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Self-love and care arent just about slapping on a face mask and getting in the bath anymore (but dont get it twisted, they absolutely fall under that umbrella). Given how incredibly rocky 2020 was and the not-so-steady start this year has been, its hard to even fathom actively carving out time for just ourselves to be present and take care of our mind and body.

Were already celebrating Black History Month, but as we get closer to Valentines Day, our annual celebration of love, weve got to remember to love ourselves just as much, if not more than anyone else. Even alone, we can and should nurture practices that help create as many moments of joy and self-love as possible. To that end, there are tons of beautiful products created and curated by Black-owned businesses that are geared towards self-carebut sometimes just having the thing isnt enough. Since were currently stuck inside all the time, it can be hard to find experiences that will nurture not just our bodies, but our minds, as well. While virtual events are happening daily, here are some that focus on the idea of creating moments for yourself, while also connecting you to others.

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Love the One You're With: 8 Black-Owned Services Nurturing Self-Love - The Root

Michelle Morrison was out of town when she realized her sense of smell had vanished. It was late last May, and Morrison, a flight attendant with a private aviation company, was five days into a seven-day tour of duty.

Out of the blue, with no nasal congestion or other respiratory symptoms, the shampoo in her hotel bathroom had no aroma. A whiff of eucalyptus essential oil left her nostrils stinging, but she still couldnt detect any scent.

Not normally prone to illness and hyperaware of the threat of contracting COVID-19 due to the public-facing nature of her profession, Morrison knew immediately that something was very wrong. Her sense of smell, she says, was just gone, and I started to panic. It was a scary, scary experience.

Morrison immediately returned to her home in Marshall, and her doctor performed a COVID-19 test, which came back positive. Since she wasnt experiencing fever, cough or other symptoms, she took leave from her job and quarantined alone on her 20-acre property. About two weeks later, after receiving two negative tests, she went back to work and resumed her normal activities.

But months later, it became apparent that COVID-19 hadnt simply disappeared from Morrisons life. When her sense of smell began incrementally returning after about three months, she found repulsive phantom scents replacing normally pleasant ones coffee, for example, would smell like burning gasoline. Her sense of taste was likewise impaired, making all but the blandest of foods seem horrific.

Then, in late September, an abrupt bout of crippling fatigue grounded the normally energetic 40-year-old. I had to take time off work because I couldnt get out of bed, she says. It felt like I got hit with a ton of bricks. A panel of medical tests excluded all possible causes other than COVID-19.

As the pandemic wears on, its becoming clear that Morrisons situation is far more common than was initially thought. In the early going, the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that about one-third of adults whod tested positive for COVID-19 still had not returned to their usual state of health after two to three weeks. But subsequent research suggests that prolonged symptoms may be more pervasive. A study released in January by The Lancet found that 76% of 1,733 COVID-19 patients discharged from a single hospital in Wuhan, China, were still experiencing at least one symptom, such as fatigue, weakness, muscle pain or sleeplessness, six months after the onset of symptoms.

Similarly, research conducted in Italy and the United States has found that anywhere from 50% to 80% of patients still experience symptoms of whats come to be called long COVID many months after contracting the virus. And a global study published by MedRxiv in December reported that most long-haulers, as these patients are often labeled, had not resumed previous levels of job performance after six months, and many continued to display significant symptoms even seven months after becoming infected. At this point, little is known about what causes this disparity, though some evidence suggests that women, older people and those with more severe initial symptoms may be more likely to experience long COVID.

Whit Rylee, a builder who specializes in historic preservation, is one of those folks. The 57-year-old started feeling under the weather back in early October. He had just returned to Asheville, where hes lived for 20 years, after an extended camping sabbatical around the Great Lakes. A free COVID-19 test from CVS came back positive, and not having yet secured a place to stay, he ended up quarantined for a week at a location provided by Buncombe County.

During his quarantine, says Rylee, he experienced fever, dizziness and general flu-like symptoms but no cough or respiratory issues. I had about three nights that were rough, he explains. I assumed that in a week or two Id start feeling better, because it wasnt that bad.

His condition didnt improve, however. Instead, for the past four months, Rylee has suffered from chronic, debilitating fatigue. I always thought that just meant that youd get tired, he says. But what its like is that if you push yourself for more than an hour, you not only feel exhausted, you start feeling like youre coming down with a bad case of the flu.

He also experiences other common long COVID symptoms, he says, including a constant ringing in his ears, dizziness, weakness, loss of appetite, swollen toes and, worst of all, brain fog that makes navigating everyday tasks a challenge.

Unable to work, Rylee says managing his finances is a constant struggle. He counts himself extremely lucky to have found temporary living quarters in a friends guesthouse, and he says hes received a small amount of emergency funding from local agencies thats been helpful.

But his lack of permanent housing has excluded him from qualifying for broader financial aid, such as through the states Housing Opportunities and Prevention of Evictions Program. Meanwhile, Rylee says hes frustrated by the limited assistance being offered to COVID-19 survivors by local governments, particularly the city of Asheville.

