non-communicable diseases (e.g., cancer), implying that immune competency is enhanced by regular exercise bouts.

When you exercise, your body recognizes stress. Even though it’s good stress, it’s still a strain on your body, so you produce neutrophils and lymphocytes (the T-cell and natural killer cells we mentioned earlier), which flow throughout your body to keep you strong, fight off invaders, and help create antibodies when necessary.

In other words, exercise helps spark more activity in these cells for about 3-4 hours, which means your body is both more likely to find and disable potentially harmful germs and diseases.

As an added bonus, the cells perform “immune surveillance” and patrol your body searching for infection.  

It’s likely the reason why people who exercise regularly (at least 5 times per week) miss nearly 50% fewer days from sickness than those who don’t. 

What’s more, exercise has been shown to help decrease stress and improve sleep. In other words, exercise might be the first domino to keeping you healthy because it’s insurance for the other two vulnerabilities (stress and sleep) that weaken your normal immune system function.

Here are bodyweight workouts that can help you get in your movement in any situation or location.

Protein Protects (Much More Than Muscle)

We’ve mentioned how protein plays a role to help keep your body safe. You might think of protein as the key ingredient in muscle building (it is), but — when you look at the bigger picture — protein plays a vital role in every cell in your body. This includes your immune system and helping create the cells that help fight disease.

Proteins are a key component of the very antibodies developed by your immune systems designed to keep you safe. Eating protein ensures that your body has enough of the raw materials needed to allow your immune system to respond to bacteria and viruses in your body.

Proteins (cytokines, in particular) also help ensure that your immune system doesn’t go overboard and start working too hard. It’s all part of a system designed to give your body what it needs and prevent it from targeting your healthy cells. 

High-quality complete protein options include:

• Dairy products, such as milk, cheese/cottage cheese, and yogurt
• Whey protein
• Eggs
• Seafood and fish
• Beef
• Chicken
• Bison
• Pork
• Pea Protein
• Soybeans
• Blended meals (beans and rice)
• Vegan protein powders with multiple protein sources

If You Supplement, Focus on Vitamin D

While no one supplement can even come close to providing the benefits of good sleep, less stress, and consistent exercise, there is one vitamin that appears to be more important than others. 

More research is still needed, but a lot of emerging data — especially since the COVID-19 pandemic — has suggested that Vitamin D deficiency is closely linked to immune system vulnerabilities. 

One study found that taking higher levels of vitamin D (in older individuals) led to a 40 percent decrease in respiratory infections over the course of a year. 

This makes sense because Vitamin D is thought to play a vital role in both your innate and adaptive immune response (although scientists are still studying to learn how it all works). And Vitamin D plays an essential part in producing antimicrobial proteins that fight back against sickness, especially in the respiratory tract. 

Plus, unlike many vitamins and minerals which can be produced by your body naturally or are rarely deficient, Vitamin D deficiency might impact more than 1 billion people worldwide. 

To support your body naturally, try to get about 15-20 minutes of sun per day. If that’s not happening, look towards natural food sources such as:

• Fatty fish rich in Omega-3’s, such as salmon or mackerel (or you can use cod liver oil)
• Whole eggs
• Mushrooms
• Milk fortified with Vitamin D

Otherwise, you can use supplements that offer at least 2000-3000 IU of Vitamin D3. (Just be sure to ideally look for products or brands that are NSF Certified for Sport.)

You Booze, You Lose (That’s Your Immune System Speaking)

You won’t hear us telling you to completely avoid alcohol (life happens, and that includes rough days and celebrations). But, if you’re consistently drinking in essence, then your immune system is the one that’s suffering.

If you look at the research (there’s a lot of it), too much alcohol — and binge drinking moments — prevent the normal functioning of your immune system, and it leaves you more susceptible to everything from upper respiratory infections to slower recovery from cuts and muscle injuries.

And, to add insult to injury, it might also alter your gut microbiome in a way that weakens your immune system. 

If you find yourself drinking every day — or drinking too much when you go out, take the old 1-2-3 method to establish more control.

• Step 1: Carve out non-drinking days. This is a commitment and a way to create guardrails and build habits. (If you know you drink every Friday night, don’t start by removing that day. Make it easy to succeed and build from there.)
• Step 2: Remove alcohol from your home. Just like a dieter who struggles with dessert, increasing the difficulty of accessibility makes it easier to drink less.
• Step 3: Track your drinks, so you can hold yourself accountable and be honest about how much you’re drinking and how much you need to cut back.

If you love technology, you can try out the Less Drinks app and see if that helps.

The Bottom Line: How to Protect Your Immune System

Remember, no matter how well your immune system functions, if you come in contact with a novel pathogen or virus, you still might get sick. In situations like battling COVID-19, your best line of defense is being smart about your social contact, avoiding touching your face, and washing your hands frequently. 

And, while you can’t prevent yourself from getting sick or boost certain aspects of your immune system, you can be sure to do the little things that won’t weaken your immune system or leave you unnecessarily vulnerable. 

If you need help creating a plan designed for your lifestyle, check out our online coaching program. Simply fill out an application, and you’ll be assigned 2 coaches who will assess your exact needs, create habits that are easy to master, and build a customized plan that will upgrade your fitness and nutrition.

The post Why Boosting Your Immune System Makes You Feel Sicker (And 8 Other Facts That Will Protect Your Health) appeared first on Born Fitness.

from Born Fitness https://ift.tt/2XDMUfU
via health and fitness

After Crowding at Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri Officials Urge Quarantine

“It’s irresponsible and dangerous to engage in such high risk behavior just to have some fun over the extended holiday weekend,” said the mayor of St. Louis.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2Xs4KCi
via health&fitness

Hoping for a Covid Vaccine and Recalling the One for Smallpox

It’s worth reflecting on the biologic brilliance of the technique and on what our bodies and immune systems are capable of doing, when appropriately prompted.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2TxlxTi
via health&fitness

Could All Those ‘Quarantinis’ Lead to Drinking Problems?

