Preventive Health x 3
Brought to you by the founder of ZocDoc, Dr. B is a new public-benefit corporation (like IWBI!), which is matching anyone who wants the coronavirus vaccine with unused doses that will only expire and get tossed if not administered. (Note: You need not have an underlying condition to sign onto Dr. B.) Lovingly named after the founder’s grandfather who became a physician during the 1918 influenza pandemic, Dr. B circumvents government-run websites in 30 states (including NY) that are currently limiting appointments to only those considered eligible for the vaccine. But plenty of eligible people cancel their appointments last-minute or just don’t show up. Dr. B will notify you same-day of leftover doses in your area, which you’ll need to be ready to grab quickly. Just beware that since Dr. B is not itself a medical provider, the personal and demographic information you enter into the system is not HIPAA-protected. In New York, new COVID cases continue to be high at about 4,000 per day.
Last week I began running every day. And I hate running. Every bone and muscle in my body resists this jarring activity; my organs feel like lead. But my days needed more routine to give them shape. And I’ve always liked the idea of running. So I figured, why not see if I can train my body to enjoy this activity instead of feeling like it’s about to die. It’s working. Not only has running 1.5 miles become easier and lighter-feeling in the span of just one week, but the daily run also ends the work part of my day and gets me outdoors to enjoy those long late-day rays of Vitamin D. So it’s a win-win-win for a more structured day, a solid end to the workday, and outdoor exercise in the sunshine. Other than that triad of winning reasons, I think it’s also singlehandedly keeping me from sinking into a deep, dark pandemic hole.
Vitamin C. So basic, right? Yet we can forget about it when we’re not in our WELL-certified office space where our juicer sits forlorn and the citrus bowl is empty these days. Vitamin C intake is essential to boosting immunity (key as we transition from winter to spring), absorbing more iron from our diets, and keeping our cognitive functioning sharp. A healthy diet of Vitamin C may also help manage blood pressure and reduce risk of heart disease and chronic disease. Keeping an eye on Vitamin C intake automatically aligns us with a menu of fresh fruits and vegetables. Guava packs the biggest Vitamin C punch with 377 mg in a one cup serving. That’s 419% of the daily 90 mg recommended amount of Vitamin C. Other good, concentrated sources of Vitamin C are raw red and green peppers, tomatoes, oranges, pink grapefruit, strawberries, papaya, pineapple, broccoli, potatoes, Brussels sprouts and any green leafy veggie like spinach. Mango, kiwi and cantaloupe work too! All things I crave after a run.