Asheville resident Ashley M., who asked Xpress not to publish her full name to protect sensitive health information, has managed to hang onto her job since contracting COVID-19. But her intense long-haul symptoms first forced the 36-year-old software presenter to take a medical leave and then, when she was able to resume working, to pare down her hours from as many as 50 or 60 a week to part time.

Ashley, who has asthma but says shes usually very healthy otherwise, tried to get a COVID-19 test in March after she started feeling feverish following a trip to Greenville, S.C. The provider, however, ran out of tests before her appointment, and she never received a positive diagnosis.

Nonetheless, she experienced the classic COVID-19 symptoms: cough, shortness of breath, impaired sense of taste and brain fog. After about two weeks, Ashley felt she was recovering and carried on with her usual work schedule and activities. But two months after she first became ill, things suddenly got weird and scary.

I started to get really, really sick, she recalls. It got to the point where I eventually wasnt able to use my hands and couldnt push myself up from bed or couch and could barely walk.

The brain fog came back with a vengeance, too, and she developed a severe stutter a heartbreaking development for someone whose livelihood depends on public speaking. My friends said I was like a completely different person during that time when I couldnt speak, she remembers. My parents said it sounded like I had had a stroke.

Multiple doctors Ashley consulted at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, including neurology and infectious disease specialists, concluded that shes a presumptive positive for COVID-19 and a long-hauler. Intensive speech therapy has improved her stutter, but it still recurs when shes nervous or upset, she says.

And though she loves her job, she still cant return to full-time work, because persistent exhaustion and brain fog make activities like reading and conversations extremely draining. It feels like COVID ate a part of my brain, she says. I cant think critically; I cant think creatively. My brain is just very simple now.

Overall, says Ashley, her condition is improving, but meanwhile her life has been turned upside down. I cant do the things I used to do I cant go hiking, and even taking walks with her dog, she says, is challenging. Im having to live in an entirely different way because of this virus that so many people arent taking seriously, and its very frustrating and upsetting.

Morrison, on the other hand, has been able to continue working full time since recovering from her bout of fatigue in September. But her life, too, has been drastically altered by the illness. Once a passionate and creative cook, she says, the continued impairment and distortion of her senses of smell and taste have robbed her of one of her lifes greatest joys.

She also struggles with the isolation of having symptoms nobody really understands. Its very lonely, she notes. The fatigue, the brain fog, the loss of taste and smell are all things that are very, very difficult to talk with other people about. Because they cant see it, theyre not experiencing it, they think youve got to be making it up.

Morrison, Rylee and Ashley M. all say that seeking treatment for their long COVID symptoms has been a struggle and often discouraging. The doctors, says Ashley, dont know whats going on. I get that, but it feels like theyre just dismissing us and what were feeling. They gave me a pamphlet on how to reduce my anxiety and be more mindful that was their solution to me not being able to walk or speak.

Yet all three concede that medical professionals are doing their best to deal with a new disease about which relatively little is yet understood.

Everybodys struggling, trying to figure out what the hell this is, says Rylee, describing the confusion he encountered when he sought medical help for his long COVID symptoms.

All three long-haulers have found support and useful advice from fellow COVID-19 survivors through online forums. And though doctors have so far been unable to help Morrison recover her senses of smell and taste, shes found support in a private Facebook group called COVID-19 Smell and Taste Loss thats hosted by the British nonprofit AbScent.

Thanks to her interactions with this more than 21,000-member online community, Morrison says shes started experimenting with smell training. The process involves regularly sniffing specific essential oils, such as rose, clove and lemon, to retrain the olfactory receptors to recognize common aromas. The jurys still out as to whether that helps at all, she says, but at least its given her something to try.

Rylee, meanwhile, says hes following a Parkinsons disease diet high in omega-3 fatty acids to combat his brain fog, a regimen he learned about via a similar online community. Per the same source, hes also taking supplements, including vitamins D and C, magnesium, niacin and zinc, to address his fatigue.

Ashleys activity on a Reddit group for COVID-19 long-haulers led her to participate in national and international research efforts. Shes sent blood samples to IncellDx, a company led by Stanford University researcher Dr. Bruce Patterson thats conducting research on the disease, and she took part in the above-mentioned international MedRxiv study of long COVID patients.

I find that study so interesting, because it just validates what all of us have been going through, she says. This isnt just, Oh, youre stressed out. This is something that can last in your body for an undetermined amount of time.

Dr. Steven Hauser, a hospital internist and primary care physician at AdventHealth Medical Group Multispecialty at South Asheville, has been following the COVID-19 outbreak since before it left China. So Ive been expecting this sort of pattern to happen for a while now, he reports.

Fatigue and brain fog are commonly persistent symptoms, notes Hauser, who says hes cared for numerous active COVID-19 patients as well as several with long-term COVID conditions. But its hard to really get data on what to expect, because were only a year out from the first case reports of this virus from China, he explains. The treatments now are all supportive care rather than offering a cure.

Theres evidence, says Hauser, that COVID-19 can cause long-term scarring in the lungs, and post-COVID brain fog could also potentially point to lasting damage. But its still too soon to say how often this happens or what the prognosis is.