Addiction specialists said it was possible for people who are drinking heavily and consistently during the coronavirus pandemic to develop a problem they did not have before.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3cZIK8m
via health&fitness

When Couples Fight About Virus Risks

Should the kids use a public bathroom? Is bike riding with friends allowed? Here’s how to deal with a new kind of parenting disagreement.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3ejeNQY
via health&fitness

'Aggressive' Rats May Increase During Pandemic, C.D.C. Says

“They’re simply turning on each other” after being deprived of food and waste generated by restaurants that have closed during the pandemic, an expert said.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3gluA3F
via health&fitness

A Virus-Hunter Falls Prey to a Virus He Underestimated

Peter Piot, 71, one of the giants of Ebola and AIDS research, is still battling a coronavirus infection that hit him “like a bus” in March.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3c2pe9W
via health&fitness

Coronavirus Live Updates: As Meatpacking Plants Reopen, Data on Ill Workers Is Elusive

Mixed messages have left many workers and their communities in the dark about the extent of the spread of the coronavirus. Crime is down in many U.S. cities during the pandemic.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2M0jCCM
via health&fitness

Here’s How Wuhan Tested 6.5 Million for Coronavirus in Days

The Wuhan government is close to completing its citywide testing drive. Thousands of medical and other workers were mobilized in a feat that some health experts and residents questioned.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3c4ezeM
via health&fitness

China's Coronavirus Tracking Apps Stir Privacy Fears as They Linger

With the disease there mostly under control, officials are looking for new uses for the government software that’s now on many phones.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3c0FwQz
via health&fitness

Live World Updates on the Coronavirus Pandemic

The World Health Organization temporarily stopped testing hydroxychloroquine, citing safety concerns. A key adviser to Prime Minister Boris Johnson created a furor after traveling in violation of the government’s rules.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3gp7toT
via health&fitness

Trump Administration Coronavirus Testing Strategy Draws Concerns: 'This Isn't the Hunger Games'

The Trump administration’s report to Congress sees states taking responsibility for coronavirus testing with federal guidance.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3c1igC3
via health&fitness

Fear of Covid Leads Other Patients to Decline Critical Treatment

Psychologists say anxiety and uncertainty prompt irrational decisions — like turning down a transplant when an organ becomes available.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/36sPjhj
via health&fitness

Coronavirus Pandemic: Live World News Updates

Americans took a varied approach to the holiday, with pool parties in some places and shuttered beaches in others. The U.S. banned travel from Brazil.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2A3f7Vh
via health&fitness

Coronavirus Live: Updates From Around the Globe

The U.S. banned travelers from Brazil and India restored domestic flights. And President Trump caused outrage by playing golf as the death toll in America neared 100,000.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2LSISL5
via health&fitness

Together, Alone: The Car as Shelter in the Pandemic

The fears of infection from the coronavirus have created a new role in society for the automobile, where birthdays, weddings and other events are being celebrated.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/36nBNvs
via health&fitness

My 14-Year-Old Isn’t Social Distancing. What Should I Do?

Covid-19 offers parents and teenagers a limited number of unsatisfying options, but partial solutions may be better than no solution at all.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3bYpnLw
via health&fitness

Putting the Risk of Covid-19 in Perspective

Is the risk of dying from Covid-19 comparable to driving to work every day, skydiving or being a soldier in a war?

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2LPf8OW
via health&fitness

You’re Getting Used to Masks. Will You Wear a Face Shield?

The clear plastic guards may be easier to wear, disinfect and reuse than cloth or surgical face coverings, although they don’t entirely replace the need for masks.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2LU3tyH
via health&fitness

How to Have a Safer Pandemic Memorial Day

You shouldn’t gather in groups this weekend, but we know you probably will. So here’s some guidance from the biology professor whose advice for lowering coronavirus risk has reached millions.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3cWF7Qq
via health&fitness

Live Coronavirus News: World Updates

As the national death toll approaches 100,000, U.S. governors and Trump advisers will appear on Sunday talk shows. Protesters returned to the streets in Hong Kong, and clashed with the police.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3ggt5nh
via health&fitness

Is It Time to Stop Clapping for Health Care Workers? An Organizer Thinks So

“To maintain the positive impact that it’s had so far, it’s best to stop at its peak,” said Annemarie Plas, who started #ClapForOurCarers.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3epQVeH
via health&fitness

Black Coronavirus Patients Land in Hospitals More Often, Study Finds

Compared to white or Hispanic patients, black patients seeking care have more advanced cases of Covid-19, researchers reported.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2AXkmWX
via health&fitness

Federal Scientists Finally Publish Remdesivir Data

A clinical trial led to the authorization of the only drug shown to work in Covid-19 patients. But until now, few experts had seen the numbers.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/36Bh0Vr
via health&fitness

Moderna Vaccine Trial: How Upbeat Coronavirus News Fueled a Stock Surge

The desperate hunt for treatments and vaccines has changed how researchers, regulators, drug companies like Moderna, investors and journalists do their jobs.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3cYlaZB
via health&fitness

Live Coronavirus Updates: As U.S. Nears 100,00 Deaths, Trump Disputes the Toll

Some are calling for an end to the weekly applause for health care workers in Britain. And Brazil overtakes Russia in the number of confirmed virus cases.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2zf4kav
via health&fitness

Coronavirus News: Live Updates

President Trump suggested that the U.S. death toll was inflated and is pushing to reopen houses of worship. South Korea is closing karaoke parlors.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2AVdaKT
via health&fitness

Uncertain Results in Study of Convalescent Serum for Covid-19

Do antibodies from patients who have recovered actually help those struggling with the disease? It’s not certain, a study finds.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3geUTsa
via health&fitness

