Healthy Living in Connecticut Blog

Today, as I was running around the neighborhood, someone said that they admire my determination to keep exercising. Although, I have not kept the same pace than I did when I went to the gym, I have been active. I guess it's noticeably so as I don't see many others getting out and running or even walking. Yes, social distancing is important, and it's easy to practice when outside. Remember, you need to get adequate vitamin D to maintain health. Aside from supplementation the best way to get vitamin D is by getting some sunshine.

I have not been weighing myself as I don't own a scale. The only place I weigh myself is at the gym. As you know, the gyms are closed, so I have no idea what my actual weight is. But I know my weight has not changed. How? Well, one way to judge is by the way my clothes fit. Everything is fitting exactly like it did before the pandemic started. Another way I know it's the same: my diet is the same as a few months ago.

There is a lot of negative news out there but I wanted to post the positive side of the news. It's not easy to find. Put on the TV and all you hear about are the number of deaths there are from this, how long we'll have to do social distancing, what will happen with our economy, etc. It's tough to have a positive outlook with all the negativity.

The problem is that negativity can cause stress, and stress can make us sick. You want to keep your immune system strong during times like this. That's why you need to focus on some positive news too. So here's some positive news for you to ponder.

Recently, my friend Rob Lee and I had the opportunity to interview Dr. Joel Fuhrman. Originally, the topic was supposed to be about mental health but with all that's going on with the COVID-19 virus, I felt some questions were needed on the subject.

While I do agree with Dr. Fuhrman that the best way to protect yourself is with a whole food plant based diet, I want to stress it's still important to social distance. Although most people will recover fro it, you don't want to be a carrier. Wait until the authorities say it’s safe before you go back to your usual activities. I would hate to be a carrier and think I might contaminate someone else. We didn’t stress this enough in the video but it’s important to remember.

I'm hoping all the readers of this blog keep healthy and follow some common sense when it comes to dealing with the virus.

You've heard it several times now, wash your hands. I think this is the single most important thing people can do to limit the spread of germs. It makes sense as we touch so many items throughout the day that have been touched by others. We also need to stop touching our face as they'e been warning us. It's far too easy for germs to enter your body through the eyes, nose and mouth.

I decided to sign up for the Fairfield Half Marathon on June 7. I did this race last year and thought it was a lot of fun. It was tough with some of the hills but I enjoyed starting and ending by the beach.

I know what I need to work on for the next time around. I need to practice my incline running. I need to figure out how to adjust the speed so I'm not so winded by the end. But those things will improve as I get to practicing again.