Happy August! We hope you all are doing well and having an enjoyable summer.
On August 13th, we are participating in the Sun City Center Relay For Life event at Freedom Plaza. The American Cancer Society Relay For Life movement is the world’s largest peer-to-peer fundraising event dedicated to saving lives from cancer. Funds raised directly support breakthrough research, 24/7 support for cancer patients, access to lifesaving screenings, and much more. If you are interested in donating to or participating with our Insight Life Care team, please contact Hannah at (813) 777-3764 or hannah@insightlifecare.com. We would love for some of you to join us on August 13th for the event!
Covid: The Delta variant is ripping through Florida right now, affecting mostly unvaccinated individuals but also some who are vaccinated. Please be mindful of the rapid increase in cases. We know that vaccines remain effective and highly protective against hospitalization and death, even among those infected with the extremely contagious Delta variant. Please consider getting vaccinated if you haven’t already. Call us if you have any questions.
Drink Your Water!
We all know the importance of staying hydrated and drinking water to do so. But how much water should we be drinking? Well, the answer is different based on the individual and the circumstances, but the general recommendation is to drink 4-6 cups of water every day.
Water keeps every system in the body functioning properly, from aiding digestion to protecting your organs and tissues. You have to give your body enough fluids each day to carry out tasks such as normalizing blood pressure, stabilizing the heartbeat, cushioning joints, regulating body temperature, preventing constipation, flushing bacteria from your bladder, carrying nutrients and oxygen to your cells, and maintaining electrolyte balance.
If your body isn’t getting enough water, you may experience warning signs of dehydration which include weakness, low blood pressure, dizziness, confusion, or urine that’s dark in color. To avoid dehydration, drink water gradually throughout the day. Try these tips to encourage you to drink more water:
- Put a glass of water next your bed before you go to sleep and then drink it as soon as you wake up in the morning.
- Carry a reusable water bottle with you everywhere you go so that you always have access to water.
- Drink a full glass of water with each of your meals.
- Add fruit slices to your water to add extra flavor.
Using Technology Mindfully
In a world that seems to have turned fully digital, especially in the last 18 months with the pandemic, it’s important that we take a step back once in awhile and observe how we are using our devices. Do you pick up your phone any time you have a free moment? Do you ever find yourself mindlessly scrolling on social media? Or getting lost in your email when you went to check one message? Never-ending news feeds and always-open email inboxes can not only waste a significant amount of time but can also be stress inducing. But of course, that doesn’t mean we need to ditch our devices entirely; instead, our goal should be to become more aware of how we are using technology and to use it in beneficial ways rather to pass time or avoid “boredom.”
This is where the concept of mindful technology use comes into play. Mindfulness encourages us to be presently conscious and mindful technology use follows the same principle. It means paying attention to when and why we are using our devices. It means being aware of the amount of time we are spending scrolling through social media feeds. It means using technology in ways that are uplifting and informing, rather than as a distraction habit.
With technology use, most of our patterns rely on triggers and habits. For example, when we see a notification on our phone, we are likely to check it. Or when we are bored or our mind wanders, we automatically pick up our phone. Try the following tips to change your usage habits:
- Turn off all non-human notifications, i.e., all of your notifications except phone calls, and possibly text messages.
- Leave your phone in a different room while you are working or during set hours where you want to focus on more productive use of your time.
- Put your phone away at least an hour before you go to bed.
- Set usage timers for the apps that tend to take up a majority of your time. Set goals for minimizing the amount of time you spend scrolling on social media or playing games.
Doc's corner:
So, it seems we must take a step backward and socially distance from folks with unknown vaccination status, delay gatherings, and keep fighting this virus. It’s a great time to relax at home, backyard bbq, or read something out of the ordinary. Try “Alone” by Gerard d’Aboville. He decided in his forties to row singlehandedly across The Pacific. An interesting look at true isolation! Stay safe, Doc