CDC Says Coronavirus Does Not Spread Easily on Surfaces

If you’re worried about wiping down grocery bags or disinfecting mailed packages, this C.D.C. guidance might bring some relief. It’s not new information; the agency has been saying this for months.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/36mSxmk
via health&fitness

Mass Firing on Zoom Is Latest Sign of Weight Watchers Unrest

The company, which has broadened its focus to wellness and is now known as WW, let go of a large number of workers during simultaneous video conferences.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/36mB2CE
via health&fitness

Coronavirus Live Updates: Trump Urges Reopening of Houses of Worship as C.D.C. Suggests Limits for Them

Religious institutions are operating under a patchwork of restrictions. The president has suggested the official death toll is inflated, but experts say the opposite is likely.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/36oHtoR
via health&fitness

U.K. to Quarantine All Incoming Air Travelers; a Chinese Coronavirus Vaccine Shows Promise: Live Coverage

Immunizations are falling because of pandemic disruptions, raising fears of surges in preventable disease. Lockdowns complicate the Muslim holiday Eid. China’s National People’s Congress offers a show of strength.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2AUP3fl
via health&fitness

Employers Grapple With Question as They Reopen: To Test or Not to Test?

Amazon and other companies are planning to test workers for the coronavirus. But there is little federal guidance, and some fear it could lead to a false sense of security.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/36rVItg
via health&fitness

Coronavirus Does Not Spread Easily on Surfaces, C.D.C. Says

If you’re worried about wiping down grocery bags or disinfecting mailed packages, this C.D.C. guidance might bring some relief. It’s not new information; the agency has been saying this for months.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2WSBqWA
via health&fitness

Coronavirus Vaccine Shows Promising Early Results in China

A trial with 108 participants suggests the vaccine is safe and may be moderately effective. But experts noted that the approach has failed in the past.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2TwqAmV
via health&fitness

Coronavirus Live Updates: Trump Calls Houses of Worship ‘Essential Services’ and Urges Reopening

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and several state health departments have come under fire for mixing two types of virus tests. Many traditional Memorial Day events have been canceled or replaced with socially distant alternatives.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/36peVvx
via health&fitness

Britain to Quarantine All Incoming Air Travelers: Live Coronavirus Coverage

Hundreds of thousands of displaced face pandemic risks. Lockdowns complicate the Muslim holiday Eid. China’s National People’s Congress offers a show of strength.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3cTTvsM
via health&fitness

Malaria Drug Taken by Trump Is Tied to Increased Risk of Heart Problems and Death in New Study

The drugs did not help coronavirus patients, and should not be used outside clinical trials, researchers said.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/36lKXsp
via health&fitness

How to Improve and Protect Nursing Homes From Outbreaks

More than a third of America’s Covid-19 deaths can be traced back to these facilities. Experts suggest several ways to make them safer.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2Xj1hpH
via health&fitness

11 of Our Best Weekend Reads

Summer reading. One teenager’s fight against the new Covid syndrome. Running while black. Annie Glenn dies. Suze Orman. Spike Lee. Ronan Farrow. And more.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2zlryeZ
via health&fitness

Polio and Measles Could Surge After Disruption of Vaccine Programs

A new study of 129 countries found that the interruption of inoculation efforts could put 80 million babies at risk of getting deadly, preventable diseases.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2yq10sB
via health&fitness

The Case for Music in Times of Loss

As a hospice chaplain, I know that the path through grief is mourning. Music can meet us on the path and help us keep walking.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3e581Ox
via health&fitness

Live Coronavirus News and Updates

A fraud network targeted unemployment programs as jobless claims neared 39 million. Flags were ordered lowered over Memorial Day weekend for those who died from the virus.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2zZFxHg
via health&fitness

China Abandons Growth Target for Year as Coronavirus Disrupts Economy

Beijing broke with precedent in abandoning an annual growth target for 2020, a sign of the difficulties of restarting its economy amid the coronavirus pandemic.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2ZqKtQ9
via health&fitness

What We Can Learn From Endurance Athletes About Getting Through This Pandemic

Long-distance runners, cyclists and triathletes can teach us about how to move through extended periods of discomfort.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/36j4GZy
via health&fitness

When Teen Boys Use Supplements

Some supplements are more effective than others — and some may be harmful, experts warn.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2WNBirl
via health&fitness

Coronavirus World Updates

Amid the pomp and propaganda in Beijing, the virus is weighing on President Xi Jinping’s efforts to restart the Chinese economy and show the world that his government has tamed the epidemic.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2WTtQLb
via health&fitness

Live Coronavirus News

Flags were ordered lowered for Memorial Day weekend in memory of those who died from the virus. Facebook says employees can work from home permanently.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3bUT6VC
via health&fitness

Reported Coronavirus Cases Top 5 Million Worldwide: Live Coverage

Guatemala’s leader protested U.S. deportations of infected migrants, as China imposed a Wuhan-style lockdown in a region where cases have flared.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3gglrtc
via health&fitness

Prominent Scientists Denounce End to Coronavirus Grant

A group of 77 Nobel laureates wants the U.S. government to review a grant cancellation for research in China directly related to preventing pandemics.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3cUS9xQ
via health&fitness

$1.2 Billion From U.S. to Drugmaker to Pursue Coronavirus Vaccine

The Trump administration announced a grant to AstraZeneca, which has licensed a potential vaccine that is in trials by Oxford University.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2WPcwqJ
via health&fitness

How to Protect Kids’ Ears From Constant Headphone Use

Volume is not the only measure to consider. Duration also contributes to damage to our kids’ ears.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3g9RE54
via health&fitness

Returning to Exercise After Recovery From Coronavirus

Two new expert consensus statements urge caution for athletes with coronavirus who are returning to serious training.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2WKpLsS
via health&fitness

These Labs Rushed to Test for Coronavirus. They Had Few Takers.

