Insight Life Care - Blog #covid-19Insight Life Care - Blog #covid-19https://www.insightlifecare.com/blogs/tag/covid-19Mon, 02 Mar 2026 05:03:11 -0800http://zoho.com/sites/<![CDATA[Insight Monthly: May 2021 Newsletter]]>https://www.insightlifecare.com/blogs/post/may-2021Welcome to Insight Life Care's monthly newsletter where we share health tips and what's going on in our world! This month we dive into some tips to help you improve your concentration and advice for traveling during the pandemic.]]>
Happy May everyone!

Did you know May is High Blood Pressure Education Month? Maybe not, but now you do! Tens of millions of adults in the United States have high blood pressure which when uncontrolled can increase the risk for heart disease and stroke, two of the leading causes of death for Americans. Luckily for us, there are many steps we can take each day to keep our blood pressure in a healthy range including choosing healthy meal and snack options along with exercising regularly.

It’s important to focus on foods high in fiber, potassium, and protein and low in sodium and saturated fat. It’s okay to have unhealthy foods in moderation, but make sure the majority of your diet is nutrient focused (eat your greens!). An easy way to get a lot of nutrient rich foods in one meal is through a smoothie. An easy way to get a lot of nutrient rich foods in one meal is through a smoothie. Try adding your favorite fruits with a big handful of kale along with some milk or juice and chia/flax seeds into your blender and voila! you have a delicious and nutritious smoothie.

Some other factors that can help to keep your blood pressure levels healthy are getting enough sleep (at least 7-8 hours/night!), limiting alcoholic drinks to max 1/day, and not smoking.

Are you having trouble concentrating?

It’s normal as we age to have more difficulty filtering out stimuli that are not relevant to the task at hand, we may find our minds wandering more often or that we are easily distracted. There are also outside factors that can affect our concentration such as underlying conditions, medications, lifestyle choices, and information overload from all of the screened devices we use. Although we can’t go back in time and some factors are out of our control, there are strategies we can take to improve our attention. 
  • Meditation: Sit still for a couple minutes each day, closing your eyes, and focusing on your breathing as well as the sounds and sensations around you. If you become distracted, just bring your thoughts back to your breath.
  • Limit Your Devices: Practice putting your phone on silent mode or shutting down your email for a couple of hours of the day. Limit notifications that trigger you to stop what you are doing and look at something else.
  • Take Small Steps: Aim to get 7-8 hours of sleep each night and approximately 150 minutes of exercise, such as brisk walking. Try incorporating more vegetables into your meals, even just a handful of greens or adding one additional vegetable to each meal can make a big difference!

Getting older is something that we cannot control, but we can control the choices we make regarding what we eat, how much we sleep, what notifications we see, and what we do in our free time. With small changes, we will see improvement not only in our concentration, but in other areas as well.

Covid-19 travel tips

If you’re like many others and have been mostly staying put over the last 14 months, you may be itching to get out of your house to explore somewhere new or to visit family in a different state/country. If you’re thinking about traveling by plane, we encourage you to do so in the safest way possible! 
  • Get Tested: Many locations require a negative PCR test result within about 72 hours of your arrival. Make sure to check for specific guidelines. If you need a PCR test for traveling, please call our office to schedule. 
  • Mask Up: Wear a tight-fitting mask, such as an N95, and something to cover your eyes like glasses or a face shield. We recommend filling up on water and food before you head to the airport so you can avoid having to take off your mask the whole time you are traveling.
  • Social Distance: Try to stay spread out from others as much as possible in the airport terminal, this may be more difficult when you are actually seated on the plane, but just do the best you can. 
  • Stay Clean: Keep an easily accessible bottle of hand sanitizer with you to use when you touch any heavily trafficked areas such as door handles, luggage bins, and escalator banisters. Try to avoid touching your face the whole time you are traveling. 

For vaccinated individuals, it is still important to get tested, mask up, social distance, and practice proper hygiene because there may be people around us who are not yet vaccinated. If you have any questions about traveling safely, please reach out to us!

