Salem-Keizer HEALTH & WELLNESS Spring 2021 NAVIGATING MENTAL HEALTH DURING THE PANDEMIC ANXIETY COPE MOOD STRESS PAGE 6 COVID vaccines DUHKHUH©¢ Now what? PAGE 3 Feeling the weight of pandemic anxiety? PAGE 8 Center 50+ takes their mission on the road PAGE 10 Liberty House adds tools for mental health for kids PAGE 12 SLEEP BOREDOMBOREDOMBOREDOM NEGATIVITY PRESSUREPRESSURE MOTIVATIONMOTIVATIONMOTIVATION DISCONNECTDISCONNECT RACING RACING THOUGHTSTHOUGHTS CONCENTRATIONCONCENTRATION FOCUSFOCUS LOSSLOSS HEALTH HEALTH OFOF JOYJOY DEPRESSION ISOLATIONISOLATIONISOLATIONISOLATION SELF DOUBT2 Salem-Keizer HEALTH & WELLNESS Magazine — Spring 20213 Salem-Keizer HEALTH & WELLNESS Magazine — Spring 2021 By ERIC A. HOWALD Of the Keizertimes With mass COVID-19 vaccinations as a bright spot on the horizon, it feels as though a weight on our chests begins to lift ever so slightly. However, even the vaccination of a substantial part of the population doesn’t mean we’re completely out of the woods. Here are some answers regarding what to expect when you get the vaccination and what you can safely do afterward. What might happen the day we get vaccinated? It’s not uncommon for people to feel pain and swelling in the arm where you receive the shot. Try a cool, wet washcloth at the site of the shot to alleviate the discomfort. Fever, chills, tiredness and headaches might follow, but should subside after a few days. Drink plenty of fluids and consider ibuprofen, aspirin, antihistamines or acetaminophen which may help alleviate the discomfort and are safe to use after the shot, but should not be taken before the shot as a preventative measure. When do we get the second dose? Both COVID-19 mRNA vaccines will need two shots to get the most protection. The timing between your first and second shot depends on which vaccine you received. You should get your second shot: • For the Pfizer-BioNTech three weeks (or 21 days) after your first shot, • For the Moderna one month (or 28 days) after your first shot. You should get your second shot as close to the recommended three-week or one- month interval as possible. What should I do if I have underlying medical conditions, am pregnant, or other concerns about how the vaccine might affect me? Consult with your doctor to address any patient-specific concerns about receiving the vaccine. How do the mRNA vaccines work? COVID-19 mRNA vaccines give instructions for our cells to make a harmless piece of what is called the “spike protein.” The spike protein is found on the surface of the virus that causes COVID-19. Once the instructions (mRNA) are inside the immune cells, the cells use them to make the protein piece. After the protein piece is made, the cell breaks down the instructions and gets rid of them. That immune response, which produces antibodies, is what protects us from getting infected if the real virus enters our bodies. How long will the vaccine last? We are still learning about the possible answers to this question. COVID-19 vaccinations may be required annually to maintain immunity, similar to what we’ve done with flu shots in the past. Researchers are tracking instances when vaccinated individuals contract COVID-19, those might be indicators, but it will still be necessary to determine if other underlying factors might have affected the vaccine’s effectiveness. Can I still get COVID-19 after being vaccinated? Yes. There have already been instances of people contracting the disease after receiving both doses. The larger question is whether those who have been vaccinated can spread the disease to others. If you get vaccinated, and you should, the hope is that the new immunity will reduce the severity of the disease. Should we be concerned about the way the virus is mutating and the effectiveness of the vaccine? While the new variants will likely be cause for concern each time a new one appears, the current vaccines appear partially effective against the new variations so far. When can I stop wearing a mask? It depends. Masks should be worn in the community, and social distancing maintained, until public health officials give the okay to do otherwise. If you have a small circle of friends and relations who have all received the vaccine, it will be safer to gather in groups. However, you should also take into account the amount of community spread in the area and whether anyone in the group is part of a vulnerable population. How should we gauge the overall impact of the vaccine? Public health officials are aiming to reduce the number of positive COVID-19 tests to below 5% in every state. Once 70% to 80% of the population is vaccinated, there is a chance things like going to movies, live theater, other events like concerts and professional sporting events with a lot of people singing or shouting might need more time to resume. The longer it takes to reach the target number of vaccinations, the longer our current situation is likely to drag on. COVID vaccines are here Now what? Published by WHEATLAND PUBLISHING CORP. Keizertimes 142 Chemawa Road N Keizer, OR 97303 Phone 503.390.1051 EDITOR & PUBLISHER Lyndon Zaitz publisher@keizertimes.com ADVERTISING ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVE Bill Phillips advertising@keizertimes.