The fragmented U.S. health care system has hampered efforts to expand coronavirus testing, by making it difficult for hospitals to switch to new labs with ample capacity.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2LQcLve
via health&fitness

Coronavirus Live News and Updates

Imposing restrictions even a week earlier could have saved lives, researchers found. A Census Bureau household survey suggests income loss is widespread.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3cSnH7w
via health&fitness

Coronavirus Live News Tracker

Warning of a potential “big explosion” in cases, China is locking down one region even as it opens others. Elsewhere, the virus and natural disasters have dealt a one-two punch.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3g8AsNt
via health&fitness

To My Patients’ Family Members, My Apologies

I hope I held the iPad still enough so that it didn’t shake while you were saying the things you would regret not saying.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2Zl3Bz6
via health&fitness

When Can I See My Grandkids?

The pandemic has separated many grandparents from their grandchildren. Here’s advice for safely reuniting your family’s oldest and youngest generations.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2XblvSd
via health&fitness

New Coronavirus Outbreaks Push China to Impose Wuhan-Style Lockdown in the Northeast

Infections in the northeast have led officials to sequester hundreds of thousands at home. “China doesn’t want to take any chances,” one expert said.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3cR6bAO
via health&fitness

Trump’s Vaccine Chief Has Vast Ties to Drug Industry, Posing Possible Conflicts

Moncef Slaoui, a former pharmaceutical executive, is now overseeing the U.S. initiative to development coronavirus treatments and vaccines. His financial interests and corporate roles have come under scrutiny.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2XjU1Kh
via health&fitness

Health Agencies Offer Tips on Sex During the Pandemic

Countries around the world are taking different approaches as they give guidelines on reopening — from work to play.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2zU9GI8
via health&fitness

Child Vaccinations Plummet 63 Percent, a New Hurdle for N.Y.C. Schools

Parents have hesitated to take children to doctors’ offices, but students will have to meet immunization requirements to attend school in the fall.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2ToDLpT
via health&fitness

Live Coronavirus News Updates and Analysis

The C.D.C. quietly released more guidance for reopening. Trump threatened to withhold federal funds from Michigan for expanding mail-in voting. Hundreds of migrant children have been deported during the pandemic.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3e5Szlq
via health&fitness

Coronavirus World News Tracker: Live Coverage

The move by Brazil came amid debate over the drug’s efficacy and side effects. Around the globe, the hallmarks of an unsettling new normal emerged: flight attendants in hazmat suits, death sentences handed down on Zoom and fear that natural disasters could seed new outbreaks.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/36eYS3m
via health&fitness

A New Entry in the Race for a Coronavirus Vaccine: Hope

Scientists are increasingly optimistic that a vaccine can be produced in record time. But getting it manufactured and distributed will pose huge challenges.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2ziXh0n
via health&fitness

After Coronavirus, Office Workers Might Face Unexpected Health Threats

Stagnant plumbing systems in emptied commercial buildings could put returning employees at risk of Legionnaire’s and other illnesses.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2LKgdYv
via health&fitness

Prototype Vaccines Protect Monkeys From Coronavirus

A series of animal experiments may point the way to an effective human vaccine, scientists said.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2WObew5
via health&fitness

Coronavirus News: Live Updates

Connecticut’s stay-at-home-order lifts today, making it one of the last states to return to business. The C.D.C. released more detailed guidance, once rejected by the White House, for reopening schools and businesses.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3g3Zdu5
via health&fitness

Hospitals Move Into Next Phase as New York Passes Viral Peak

A sharp drop in coronavirus patients was “like someone turned off the hose,” one doctor said. But the city’s health system faces challenges ahead.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2TmhlG0
via health&fitness

A Visual Dispatch From One of the World’s Most Remote Islands

The inhabitants of Tristan da Cunha, which sits in the remote waters of the South Atlantic, are insulated from the coronavirus by an immense moat.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2ZlIoVN
via health&fitness

A Sudden Coronavirus Surge Brought Out Singapore’s Dark Side

The pandemic seemed to pass over the city-state. Then the government was blindsided by an outbreak among poor migrant workers in packed dormitories.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2ZkLKbr
via health&fitness

The Time for ‘The Talk’ Is Now

During the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s critical to discuss end-of-life plans before you get sick.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2WIB3O1
via health&fitness

The Foods That May Lower Dementia Risk

Blueberries, strawberries and red wine were among the foods tied to a lower risk of dementia.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2LDIMGP
via health&fitness

Coronavirus World Updates

A cyclone was bearing down on India and Bangladesh, disrupting responses to the virus. Taiwan’s president began a new term with high approval ratings for her handling of the pandemic. Social distancing is an afterthought in Indonesia.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/36hgaww
via health&fitness

W.H.O. Members Reject Trump’s Demands but Agree to Study Its Virus Response

The outcome left the United States isolated as officials from China, Russia and the European Union chided Mr. Trump over his heated threats.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3bLAwiR
via health&fitness

Live Coronavirus News: Full Analysis

President Trump escalated his attacks on the W.H.O. He also said he was taking hydroxychloroquine, an unproven drug against the coronavirus, as a preventive measure. Colleges looked for ways to reopen safely in the fall.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2yhnETX
via health&fitness

Johnson & Johnson to End Talc-Based Baby Powder Sales in North America

The company has faced thousands of lawsuits from cancer patients who claim that its talc was contaminated with asbestos, a known carcinogen, and that the company knew of the risks.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/36ezn1V
via health&fitness

Annie Glenn, Champion of Those With Speech Disorders, Dies at 100

Being an astronaut’s wife thrust her into the spotlight, but a stutter left her struggling for words until she found help.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3g1eoEq
via health&fitness