Theres no harm in long-haulers taking vitamin supplements, he says, and he urges anyone with long-term symptoms to stay in contact with their doctors to document their experience. Those with cognitive issues should get tested by a specialist to rule out other possible causes, he advises.

Katherine Taylor, a physical therapist with CarePartners Home Health, has been working with COVID-19 patients since last fall to address a host of long-term symptoms, including gait and balance impairments, decreased activity tolerance, unstable vital signs, memory deficits, brain fog and changes in personality.

Although shes unsure about how to treat taste and smell impairments and she refers patients with speech and cognitive issues to specialized therapists, Taylor says shes seen strong improvement in post-COVID-19 patients experiencing weakness and fatigue. Therapies can include progressive walking and exercise programs, monitored aerobic conditioning and balance activities.

With direction, monitoring and prescribed exercise from a skilled therapist, patients can absolutely make significant gains and improve functioning, she says.

For her part, Ashley M. advises fellow long-haulers, in addition to pursuing any needed therapies, to take vitamins, eat a healthy diet, drink lots of water, take electrolytes and most importantly get as much rest as possible. She also encourages doctors to take their patients post-COVID concerns seriously, even if theyre unsure about how to approach treatment.

People need to know that they were heard and validated and understood, she emphasizes. I think thats whats going to get us past this.

Like Morrison and Rylee, Ashley says shes trying to remain hopeful that she and other long-haulers will eventually recover, despite the current lack of clarity. I feel deep down like this is just temporary, and it will get better, she says. But in reality we just dont know.

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COVID-19 long-haulers struggle to reclaim their lives - Mountain Xpress

Gerald MacKillop, Jr.| Wicked Local

On the evening of the Biden/Harris inauguration, the presidents team produced a celebrity-filled, primetime TV special in lieu of the traditional celebrations due to the pandemic. The 90-minute program, titled "Celebrating America," featured remarks from the president and vice president, but it also prominently showcased everyday citizens such as frontline workers, teachers and health care professionals, who were characterized as American heroes.

As a video clip of a UPS driver flashed across the screen, the president underscored the importance of the essential workers who carried the rest of us on their shoulders these many months: The grocery store clerks, the delivery drivers, the folks on the assembly line.... too often overlooked, giving their best to their country.

Taking a cue from the president, I would include the Lynch/van Otterloo Y staff, and in particular, the childcare and summer camp teams, in the presidents litany of indispensable workers who continued to critically contribute to the communitys wellbeing as the country slowed to a near halt.

Early in the shutdown, the Y staff, seizing the opportunity to address essential, pandemic-created needs, contributed both time and money to hand-make facemasks that were donated to the Marblehead Council on Aging through the Rotary Club of Marblehead, and organized two blood drives to address a potentially dwindling stockpile as most residents stayed homebound this past spring.

As soon as state and local regulations allowed, and proper precautions were instituted, the LvO Early Learning Center (ELC) implemented its reopening plan rooted in safety and sanitization, allowing us to provide emergency childcare for those children whose parents cannot work from home, solving a crucial dilemma for working mothers, fathers and guardians. This past summer, the ELC safely opened its classrooms for all, delivering the nurturing environment that forms the foundation for a lifetime of learning, and the necessary supervision for children while parents are working.

Likewise, the Y-owned Childrens Island day camp and the LvO-based youth camps -- led by an enthusiastic, fully prepared staff -- securely operated this past summer, providing the enriching experiences of a normal vacation season for North Shore youth, despite the pandemic.

A recent HuffPost article on exercise during the pandemic noted that moving your body can do wonders for your mood and mental health; thats why its important to find ways to sweat safely is guidance that we take very seriously.

Our staff quickly mobilized to support our members mental and physical health through the virtual Y. Daily workouts, fitness classes, swimming, and recreational play as we knew it -- obviously needed to be modified once the Y was allowed to open, but once the proper safeguards were installed, in-building opportunities resumed, and numerous safe alternatives were launched to re-engage our members, such as outdoor spin and group exercise classes.

As of September, the aquatics, gymnastics and group exercise programs are all operational, and now, with the addition of the former Boston Ballet space, the Y has broadened the number of offerings in our well ventilated, socially distanced environment, each directed by committed and passionate instructors. And despite the financial challenges posed by the pandemic to the organization, no one was ever turned away from the Y due to an inability to pay the membership fee.

As we head into 2021, the Y is firm in our commitment to deliver positive change in our community, undaunted by an epidemic that has threatened our health and disrupted all of our lives. But in the face of all that adversity and uncertainty, the LvO Y staff, echoing rapper Drakes lyric, I learned working with the negatives can make for better pictures, converted crisis into opportunity, and effectively responded to local needs with an indefatigable spirit, canny innovation, and remarkable generosity.

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Local Y heroes respond to the pandemic - Wicked Local

NEW YORK, Feb. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SWORD Health, the worlds fastest growing virtual musculoskeletal (MSK) care provider, has raised a $25 million financing round, bringing SWORDs cumulative fundraising to $50 million. The round was led by Todd Cozzens, Managing Partner at Transformation Capital and former healthcare investor at Sequoia Capital. Existing investors Khosla Ventures, Founders Fund, Green Innovations, Vesalius Biocapital and Faber also participated.