Doc's corner: 

Your teeth and your heart are linked. Plaque disease in our mouths is associated with increased risk of heart disease. While throughout the pandemic many have delayed both routine and at times urgent medical care for fear of exposure and infection, once vaccinated I encourage a visit to a good Dentist for cleaning; they should have their entire staff and all visitors masked, hand hygiene easily available, and face shields on all technicians. Let us know if you would like a recommendation, and keep smiling!!
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]]>Sat, 01 May 2021 16:40:00 +0000<![CDATA[Insight Monthly: February 2021 Newsletter]]>https://www.insightlifecare.com/blogs/post/february-2021Welcome to Insight Life Care's monthly newsletter where we share health tips and what's going on in our world! This month we dive into how our gut microbiota impacts our overall health and information regarding vitamins and supplements.]]>
Happy February. We hope that you had a great first month of 2021. 

A little COVID-19 update: cases and deaths hit an all-time high in Hillsborough County in the month of January. This is not a stat to be proud of, but it looks like the number of new cases by day is decreasing steadily so that's a good sign. Vaccine rollout has begun and many of our 65+ patients have received their first vaccination, which is something to celebrate! We don't have any updated information on when the next group of people will begin to be inoculated. If you are 65+ or have an underlying medical condition that puts you at high risk for severe COVID-19 and you have NOT been vaccinated yet, please continue to request a vaccination via the State of Florida/Hillsborough County. If you have any questions, please reach out to us.

We are monitoring the recent mutations and variants of the virus, with the U.K. variant becoming increasingly prevalent in the U.S. This variant is much more contagious and therefore more deadly than the main variant that has thus far been spreading in the U.S. Please continue social distancing and wearing your mask, even if you are fully vaccinated, it's important that we do our part to keep those around us safe.

Take care and call us if you need anything.

Our gut microbiota: a key player in optimal health

The roughly 38 trillion bacteria that dwell deep within your intestines perform many important tasks. Within those trillions of gut bacteria are about 1,000 different species, represented by some 5,000 distinct bacterial strains. Collectively known as the gut microbiota, these microbes help digest food (like fiber!), metabolize medications, and protect you from infectious organisms.

In many ways, your gut microbiota — which weighs about half a pound in total — functions somewhat like a distinct organ in your body. Just as you have a unique genome, you also have a unique gut microbiome, consisting of some eight million genes that control your microbiota. Science has begun to look more closely at how this enormous system of organisms influences—and even improves—health conditions, from heart disease to arthritis to cancer.

Since the gut microbiota is so complex, it is difficult to pinpoint certain bacteria as the most beneficial. The main factors that affect your personal microbial mix are age, diet, environment, genes, and medications. Here are three actions you can take to improve your gut health:
  • Eat more fermented foods: Try including more naturally fermented foods in your diet, such as sauerkraut, pickles, miso, kombucha, and kefir. Fermented foods contain healthy bacteria, mainly Lactobacilli, and can reduce the amount of disease-causing species in the gut.
  • Eat a diverse range of whole foods: This can lead to a diverse microbiome, which is an indicator of good gut health. In particular, legumes, beans and fruit contain lots of fiber and can promote the growth of healthy Bifidobacteria.
  • Take antibiotics only when necessary: Antibiotics kill many bad and good bacteria in the gut microbiome, possibly contributing to weight gain and antibiotic resistance. Thus, only take antibiotics when medically necessary.

Vitamins and supplements

Studies suggest that there is no substitute for a well-balanced diet, the ideal source of the vitamins and minerals we need. Our bodies prefer naturally occurring sources of vitamins and minerals and absorb these better. Commercially available vitamins, minerals, herbs, etc. are often lumped together as unregulated “supplements", which the FDA does not review and with which we may often worsen rather than improve our health.

Most people who eat a healthy, well balanced diet may derive little benefit from taking additional vitamins or supplements. In certain situations, targeted supplementation can be very beneficial. If you have any questions about the vitamins and supplements you are currently taking or are wondering if you may benefit from targeted supplementation, Dr. Nussbaum is happy to help! Please schedule an appointment to discuss this by calling the office or visiting our website.

Doc's corner: 

Everyone please be smart and safe amongst others on Superbowl Sunday. One of my fav's - Baked Zucchini Fries are a healthy game time snack to enjoy. Slice your zucchini lengthwise, blot them dry, dip them in scrambled egg wash, roll in grated parmesan seasoned with cracked pepper and oregano. Air Fry or Bake at 425F and serve promptly with your fav dip. Enjoy the game!
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