Coronavirus Live World Updates: India, Canada and Italy

The World Health Organization’s annual meeting was dominated by a feud between China and the U.S. A cyclone racing toward India and Bangladesh threatens their coronavirus response.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/36eJiVf
via health&fitness

Myanmar Raids Reveal New Production of a Killer Drug

After dominating the global methamphetamine trade, crime syndicates in Myanmar are starting to make fentanyl, the drug that has fueled the U.S. opioid crisis.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2LIabHK
via health&fitness

A.C.L.U. Warns Against Fever-Screening Tools for Coronavirus

A report by the civil liberties group contends that reliance on thermal cameras and temperature-sensing guns to resume work at factories and offices and to encourage travel is flawed and intrusive.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2XohKsP
via health&fitness

Coronavirus Live News and Updates

President Trump threatened to permanently end the U.S.’s funding and gave the organization 30 days to “commit to substantive improvements.” Mr. Trump also said he was taking hydroxychloroquine, an unproven drug against the coronavirus, as a preventive measure.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2WKDnV1
via health&fitness

Is the Pandemic Sparking Suicide?

Psychiatrists are confronted with an urgent natural experiment, and the outcome is far from predictable.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2XdwcDN
via health&fitness

How Bike Share Programs Might Make Cycling Safer

Bicycle-car accidents decreased after a bike share program was introduced in Philadelphia.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2LH3ENu
via health&fitness

Coronavirus World Updates

Germany agreed to a $545 billion relief fund to help Europe’s hardest-hit countries and China pledged $2 billion for the World Health Organization. But the U.S. threatened to defund the organization if “substantive improvements” were not made.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/36bcgW9
via health&fitness

Thinking of Buying a Bike? Get Ready for a Very Long Wait

The United States is facing a shortage of bicycles as anxiety over public transportation and a desire to exercise has sent the demand surging.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/369eeGF
via health&fitness

Parents Are Relying on Melatonin to Help Their Kids Sleep. Should They?

A survey suggests that nearly half of children with difficulty sleeping have taken melatonin.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2zMGdQa
via health&fitness

How to Maintain Motivation in a Pandemic

“Doing what’s meaningful — acting on what really matters to a person — is the antidote to burnout.”

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3cIOoeS
via health&fitness

What to Know About Hydroxychloroquine

Here are the facts on hydroxychloroquine, which the president has promoted to fight Covid-19 despite warnings from the F.D.A. that it can cause heart problems.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3cM5XL9
via health&fitness

Vaccinations Fall to Alarming Rates, C.D.C. Study Shows

In Michigan, fewer than half of infants 5 months or younger are up to date on their vaccinations, which may allow for outbreaks in diseases like measles.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2LGwZaY
via health&fitness

U.S.-China Feud Over Coronavirus Erupts at World Health Assembly

China’s president pledged $2 billion to fight the virus, a move the U.S. criticized as an effort to head off scrutiny of its handling of the pandemic.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/369GEQR
via health&fitness

Emotional Eating in Quarantined Kids

Boredom and stress are two big contributors to emotional eating, and children have a lot of both right now.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3cFKrYo
via health&fitness

Coronavirus Contact Tracing Jobs Are on the Rise

Tens of thousands of people across the United States have applied for the job of cold-calling strangers who may have been exposed to Covid-19. Here’s what it’s like.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2yhbquy
via health&fitness

Life in China's Wuhan After the Coronavirus Lockdown Ends

One month later, people are learning how to navigate life on the other side of the coronavirus crisis.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3g2TW5U
via health&fitness

Publishers Snap Up Coronavirus Books, From Covid-19 Case Studies to Pandemic Poetry

Authors are racing to produce timely accounts of the outbreak, with works that range from reported narratives to spiritual guides.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3g1TCEA
via health&fitness

Coronavirus Vaccine Trial by Moderna Shows Promising Early Results

The company said its preliminary test in 8 healthy volunteers was safe. It is on an accelerated timetable to begin a larger human trial soon.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2LFtL7r
via health&fitness

Coronavirus Live Updates: U.S.-China Tensions Threaten to Dominate W.H.O. Meeting

President Xi Jinping of China defended his country’s handling of the outbreak. Today is the deadline for public companies in the U.S. to decide whether to return PPP loans.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2zRp0F6
via health&fitness

The Joy of Jogging Very, Very Slowly

It’s a great day for the race. The human race. At an infinitesimal pace.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3bIIo4B
via health&fitness

coronavirus world updates

The United States and other nations might use Monday’s World Health Organization meeting to place blame on China.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2X69gGr
via health&fitness

Canadian Snowbirds Jet Crashes During Tribute to Coronavirus Workers

Another member of the military was injured, the authorities said. The jet crashed into a house in Kamloops, British Columbia.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2z7xNmn
via health&fitness

‘Straight-Up Fire’ in His Veins: Teen Battles New Coronavirus Syndrome

Jack McMorrow, 14, awoke in agony, with heart failure. His case may help doctors understand a frightening new affliction in children linked to the coronavirus.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/36jMuiJ
via health&fitness

‘Straight-Up Fire’ in His Veins: Teen Battles New Covid Syndrome

Jack McMorrow, 14, awoke in agony, with heart failure. His case may help doctors understand a frightening new affliction in children linked to the coronavirus.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3cIDfuD
via health&fitness

Live Coronavirus News Updates

Thirteen sailors aboard the virus-stricken aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt tested positive for Covid-19 after seeming to have recovered from the disease.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2X9xSxW
via health&fitness

Coronavirus Outbreak in Nigeria Highlights Emerging Threat in Africa: Live Coverage

China has quarantined thousands of people after a resurgence of cases in the Northeast. The leaders of Italy and Britain warned that a vaccine may be a long time coming.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2LyhW37
via health&fitness

Live Coronavirus News: Full Analysis and Updates

Former President Barack Obama criticized the pandemic response of the nation’s current leaders: “A lot of them aren’t even pretending to be in charge.”