SWORD Health achieved significant commercial success in the last year with eight-fold revenue growth and a nearly five-fold increase in active users in 2020, making it one of the fastest growing providers of virtual musculoskeletal care delivery. The Company will use the funds to enhance product capabilities, expand industry partnerships and drive adoption across the benefits management ecosystem with employers, health plans and alliance partners.

This was a breakout year for SWORD Health, said Virgilio Bento, founder and CEO of SWORD Health. We grew our client footprint and revenue dramatically and were selected in 75 percent of evaluations we participated in by employers searching for a better way to provide musculoskeletal care to their populations. SWORD Health is now the fastest growing provider of musculoskeletal care, and this new round of funding will accelerate our mission to provide high-quality, accessible and effective musculoskeletal care to over two billion people worldwide.

According to the World Health Organization, MSK conditions are the worlds leading cause of disability, with low back pain being its single greatest contributor. These conditions significantly impact ones ability to work and are commonly linked to depression and other chronic health issues. Demand for digital physical therapy solutions to MSK issues skyrocketed during the pandemic and, according to the Business Group on Health, will continue to grow exponentially through 2023.

We invested in SWORD Health because the Company is solving one of the worlds leading health issues today, musculoskeletal pain, with the most clinically comprehensive MSK digital health solution, said Todd Cozzens, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Transformation Capital. Our market research with employers, payers and industry partners confirmed that SWORD Health offers the leading MSK virtual therapy standard of care for the broadest set of conditions.

At the core of SWORD Healths leading virtual musculoskeletal solution is its FDA-listed Digital Therapist, which connects in-house Doctors of Physical Therapy to SWORD Health members via wearable motion sensors and a tablet loaded with an AI-powered therapeutic exercise program. It is the only solution clinically proven to outperform the current gold standard of care for MSK conditions traditional physical therapy and the only to offer rehabilitation programs for chronic, acute and post-surgical conditions of the lower back, shoulder, neck, knee, elbow, hip, ankle, wrist and lungs.

We selected SWORD Health after a robust evaluation process because we believe they provide the safest, most engaging and most effective MSK treatment on the market," said Jen Lamons, director of health and welfare at Concordia Plan Services. "They have been a dream to work with, and they have exceeded our expectations over the last year. I cant wait to see what this additional funding will ultimately provide our members and the rest of the world."

For more information, visit swordhealth.com.

About SWORD Health

SWORD Health is the worlds fastest growing virtual musculoskeletal (MSK) care provider, on a mission to free two billion people from chronic and post-surgical pain. It is the first virtual solution to pair its members with a licensed physical therapist and the SWORD Health Digital Therapist, an FDA-listed device with a tablet and motion sensors, to deliver a clinically proven, personalized treatment plan that is more effective, easier and less expensive than the traditional gold standard of care.

SWORD Health believes in the power of people to recover at home, without resorting to imaging, surgeries or opioids. Since launching in 2015, SWORD Health has worked with insurers, health systems and employers in the U.S., Europe and Australia to make quality physical therapy more accessible to everyone.

About SWORD Healths Digital Therapist

The SWORD Health Digital Therapist is an FDA-listed technology that guides every member through a therapeutic exercise program that was designed just for them by their licensed physical therapist. With over 5,000 feedback messages designed for over 100 exercises, the Digital Therapist gives members live, dynamic feedback on their performance as they go, so they can perform exercises correctly and without pain, at home. After every session, every members physical therapist receives data gathered by the Digital Therapist, and they can analyze their members performance, update their members programs, and give members 1:1 coaching and education through the SWORD Health app.

About Transformation Capital

Transformation Capital is dedicated exclusively to supporting entrepreneurs building transformational digital health and technology-enabled service businesses. The firm invests at the commercial stage in companies that serve stakeholders across the healthcare system and was founded on the premise that healthcare requires a highly focused investment approach combining deep industry expertise and connectivity. Transformation is an investor in companies such as Health Catalyst, LetsGetChecked, PatientPing, PatientPop, Plushcare, Olive and Vera Whole Health.

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SWORD Health Raises $25 Million in Series B to Accelerate Growth of its Best-in-Class Virtual Musculoskeletal Care Solution - GlobeNewswire

Muscular endurance refers to how long muscles can sustain exercise. Improving muscular endurance can help enhance overall health and fitness.

This article explores the benefits of muscular endurance, the best training routines to enhance it, and how people can adapt these techniques into common exercises.

We will also look at tips to prevent injury during training and how to design an exercise program that could lead to long-term performance and health benefits.

Muscular endurance is the ability to continue contracting a muscle, or group of muscles, against resistance, such as weights or body weight, over a period of time.

Increasing the performance of these muscles means they can continue to contract and work against these forces.

Greater muscular endurance allows a person to complete more repetitions of an exercise, for example, pushups or squats.