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER & PRODUCTION MANAGER Andrew Jackson graphics@keizertimes.com CONTRIBUTORS Lori Beyeler Eric A. Howald Dee Moore Matt Rawlings4 Salem-Keizer HEALTH & WELLNESS Magazine — Spring 2021 E ighty-two percent of mul- tigenerational families say that living together has increased their bonds among family mem- bers, according to a study pub- lished by Generations United. As COVID-19 has led to increased hardships throughout the United States, many families have taken the opportunity to use this time to live together and create lasting memories they couldn’t before. Multigenerational households are like beehives; everyone has their own unique purpose in the living environment and contrib- utes to the success of the hive. Unfortunately, society views older family members as a hin- drance; however, living together under one roof shows us that our loved ones provide much more than just hugs and kisses, they provide lifelong lessons and experiences we wouldn’t get to appreciate and understand with just a yearly visit or update from a nurse’s aide. When preparing to live in a mutigenerational household, consider the below tips and technologies to help assist with safety and comfort for all family members: • Living with an older loved one doesn’t have to mean being cautious of their every move. It means designing a space they can feel comfortable in. Design each room with L.O.V.E., which stands for Light, Optimize, Visualize and Ease. Integrate plenty of natural light, to regulate sleep cycles. Optimize the space by including items that will help with mobility while adding personal touches. Visualize each room by giving it a clear purpose, like eating dinner at the dining room table versus in front of the TV or alone in a separate room. Ease in navigating clear paths to the bathroom, etc. • Depending on levels of mobility, households will need to be retrofitted to avoid slips and trips to the emergency room. If older members of the family have issues with using the restroom on their own, a perfect addition to the bathroom is a bidet. A Brondell bidet replaces a normal toilet seat that washes and blows dry. Plus, it’s customizable, heated, and includes a splash guard and a nightlight. • Make sure that everyone is being safe while they cook with tech devices like iGuardStove and FireAvert, which automatically shuts the stove off if food starts smoking to prevent a fire or burned pan from unattended or forgotten cooking. • The Livio AI hearing aid has fall detection and tracks body and brain health in 27 languages. MouthLab by Aidar Health monitors more than 10 medical parameters like temperature, respiratory rate, blood pressure, breathing patterns, heart rate, lung function and more in 30 seconds. CarePredict assesses day-to-day movements including sleep, walking, eating and more. The MedWand handheld device allows users to conduct remote office visits and uses real-time collection of vital sign readings to accurately monitor medical conditions regardless of location. • Hapbee is a wearable device and smartphone app that can make you feel happy, calm, sleepy, alert, focused, etc., with the click of a button. Also, the Human Charger introduces light therapy through ear buds to reach the photoreceptors of the brain, which can help those who may have the winter blues, sleep issues, or just want more energy and alertness. Living together is a wonderful experience, enjoyed by millions of families across the world. By using simple technologies, we can help our older loved ones stay safe and comfortable. ( Brandpoint) Multigenerational households provide many benefits 5 Salem-Keizer HEALTH & WELLNESS Magazine — Spring 2021 The sudden onset of stroke symptoms can happen to anyone at any time, making education about the signs and symptoms of a “brain attack” the first line of defense to stroke prevention. “I’m a fanatical fan of football, so you can imagine how excited I was to enter the stadi- um to see my favorite team play; but I lost my balance and fell. I’m lucky the people near me jumped into action and called 911,” re- called stroke survivor William Martin. “They are the real heroes in my medical emergency story; they knew the signs of a stroke.” Stroke is the second leading cause of death and third leading cause of disability world- wide. Today, only 10% of stroke survivors make a full recovery and 25% recover with minor impairments. Forty percent of survi- vors experience moderate to severe impair- ments that require special care. Strokes are common and deadly but the good news is almost all strokes can be prevented. WHAT IS A STROKE? A stroke happens when the blood vessels carrying nutrients to the brain either form a clot or rupture, causing a sudden blockage in the arteries leading to the brain. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood (and oxygen) it needs, so it and brain cells die. HOW TO PREVENT STROKE Generally, there are three treatment stages for stroke: prevention, therapy immediately after stroke, and post-stroke rehabilitation. Engaging in active prevention is the most ef- fective treatment. What can you do to prevent stroke? 1. Monitor your blood pressure 2. Control your cholesterol 3. Keep your blood sugar down 4. Keep active 5. Eat healthy 6. Lose weight if necessary 7. Do not smoke 8. Talk to your physician about aspirin and other medications IN THE EVENT OF STROKE: ACT F.A.S.T. “Every minute from the time the stroke occurs to when you receive treatment makes a difference,” said neurointerventional radiol- ogist at Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City Jared Halpin, M.D. “Many types of stroke are now treatable with emergency medical inter- ventions to either quickly dissolve or remove the blood clot or stop the bleeding that is causing symptoms.” Seek treatment, F.A.S.T. Follow the acro- nym below to check for signs of stroke: • FACE Drooping: Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile. Is the person’s smile uneven or