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3fYKQXR
via health&fitness

In the Shadows of America’s Smokestacks, Virus Is One More Deadly Risk

Nationwide, poor communities are exposed to much more air pollution than wealthier ones. Scientists are racing to understand what role this may play in Covid-19.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2AtF68i
via health&fitness

8,000 Quarantined in China Amid New Coronavirus Infections: Live Coverage

Officials have also imposed new travel restrictions in northeastern China. Cuts and outsourcing have left France scrambling for medical gear needed to fight a pandemic.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2T9OLra
via health&fitness

How France Lost the Weapons to Fight a Pandemic

The French once thought of medical gear, like fighter jets, as a national security asset that had to be made at home. But cuts and outsourcing have left them scrambling for masks, tests and even pain pills.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2z7S1MO
via health&fitness

Coronavirus World Updates

Officials have also imposed new travel restrictions in northeastern China. Cuts and outsourcing have left France scrambling for medical gear needed to fight a pandemic.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2WFOVca
via health&fitness

F.D.A. Clears Another Coronavirus Testing Kit for Use at Home

The agency granted emergency clearance for a testing kit that allows a consumer to take a nasal sample at home and send it to a laboratory for the diagnosis.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3dXZTj3
via health&fitness

Glitches in A.P. Tests Online Add to Students' Worries

Technical problems with the digital versions of the Advanced Placement exams caused angst for high school students and parents at an already stressful time.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2LC7BmJ
via health&fitness

Live Coronavirus News Updates

With more than two-thirds of states significantly relaxing restrictions, an uptick in cases is predicted. The F.D.A. granted emergency clearance for a testing kit that allows users to check themselves for the virus at home.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3cEAhHE
via health&fitness

Coronavirus World Live Coverage: Greece, Italy, China, Netherlands

The movement of schoolchildren back to their home villages raises virus fears in Nigeria. Japanese men are helping more around the house. And Narendra Modi’s popularity surges.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2WC5jKF
via health&fitness

‘I Can’t Turn My Brain Off’: PTSD and Burnout Threaten Medical Workers

Before Covid-19, health care workers were already vulnerable to depression and suicide. Mental health experts now fear even more will be prone to trauma-related disorders.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3dXx0DD
via health&fitness

Live Coronavirus News Updates: States Reopen With Outbreak Control ‘Right on the Edge’

With new cases steadily declining, more than two-thirds of U.S. states have significantly reduced restrictions. But experts cited worrying signs from some areas that eased early.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3dVm7lH
via health&fitness

Stuck at Home, Men in Japan Learn to Help. Will It Last?

The coronavirus pandemic is exposing like never before the severe disparities in how Japanese couples divide household work.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3bxalw8
via health&fitness

Watching the Pandemic Steal Intimate Moments From Teenagers

I’m afraid of holding a tight line of protection and having it snap under the weight of my almost-adult kid’s frustration.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3fVkhTM
via health&fitness

Remote and Ready to Fight Coronavirus’s Next Wave

An island community in Washington State has developed a testing and tracing strategy it hopes will as a model for rural and tribal communities.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2LxKnhp
via health&fitness

Coronavirus World Updates

A Chinese health official suggested that some labs destroyed coronavirus samples in the outbreak’s early days. India’s support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi is soaring.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2Z9IKia
via health&fitness

Finding Solace During This Great Global Pause

Is it OK to admit that I’m grateful for the isolation of the past few months?

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2y8ozWI
via health&fitness

'Credible Threats' to Kill Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Lead to Charges, Police Say

Robert S. Tesh made “credible threats” via social media messages to kill Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Michigan’s attorney general, Dana Nessel, the authorities said.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2Aya3bD
via health&fitness

Go Outside, Experts Say. But Keep Your Distance and Have a Mask Handy.

A stir-crazy nation wonders: Is it safe to stroll on the beach in a deadly pandemic? How about a picnic in the park? Or coffee with a friend at an outdoor table? The risk is in the details.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2Lv3pF4
via health&fitness

Hospitals Knew How to Make Money. Then Coronavirus Happened.

Surgeries are canceled. Business models are shifting. Some of the hardest-hit hospitals may close, leaving patients with fewer options for care.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3dIovMg
via health&fitness

Coronavirus Live Updates: Congress Debates New Relief as State Budgets Are Ravaged

A $3 trillion package would include billions for struggling states but has been criticized as a “blue-state bailout” by Republican leaders. A test used on White House personnel might not be accurate, the F.D.A. said.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/362KHOT
via health&fitness

The Stresses of the Way We Work Now

What vocational psychologists can teach us about the new ways of working.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3cxCdS2
via health&fitness

Until My Disabled Son’s Needs Are Met, Can I Get a Genius Award?

To provide all of my son’s physical and occupational therapy at home in the pandemic, I’m constantly rigging solutions for the items we don’t have.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2yYpBF9
via health&fitness

Coronavirus World Updates

Traffic deaths in Thailand were down by about half last month. Typhoon Vongfong is complicating virus measures in the Philippines.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2LwVEie
via health&fitness

The Extra Burden for Parents of Children With Special Needs

Your child may have setbacks during the school shutdown. But remember, schools will open again at some point and help get things back on track.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2SYsiNG
via health&fitness

Coronavirus Infections: Talking Can Generate Droplets That Linger Up to 14 Minutes

A new study shows how respiratory droplets produced during normal conversation may be just as important in transmitting disease, especially indoors.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2y340eh
via health&fitness

Coronavirus May Pose a New Risk to Younger Patients: Strokes

Doctors have reported a flurry of cases in Covid-19 patients — including a healthy 27-year-old emergency medical technician in Queens. After a month in the hospital, he is learning to walk again.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2WXIsrW
via health&fitness