According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), the benefits of muscle endurance include:

Muscular endurance tests measure how many repetitions of a movement people can do before the muscles reach a state of fatigue and cannot continue the exercise.

Many tests focus on measuring upper and lower body muscle endurance by measuring how many pushups, squats, or situps people can achieve.

A person can work with fitness instructors to measure muscular endurance or record how many repetitions of a particular exercise they can perform before reaching the fatigue state.

To increase muscular endurance, ACE recommend a combination of lower and upper body exercises, with strengthening exercises to target the whole body.

Moderate resistance training, with short intervals in between for rest, creates short bursts of tension to build strength.

Circuit or high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can be a suitable way to combine cardio and strength training into one workout.

Unless a persons fitness goals involve training for a particular endurance-based sport, training for muscular endurance alone may not be the most appropriate strategy.

The best exercise programs mix strength and muscular endurance training.

Some evidence also suggests that exercise programs that people find enjoyable may be more likely to generate long-term benefits, as they may be more likely to stick with them.

A 2015 study comparing HIIT and steady-state training notes:

Variety in the type of exercise is as important as the type of exercise. Particularly considering that the health benefits of exercise have to be viewed in the context of the likelihood that exercise is continued for several years, not just the weeks of a controlled study.

When training to improve muscular endurance, what matters most is not the type of exercise, but how people design their workout.

People should take into consideration the following when tailoring a workout to boost muscular endurance:

According to the National Strength and Conditioning Association, individuals training for muscular endurance should aim to complete three or more sets of 15 or more exercise reps with a load that is 50% or less of their one rep max (RM).

A persons one rep max is the maximum load with which a person can complete one repetition of an exercise.

For example, a person may wish to use the leg press machine at the gym to build endurance in the legs.

If they have an RM of 300 pounds (lbs), they should aim to perform 24 sets of 15 or more reps with a load of 150lbs or less, with brief rest periods between sets.

As their muscular endurance for this exercise increases, they may wish to make the exercise more challenging by reducing rest times between sets, or increasing the reps per set, rather than increasing the load weight.

A person can apply the same principle of high rep and set volume, lowmoderate load, and short rest periods to any exercise, such as bench presses, dumbbell curls, pushups, or squats.

People can choose exercises that suit their preferences and are challenging yet enjoyable enough to sustain training.

As we have already mentioned, there are no specific exercises that are better for training muscular endurance than others. The design of a training program makes it suitable for endurance training.

However, ACE recommend the following exercises for building muscle endurance, which a person can perform at home without equipment:

A pushup works the triceps, chest, and shoulder muscles.

A person can also work the tricep muscles more by placing their hands close together and turn them inward, so the fingers and thumbs form a diamond shape.

To make the exercise easier, a person can place their hands on a bench or other stable, raised surface.

People can also modify a push up by placing the knees on the floor to make it easier, or lift one leg off the floor to make it more difficult.

A squat works the glutes, calves, quads, and core muscles.

An abdominal crunch works the abdominal muscles:

Another example of an abdominal crunch is the pike crunch:

A person can also hold a stability ball between their ankles during this exercise.

A lunge works the abs, buttocks, hips, and thighs:

A plank works the core and back muscles.

A person can modify this exercise by resting on the forearms instead of the palms if they find it challenging to hold the plank position with straight arms.

Tips to prevent injury during a workout include:

Muscular endurance is a muscles ability to continue contracting against resistance over a period of time.

People can improve their muscular endurance with strength and cardiovascular training.

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What is muscular endurance and how to improve it - Medical News Today

I am writing to respond to the commentary written by Lee Lynch, "Please raise my taxes; I can afford it" (Opinion Exchange, Feb. 2). I agree with everything he said and commend him for the courage to say it. However, I offer a different approach.

Many who express resistance to higher taxes believe strongly that governments that collect the additional taxes are very inefficient and waste a meaningful percentage of the revenues that flow through them. "I would be happy to pay more in taxes to help the disadvantaged, but I can't stand the wastefulness of government" is a frequent refrain of the wealthy.

Regrettably, these same wealthy are free to make voluntary donations to nonprofits that serve the community but do not, even though they profess to care about the disadvantaged. One cannot credibly resist higher taxes as "inefficient" and then not make charitable donations in lieu of paying higher taxes. One way or the other we must address the needs of our community, and we need the wealthy to pay more, as Lynch points out.

My recommendation is that governments impose a special surtax on the wealthy (5% on income above $1 million?) but give the wealthy taxpayer a choice. Either pay the higher taxes to government or make a donation in the amount of the surtax to qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. The donation must be made in the same year that the taxes would be due.

If donated to a nonprofit, the additional money would flow directly into the community rather than through the government, which would eliminate the excuse for not wanting to pay higher taxes.

A Tuesday letter writer misses the point of Lee Lynch's commentary advocating for higher taxes on the wealthy as a solution to our crippling deficits when making the oft-repeated argument that Lynch is welcome to pay more than his mandatory amount if he feels he is not paying his fair share. Obviously, Lynch electing to pay more in taxes is not going to solve our budget issues by itself. Instead, Lynch would like to see all 1-percenters required to pay more in taxes in order to not leave these huge debts for our children and grandchildren to eventually pay off.

