Telemedicine Options
All patients will be seen using telemedicine options during the Stay At Home Order.
Hello Everyone,
I hope you are all well. I am sending out healing thoughts to each and every one of you for your physical, mental and emotional well-being in this difficult time. I wanted to update you on changes that I have made to help provide care while also reducing the spread of this virus.
I have moved all appointments online for the month of April. We can do a phone appointment or a Zoom video meeting to discuss your current treatment or to set up new treatment goals.
I am also discussing ways to help boost your immune system if you happen to start feeling sick and referring those who need testing to the appropriate testing sites.
If you would like to schedule an appointment to be seen, you can go to my website to book.
https://simple-family-health.genbook.com
Healthy tips during the Stay At Home Order
1. Plant a garden: Gardening has been shown to reduce stress and we could all use a simple stress reducer right now. Gardening also boosts your serotonin levels. Serotonin is your happy chemical which can boosts patience, resilience and learning abilities (may be helpful for those of you who are suddenly teaching your kids at home). Here is a great place to buy some seeds and support a small business. https://trueloveseeds.com/
2. Exercise: try something new in your exercise routine. There are lots of great videos being made right now that you can access for free or if you prefer walking around the neighborhood, try adding some new moves to your walks. Make circles with your arms for 2 houses - big circles, little circles and don’t forget to change directions. Skip with your kids for 1-2 houses and listen to them roar with laughter at the idea of mom or dad skipping. Think of how amused all your neighbors who are stuck inside will be at your antics. Try wearing a cape or a costume during your walks and declare it a parade!
3. Dance or sing together as a family. Music is a great way to improve your health. It opens our hearts and it is the only form of communication that uses all the parts of the brain (this is why singing to kids helps them learn!).
4. Schedule a time to watch the news and limit yourself. Watching the news cycle 24 hours will only increase your anxiety so get the information that you need to keep yourself healthy then turn it off.
Breakfast Before Baskets and Other Healthy Easter Ideas for Families
With all the chaos in the last few weeks, it’s hard to believe that Easter is this weekend. It’s hard to imagine Easter without family and friends enjoying each other’s company. Some parents may decide to hype up the Easter activities by giving their kids more sweet treats to make up for the loss of normalcy. Kids might act like they want more sweet treats but really what they need right now is your time and attention so try to spend quality time with them on Easter.
1. Breakfast before baskets. Let your kids know the night before that the Easter bunny will be shaking his tail through your house and delivering treats and the kids can check out their baskets while you are making breakfast but no sweet treats until after they eat breakfast. know what is expected. This way they get a belly full of nutritious food before adding in the sweets.
2. Do a themed basket this year with less sugary sweets and more activities:
Garden themed: a basket filled with a shovel, gardening gloves, seeds, and a watering can so you can go play in the dirt and watch your garden grow over the next few weeks. You can plant carrots or flowers whichever your child might enjoy.
Art themed: crayons, chalk, markers, and crafts or sticker books for the younger kids.
Spring weather themed: Kites or pinwheels for blowing in the spring wind, rain boots and an umbrella for walks in the rain, a magnifying glass and book about insects.
3. Easter egg hunts are still okay as long as you maintain social distancing. You can hide eggs inside if you have an apartment. You can also challenge your kids with finding all the green eggs first or leaving their baskets in front of you and having them run to an egg and run back to put it in the basket filling their basket one egg at a time. I like this one because it gives the littler siblings an opportunity to find more eggs while the older kids are running back and forth.
Have a fun and healthy Easter and a wondrous Spring!
In Health,
Dr. Jennifer Strider, ND