Talking Can Generate Coronavirus Droplets That Linger Up to 14 Minutes

A new study shows how respiratory droplets produced during normal conversation may be just as important in transmitting disease, especially indoors.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2Ww0jqG
via health&fitness

Coronavirus Live Updates: Whistle-Blower Warns Congress, ‘We Don’t Have a Master Plan’

Dr. Rick Bright told a House subcommittee that the administration was too slow to prepare for the pandemic or warn Americans of its severity. Senator Richard M. Burr stepped aside as the Intelligence Committee chairman during an F.B.I. review of his stock sales amid the outbreak.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2WYWlG2
via health&fitness

Live Coronavirus World News Updates

The pandemic will claim millions of indirect victims, the U.N. says, by blocking vaccinations and other medical care. Studies show how far away “herd immunity” is, even in hard-hit countries.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2yMcpDj
via health&fitness

Yes, Kids Can Get Migraines. Here Are the Signs.

The chronic condition, typically thought of as an ‘adult’ problem, can affect up to 3 percent of kids between 3 and 7.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2Z23isD
via health&fitness

Inside China's Ambitious Plan to Test Wuhan's 11 Million Residents for Coronavirus

The Chinese city’s goal is unrivaled in scale. But a top expert has questioned the need for it, given the low number of infections.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2Z3ghdS
via health&fitness

Coronavirus Live Updates: Virus Could Be Here to Stay, and Economic Pain Long-Lasting

Jobless claims over the past two months are expected to rise above 35 million. The Fed warned of long-term pain without urgent intervention, and the W.H.O. said the virus “may never go away.”

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3fLfWlP
via health&fitness

Coronavirus World Updates

The United Nations warns of new risks to children and a rise in mental illness. And governments are noting the unintended consequences of restrictions.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3fMSOU5
via health&fitness

Cats Can Transmit the Coronavirus to Each Other, but They Probably Won’t Get Sick From It

The six cats in a laboratory experiment cleared the virus from their bodies on their own. And there are no reports of humans contracting the virus from cats.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2WZPdto
via health&fitness

Coronavirus Testing Used by the White House Could Miss Infections

A study found that the Abbott ID Now machine was less accurate when it processed short, dry swabs.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2LpOr3t
via health&fitness

New Inflammatory Condition in Children Probably Linked to Coronavirus, Study Finds

Researchers compared 10 cases in Italy with previous cases of a similar childhood illness, Kawasaki disease. The rate of the new cases was much higher, and the conditions were more serious.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3fFcRDM
via health&fitness

Coronavirus Live: World News Coverage

The World Health Organization warned not to expect complete victory against the pandemic. As some countries relax restrictions, others are forced to adopt controls or reinstate ones they had dropped.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2T22sbv
via health&fitness

Live Coronavirus News Updates and Full Analysis

The Trump administration is reviewing an order to extend its coronavirus border restrictions indefinitely. President Trump will meet with the governors of Colorado and North Dakota. The virus “may never go away,” a top W.H.O. official said.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2yWQ7ib
via health&fitness

Low-Tech Way to Help Some Covid Patients: Flip Them Over

Turning ventilated patients onto their stomachs, called proning, helps them by opening their lungs. Now doctors are testing to see if it can keep others off ventilators altogether.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3cpYvoO
via health&fitness

The Tiny Radio Stations That Lift Spirits in Hospitals

Volunteer-run broadcasters are a British tradition. During the pandemic, they’re cheering patients up with jazz standards and soft rock.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/35XHoYU
via health&fitness

Live Coronavirus News and Updates

Millions more U.S. residents left their homes this week, according to a Times analysis. The stay-at-home order in L.A. could last into July. Dr. Anthony Fauci said reopening too soon risked a new runaway outbreak.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3cxJHEI
via health&fitness

Coronavirus World Updates

Cities across Latin America are experiencing some of the worst outbreaks in the world. In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a major rescue package.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2WPOx9H
via health&fitness

Rethinking Coronavirus in Children

There is new evidence that some children may become very sick, and we are beginning to learn more about who may be most at risk and what parents need to watch for.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2WmBSMw
via health&fitness

I Have an Eating Disorder but Can’t Escape the Kitchen

I feared that food would be the vector for the virus, the thing that sickened me or made me unknowingly symptomatic.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2WTXMWC
via health&fitness

A Half-Tablespoon of Olive Oil a Day May Promote Heart Health

Americans who ate at least one-and-a-half teaspoons of olive oil a day were at lower risk of heart disease than those who ate none.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/35TEmoU
via health&fitness

Coronavirus Diary: Four Stints in Quarantine, on Two Continents

A reporter got a close-up look at how different governments handled the developing pandemic. Some were more impressive than others.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3dH37al
via health&fitness

Can I Get Coronavirus From Riding an Elevator?

When infected people use elevators, they probably do leave some of their germs behind. Wear a mask and wash hands to lower your risk.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2T2GeWZ
via health&fitness

Is It Safe to Go Back to the Gym?

As gyms begin to reopen, many of us are wondering whether it’s safe, or wise, to return.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2WpTBTk
via health&fitness

Questions for Your Prospective Therapist, From Your Own Couch

Even if you’re meeting online, interviewing a therapist can help you determine whether or not the therapy is a good fit.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2Lr8BKl
via health&fitness

Coronavirus Ravaged a Choir. But It Didn’t Spread Further.

One sick singer attended choir practice, infecting 53 others, two of whom died. A study released by the C.D.C. shows that self-isolation and tracing efforts helped contain the outbreak.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2yQW9AQ
via health&fitness

Top Science and Health Officials Offer Sobering View of Reopening Readiness

Despite progress on a vaccine, there is no guarantee it will be effective, experts said, and testing and contact tracing are still short of the levels needed.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/2zxmAvk
via health&fitness

Coronavirus Live News: Updates and Analysis

At a hearing, Dr. Anthony S. Fauci told senators that if the country did not adequately prepare, “then we run the risk of having a resurgence.”