A writer from Stillwater complained in Tuesday's letters about the "high" tax rates in Minnesota. He mentioned the steps taken to compensate his employees but fails to recognize the state-supported programs that make Minnesota a desirable place to live. Then he claims without evidence that there is "waste, fraud and abuse" in public spending. Perhaps this writer would care to explain which of the programs contains all this "abuse"? Would it be the underfunded public health system? The underfunded education system? The underfunded transportation system? The underfunded early child-care system? All of these public projects create the opportunity for his employees to show up at work each and every day so that he can be successful as an entrepreneur.

I certainly have to agree with a Monday letter writer as to the hypocrisy of Republicans now wanting to support fiscal prudence after the massive giveaway that was their tax "reform." To my surprise and gratification, however, on certain points of their counterproposal to the president's stimulus plan, I agree with them. The money, however much it is, really needs to be directed to those in real need "well-thought-out" dollars, to quote the letter writer. To borrow his analogy of the sinking life raft, we need to make sure the life vests we're tossing out are actually landing in the raft, and not on a passing cruise ship (which is where so many of us, in truth, find ourselves).

Ronna McDaniel, chair of the Republican National Committee, stated in this paper on Tuesday that to "keep our party united" the "family dispute" between the radical right fringe and traditional Republicans must be handled "behind closed doors" ("Emboldened extremist wing flexes its power," Feb. 2). McDaniel would not even condemn Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has embraced QAnon conspiracies, denied the Sandy Hook and Parkland school shootings and supported violence against Democrats. I guess the radical right epitomized by Greene is in the Republican "family."

What? The Republican Party that once stood for law and order now defends the lawlessness of its supporters storming the U.S. Capitol, the citadel of our democracy. The party of accountability for one's actions now wants to "move on" and pretend this violent assault and attempted coup didn't happen.

The party attacking "fake news" perpetuates the fake news that the 2020 presidential election was "stolen," even though more than 60 court decisions, every secretary of state, the FBI and Trump's own administration assert it was fair and legitimate.

The party that condemned "political correctness" now formally censures Republicans who don't hew to the politically correct positions espoused by former President Donald Trump and his right-wing supporters.

Republicans hope they can unite themselves by opposing Democratic legislation. The Republican Party has become one that can oppose but not propose, detract but not enact. Remember its health care plan to replace Obamacare? Never saw it. Remember tax cuts for the middle class? Only saw one for the wealthy and corporations. Remember legislation to rebuild America's infrastructure? Never started. The border wall paid for by Mexico? Never saw a peso.

By obediently enabling Trump in order to maintain power, Republicans adopted into their family the radical right with its "loony lies" and electoral "cancer" (per Sen. Mitch McConnell). In sacrificing principles for power, they have lost both.

Thank you, Pat Samples, for your excellent commentary on ageism ("Growing older is not awful; ageism is," Opinion Exchange, Jan. 29). I couldn't agree more with your perspective, but I would like to mention one more problem that results from ageism.

When I was 59, I joined a fitness training group at a major facility. I was at a somewhat poor fitness level due to a surgery I had to endure, but thankfully I had a trainer who did not let that stop me. He pushed me to do what I could do within the group and if there was a problem, he found an alternate exercise that made me stay in the game. As time passed, I improved. In just nine months, I was in the best shape of my life. I was stronger than ever and I easily found myself running 5-mile runs each week. Even my sore lower back was free of pain and stronger. I slept better, my body fat dropped from 29% to 19%, and I ate healthier.

As we age, it is normal for well-intentioned people to tell us that we need to slow down and be more careful. This message shapes the thinking of seniors so that they think it is impossible to overcome the aches and pains of life. We need to stop telling our seniors to slow down and instead tell them to go for a walk, play pickleball, swim, bike or go for a hike. Will they get aching muscles? Yes, and that is a good thing. Check with your doctor and if possible, work with a fitness trainer. They can give you the right exercise program to overcome what ails you, but in any case, get back to doing something good for your health.

We want to hear from you. Send us your thoughts here.

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Readers Write: Raising taxes, warring sides of the GOP, aging well - Minneapolis Star Tribune

Seldom a day goes by without the average person at least considering or perhaps even obsessing about their weight. However, everyday struggles with a few extra pounds are nothing compared to the very real and rampant problem of obesity. Bariatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the study and treatment of obesity.

The basic tenets of weight management revolve around diet, exercise, and behavior modification. Bariatrics isnt any different, although the practice can also encompass surgery. Need for the latter often hinges on the activity of the hormone ghrelin, known as a hunger hormone because it increases food intake. Ghrelin spikes before mealtimes and then drops afterward. When someone struggling with obesity embarks on a diet program, you often see an even higher spiking of ghrelin making them even more hungry, says Dr. Bobby Bhasker-Rao, a bariatric surgery specialist. Its why a lot of patients who are significantly obese arent very successful with diet programs alone. Ghrelin completely flatlines after bariatric surgery.