lopsid- ed? • ARM Weakness: Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward? • SPEECH: Is speech slurred? Is the per- son unable to speak or hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. • TIME to Call 9-1-1: If the person shows any of these symptoms, even if the symp- toms go away, call 9-1-1 and get them to the hospital immediately. For more information on stroke preven- tion tips and treatment options please vis- it the World Stroke Organization at www. world-stroke.org. (Brandpoint) Stroke awareness: It’s always an emergencyF or many, the COVID-19 pandemic has created a sense of constant pressure. Home is no longer a respite from a long day of work demands. It is now the office, the classroom and a source of entertainment. There is no escape. As social distancing reaches its one year anniversary there has been an increase in cases of anxiety, stress and depression among the general public. While most people are familiar with the milder aspects of these conditions the symptoms of more serious mental health struggles are not always familiar. According to Lisa Solterbeck, 48, of Salem, a licensed clinical social worker, and owner of Journeys...A Center for Your Soul, many people are struggling with their mental health right now. “I think just general aches and pains are a really common thing. You are going to see some basic struggles with mood, feeling sad or down, anxiety, a loss of joy, tired or kind of low energy, loss of drive and motivation in general, sex drive issues, feeling more lethargy, weight changes, lots of sleep issues, either too much or not enough, headaches, stomach issues, kind of neck and shoulder pain, super common problems that we see,” Solterbeck said. “One thing I’ve really noticed with folks that just are kind of moving into an unhealthy world where they’re starting to feel bad is that they lose the value of everything around them. It might be a partner, a job, their things, their animals. There is a lot more self doubt, memory and concentration issues. Lots of mood changes, can’t cope with day to day stuff, everything makes them stressed out kind of angry or uptight. “They can have a lot of negative self talk … racing thoughts is a real problem. They’re finding everything is feeling negative instead of positive in the world.” Racing thoughts, according to Solterbeck, is the feeling that you can’t turn your brain off, that there is no sense of peace, that the brain is trying to stay ahead of any potential problems. Children and teens are especially susceptible to the pressures of social isolation, according to Donna Burnett, 65, of Salem, a school counselor at Crossler Middle School in Salem. “No one knows their child better than they themselves do. If all of a sudden, they’ve lost interest in things that normally engage them, they’re not eating, they’re not sleeping which is a big sign, or they’re sleeping all the time,” Burnett said. Changes in how a child talks can signal that something is not right in their life. “They’ll say, it doesn’t matter anyway, I don’t matter. No one would notice if I’m not here,” she said. She suggests parents listen to their children in particular during this time for signs that they are struggling with the changes and isolation that they are dealing with. “The biggest thing is just lis- tening and it doesn’t have to be intense because kids don’t respond well when it is. Let’s sit down and look into each other’s eyes and tell each other how we feel; it’s not going to happen. But you know, provid- ing opportunities to talk 6 Salem-Keizer HEALTH & WELLNESS Magazine — Spring 2021 EMOTIONS COPE MOOD SLEEP BOREDOMBOREDOMBOREDOM CONCENTRATION CHANGECHANGE MOTIVATION PRESSURE DISCONNECTDISCONNECT RACING RACING THOUGHTSTHOUGHTS FOCUS SELFSELF DOUBTDOUBT STRUGGLESSTRUGGLES LOSSLOSS OFOF JOYJOY DEPRESSION MEMORYMEMORY STRESS NAVIGATING MENTAL DURING THE PANDEMIC HEALTH By DEE MOORE For Health and Wellness ISOLATION Lisa Solterbeck HW/Andrew Jackson PAIN7 Salem-Keizer HEALTH & WELLNESS Magazine — Spring 2021 4350 Cherry Ave NE Keizer, OR 503-393-6060 keizervision.com We can change the way you look at life Cynthia Strawn, OD Mallory MacRae, OD To help you achieve and maintain clear vision for years to come. and see what bubbles up in conversation,” Burnett said. According to Sol- terbeck, the best way to combat feelings of anxiety, depression and stress is changing focus. “I think one of the first things we want to do is try to adapt to the changes, instead of kind of resisting or clinging to issues. It’s really important to create habits for success. We call it a daily hygiene habit, where you create your own ecosystem. If you’re stuck in your house, wake up at a regular time, shower, get dressed, go for a walk, maybe call a friend, clean the house, get the mail, do things that you do regularly, so that you have some sense of routine in your life,” she said. She suggests coming up with creative solutions to cope with boredom, such as crafting, writing a business plan, starting a podcast and always being on the lookout for new opportunities. “It’s more that all levels of your life, mind, body and spirit, are growing, adjusting and moving forward. If you’re having troubles after that, then I would start seeking out a therapist, a life coach or something that could bring more joy and inspiration to you as you move forward,” Solterbeck said. Burnett is an advocate of reframing situations and teaching children to be mindful. “We live in a very fast paced society and we have been forced to come to a screeching halt. We are meant to live in community and connection with each other. I’m