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3dLeQF3
via health&fitness

In Israel, Modern Medicine Grapples With Ghosts of the Third Reich

A Palestinian surgeon, a Jewish patient, a Nazi medical text — and an unlikely bond.

from NYT > Health https://ift.tt/3fKpeP6
via health&fitness

Note To Self: F*ck The Haters

Let’s be honest: the idea of “getting better” isn’t always what it seems. 

The obvious approach is that improvement is measured by growth. And growth is measured by accomplishing more than what was done prior. And “accomplishment” inherently implies a comparison to a prior situation or time. 

But, what if the idea of growth wasn’t just measured by how hard you pushed or the progress you could quantify? 

What if getting better was defined by finding joy, calmness, or clarity at the moment? Those traits require improvement of self-awareness over productivity; of self-care over competitiveness.

Different times call for different measurements of success. 

When the going gets tough, you need to find a way to persevere. 

But, perseverance doesn’t have one definition. The only way to get better isn’t through.

Anyone that says otherwise is either too stubborn to see the error of their own ways, bound to burn out, or too selfish to recognize that one person’s fuel is another person’s fire. 

These are hard times. COVID-19 has ravaged us all in different ways, some more than others. But, all of us are affected and impacted. 

Nothing is normal and no one knows what to expect. But, there’s a bigger lesson within. Normal is always relative to time and situation. 

A global pandemic makes us all stop and think. But, the ability to pause, adjust expectations, and find joy in stillness will pay off now and during any time of trouble or challenge. 

It’s Time To Play Chess

When it comes to your health and fitness, I will always encourage you to do as much as you can to be healthy. It’s why I’ve been inspired by all of the fit pros trying to make more workouts available, just as we’ve done.

Unfortunately, there’s a dark side to the adaptable mentality. Doing what you can is not the same as “getting better at all costs.”

I’ve also seen too much shaming of people’s time or struggles. Just because we’re on lockdown doesn’t mean you need to get in the best shape of your life. Or, eat healthier than ever. 

This mindset doesn’t only apply during times of lockdown. When life throws you obstacles, sometimes it’s better to play chess than checkers. 

Movements become more subtle. You take more time. It might not even look like you’re moving forward, but — when done right — you’re setting yourself up to win in the end. 

Personal growth can occur in many ways, and it’s easy to assume that physical fitness becomes easier when there’s more time. But, that’s just a fallacy.

More importantly, buying into that mentality can be damaging. 

A big part of being healthy is not only being kind to your body but also kind to your mind and heart.

This is the reality: 

You’re going to miss workouts.

And have crappy sessions.

You’ll snack more.

You might not even recognize your diet.

Maybe you’re sleeping less because of stress.

Maybe you’re sleeping more because of stress.

It will all feel different — and that’s OK.

Whatever the situation, part of getting through all of this is to not set unrealistic expectations.

I’m as low-stress a person as you’ll find, but that has all changed. Each day is a new challenge of juggling my kids being at home, making adjustments for my businesses, watching friends becoming sick, seeing people die, experiencing friends losing their jobs, and someone managing the emotional weight of it all. 

And, given all of that, I know that I have not been impacted anywhere as much as millions of others, and it’s still difficult for me. The point: hardship is hardship. And when you’re in it, you must recognize and respect it. For yourself and others. 

There is No Wrong Move

Right now, more than ever, it’s important to control what you can control. 

Spend your time focusing on doing the little things that fill you up, removing what drains you (as much as possible), and staying healthy and keeping your head above water. 

Together, as people, we need to support one another because none of us know what the future holds. 

But, I do know this: the love, kindness, and patience you give to yourself and others will make you stronger through the pandemic and when we create our new normal moving forward. 

I spoke with Arnold Schwarzenegger. The Arnold Schwarzenegger. The same guy who used to train for 5-6 hours per day. Even he says it’s important to adjust and celebrate the small victories that you might not have even acknowledged in prior times. 

When he had open-heart surgery, he didn’t start with the same expectations that propelled every aspect of his success. He had a bigger goal but began by adapting and tackling reality. 

That meant building up the strength to use a walker. Then taking 100 steps. Followed by walking unassisted. Each “milestone” was a reason to be proud and moved him closer to where he could do more. Remember, this was coming from a guy who used to squat more than 500 pounds, and now a walker was a success. It wasn’t “normal” but it was necessary. 

It might feel like you’re changing your expectations, but really you’re building momentum.

Better times are coming, but that doesn’t mean right now isn’t hard. 

When you can’t see clearly, it’s essential to focus on the next step, knowing that each one will take you out of the fog and towards a time and place where things are better.

The healthiest thing you can do is learn to celebrate the small wins, whether it’s the walk you take, the vegetable you eat, the friend you call, or even the deep breath and reminder that “this will pass.”

Fuck the haters that tell you otherwise. 

Sometimes, it’s not about good or bad decisions. It’s about action vs. inaction, and any action is a win.

Remember, we don’t build strength to lift heavier weights. We build strength to help us through moments like this.

As people, we evolve and adapt to situations. That is how we survive and thrive. 

Your fitness goals will be there whether you can tackle them today, tomorrow, or 3 months from now. 

Create energy where you can.

Conserve energy when you feel drained. 

And, remember to stay strong and keep smiling.

When you do, those steps will accumulate, you’ll see more clearly, the pieces will be in place, and then….checkmate.

The post Note To Self: F*ck The Haters appeared first on Born Fitness.

from Born Fitness https://ift.tt/2zv6fY3
via health and fitness