There are approximately four different types of bariatric surgery being performed today. The gastric bypass is considered the gold standard and a mini version of it exists as well. However, the less invasive gastric sleeve procedure has eclipsed gastric bypass in terms of popularity, according to Bhasker-Rao. There is also the once prevalent lap or gastric band surgery although interest in it has waned since newer developments have gained ground. Finally, there is the Duodenal Switch (SADI) procedure for patients to consider.

The decision to undergo bariatric surgery is never made lightly. Failed attempts at dieting and exercise programs are usually a precursor. Dieting frustration might occur for the reason already mentioned but exercising while obese can prove self-defeating as well. According to Dr. James Bell, an orthopedic surgery specialist, obese individuals are 20 times more likely to need a knee replacement. Were reluctant to do replacements in these types of patients because they have increased risk of infection, implant failure, and they often dont do as well post-operatively. In addition to knee problems, significantly overweight individuals are 60 percent more likely to develop degenerative spinal disks and increasing back pain. The spine is trying to hold up all that extra weight so they end up with stenosis and different neurological issues because of these degenerative changes, he adds.

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Greater Palm Springs Specialists Give Advice on Weight Control - Palm Springs Life

CHESTER COUNTY, PA It has been over a year since many of us first heard of COVID-19 and since then, it has disrupted almost every aspect of our lives. With parents working more than ever or not at all, activities canceled, school taught through electronic devices and playdates a distant memory, theres no denying that the pandemics impact on children is overwhelming.

Steve Castleton, father of two daughters and volunteer youth basketball coach at the Kennett Area YMCA, has a front-row seat to the pandemics impact on children. Socially and emotionally, its been difficultthey miss their friends and other normal human interactions, shares Steve.

Since the start of the pandemic, the YMCA has been on the front linesorganizing food drives and blood drives, providing virtual group exercise classes, checking in on isolated seniors, and offering summer camp, childcare, and learning centers for children doing virtual schooling. This has given them an up-close view of how children are coping. Isolation, lack of physical activity and stress are some of the biggest challenges they have seen.

The data tells a challenging story. In 2020, emergency room visits for mental health concerns in children ages 511 rose 24% over a year prior. Children ages 6-15 arereporting more feelings of helplessness (66%), worry (68%) and fear (62%)in addition to parents reporting their children havingshortened attention spans, being more clingy and showing greater irritability.Doctors are also experiencing increases in the number of kids with sleep disturbances, eating disorders, depression, anxiety, substance abuse and suicidal thoughts.

While worrisome, experts are quick to point out that kids are resilient, especially when parents and caregivers help them through times of crises. They recommend parents/caregivers talk with children about what is happening whilevalidating the feelings their kids share and helping them to comprehend and understand them. Find a time that best works to connect with your child try going on regular walks or drives together toeliminate distractions.The CDC has a guide for parents offering age-appropriate resourcesfor families including conversation starters, activities and more.

Between time spent in front of a computer screen, limited or canceled activities and colder weather, kids have less physical activity. This has resulted in a number of issues andsome doctors are reportingincreased cases of eating disorders, especially in adolescents.

While some families are benefitting from the many open spaces and preserves available in Chester County, it can still be challenging to hit your step count or get back to your pre-pandemic fitness routine. Why not sign up for theYMCAs RESET Challenge? The challenge, which will explore different ways for everyone and families to get active for 150 minutes a week, is FREE to all members of the community.

Interested in more?Request a free trial for a 7-day pass to explore YMCA offerings including group exercise classes in person and online gym equipment, youth training programs, indoor pools and discounts on youth programs and activities. Along with a free trial, the YMCA will share the many policies they have in place to keep their spaces safe and clean.

Weve all seen the pictures on the news with long lines at local food banks. With unemployment at an all-time high, more families than ever are experiencing hunger or food insecurity. When kids go hungry, their ability to call upon their mental and emotional reserves to cope lessens and they are at an increased risk for hyperactivity, aggression and anxiety. The YMCA began food drives at the start of the pandemic and they have continued them at their Oscar Lasko YMCA branch today.

At the YMCA, their mission is to ensure everyone has the support they need to grow strong in spirit, mind and body. Being able to stay safely connected to one another and remain active is critical for kids to successfully cope with the pandemic. The YMCA states that is why they reviewed expert advice on preventing the spread of COVID and implemented countless safety protocolsmask requirements, heightened disinfection and moreto create the safest experience possible at the YMCA.

Through many generous donors, and their fundraising efforts, the YMCA provides financial assistance for those with need including summer camp and childcare as well as income-based membership opportunities. You can donate to support these programs on their website. All donations go to support families directly in the community.

As a non-profit organization dedicated to youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, the YMCA states they believe every child deserves to have safe spaces where they can grow, learn and thrive safelyand they wont stop working to ensure that every child in the community has that opportunity. The YMCA knows its more important than ever during these challenging times.

Be the first to know about summer camp offers byjoining the YMCA of Greater Brandywine email list.