talking about reframing this into an opportunity. We’re being forced to be together. Asking how can we support each other; how can I help you not feel this way? “Create a space for conversation to learn how should I care for this other person. We need to be there to listen and validate their feelings and creating opportunities, so that they always know they have one-on-one time with an adult. Burnett suggests creating a designated time and space each day for families to share their activities, thoughts and feelings. If parents lead this conversation it will foster intimacy and teach their children that it is safe to be open about their concerns and emotions. “Another thing is parents should not be hard on themselves. Because I think they’re—we’re all trying to figure out how to do this,” Burnett said. For those who are faithful, church and community can help with this struggle to connect. Rob Thrasher, 49, of Salem is the minister Donna Burnett NEGATIVE SELF TALK ANXIETY Please see MENTAL, Page 128 Salem-Keizer HEALTH & WELLNESS Magazine — Spring 2021 Since the pandemic began, many have felt the effects on their mental health. The CDC reported in June that over 40% of Americans suffered an adverse mental or behavioral health condition, with anxiety and depressive disorders topping the list. By mid-July, 53% of U.S. adults said their mental health was negatively impacted by stress and worry due to the pandemic, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll. As the pandemic continues, these stressors are likely to impact more people every day. Are you or your family members likely to suffer from anxiety, depression or other mental health issues? If so, what can you do to support your - or your loved one’s - mental health? First, it helps to uncover your predisposition toward certain traits or mental conditions. Just as you might seek information about your genetic predisposition for illnesses to guide your lifestyle choices, discovering your genetic traits related to mental health can help support your emotional well-being. Thanks to a breakthrough in the translation of genetic mechanisms and traits that can influence a person’s behavioral predispositions, the Genomind Mental Health Map provides a springboard anyone can use to take action toward better mental wellness. Mental health is a function of genetics, environment, lifestyle and experiences. This is called “Mental Health 360.” Dr. Scott Wiener, a board-certified psychiatrist focused on a biological based holistic approach, uses genetic information as a vital tool. “For far too long the practice of psychiatry has only utilized symptoms in the assessment of someone’s mental health. Evolving science has now given us the opportunity to assess the biological causes underlying those symptoms,” says Wiener. “Genomind is an essential tool in this advanced process of creating a more complete picture of mental health.” Unlike some ancestry tests that have a spit tube for collection, you only supply a cheek Feeling the weight of pandemic anxiety? TURN IT OFF swab sample for Genomind’s test. They then analyze 38 genetic variants and influences on 29 mental health traits, resulting in a report detailing 59 possible behavioral predispositions specific to your genetic profile. Genomind provides resources and recommended actions from trusted advocacy groups to help improve your wellness and quality of life. The Genomind Mental Health Map identifies seven core genetic mental health capabilities: 1. Stress and anxiety 2. Mood 3. Focus and memory 4. Sleep 5. Eating behavior 6. Social behavior 7. Habits and substance use Exploring your genetic predispositions in these seven crucial areas increases your self- awareness and empowers you to take steps toward better self-care. STRESS AND ANXIETY If you are one of many who have the variant of the gene involved in stress hormone regulation (FKBP5), you may experience a heightened stress response. Knowing that this variant may contribute to your stress response allows you to target this biological mechanism to help regulate it. For example, supplements such as magnesium and/or rhodiola rosea have been shown to help. You can also try mindfulness techniques like grounding exercises and meditation. SLEEP AND FOCUS Or you may find you have a variant of the gene associated with excessive brain cell signaling (CACNA1C), which can result in traits such as: • Trouble falling asleep • Moodiness • Inattentiveness You can target this mechanism with supplements shown to stabilize it, like omega-3 fatty acids and magnesium. You could also make changes in your behavior or environment, such as reevaluating your sleep habits and schedule. MEMORY A variant of a gene that encodes for a protein critical to brain cell growth and repair (BDNF) is associated with predispositions involving memory and stress response, which may affect your working memory and stress levels. Fortunately, BDNF levels can be boosted through exercise. People with this variant are even more likely to benefit from the brain-enhancing effects of exercise than people without it. Knowing you have this predisposition may help jump-start your exercise routine. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER Discovering your genetic predispositions and their potential impact on your mental wellness can help you prevent problems before they develop, or reduce them if they already exist. Knowledge of your genetic predispositions is a vital tool for boosting your overall mental health and well- being—especially during challenging times. (Brandpoint)9 Salem-Keizer HEALTH & WELLNESS Magazine — Spring 2021Next >