Thanks for visiting! MyChesCo brings reliable information and resources to Chester County, Pennsylvania. Please consider supporting us in our efforts. Your generous donation will help us continue this work and keep it free of charge. Show your support today by clicking here and becoming a patron.

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How the Pandemic Is Affecting Childrenand What You Can Do to Help your Child - MyChesCo

By Mallory Harris | Staff Writer

To produce a well-rounded student, Baylor requires students to take a lifetime fitness class before graduation. The goal of the program is to teach students different ways to maintain their health, both physically and mentally, throughout their life. With a variety of sports, weight control and relaxation, students have the opportunity to learn something new or hone a developed skill.

Program coordinator Dr. Mary Ann Jennings explained they want students to learn new things and to ultimately be able to create their own workouts that are tailored for them.

The biggest thing is to learn how to program themselves, so that when they get out away from a structured environment, theyll know how to do their own workout, Jennings said.

While the pandemic has changed multiple things, the small group of students who just see lifetime fitness as a requirement still remain. Jennings explained that instructors are aware of this and know they must work to win them over and allow them to see how these classes are enjoyable. Especially with the pandemic, the classes held outside hold a bonus social atmosphere for students during stressful times, Jennings explained.

Right now, the social aspect, a lot of it is being outside and being social and interacting with others helps even though were maintaining that social distancing, Jennings said. And most of the students are really finding that face-to-face [interaction] refreshing.

Taking a holistic view in developing students, part-time lecturer Beth Williams explained that for Baylor, they wanted students to be academically, spiritually, physically and emotionally engaged. Mixing both the necessary coursework along with new issues in todays world, including depression, anxiety and body image, Williams explained how exercise has been a way to connect with oneself. To alleviate students from these issues, graduate student Sarah Ruckman explained how many classes have incorporated fun activities that get students moving.

I think a lot of students can relate to feeling stressed or feeling down and then going and exercising, and they feel better, Williams said. And there are studies that have shown that theres a distinct correlation between exercise and dealing with stress or dealing with depression. Its not the sole answer, but it does definitely help.

As some students have disabilities, the lifetime fitness program has separate courses and programs specifically designed for those who cant participate in normal physical activities. Jennings explained that students who suffer an injury over break or come into the university with a disability can be placed in LF 1104 for a more structured framework that their doctor can program and lay out which then becomes facilitated by the lifetime fitness team.

However, its important to note that these adaptive classes do not replace any rehab a student must endure and vice versa, a students rehab cannot count as a lifetime credit, Jennings explained.

We like to add on to what we do and just facilitate either to help the injury heal or just help you get stronger, Jennings said.

The lifetime fitness program is designed to provide students with skills and habits of safe exercise practices explained Williams. Seeing students transform and build a community within that class is one of Williams favorite part about teaching fitness. Allowing students to learn multiple ways to maintain their health throughout their life is a core value of the lifetime fitness program.

Honestly, one of my favorite parts is listening to what [students] have learned at the end, like Whats something youre going to take away from this class and apply to your life. Ruckman said. The goal of our class is to make fitness fun.

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The reason behind Baylor's lifetime fitness requirement - The Baylor Lariat

Athletico is committed to keeping employees and patients safe during COVID-19 and has taken several measures including additional screening procedures, enhanced cleaning practices and appropriate distancing of patients during treatment sessions. In addition to in-clinic treatment at the Vandalia clinic, Athletico is also offering telehealth virtual treatment options where patients can connect with a Physical Therapist through a secure online video chat.

"I love being a physical therapist, and now I get to share my knowledge at Athletico Vandalia," said Stacie Cornwell, PT, DPT, OCS and Clinic Manager of Athletico Vandalia. "I was raised in Vandalia and am currently raising my family here. I am able to incorporate all the things that make me happy into a one stop shop and look forward to serving those in my hometown!"

Services available at Athletico Vandalia include:

Additionally, Athletico Vandalia:

Athletico Vandalia205 W National Rd Ste BVandalia, OH, 45377Phone: 937-280-0047www.athletico.com/VandaliaOH[emailprotected]

ABOUT ATHLETICO

Athletico Physical Therapy provides the highest quality orthopedic rehabilitation services to communities, employers and athletes in over 525 locations throughout twelve states with more than 5,000 employees. Athletico is committed to our patients and referring physicians through our patient-centric focus, positive work environment, attention to quality and high standard of care. Athletico measures patient outcomes and satisfaction and is dedicated to continuous improvement.Athletico was named #1 Workplace in Chicago, "Best Physical Therapy Practice in the Nation" by ADVANCE magazine, Top Workplace in the Nation and has been recognized as a leader in employee volunteering and charitable giving. Our services include physical and occupational/hand therapy, workers' compensation, women's health therapy, concussion management and athletic training. For more information, or to schedule a free assessment in-clinic or now online with our virtual free assessments, visit http://www.athletico.com and follow us on Twitter at @athletico.

CONTACT: Mandy Pasquale630-575-6269 | [emailprotected]

SOURCE Athletico Physical Therapy

http://www.athletico.com

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Athletico Physical Therapy Opens in Vandalia - PRNewswire

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